Adam Scott names his five favourite movies of all time
Actor Adam Scott, renowned for his versatile performances in comedy and drama, is more than just the roles he plays on screen. We’ve most recently seen him in Ben Stiller’s sensational Apple+ series Severance, but he has been a regular face on our screens for over 15 years. Beneath his well-known characters lies a passionate film enthusiast with a deep appreciation for cinema.
Speaking with Rotten Tomatoes, the actor picked out five of his favourite moves of all time, ranging from classic 1980s adventure films to slightly more obscure 1990s indie dramedies. An encouraging sign is the number of obvious choices Scott goes for – rather than flexing his niche cinephile knowledge like many are known to do, his list is mainly focused on straight-up hits that few could argue with. The films he cherishes define his personal taste and offer a lens into his artistic inspirations.
Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark sits at the zenith of Scott’s cinematic favourites. He doesn’t merely regard it as a film; for him, it’s a work of art that embodies perfection. “My favourite movie is Raiders of the Lost Ark,” he confided. “I just think it’s perfect in every way. I find it very moving in parts.”
His love for this Spielberg classic isn’t just rooted in the adventure; it’s also the sprinkling of humour that captivates him. A scene he fondly recalled paints the picture: “I forget the name of the character, but he…pulls out what look like nunchucks, and then makes the coat hanger out of it,” he commented. “That’s just…that’s like Mel Brooks.”
Albert Brooks’ introspective comedy-drama, Defending Your Life, also occupies a special place in Scott’s heart. Striking a chord with him during his high school graduation, he reminisced: “I was kind of at the exact age where… it spoke directly to me for whatever reason.” Scott recalls a particularly fond memory of watching a certain sequence in the cinema, adding: “I don’t think I’ve ever laughed harder in a movie theatre than the Past Lives Pavilion [sequence].”
Most obvious was Scott’s admiration for Martin Scorsese’s vast filmography, which shone through. The raw portrayal of the lengths one might go to for fame in his 1983 masterpiece The King of Comedy profoundly resonated with Scott. “It’s an endlessly fascinating subject, this sort of quest for celebrity,” he mused.
Further elaborating on his love for Scorsese, Scott couldn’t decide on two of his biggest hits, adding: “I think Goodfellas is another one that’s one of my favourites, and certainly Raging Bull. I’ve seen all of those movies so many times, it’s crazy.”
Steven Soderbergh’s 1989 debut film Sex, Lies and Videotape also finds a place on Scott’s list, with its candid depiction of erotic tension clearly leaving a mark. However, among the vast cinematic landscapes he has journeyed through, one film evokes a simple yet profound sentiment in Scott. Closing on a note of heartfelt admiration, he singled out the De Niro-led buddy movie: “I’d probably put Midnight Run in there. I love that movie.”
Adam Scott’s five favourite movies:
- Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
- Defending Your Life (Albert Brooks, 2001)
- The King of Comedy (Martin Scorsese, 1983)
- Raging Bull/Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1980/1990)
- Midnight Run (Martin Brest, 1988)
- sex, lies and videotape (Steven Soderbergh, 1989)
