His irascible demeanour might have given him a questionable reputation off-screen, but it has helped Tommy Lee Jones carve a niche as a formidable and frequently frowny presence on film.  He brings that furrowed brow to London in this week’s capital-set thriller Criminal, alongside a starry cast including Kevin Costner and Gary Oldman. It’s a small role but kicks off an action-heavy year for the actor, with roles in sequels Jason Bourne and Mechanic: Resurrection.  It might not be his best, but what is?  By the time he starred alongside Sissy Spacek in this Loretta Lynn biopic, Jones had been acting in films for 10 years, but aside from a creepy role in The Eyes of Laura Mars, he hadn’t had the chance to shine. But he deservedly picked up a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of the country singer’s hard-nosed and aggressive but loving husband.  It was the role that nabbed him an Oscar, and while it’s often been referred to as an unlikely win (given the competition of both Leonardo DiCaprio in What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? and Ralph Fiennes in Schindler’s List), this is a commanding and powerful performance. Let’s just all agree to forget that he made the unwise decision to play the character again in lacklustre sequel US Marshals.  Paul Haggis followed up his Oscar-winning drama Crash with this understated thriller that sadly didn’t collect the awards it deserved. But alongside fine performances from Charlize Theron and Susan Sarandon, Jones was devastating as a grieving father investigating his son’s death and finding out he wasn’t quite the person he thought he was.  While this Oscar-winning film might have garnered more attention for the performances of Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin, Jones is quietly and reliably rather wonderful as the craggy yet not cliched lawman nearing the end of his career. He also bookends the film with two unforgettable speeches.  Daniel Day-Lewis might have dominated Steven Spielberg’s satisfyingly traditional biopic but Jones also gave a standout performance as Thaddeus Stevens, a fierce and vocal opponent of slavery. He was a deserved Oscar nominee for his role and made the case, yet again, that he deserves more screen time than he currently receives.
The Oscar-winner can be seen this week in a small role in London-set thriller Criminal. But which films count as his greatest?