James Mangold has proven himself to be a very consistent filmmaker with a true talent for working within many genres. There aren’t many directors working today who can say that they’ve made westerns, romantic comedies, crime thrillers, music biopics, and blockbuster franchise sequels, but Mangold has managed to show diversity within his output. The consistency of quality is critical to Mangold’s longevity within the industry; even the weaker projects in his filmography have noteworthy performances and excellent production design.
Not every single project that Mangold has worked on has been successful. “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was a major disappointment that did not do justice to the Steven Spielberg films that preceded it, and “Knight and Day” was an awkward action comedy that seemed to misuse Tom Cruise. That being said, the vast majority of Mangold’s work has been of very high quality, with his very best establishing themselves as modern classics within their respective genres. Here are the top ten best James Mangold movies, ranked.
10. Identity (2003)
“Identity” is a twisty mystery thriller that saw James Mangold attempting to replicate the “whodunit” genre that had been popular since the 1940s. With a plot that is quite reminiscent of the classic Agatha Christie novel “And Then There Were None,” “Identity” focuses on a group of enigmatic strangers who find themselves trapped within an isolated hotel, where they are killed one-by-one by an unseen threat. Mangold has never made a straight-up horror film, but the suspense that builds in “Identity” suggests that there could be an excellent slasher story in his future.
“Identity” is a film that hinges on a shocking plot twist, but it is so well crafted with its scary moments that it still retains its entertainment value upon repeated viewings. While the ensemble cast is not quite as strong as some of the other films Mangold has made, “Identity” does feature a few standout performances, with Ray Liotta’s role as an aggressive cop being particularly memorable. It is to Mangold’s credit that he was able to transform what could have been generic, trashy entertainment into a highly effective thriller.
9. The Wolverine (2013)
“The Wolverine” was a surprisingly effective entry within the “X-Men” film franchise that finally allowed Hugh Jackman to appear in a more character-centric story centered around Logan. Although the disastrous prequel film “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” had tried to cram in his entire story, “The Wolverine” takes place in the aftermath of the original “X-Men” trilogy, and follows Logan as he seeks an end to his immortality by returning to Japan for the first time since the end of World War II.
Mangold was clearly inspired by the works of Akira Kurosawa, as many extended martial arts sequences are quite reminiscent of “Seven Samurai” and “Yojimbo.” There are certainly nods to other events and characters in the “X-Men” universe, but for the most part, “The Wolverine” is able to stand on its own as an exciting action film that isn’t interested in trying to build out an expanded universe. Although the theatrical cut feels somewhat truncated by its PG-13 rating, Mangold was able to have more creative freedom with an R-rated extended cut that featured more graphic violence.
8. Heavy (1995)
While Mangold is well known for his proficiency in making action and adventure films, his directorial debut was actually a small, intimate character drama. “Heavy” centers on the small-town cook Vince (Pruitt Taylor Vince), who begins to think about his future after the troubled college dropout, Callie (Liv Tyler) begins working at his family’s roadhouse. “Heavy” does a great job of capturing the mundanity of small-town life, and depicts depression, isolation, and familial conflict in a way that is quite delicate.
Mangold has always had an eye for specificity in locations and does a terrific job at showing a unique area of Upstate New York that is somewhat fractured from the rest of the city. It’s by no means a rapidly paced film, but the slower scenes allow “Heavy” to dig deeper into the characters without presenting any obvious cliches. There aren’t many directorial debuts that are as confident and well-executed as “Heavy,” which indicated that Mangold was a director to be taken seriously in the subsequent decades, where he could take even more risks.
7. Cop Land (1997)
Sylvester Stallone is an actor who has often been mocked, as his career began to decline in the 1990s after the “Rocky” and “Rambo” franchises had faded from public consciousness. However, Mangold gave Stallone the opportunity to prove he was a truly great actor in the crime drama, “Cop Land,” where he plays the noble police officer within a town rampant with systematic corruption. “Cop Land” has its moments of suspense and intrigue, but for the most part, it is a very cynical drama about the dissolution of the American dream.
“Cop Land” was unafraid to look at the ways in which law enforcement is able to avoid consequences, and examines the challenges that come with speaking truth to power. Stallone reveals a softer side in his performance, while Mangold enriches the film with a stellar supporting cast, including Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and Peter Berg. The ‘90s were certainly an incredible decade filled with many great crime thrillers, but “Cop Land” is an underrated gem that deserves to be remembered as one of the best.
6. Girl, Interrupted (1999)
Mangold proved that he could tackle controversial topics once again with “Girl, Interrupted,” which was based on the bestselling memoir by Susanna Kaysen. The film stars Winona Ryder as Kaysen, who spent 18 months in a psychiatric facility after her family grew concerned about her mental health in the wake of a suicide attempt. Much like “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” two decades earlier, “Girl, Interrupted” highlights the harsh mistreatment faced by individuals struggling with serious mental health issues. Beyond the stigma that comes with these issues, these victims struggle because they don’t have an outlet to express themselves without fear of the consequences.
Ryder was already one of the most famous stars in the world by the time “Girl, Interrupted” was released, but she was impressively able to shed her popular persona to play a very grounded character. That being said, the standout performance of the film was Angelina Jolie, who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her riveting portrayal of Kaysen’s friend, the troubled and toxic, Lisa Rowe.
5. A Complete Unknown (2024)
“A Complete Unknown” is not the first film to tackle the legacy of Bob Dylan, as Todd Haynes examined different aspects of his personality in “I’m Not There,” and Martin Scorsese crafted an exhaustive view of his entire life with the documentary “No Direction Home.” However, “A Complete Unknown” is only focused on one specific segment of Dylan’s life within the 1960s, in which his transition to using electric amplification caused a stir of controversy at the Newport Music Festival.
Mangold does a great job at giving Timothee Chalamet room to deliver amazing renditions of Dylan’s songs; his portrayal is so pitch-perfect that the film’s extended running time never feels like it drags. “A Complete Unknown” brilliantly examines why Dylan was considered to be the voice of a generation during a period of change in American history. However, it also captures other great musicians who were influential within the same era, including Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro), Pete Seeger (Edward Norton), Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy), and Johnny Cash (Boyd Holbrook).
4. 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
Many cinephiles have grown aggravated by the constant string of remakes, as many classic films are in no need of being recreated. There was certainly a lot of hesitancy prior to the release of Mangold’s version of “3:10 to Yuma,” as the original film from 1957 was already considered to be an excellent western. Shockingly, Mangold managed to craft a remake that was superior to the original, as his film delved deeper into the psychology of the heroic veteran Dan Evans (Christian Bale) and the ruthless outlaw Ben Wyatt (Russel Crowe).
“3:10 to Yuma” attempts to unpack the mythology of Western figures, and questions whether terms such as “heroes” and “villains” are appropriate when all men are inherently flawed. Bale is able to show a deep level of conviction and sensitivity, and Crowe compliments him perfectly with a villainous performance that is threatening, but never over-the-top. There are many more character-centric emotional scenes in “3:10 to Yuma” than one may expect, but the final action sequence is among the most viscerally exciting moments that Mangold has ever crafted.
3. Logan (2017)
“Logan” is easily one of the greatest superhero movies ever made because it reckons with the end of a story, and confronts the legacy of its characters. Other superhero films have taught audiences that any character can be revived for the sake of making a sequel, but Mangold was able to craft a beautiful story about an older version of Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) taking care of the young mutant Laura (Dafne Keen) as he transports an aging Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) to safety. Mangold certainly is not constrained by the continuity of the larger “X-Men” franchise, as he presents a brutal, realistic action thriller that more than earns its R-rating.
It’s no secret that Mangold is a massive fan of Westerns, and “Logan” even makes some specific references to “Shane” and other classic gunslinger stories. However, “Logan” is also a more nuanced portrayal of what it is to be a superhero, as Wolverine grows to recognize that immortality means watching all of his old friends slip away. Although Jackman would eventually return for “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Logan” features his best performance as the character.
2. Ford v Ferrari (2019)
“Ford v Ferrari” is an exhilarating historical film that features some of the most technically impressive filmmaking of Mangold’s career. The story centers on the unusual relationship between the automobile designer, Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and the maverick racer, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who teamed up to help Ford Motors secure a victory over their rivals at Ferrari during the Le Mans race in 1966. It is a timeless underdog story about those with fewer resources using their wits to win the day, and it also shows an incredible amount of insight into why racing is such an exciting activity for this generation of men.
The racing sequences in “Ford v Ferrari” are electrifying, as the film never feels like it is dragging, despite attaining 152 minutes. While it scored Academy Award victories for Best Film Editing and Best Sound Mixing, “Ford v Ferrari” is also a great character drama about two very different men who find common ground through a shared passion. The terrific chemistry between Bale and Damon allows the film to conclude on a surprisingly heartfelt note.
1. Walk the Line (2005)
“Walk the Line” stands as one of the greatest musician biopics ever made, with Mangold delivering a definitive portrayal of Johnny Cash’s life and his profound impact on American culture. There is always some concern that recreation will ring false for those who remember Cash’s music, but Joaquin Phoenix captures every single mannerism that made the musician iconic. He is perhaps only bested by Reese Witherspoon, who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as Cash’s wife, June.
“Walk the Line” manages to elicit empathy for Cash, as it shows how a difficult relationship with his father (Robert Patrick) drove him to be a self-proclaimed “rebel” for the majority of his life. Although the film takes many detours exploring the various feuds and incidents Cash was involved in, the romance he shares with June gives the story focus. “Walk the Line” may have ended up inspiring a new wave of music biopics, but few were quite as well-developed. Cash is a legend who will be remembered forever, but Mangold proved himself capable of honoring that legacy.
