The 25 Greatest Performances Quentin Tarantino Ever Directed

Promotionl images from “Pulp Fiction” (copyright: Miramax), “Kill Bill” (copyright: Miramax), and “Once Upon a Time…” (copyright: Sony Pictures)

Perhaps more than any film in his oeuvre, Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood is an actors’ showcase. In addition to the highly praised turns by its trio of A-list stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, it features a host of memorable supporting turns by an impressive stable of actors including Margaret Qualley, Emile Hirsch, Al Pacino, Timothy Olyphant, Kurt Russell, Dakota Fanning, Bruce Dern, Luke Perry, Damian Lewis, Lena Dunham, Brenda Vacarro, and Julia Butters (whose brief performance as a child actor deserves an honorable mention on the list below).

Click here for my review of Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood

The buzz surrounding the film inspired me to go back and revisit his entire filmography and — in part due to his latest film’s emphasis on acting — I found myself paying more attention than ever to the performances that populate his films. With the emphasis of his films often being on complexly structured narratives, hyper-verbal dialogue, and gratuitous violence, it is easy for viewers to overlook the brilliance of many of the performances he directed. Below, I countdown my votes for the 25 best.

25.) Bruce Dern, The Hateful Eight. Although I find The Hateful Eight to be Tarantino’s weakest film (it is overly long with major pacing…