Favorite Character-Driven Movies (films, scenes, action, family)

[BlueWillowPlate]

Action movies are entertaining, but I especially love to envelope myself in an engrossing film with nuanced characters.
I just rented The Lookout and really enjoyed it; it actually had a shoot-out and a heist too so was not lacking in activity. However, what sets it apart are its vividly drawn players, Chris, the one-time golden boy who now struggles with a brain injury and haunting memories, and the other people in his life, from Deputy Donut to his sightless roommate Lewis, well-played by Jeff Daniels.

Jeff Daniels was in another one of my favorite character-driven movies, The Squid and the Whale.
This is the story of a couple breaking up and the trickle-down effect throughout the family. It's sort of a dramedy, there are some very funny moments, and some poignant scenes as well. The movie also pokes a bit of fun at the New York literati set.

Anyone else out there have some favorite movies that are peopled with colorfully drawn characters?

[quiet walker]

Two of my favorite films each involves an older unattached man who finds a sort of redemption after a life that didn't turn out "happily ever after" Gee, I wonder why that resonates?

Nobody's Fool - An aging, odd jobs, regular guy "Sully Sullivan" can't seem to catch a break, and occasionally doesn't help his own situation by making a bad choice. His life changes when his estranged son shows up with his son, a second chance for Sully to be a grandfather. Small, snowy, upper New York town with wonderful characters, each a gem in his or her own right.

The Natural - A young man's fast track to becoming a baseball superstar in the 1930's is interrupted. Years later he emerges as a mystery to a sceptical baseball team and is able to retrieve a bit of the life that didn't turn out as he had expected. Another film with terrific cast of engaging characters.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Nice choices, QW. I enjoyed both of those movies.
I've seen The Natural several times, but Nobody's Fool only once, I should rent it.
Another one I enjoyed was You Can Count On Me. It was a nice story of sibling relationships and not without some quiet humor.

[Tricky D]

Black Rain (1989/I)

Deep Cover (1992)

Searching for Bobby Fischer (1993)

Léon (1994)

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Always Outnumbered (1998) (TV)

Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999)

Spartan (2004)

The Woodsman (2004)

Redbelt (2008)

Felon (2008)

[Mark S.]

THE GODFATHER

CITIZEN KANE

Best American films ever made. The standards by which all others are judged.

[BlueWillowPlate]

Good choices, y'all. Thanks for sharing.
Many Francois Truffaut movies are character-driven: Small Change, The 400 Blows (supposedly autobiographical), The Woman Next Door.

[kygman]

Bucket List, with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman.

[LRUA]

The Conversation 1974 ....Gene Hackman was brilliant in that one

Taxi Driver 1976 ....Robert DeNiro was scarily good

[stotan88]

"Into The Wild" - Into the Wild (2007)

has some of the best acting I've seen in a long time, and it such a natural, true-to-life film. Amazing, amazing, one of my favourites for sure