Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman

We just lost one of the greatest actors of our lifetime. Some might say it’s histrionic to make that claim about Philip Seymour Hoffman, who died of an apparent drug overdose last weekend. Not me. His filmography reveals a staggeringly brilliant body of work, and that’s not even taking into account his theater career.

Not every movie he made was a winner, yet he still elevated the quality of anything he was a part of. And unlike other actors of his stature, there’s not a phoned-in performance taken for an easy paycheck anywhere on his resume. In 24 years, the guy brought his A-game to more than 50 films.

As is typically the case when someone talented dies so young (he was 46), there’s sadness involved – a peculiar emotion considering the vast majority of us never even met Hoffman, let alone had any sort of meaningful relationship with him – but also anger and disappointment. The guy had decades of great work left in him. He was preparing to continue his career with a new Showtime series, along with his second directorial effort. He reportedly cast the leads last week.

If there’s a silver lining to this this bleak cloud, it’s that we still have a few performances left to savor. It feels selfish to write that when others close to him are grieving a father, a family member, a colleague and a friend. But I knew him as an actor, and in that respect I haven’t lost him quite yet.

He’s still got a couple of films, God’s Pocket and A Most Wanted Man, set for release later this year. Also, he only had a handful of scenes left to shoot in the next two Hunger Games sequels. Lionsgate recently announced that he was so close that they’re not recasting; they’ll find ways to shoot around the missing scenes instead.

To be honest, these films will just postpone the inevitable heartache I’ll feel in a few years when I see a character actor turn in a serviceable performance and think, “I bet Philip Seymour Hoffman would’ve killed in that role.” But at least this tiny slate of remaining work allows his fans a few more chances to watch a master at the height of his craft.

His brilliance was so reliable that he was regrettably easy to take for granted. Shortly after I heard about his death on Sunday afternoon, I spent a lot of time looking over his IMDb page and – I’m ashamed to put this in print – marveling at the sheer number of great movies I’d forgotten he was in. Ironically, his presence in some of those films is a big reason they’re so great in the first place.

Hoffman leaves behind an astonishing legacy of performances, and I’d imagine one of the best ways to honor his passing is introducing new viewers to his work. Chances are you’ve seen him in at least one of these films (or the dozens of others I had to leave off), but those looking to gain a greater appreciation for the actor should update their Netflix queues.

Hard Eight (1996)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Magnolia (1999)

Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

The Master (2012)

Any look at Hoffman’s career should start with the films he made with Paul Thomas Anderson. The pair had an incredibly fruitful creative relationship that showcased the actor’s range.

Capote (2005)

Perhaps the actor’s most well-known role, considering it earned him an Oscar. I doubt anyone thought it would be his only one. The guy seemed destined for Streep levels of accolades.

Almost Famous (2000)

When I think back on Hoffman’s versatile career, I’ll always hold a special place in my heart for his performance as iconic music journalist Lester Bangs. His delivery, combined with Cameron Crowe’s wonderful dialogue, was magic (admittedly sentimental magic, but magic nonetheless).

Jack Goes Boating (2010)

Sadly, this romantic drama now serves as Hoffman’s single directorial effort. He plays a shy limo driver whose friends set him up on a blind date with a woman played by Amy Ryan.

Owning Mahowny (2003)

Hoffman stars as a bank manager who embezzles millions of dollars to fuel his gambling addiction. In retrospect, the actor’s brilliant performance was likely based on personal struggles, which will likely be at the forefront of future viewers’ minds.

Moneyball (2011)

The actor played a lot of nebbish, awkward characters, but he was equally compelling as the Oakland Athletics coach who butts heads with Brad Pitt’s general manager over the team’s adoption of sabermetrics.

Charlie Wilson’s War (2007)

Hoffman’s work as a maverick CIA agent demonstrated that he could chew scenery with the best of them, but never at the expense of other actors or the film’s quality.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

Mission: Impossible III (2006)

For many performers, playing the villain in a big-budget sequel is an excuse to overact and collect a massive paycheck. Not Hoffman. His performance as Plutarch Heavensbee is subtly complex, while his work as Tom Cruise’s nemesis is measured and terrifying.

Along Came Polly (2004)

Proof that Hoffman could be hilarious while elevating terrible material. His scene-stealing performance as Ben Stiller’s best friend is the only good aspect of this clunker.

See these too: Scent of a Woman (1992), Twister (1996), The Big Lebowski (1998), Happiness (1998), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), 25th Hour (2002), Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (2007) and Doubt (2008).