Michael Fassbender is among the best actors of his generation and certainly among the most daring. While many of his contemporaries have settled into their own niches, Fassbender has shown an ability to try out many different genres and rarely fails to deliver a compelling performance. While Fassbender was briefly absent from the big screen over the last few years, he delivered a tremendous comeback performance in Steven Soderbergh’s twisty spy thriller “Black Bag,” which is already the best film of 2025 so far.
Fassbender may be known for the tremendous commitment he shows in his dramatic roles, but he has also developed a strong knack for comedy. Despite being regarded as one of the more artistically minded stars working today, Fassbender has managed to be a scene-stealer in two separate franchises, having played the mutant anti-hero Magneto in the rebooted “X-Men” series and the robot David in both “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant.” Michael Fassbender is even the type of star who can elevate films that are otherwise mediocre, as was the case with “A Light Between Oceans,” “Haywire,” “Next Goal Wins,” and “Trespass Against Us.” What’s most exciting is that he has shown no signs of slowing down and will likely be delivering more classics in the near future. Here are the top ten best Michael Fassbender film performances, ranked.
10. A Dangerous Method (2011)
While David Cronenberg is best known for his work making body horror and conspiracy thriller films, he took a different direction when he crafted the historical biopic “A Dangerous Method,” based on the rise of psychoanalytic studies. Although Cronenberg got his regular collaborator, Viggo Mortensen, to play Sigmund Freud, Fassbender was tasked with bringing to life the enigmatic mind of Carl Jung. While Fassbender had already had many scene-stealing roles at this point in his career, the notion of playing an iconic historical figure within a technically-minded, intense historical tale was no easy task.
The brilliance in Fassbender’s work in “A Dangerous Method” is how he conveys intelligence and empathy through non-traditional means. While Jung’s hyper-specific, detail-oriented approach to his profession has yielded much professional success, it also serves as a burden within his interpersonal relationships, as he struggles to connect with others in a meaningful way. Fassbender is able to add a soul-searching, lonely quality to a character that is not only defined by his accolades, making “A Dangerous Method” far more engrossing than it would have been with a less active lead performer in the role of Jung. Hopefully, it will not be the last instance in which he gets to work with Cronenberg.
9. Slow West (2015)
“Slow West” is a wild revisionist Western that tears apart the archetypes of the genre, revealing the failings of attempted lionizations of what was, in actuality, a rather morbid period in history. Fassbender stars as a charismatic bounty hunter who becomes a mentor to a young immigrant (Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is determined to reunite with his one true love. Michael Fassbender is tasked with playing a morally dubious character who is willing to take advantage of his young companion at every turn, yet never becomes entirely detestable because he’s offering the type of practical, albeit cynical, advice that both the young man and the audience at large need to hear.
While there is an element of Fassbender’s inherent charisma that could spark comparisons with classic Western stars like Glenn Ford or John Wayne, he makes it clear that he’s playing a bit of a charlatan who lacks any moral backbone. “Slow West” is simultaneously quite bleak and incredibly hilarious at points, and Fassbender’s plainspoken delivery of rather ridiculous lines of dialogue helps make the tonal shifts even more effective. While there aren’t enough modern Westerns to justify the number of revisionist takes that are currently produced, Fassbender was able to craft a new icon within the genre that may grow in prominence as the film’s legacy grows.
8. Frank (2014)
“Frank” is simultaneously the funniest and deepest performance of Fassbender’s career, as he once again shows that he can bring insight and empathy to a character that would otherwise be treated as a gimmick. The movie tells the slightly true story of the infamous cult musician Frank Sidebottom, who managed to start a renegade band that created their own instruments and developed an entirely new artistic philosophy. However, Frank himself refused to take over a papier-mache head that masked his face, which made all of his actions all the more enigmatic.
“Frank” is able to gradually tear down the facade behind its titular character, who is revealed to be as much a victim of trauma as he is a beneficiary of a completely unique experience. Fassbender was able to show what it was like to be treated as a joke, accept inherent idiosyncrasies, and then be chastised for not opening up to those who would pass judgment on him. While the philosophy of “Frank” may get quite knotty, as the film does not allow the audience to make any broad truisms about its message, Fassbender never fails to be utterly enrapturing. He also proves to be a terrific singer, particularly with the standout original song “I Love You All.”
Also Read: 20 Underrated Films of 2014 Worth Watching Again
7. Hunger (2008)
There is no filmmaker in Fassbender’s career that he has had a closer relationship with than Steven McQueen, whose debut feature “Hunger” featured Fassbender’s breakout performance. Set during the infamous Irish prison hunger strikes, “Hunger” offers an unflinching look at life behind bars and the deeply rebellious philosophy of men who refused to appease their captors. While McQueen shows that he is well-read about the history and is careful not to make any generalizations about the motivations of those involved, “Hunger” is a film that captures the claustrophobic trauma of containment in potently visceral ways.
Michael Fassbender shows his strength as an actor by his ability to be broken; by the end of the film, he has become so starved that it’s upsetting to simply look at him. The physicality of the performance is just as important as the authority that Fassbender brings to his role, as it is feasible to imagine that he could become a thought leader to fellow inmates who are willing to follow him to their deaths. While not an easy film to watch in any sense of the word, “Hunger” is utterly unforgettable. It’s unlikely that McQueen would have the career he does today without Fassbender’s performance.
6. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
“Inglourious Basterds” is one of the best films that Quentin Tarantino has ever made, as he was able to take the zany, pulpy thrills of his ‘90s crime dramas and apply them to a historical period in which the revenge element was even more potent. While its a film that is packed with memorable performances, including Christoph Waltz in an Academy Award winning role as the vicious Nazi leader Hans Landa, Fassbender is equally gripping as Lieutenant Archie Hicox, a British Commando and former film critic that helps the group of Jewish soldiers in an important mission to recover information about the location of Adolf Hitler.
Fassbender was tasked with playing a character who was at odds with his own identity due to his disguise. He’s a proud Englishman who must attempt to speak the rhetoric of fascism and a lover of the arts who must entertain the wholesomeness of propaganda. Delivering the rhythmic, specific dialogue that Tarantino is known for is a challenge that many have struggled with, but Michael Fassbender was able to do so with an incredible degree of diligence. It’s an interesting portrayal of heroism that adds one of the most compelling scenes to a fairly perfect film.
5. Shame (2011)
In his second collaboration with McQueen, Fassbender was once again tasked with playing a self-destructive figure of masculinity whose personal and professional obligations collide as he attempts to figure out where he stands in the world. “Shame” features him in the role of a sexual addict who is forced to reign in his indulgences as he tries to gain control of his life. While it’s easy to imagine the subject material being turned into the basis of a trashy erotic thriller, McQueen crafts a powerful character study about one man dealing with an illness from which he may never recover.
There’s nothing alluring about Fassbender’s performance, as he shows the great deal of self-hatred and disillusionment that his character has as he gives in to the most lurid fantasies that have haunted his time. McQueen has never been a filmmaker who has shied away from uncomfortable material, and “Shame” frequently lingers within the awkwardness of situations that last far longer than any reasonable person would tolerate. Fassbender’s performance is perhaps his bravest. While it’s easy to imagine it becoming a role mocked for its transgressiveness, Fassbender delivered a painful, haunting bit of acting that shines a spotlight on a latent disease.
4. The Killer (2023)
Rarely have a director and star been as paired together for the correct source material like Fassbender and David Fincher were for the adaptation of the graphic novel “The Killer.” Although it’s a film about an egotistical yet frequently incompetent hitman who seeks out high-level targets, it’s also the ultimate story about obsession and artistry. Fincher is a director known for his attention to detail and rigor, so it’s easy to imagine why he may have been invested in the subject material. Fassbender’s deep commitment to his roles also makes him a prime candidate for the part. He is able to infuse a subversive bit of self-awareness within “The Killer” that gives it an absurdly dark sense of humor.
Michael Fassbender was able to turn prolonged sequences dedicated to process into a richly entertaining exploration of the psyche behind American masculinity. Enough is never the limit, as capitalism encourages people to keep pushing their luck for the chance that they could double down on their success. Yet, those purely interested in the visceral thrills can also be enamored by the electrifying pace with which Fassbender handles himself within the action scenes. While it has thus far been treated as an anomaly for both Fassbender and Fincher, in time, it may be remembered as the most personal work that they each have done.
3. Fish Tank (2009)
Andrea Arnold’s best film to date is an absorbing, frequently upsetting examination of what it is like to be a teenage girl who is not quite mature enough to be treated with the freedoms of adulthood, yet too old to experience the blissful ignorance of childhood. While the performance by Katie Jarvis as Mia is one of the best of the 21st century, Michael Fassbender is essential to the film as Connor O’Reily, the charismatic boyfriend of her mother, Joanne (Kierston Wareing). Since “Fish Tank” is a film that is told from Mia’s perspective, Fassbender had to tune his performance in order to show the specific details about Connor that she should be aware of. He is a character whose initial sincerity and earnestness is slowly revealed to be a mask that hides his selfish, manipulative behavior.
Fassbender crafts an entirely recognizable version of toxic masculinity, as he is able to coast by without consequences by diverting blame to others and presenting himself as far too socially advanced to ever grant credence to any allegations of misconduct. The absorbing authenticity in which Arnold’s films exist has been a consistent hallmark of her work, and it is to Fassbender’s credit that he offers a fully realistic performance that never gives into the seductive allure of theatricality.
2. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
When discussions are held about the greatest film villains of all time, it’s easy to conjure up images of scene-stealing, malevolent characters such as Darth Vader of the “Star Wars” franchise or the Wicked Witch of the West in “The Wizard of Oz.” However, true evil lies within history, as it is often challenging to comprehend the cruelty that some figures were able to inflict upon others. Fassbender crafted one of the most horrifically horrifying performances of all-time in McQueen’s third film, “12 Years a Slave,” which also won the Academy Award for Best Picture. He earned his first Oscar nomination for the role of Edwin Epps, a ruthless slave owner who prided himself on the ability to “break” those that he considered to be his property.
There’s a multifaceted cruelty within Epps that Fassbender draws out, as he examines a man whose only pleasure is to crush and belittle others. He’s frequently ignorant and often completely incompetent, but Fassbender shows that there are few things more dangerous than an angry, idiotic person with power. While it is easy to imagine that playing such a monstrous historical figure takes a great deal of emotional preparation, the work that Fassbender did in “12 Years a Slave” will stand the test of time as an unflinching depiction of the banality of evil.
1. Steve Jobs (2015)
Save for perhaps Walt Disney and Elvis Presley, Steve Jobs was the most famous, influential, and culturally relevant historical icon of the 20th century. As the man who both transformed the way people communicate and initiated an entirely new industry, Jobs was susceptible to endless scrutiny regarding his conduct, philosophy, and personal relationships. To sum up the entirety of his life and career within one film seemed like an impossible task, but Danny Boyle’s masterful biopic “Steve Jobs” was able to divide Jobs’ existence into three important launches in which he prepared to showcase his product to a world that was not ready for it.
Fassbender shows the complete restlessness that made Jobs such a successful creative force, yet also managed to destroy every personal relationship he had through his caustic ego. While the intention of the film was to find the “behind closed doors” moments that the public may not have been aware of, Michael Fassbender was also able to draw out a more classical depiction of the Apple founder when the film needed it most. Fassbender’s job was not to tear down Jobs, nor was it to lionize him; he was tasked with turning one of history’s larger-than-life figures into an empathetic character, and he succeeded with his single greatest performance to date.
