The best Jack Nicholson movies
The top 3 according to 242 votes from people: Chinatown (1974) · One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) · The Departed (2006). (Updated May 22, 2025.)
Twelve Oscar nominations and three wins: Jack Nicholson's greatest performances, based on the rankings of Variety, Collider and Gold Derby.
Top 10
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1
Chinatown (1974)
Private eye J.J. Gittes and the Los Angeles water scandal.
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2
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
Randle P. McMurphy against Nurse Ratched: his first Oscar.
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3
The Departed (2006)
Boston mob boss Frank Costello, for Scorsese.
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4
The Shining (1980)
Jack Torrance and the Overlook Hotel, for Kubrick.
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5
Five Easy Pieces (1970)
A drifting ex-pianist, and his first lead Oscar nomination.
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6
Batman (1989)
Tim Burton's Joker.
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7
As Good as It Gets (1997)
A misanthropic novelist with OCD: his third Oscar.
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8
The Last Detail (1973)
Two navy sailors escorting a young prisoner.
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9
Prizzi's Honor (1985)
A mob hitman in love with a rival killer, by John Huston.
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10
A Few Good Men (1992)
Colonel Jessup on the witness stand, written by Aaron Sorkin.
Candidates
They don't make it into the top 10… yet. Vote for them to move them up.
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11
Terms of Endearment (1983)
The retired astronaut next door: his supporting Oscar.
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12
About Schmidt (2002)
A retired actuary on a road trip, by Alexander Payne.
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13
Easy Rider (1969)
The alcoholic lawyer George Hanson, his breakout role.
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14
Reds (1981)
Playwright Eugene O'Neill in Warren Beatty's epic.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
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