There’s something aboutJohn Goodman. Maybe it’s the voice: resonant, warm, and instantly recognizable. Maybe it’s the physicality, how he can switch from teddy bear to bulldozer in the blink of an eye. Or maybe it’s the soul he brings to every character, no matter how absurd, tender, or terrifying. Few actors can command a scene without stealing it. Goodman can.
Over the years, he’s been aCoen Brothersregular, a Pixar icon, a dramatic powerhouse, a psycho at the end of the world, and a comedy MVP. He makes it all look effortless. The following ten movies showthe breadth and depth of Goodman’s abilities, from cult classics to quiet cameos, comedic triumphs to claustrophobic thrillers.
10’The Emperor’s New Groove' (2000)
Directed by Mark Dindal
“You threw off my groove!” InThe Emperor’s New Groove, Goodman voices Pacha, a gentle llama herder who ends up babysitting a narcissistic emperor cursed into quadrupedal humility. Pacha isn’t a flashy character. He doesn’t cast spells, hurl insults, or steal scenes with slapstick. Yet he still plays an important role, lending the story some emotional weight. Fitting the character totally, Goodman infuses Pacha with patience, empathy, and subtle exasperation that never veers into corniness.
His chemistry with David Spade’s egotistical Kuzco makes every gag land harder, and every sincere moment feel earned. Their voices are nicely complements to one another. Even behind animation, Goodman radiates presence and warmth. He’s just one of many strong elements in this animated gem, which is full of charm, humor, striking colors, and unique Andean-inspired imagery.It was a big hit,grossing$169m worldwide, and it should delight new generations of kids for a long time to come.
The Emperor’s New Groove
9’Flight' (2012)
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
“Somebody’s gotta carry the cocaine.” Goodman doesn’t appear for long inFlight, but every second of his performance as Harling Mays is memorable. He’s equal parts comic relief and disturbing enabler, striding into scenes like a profane guardian angel with a ponytail, sunglasses, and a devil-may-care grin. Harling supplies the drugs that keepDenzel Washington’s Whip Whitaker on a catastrophic trajectory, but he does it with such disarming cool, you almost want to forgive him.
That’s Goodman’s magic here:Harling is magnetic, hilarious, and horrifying all at once.He’s the embodiment of addiction’s seductive side, making it easy to laugh, even as everything crumbles. The Rolling Stones blare when he enters; silence follows when he leaves. His brief role jolts the film and reminds you that charm can be deadly. It’s a masterclass in scene-stealing with just the right dose of menace. 2012 was a great year for Goodman, with him also taking part inArgo,ParaNorman, andTrouble With the Curve.
8’Barton Fink' (1991)
Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
“I’ll show you the life of the mind!” In this one, Goodman’s Charlie Meadows starts out as a chatty, seemingly harmless insurance salesman. He’s friendly, grounded, a little sad. But as the Coens drag the titular screenwriter (John Turturro) into a surreal, infernal version of Hollywood, Charlie transforms into something far more sinister, and Goodman plays the turn with frightening precision. When the mask drops, the effect is volcanic.
What’s impressive is how Goodman blends calm domesticity with unhinged fury.Here, he becomes a kind of demonic force, not through special effects, but through the sheer weight of performance. The hallway scene, flaming and apocalyptic, is one of the most unforgettable sequences the Coens have ever shot, and it only works because of Goodman.He carries the film’s most terrifying aspectsin his broad shoulders and sudden silences. If you’ve only seen him as lovable or loud, this role will reset your expectations completely.
Barton Fink
7’The Artist' (2011)
Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
“You and I are like the sun and the moon.” Goodman doesn’t say a word inThe Artist, but he still booms through posture, gesture, and the kind of expressive command only seasoned actors can summon. As studio boss Al Zimmer, he’s one of the few characters who sees the silent era’s collapse coming and does something about it.He’s brash, funny, and unsentimental, grounding the film’s nostalgia with some necessary realism.
Even in a film defined by restraint, Goodman explodes off the screen. His performance is full of clarity, sarcasm, and tension. His Al Zimmer isn’t a villain or hero but a survivor, and his presence adds grit to an otherwise airy fable. The film is filled with lovely performances, but Goodman’s is the one that reminds you of the industry’s hard edge. It’s a small but essential role that keeps the fantasy from floating away. This whole movie seems kind of forgotten these days, but it’s still a good time.
The Artist
6’Inside Llewyn Davis' (2013)
“Folk songs? I thought you said you were a musician.“Inside Llewyn Davisis one of the Coens’gentler, quieter masterpieces, and also a great showcase for Goodman’s varied talents. He plays Roland Turner, one of the film’s strangest, most magnetic detours. A heroin-addicted jazz man full of contempt and bile, Roland spends most of the road trip needling Llewyn (Oscar Isaac) with cryptic insults, grand stories, and snores.He’s a monolith of judgment with a cane and fedora.
Goodman nails Roland’s combustible combination of genius and venom. He’s funny until he’s frightening, then funny again. The Coens give him barely 20 minutes, but he lingers like cigarette smoke in a locked car. Every line is quotable, every look loaded with disdain or delirium. He may not move the plot forward, but he deepens its world, giving it edginess, wit, and a whiff of hell. Goodman makes Roland feel both mythic and sadly human, a ruined prophet on the side of the road.
Inside Llewyn Davis
5’Monsters, Inc.' (2001)
Directed by Pete Docter
“I’m not even breaking a sweat.” As the voice of Sulley inMonsters, Inc., Goodman gave Pixar one of its most enduring characters. Big, blue, and huggable, Sulley is initially introduced as the top scarer in Monstropolis, but the story quickly reveals his deeper capacity for love, especially after he’s tasked with protecting a human child named Boo. Once again, Goodman’s voice performance is full of warmth, humor, and subtle emotional shading.
Crucially, he balances Sulley’s confidence and fear, his strength and tenderness, without ever tipping too far into caricature. As a result,Goodman doesn’t just make Sulley lovable, he makes himhuman(impressive for something so horned and hairy). His chemistry withBilly Crystal’s Mike provides the laughs, but it’' his bond with Boo that gives the movie a lot of its heart. In a world powered by screams, Sulley discovers the strength of compassion, and Goodman ensures we believe every step of that transformation.
Monsters, Inc.
4’O Brother, Where Art Thou?' (2000)
“It’s a fool who looks for logic in the chambers of the human heart.” This movie is most well-remembered for its killer soundtrack, but the performances are also top-notch. InO Brother, Where Art Thou?, Goodman is a grotesque, hilarious, and terrifying addition to the Coens' Depression-era odyssey. Big Dan Teague is many things: Bible salesman, liar, predator, and one-eyed brute with a love of betrayal. His character is a twisted take on the Cyclops fromThe Odyssey, and Goodman relishes the chance to go big and dark.
Big Dan is jovial until he turns violent, polite until he’s pounding heads with tree branches.Goodman’s ability to embody Southern charm and intimidation in the same breath is staggering.He delivers every line with relish and makes every movement feel purposeful. In just a few scenes, he adds weight, danger, and weirdness to an already stylized film. Big Dan doesn’t overstay his welcome. He just leaves bruises where he’s been.
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
3’Argo' (2012)
Directed by Ben Affleck
“If I’m going to make a fake movie, it’s going to be a fake hit.” InArgo, Goodman playsJohn Chambers, a real-life Hollywood makeup artist who helped the CIA stage a phony sci-fi movie to rescue American hostages from Iran.It’s a true story so absurd it feels fictional, and Goodman’s dry, savvy performance anchors the Hollywood half of this two-pronged thriller. Goodman plays Chambers as a guy who’s seen it all and has no time for nonsense, unless it helps get the job done.
He brings levity without undercutting the stakes, and his comic timing sharpens every scene.He’s a professional, a wise-ass, and an unlikely patriot. His chemistry withAlan Arkingives the film some of its most entertaining moments, and together they remind us how show business and espionage can overlap in all the strangest ways. Goodman doesn’t dominate the film, but like Chambers himself, he makes the plan believable.
2'10 Cloverfield Lane' (2016)
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg
“Crazy is building your ark after the flood has already come.“10 Cloverfield Laneis a pressure cooker of a thriller, andGoodmanis the flame beneath it. Perhaps no other movie shows off his skills this much. As Howard, a survivalist who may be protecting (or imprisoning) a young woman in his underground bunker, Goodman delivers a performance that walks the razor’s edge between savior and psychopath. His presence manages to be both comforting and claustrophobic; strong shades of Annie Wilkes.
Goodman gives the film its core tension and elevates it from genre flick to psychological nail-biter.What makes his work here so creepy is how rational he seems.He’s prepared, polite, and occasionally fatherly, but there’s always something off in his smile. Goodman weaponizes his image, taking his trademark warmth and turning it into unease. Every time he’s on screen, you feel the walls closing in. This is a character who believes he’s the good guy, and that’s what makes him so dangerous.
10 Cloverfield Lane
1’The Big Lebowski' (1998)
“You’re entering a world of pain.” This might not be Goodman’s very best performance, but it is the best movie he’s been part of. Walter Sobchak is chaos incarnate, a Vietnam vet who quotes the rules of bowling like scripture, explodes over minor infractions, and brings a gun to a league match.Goodmanturns what could have been little more than a cartoon character into one of the most unhinged, quotable, and oddly lovable figures in cult cinema history.He’s the film’s engine, its wild card, and its philosophical battering ram.
Goodman plays Walter with nuclear intensity but never lets him become a parody. There’s depth behind the mania, a loyalty that borders on delusion, a rage that’s partly grief. Every scene he’s in is louder, funnier, and tenser because of him. He hijacks the film and yet never breaks its rhythm. It’s an iconic role, and no one else could’ve played it quite like this.
