Few actors have transcended film culture like Kevin Costner. The actor remains one of the best performers of athletic prowess on screen. He also became a mainstay of the Western, eventually transitioning that talent to Yellowstone. The popular TV series provided enough steam for Costner to return to the director’s chair, building an epic series he’s been trying to make for years. With Horizon: An American Saga debuting its first part on June 28th, we revisited the icon’s filmography to highlight his best movies.
7. Dances with Wolves (1990)
While in production, “Kevin’s Gate” seemed unlikely to break through into the mainstream. However, Dances with Wolves emerged as a revival of the Western, helping Shepard in a new era for the genre in the early 1990s. Costner would take home Best Picture and Best Directing prizes for his work, but his acting remains excellent. Indigenous performer Graham Greene remains best-in-show, but considering that Costner spends nearly four hours alone, it’s hard to ignore Dances with Wolves when highlighting his career.
6. Waterworld (1995)
Listen, we all know that Waterworld borders on bad throughout its runtime. However, Costner’s surly mutant hero highlights him as an anti-hero. Additionally, the stuntwork and action setpieces are rarely rivaled outside of the Mad Max series. Considering more than a few ties to that franchise throughout Waterworld, the box office disaster turned cult favorite remains one of Costner’s most enjoyable performances, if only for the insanity surrounding the plot.
5. The Untouchables (1987)
Costner became an icon for his taste in filmmakers and willingness to play the straight man. Throughout most of The Untouchables, Costner’s Eliott Ness becomes the steady hand at the blackjack table. Grounding the audience with a man struggling to find his path, while being surrounded by the violence of Prohibition, helps The Untouchables connect with general audiences. When you have an actor like Kevin building the foundation, De Niro, Connery, and Garcia can deliver the huge performances that help make The Untouchables a classic.
4. Field of Dreams (1989)
If you argue that Costner is the Jimmy Stewart of the 1980s and 1990s, the argument has to start with Field of Dreams. Potentially the most romantic movie about baseball in history, Field of Dreams celebrates its 35th anniversary this year. It remains a perfect movie about falling in love with a sport and dream, even when the goal seems absurd. There will never be a scene in a sports film as moving as the ghosts emerging from the cornfields. Costner’s willingness to play into the mania, as well as show fierce belief in his idea, makes Field of Dreams a brilliant showcase of his everyman qualities.
3. A Perfect World (1993)
One of the underseen gems of the Costner filmography, A Perfect World, allowed the actor and Clint Eastwood to build a brilliant two-hander. Even though the premise may not appeal to some, the road-trip two-hander satisfies on an emotional level in ways that most films cannot. Showcasing Costner as an anti-hero, he delivers some of the most subtle and heartwarming performances of his career. There are few moments where the actor felt more like a Dad than in A Perfect World. Yet the fact that he does not play this child’s father speaks to Kevin’s ability to connect with anyone.
2. J.F.K. (1991)
J.F.K. might be Costner’s best movie to date, but it does not quite reach his peak as an actor. This mostly boils down to structure because once his character takes control of the narrative, Costner dominates the screen. The “Back and to the Left” sequence became instantly iconic. The actor brings the monomania of Jim Garrison to life in both subtle and overt scenes. However, because the first half of J.F.K. follows Garrison learning about the potential conspiracy, he’s forced to be an audience surrogate, which makes him less dynamic early in the narrative. Costner gives a very animated and fun performance, but J.F.K. is Oliver Stone’s triumph first and foremost.
1. Bull Durham (1988)
Crash Davis might be the single best character Costner ever played. The over-the-hill baseball player is charming, funny, and sweet in one package. He holds Bull Durham in the palm of his hand, effortlessly taking over the movie with his incredible charisma. He’s charming. He’s romantic. He frankly never looked more attractive. He brings eroticism to scenes with Sarandon, and their chemistry sparks through the screen. There’s a reason Bull Durham became a trademark role for Costner. It opened the door for a half-dozen sports romances that could never quite live up to this movie’s sexual dynamism. While Field of Dreams might be more iconic, Bull Durham highlights why Costner became a generational movie star.
Watch Kevin Costner’s latest, Horizon: An American Saga in theaters June 28th, 2024.
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