Top 10 Depp: The best Johnny Depp movies

July 1, 7:40 AMAtlanta Movies ExaminerRyan McNally

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Twenty-plus years after his role as undercover police officer Tom Hanson on the TV show “21 Jump Street” made him a teen idol, Johnny Depp has carved out a fascinating career filled with bold acting choices. Now, as Public Enemies hits theaters, here’s a look back at the 10 best movies of Johnny Depp’s career (listed in chronological order).

1) Edward Scissorhands (1990). In the first of many collaborations with acclaimed director Tim Burton, Depp began the transition from TV teen heartthrob to serious big-screen actor. In this unique love story, Depp plays the iconic title character, a gentle young man who happens to have scissors for hands. For his star-making performance, Depp earned his first Golden Globe nomination.


 
 

2) What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993). Depp plays Gilbert Grape, a small-town guy caring for his mentally handicapped brother (Leonardo DiCaprio) and obese mother. When free-spirited Becky (Juliette Lewis) arrives and piques his interest, he struggles to juggle his familial responsibilities. Depp and the Oscar-nominated DiCaprio—then a mere 19 years old—play well off one another in this cult fave.


 

3) Ed Wood (1994). Reteaming with Burton, Depp plays Ed Wood (Plan 9 from Outer Space), the legendary director of some of the worst movies ever made. Though Martin Landau received the bulk of the awards attention for his portrayal of Bela Lugosi, Depp anchors the well-reviewed film as a dreamer cranking out cheesy movies.


 

4) Dead Man (1995). For this unusual western, Depp paired with acclaimed indie director Jim Jarmusch (Down by Law, Stranger Than Paradise) to portray an accountant on the run after committing murder. As a man approaching death and befriending a strange Indian along the way, Depp is the perfect actor to match the film’s surreal, spiritual elements.

 
 

5) Donnie Brasco (1997). Depp goes toe-to-toe with the legendary Al Pacino (in one of his few good roles in the last 15 years) in this touching gangster film. As FBI agent Donnie Brasco, Depp goes deep undercover to battle the mafia, but finds himself developing an unexpected kinship with loser gangster Lefty (Pacino), even as Donnie’s own personal life crumbles. Fuhgeddaboutit.

 
 

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