Ben Foster is one of those actors who sadly seems like he might end up on “underrated” lists for the rest of his career. Foster has proven his versatility for over two decades, but his new projects aren’t met with the fervent anticipation that they deserve. Perhaps it is because Foster is seemingly everywhere. Whether he’s taking the lead role in a Sundance title or popping up within the ensemble of a big-budget project, Foster rarely turns in a bad performance. Foster first announced himself in a pair of ill-fated superhero films: 2004’s The Punisher and 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand. Neither of the films was very good, but Foster still turned in respectable performances. Over the next decade, Foster continued to show up in a wide range of projects across many genres, regardless of their eventual quality. He’s one of the best living actors who have not yet received his first Academy Award nomination.
Foster works frequently, and this year he will be seen in HBO’s The Survivor, the action thriller The Contractor, the historical epic Medieval, Antonie Fuqua’s new film Emancipation, and Adam Sandler’s latest Netflix vehicle Hustle. As we approach another year of presumably excellent performances from Foster, make sure to check out his seven greatest roles.
Charlie Prince in 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
3:10 to Yuma is one of the rare remakes of a classic western that actually improves on the original. While the 1957 3:10 to Yuma is a landmark within the Golden Era of Hollywood Westerns, James Mangold’s 2007 remake does a better job fleshing out the moral quandaries that the characters face. The film follows the rancher Dan Evans (Christian Bale), an injured former serviceman who agrees to take the ruthless outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to prison. When Wade’s top lieutenant Charlie Prince (Foster) begins pursuing them, Wade and Evans are forced to team up. Foster shows Prince’s dedication to his boss, and the challenges he faces when both of their loyalties are called into question.
Will Montgomery in The Messenger (2009)
During the rare instances that Foster is granted a leading role in a mainstream film, he always seems to knock it out of the park. The 2009 military drama The Messenger explores a grueling story of servicemen who must confront their post-traumatic stress disorder while performing a difficult task. The staff Sergeant Will Montgomery (Foster) is assigned to a new position as a casualty notification officer alongside Captain Tony Stone (Woody Harrelson); they must explain unbearable news to the families of men killed in action. While Harrelson was nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards, Foster was sadly overlooked for his equally gripping work.
Lance Armstrong in The Program (2015)
The Program should have been the film that launched Foster into the awards' conversation. Playing Lance Armstrong in a biopic focused on the highlights of his doping scandal seemed like a sure fire bet, but unfortunately Stephen Frears’ film didn’t quite live up to expectations. While the film glosses over the most interesting details, Foster is nonetheless phenomenal. He shows the public face that Foster puts on as his media image changes over time.
Richard Livesey in The Finest Hours (2016)
The Finest Hours was the first of what is now three collaborations between Foster and Chris Pine. The two are natural screen partners; they both carry a sensitivity to them that is distinct from the other prominent leading men of their generation. The Finest Hours is ironically a very underrated film about a historical act of heroism that isn’t widely known. During the most ambitious United States Coast Guard rescue in history, the Boston seamen Bernie Webber (Pine) and Richard Livesy (Foster) plot a daring plan to save the crew of a ship split apart by a storm off the coast of Cape Cod. Both Pine and Foster are respectful depicting the real figures; they show the casual decency that these heroes had.
Tanner Howard in Hell or High Water (2016)
Hell or High Water is one of the most entertaining and surprisingly nuanced neo-noir westerns of the past few decades. Screenwriter Taylor Sheridan crafted a heist thriller that explored the impacts that the greedy Texas Midland banks leave on poor communities. The brothers Toby (Chris Pine) and Tanner Howard (Foster) rob a series of banks to pay for their mother’s property; they only take from the banks themselves, and don’t harm any of the employees. While Toby is restrained and only robs to provide for his family, Tanner is completely wild and loves the thrill of the escape.
Phillip Wills in Hostiles (2017)
Foster has only a few brief scenes in Scott Cooper’s western Hostiles, but he’s one of the most memorable parts of the entire film. If Hell or High Water reinvented the western for a modern age, Hostiles explored the reality of relationships between indigenous people and American soldiers. The Civil War veteran Captain Blocker (Christian Bale) is assigned to transport the Cheyenne Chief Yellow Hawk (Wes Studi) to his historic homeland. During the extended trip, Blocker is forced to pick up the dangerous outlaw Phillip Wils (Foster), and transport him as well. Foster shows how Wils and torments the other men. He’s able to deceive them by faking an illness and trying to escape.
Will in Leave No Trace (2018)
Leave No Trace is a powerful film that spotlights an underrepresented group. Debra Granik’s acclaimed indie film follows the former veteran Will (Foster), who has been struggling with PTSD and has a hard time voicing his pain. Will lives off the grid in a forest with his young daughter Tom (Thomasin McKenzie); they are completely self-reliant and have learned to survive in the wilderness. After they are discovered by Park Rangers, Will and Tom are forced to conform to living in normal society. Foster shows the difficulty that Will faces; his entire lifestyle has been disrupted, and he knows that he can properly care for his daughter. Foster and McKenzie do a great job showing how their relationship changes. While Tom gradually becomes open to conforming, Will is set in his ways.