The Transformers movies might have driven movie fans into the conclusion that Shia LaBeouf is not a gifted actor. Anyone can talk to robots and run away from explosions, right? Wrong. Shia has sheer talent (we had to do that), and plenty of his films that weren’t commercially successful but received praise from critics can prove this.
Lately, he seems to have shied away from the blockbusters. He only appears in artistic films, perhaps to prove a point. Despite the fact that he has always been neglected by the Oscars, LaBeouf has constantly proven that he is one of this era’s best actors. Here are movies in which he gave outstanding performances.
Jack: Lawless (2012)
Tom Hardy rarely misfires. Seeing him among the cast of Lawless makes you sure it’s going to be a good film. But it’s Shia LaBeouf’ who ultimately steals the show. In the movie, he plays Jack, the youngest among three brothers who run an illegal moonshine business during the 1920s. Hardy plays the other brother called Forrest while Jason Clarke plays Howard.
Jack’s older brothers are brave and ruthless but he is often lacking in confidence. While he isn’t sure if this is the right career path for him, he still finds himself trying to show his brothers that he has what it takes. LaBeouf brilliantly brings out the young man’s inner conflicts with himself.
John McEnroe: Borg Vs McEnroe (2017)
Borg Vs McEnroe has plot holes but it’s LaBeouf’s portrayal of the controversial tennis player John McEnroe that makes it worth watching. John was known for his temper and rants but so is LaBeouf. In a way, the actor can relate to the tennis player. It’s thus no surprise that he portrays him so well.
We get to realize that McEnroe wasn’t crazy, he was just human with an uncontrollable desire to win. No excuses are given for his behavior but a case is made for him to be seen as a much better person than the one the monster that the dailies painted him as.
James Lort: Honey Boy (2019)
Honey Boy is based on Shia LaBeouf’s real-life relationship with his father. Apparently, the actor wrote the screenplay while he was in rehab for alcoholism. It’s a self-reflective and touching film that sees LaBeouf’ play his abusive dad.
Making the movie was clearly LaBeouf”s way of trying to make people understand him. The media had labeled him crazy on a number of occasions. The movie also serves as a form of cinematic therapy for him. By playing the man he never had a good relationship with, LaBeouf’ proved that he can tackle any role, no matter how heavy.
Dito Montiel: A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
How often do you see a director making a movie about himself? Dito Montiel did just that. Labeouf plays a younger Dito in the 80s when he was living in Astoria, New York. The older Dito is played by Robert Downey Jr but Mr. Iron Man doesn’t quite match up to what Labeouf has to offer.
Labeouf skillfully guides us through Dito’s early life when he was associated with gangs and neighborhood wars. Unsatisfied with the life he is living, he runs away from home, creating a grudge with his father in the process. It is not until 15 years have passed that he returns.
Jake Moore: Wall Street, Money Never Sleeps (2010)
Here, Shia Labeouf is Jake, a Wall Street trader who tries to help former trader Gordon Gekko get back in good terms with his daughter after serving a jail term for fraud. Jake happens to be dating Gordon’s daughter Winnie. In return, Jake also wants to use Gordon to rise up in his career.
There is beauty in how Labeouf’s character tries to balance his ruthless ambitions with his conscience. The way in which he maneuvers Wall Street with ease makes you want to quit your career and join him. The movie itself isn’t as captivating as the likes of The Big Short but Labeouf’s performance provides great entertainment.
Kale: Disturbia (2007)
Disturbia has some elements that are similar to Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 thriller film Rear Window. However, it only uses the skeleton of that film. For the flesh, it builds everything from scratch. This is evident from the fact that a lawsuit against the movie’s producer Steven Spielberg failed. Putting aside the behind-the-scenes drama, a young Shia Labeouf once again proved that acting is a gift that comes naturally to him.
In Disturbia, he plays Kale, a teenager who is forced to stay at home with an ankle bracelet from the authorities as punishment for punching a teacher. Bored, he spends his days watching the outside world with binoculars. Through his bedroom surveillance, he discovers that his neighbor is a psychotic killer who is targeting his mother. Panicking? Wanting to do something about it? That’s where Labeouf’s acting abilities truly come to life.
Francis Ouimet: The Greatest Game Ever Played (2005)
In this entertaining sports drama, Labeouf portrays golf legend Francis Ouimet who was the first amateur to become champion at the U.S Open. Labeouf plays the man in the early days of his career. It’s quite easy to root for Francis who is being discouraged from pursuing the sport by his father and eventually faces off against tougher opponents.
Whenever Labeouf’s character looks like he isn’t going to come out triumphant in the film, you feel like crying because he looks like he is about to cry too. The Greatest Game Ever Played received plenty of praise from golf fans upon its release. Even Larry King had nice words to say.
Boyd: Fury (2014)
LaBeouf deserved an Oscar for his performance in this World War II thriller, at least for the dedication he put into his acting. To prepare himself for the role of allied soldier Boyd ‘Bible’ Swan, he volunteered to join the US National Guard to familiarize himself with military life. He also lived in a base for a full month. And as if that wasn’t enough, he deliberately cut his face to look the part. Done? Not yet. He also yanked a tooth out. CGI couldn’t cover this? Anyway, this was totally commendable.
Fury follows a group of five soldiers that are serving under Sergeant Wardaddy (Brad Pitt) in Nazi Germany during the final months of World War II. Despite being outnumbered, the five men move into enemy territory and take their chances against the enemy.
Tyler: The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
In an interview with Variety, Labeouf said that he agreed to star in the film even without taking a look at the script. Be careful sir! The cast of Cats probably made the same mistake. Judi Dench and Idris Elba must have hired professional script analyzers now after that cinematic disaster.
Luckily for Labeouf, Peanut Butter Falcon ended up being a very good film. It currently has a strong 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Labeouf’s love for the film is evident from the effort he puts into his acting. The story is about Zak, a man with Down’s Syndrome who flees from a nursing home to pursue a career in wrestling. He befriends a reckless fisherman and the two form a great bond.
Jake: American Honey (2016)
It’s safe to conclude that Mr. Labeouf loves honey and butter and what have you. Basically, he loves things used at breakfast. Watch out for him in a future movie called Cereal or Marmalade. In American Honey, he is a mixture of crazy and charming. He has plenty of memorable scenes in the movie, including one where he threatens a bunch of cowboys with a gun after suspecting they wanted to sexually assault his friend.
In the movie, a girl called Star (Sasha Lane) flees from home and joins a magazine subscription sales group that travels all over America to make deliveries and acquire new subscribers. The group consists of teenagers from broken homes, including Jake. Soon, a sense of rivalry develops among the group members, followed by teenage romance involving Jake and Star.
