His career explored every facet of the wisecracking everyman.
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Its hard to fully express what movies have lost with the retirement of Bruce Willis.
It was a roll of the dice that paid off for both the series and Willis.
The role made Willis a star overnight.
It also made it hard to figure out where Addison ended and Willis began.
Sometimes thats meant turning down the charm and emphasizing the toughness.
Sometimes its meant leaning into goofiness or playing against bang out with a wink.
(The list also largely skips Williss voiceover work, apart from a pair of talking baby movies.)
Williss cameo gives Robert AltmansThe Playera terrific punch line, but its decidedly not a Bruce Willis movie.)
Thats what makes a star a star.
68.Hostage(2005)
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67.Tears of the Sun(2003)
67.
Willis is fine in an unchallenging role.
66.The Cold Light of Day(2012)
66.
From Williss tough-guy performance to the double-crosses, youve seen all of this done better elsewhere.
65.A Good Day to Die Hard(2013)
65.
At this point, everything that made McClane and theDie Hardseries distinctive has fallen away.
Once an in-over-his-head everyman, McClanes now just another generic gun-toting hero stuck in an underachieving film.
64.Look Whos Talking(1989)
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63.Look Whos Talking Too(1990)
63.
Though a huge hit in its day, its pretty dire.
62.Cop Out(2010)
62.
Tracy Morgan scores the only laughs in this Kevin Smith-directed buddy cop comedy.
61.North(1994)
61.
60.The Jackal(1997)
60.
Gere might have the edge, but at least he doesnt have to wear any silly wigs.
59.Billy Bathgate(1991)
59.
Willis does what he needs to do, then makes an early exit.
The problems with the film lie elsewhere.
58.Sin City: A Dame to Kill For(2014)
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57.The Whole Ten Yards(2004)
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56.Red 2(2013)
56.
Willis isnt really to blame in any of these cases.
All suggest Willis could have found better things to do with his time.
55.The Return of Bruno(1987)
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54.Charlies Angels: Full Throttle(2003)
54.
Willis makes just a quick cameo in this overcranked sequel to the hit spy comedy.
53.Striking Distance(1993)
53.
A palpable lack of chemistry between Willis and co-star Sarah Jessica Parker doesnt help.
52.Mercury Rising(1998)
52.
At least this one has a decent gimmick.
51.The Bonfire of the Vanities(1990)
51.
50.Last Man Standing(1996)
50.
49.Sunset(1988)
49.
48.Breakfast of Champions(1999)
48.
Apart from George Roy HillsSlaughterhouse-Five, Kurt Vonneguts novels have largely frustrated those whove attempted to adapt them.
Its a big miss, but its hard not to admire the big swing taken by all involved.
47.Rock the Kasbah(2015)
47.
46.Disneys The Kid(2000)
46.
Imagine a therapy session adapted into a kid-friendly Disney comedy about the importance of believing in oneself.
45.Four Rooms(1995)
45.
Willis reunited with hisPulp Fictiondirector Quentin Tarantino for this anthology film showcasing four shorts from then-up-and-coming indie talent.
Tarantinos contribution is one of the better entries, but theres a reason this film has largely been forgotten.
44.Surrogates(2009)
44.
43.Lay the Favorite(2012)
43.
42.Lucky Number Slevin(2006)
42.
41.The Story of Us (1999)
41.
The jokes dont work, the drama is forced, and everyone yells a lot.
40.The Astronaut Farmer(2006)
40.
39.Glass(2019)
39.
Joe: Retaliation(2013)
38.
Willis plays the original G.I.
Joe in this second film adapted from the popular toy line.
37.Perfect Stranger(2007)
37.
Willis serves as the gruff, still center of an overheated film filled with breathless revelations.
Its not exactly good, but its seldom less than compelling.
36.The Expendables(2010)
36.
35.The Expendables 2(2012)
35.
What worked for monsters in the 1940s worked for action stars in the 10s.
34.Blind Date(1987)
34.
Critics shrugged, but the film became a hit and Willis was on his way.
33.The Siege(1998)
33.
32.Alpha Dog(2006)
32.
Willis is also good as a smaller-scale tyrant in this fact-inspired story of a kidnapping gone awry.
31.Hudson Hawk(1991)
31.
The film is undeniably a vanity project, but its never dull and theres nothing else quite like it.
30.Color of Night(1994)
30.
Rush tries to walk a line between stylish Hitchcock homage and camp sleaze.
29.What Just Happened(2008)
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28.The Player(1992)
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27.Oceans Twelve(2004)
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26.Live Free or Die Hard(2007)
26.
25.Bandits(2001)
25.
Willis co-stars as the cooler half of a crime team opposite Billy Bob Thornton as his neurotic partner.
After they team up with a bored housewife played by Cate Blanchett an oddball love triangle forms.
The films a long amble to nowhere but the characters are a good hang.
24.Death Becomes Her(1993)
24.
23.Grindhouse(2008)
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22.Motherless Brooklyn(2019)
22.
21.Harts War(2002)
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20.Die Hard 2(1990)
20.
19.16 Blocks(2006)
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18.Armageddon(1998)
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17.Sin City(2005)
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16.Fast Food Nation(2006)
16.
15.In Country(1989)
15.
Directed by Norman Jewison,In Countryanswered it in the affirmative.
The plot focuses on Samantha (Emily Lloyd), a Kentucky teen seeking to uncover her familys past.
14.Red(2010)
14.
13.The Last Boy Scout(1993)
13.
Scott piles on the style and flash, Blacks self-awareness and wit often feels mean.
12.Die Hard With a Vengeance(1995)
12.
Hollywood doesnt work that way, however, and thats not always a bad thing.
11.The Fifth Element(1997)
11.
10.Mortal Thoughts(1991)
10.
9.Moonrise Kingdom(2012)
9.
8.The Whole Nine Yards(2000)
8.
7.Nobodys Fool(1994)
7.
6.Looper(2012)
6.
5.Pulp Fiction(1994)
5.
Finding untapped potential in established stars is one of Quentin Tarantinos greatest gifts.
4.The Sixth Sense(1999)
4.
When the twistisrevealed, its Williss reactionshock, disbelief, and finally acceptancethat makes it hit so hard.
3.Die Hard(1988)
3.
Its not a question of whether or notDie Hardis Bruce Williss best action movie.
He doesnt have Schwarzenegger and Stallones bulging physiques nor does he radiate aggression.
2.12 Monkeys(1995)
2.
Even at his most glib Willis gave his characters a sense of vulnerability.
The film is about Coles quest for answers but its just as concerned with its protagonists personal journey.
1.Unbreakable(2000)
1.
Arriving just a year afterThe Sixth Sense,Unbreakablebaffled viewers who expected more of the same.
As inThe Sixth Sense, Williss performance works in perfect sync with Shyamalans deliberate pace.
Willis captures that feeling and movingly conveys Davids decision to take on the mantle of hero.
It may be the single best moment in Williss screen career.
Then again, there are many more to choose from.
