Josh Brolin names the Josh Brolin movies people love the most: “Why? I want to know”
While many remember Josh Brolin as a teen heartthrob and troublemaker in The Goonies, the actor went on to become a Hollywood heavyweight in his later years, starring in films such as Dune, Sicario and No Country for Old Men. The Goonies became one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s, which followed a group of unruly teenagers as they searched for hidden treasure while being hunted by dangerous criminals. However, after his performance as the stern elder brother, the actor struggled to find substantial acting roles until his work with the Coen Brothers in 2007.
From this point onwards, he was booked and busy with a range of action thrillers and gritty dramas, receiving an Academy Award nomination in 2008 for Milk. However, among his eclectic filmography, there is one film that people love the most.
Every great director has an entirely unique approach to their craft, with some preferring to extensively storyboard and plan out every aspect of the shoot and some simply winging it and finding the right approach on the day. After working with the Coen Brothers on No Country for Old Men, who meticulously planned each element of the production, the actor was in for a shock when he signed on to play Matt Graver in Sicario.
When describing the shoot, Brolin said, “Sicario was different. It is ripping stuff apart and looking at it as if playing Lego. It was like a sandpit, dealing with abstract art all the time. That can be frustrating; it can also be really invigorating. So, I think when I finished Sicario, I was pretty much like, ‘Ehhhh, it’ll be okay, it’ll be alright, good, but not great by any means”.
Despite his reservations about the quality of the project, the film became a huge hit, and Brolin suspects that it is the most celebrated from his body of work. He described the reception of Sicario, explaining, “We had a lot of critics that were really high on the movie. It was a success, but it wasn’t a runaway hit. It wasn’t like No Country where it made 400% of its money, but it was enough of a critical hit, where I’ve had more people come up to me about it. There’s The Goonies, No Country, and Sicario is right after that. People are just going, ‘It’s my favourite of the last five years.’ I’m like, ‘Why, I want to know?”
The film was met with huge critical acclaim and was even nominated to compete for the prestigious Palme d’Or award at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. The story follows an optimistic FBI agent who is enlisted to help take down the leader of a Mexican drug cartel. It was nominated for ‘Best Cinematography’ and ‘Best Original Score’ at the Academy Awards, also earning nominations at the Baftas for ‘Best Supporting Actor’.
While the actor initially had reservations about the film’s commercial success, Denis Villeneuve exceeded his expectations. The director never expressed confidence in the cast to keep them on their toes and work their hardest.
