The 10 Best Jason Lee Movies & TV Shows, Ranked
Professional skateboarder turned actor Jason Lee consistently brings a funny everyman presence to his projects. While you shouldn't overlook Lee's TV performances — he was nominated for a Golden Globe for "My Name is Earl," after all — his best work so far has come from feature films ranging from indie flicks to Hollywood blockbusters. On the big screen, Lee consistently delivers on his wry charm. Acting professionally since 1993, Lee has exhibited a wide range beyond the comedic roles that got his acting career started. This extends to horror movies, prestige dramas, and conspiracy thrillers that place Lee's characters directly in sinister crosshairs.
Throughout his career, Lee has worked with influential filmmakers such as Kevin Smith, Cameron Crowe, and Lawrence Kasdan, who have made great use of his subtle depth and inherent likability. Even on the occasions when Lee is playing an antagonist, there is still an appeal in his performance that keeps the audience's attention riveted on him. With that in mind, here are Jason Lee's 10 best movies.
10. Dreamcatcher (2003)
Acclaimed horror novelist Stephen King has cooked up some truly bizarre stories, and one of the strangest to get an adaptation is 2003's "Dreamcatcher." The movie has a classic horror movie setup: Four friends rent a remote cabin in the woods only to have their vacation cut short by paranormal evil. This time around, the evil doesn't spring from an earthbound source but comes in the form of parasitic extraterrestrial worms. And the first victim is Jason Lee's character, the token comic relief, Joe "Beaver" Clarendon.
It really is a darn shame that the aliens kill Beaver first in "Dreamcatcher" because the rest of the movie is all the poorer without him. Lee constructs the Ryan Reynolds template of calling out the absurdity of a given situation — years before Reynolds popularized the schtick himself. However, there is some genuine nastiness in "Dreamcatcher," with Beaver's death underscoring just how terrifying the stakes are. "Dreamcatcher" isn't a particularly good movie, but Lee makes the first act entertaining before he's abruptly taken off the board.
9. Big Trouble (2002)
Jason Lee's wackiest, goofball performance on the silver screen is in the 2002 film "Big Trouble," an adaption of Dave Barry's 1999 novel of the same name. In an all-star ensemble cast, Lee takes a supporting role as Puggy, a drifter with an affinity for Fritos living in a treehouse. Despite his unkempt looks, Puggy finds romance with local housekeeper Nina (Sofia Vergara) after she initially mistakes him for Jesus Christ. This is somehow one of the least odd things to happen in the movie.
Revolving around a plane bomb threat, "Big Trouble" is a sharp, underrated comedy that suffered the misfortune of being released close to 9/11. This poorly timed plot element led to a delayed theatrical release, muted promotional campaign, and abysmal box office earnings during its run. This is a shame because Lee really stands out in the stacked cast, more than keeping up as the jokes fly fast and furious. Lee dives headfirst into this over-the-top character, and that earnestness helps sell the whole movie.
8. Dogma
Lee has found a comedic simpatico in filmmaker Kevin Smith. The two friends have collaborated on several projects since 1995, with Lee possessing a knack for elevating Smith's dialog-driven antics. "Dogma," released in 1999, is their most fantastical team-up to date, with Lee playing the demonic villain Azrael. Despite the literal apocalyptic stakes, Lee doesn't sacrifice any of his sharp wit, bringing a playful menace to the movie.
Clad in all white and leading a troupe of hockey stick-wielding demons, Lee plays Azrael like a hellish door-to-door salesman. In a film that pits the heroes against a fecal monster, that approach fits "Dogma" seamlessly. Lee's penchant for wry wit and omnipresent sarcasm always makes him seem like a scallywag. Only this time, he's taken a full heel turn. Though certainly not the briefest Lee appearance in a Smith film, Azrael does only appear sparingly but makes every scene that much more deliciously evil.
7. Enemy of the State
After fending off aliens in "Independence Day" and "Men in Black," Will Smith moved to more grounded, conspiracy thriller action in 1998's "Enemy of the State." Jason Lee co-stars as unassuming biologist Daniel Leon Zavitz, who stumbles across evidence of the NSA murdering a congressman. Immediately recognizing the gravity of his discovery, Zavitz passes along the evidence to unsuspecting lawyer Robert Clayton Dean (Smith) before being killed himself. Zavitz's death and the evidence plunge Dean into a whirlwind of paranoia and ahead-of-its-time commentary on unchecked government surveillance.
Taking into account his career at the time, Lee's role in "Enemy of the State" is a standout in his filmography. Through his work with Kevin Smith, Lee was primarily known for his acerbically comic roles, with largely unsuccessful forays into serious fare. "Enemy of the State" gives Lee a chance to effectively showcase his dramatic acting chops — in a big-budget Hollywood blockbuster, no less. Lee appears only briefly in "Enemy of the State" but his character sets the whole narrative into motion in his memorable role.
6. Mallrats
Brodie Bruce from Jason Lee and Kevin Smith's first collaboration, 1995's "Mallrats," is still the funniest role Lee has played. It was also the start of a beautiful friendship. Lee's perpetual slacker and unapologetic pop-culture geek is as quick with a comic book reference as he is with a withering put-down. Brodie sets out to win back the affections of his girlfriend, Rene Mosier (Shannen Doherty), after he's unceremoniously dumped. Tracking down Rene at his usual shopping mall hangout, Brodie enlists the help of local drug dealers Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Smith) to save the day.
If "Clerks" put Smith on the map as a hip, indie filmmaker, "Mallrats" allowed him to lean hard into his full-blown geek cred years before it was cool. For Smith, Brodie is an effective comedic self-insert character, and Lee runs with the role. What holds "Mallrats" back is Brodie being paired with his sad-sack best friend, T.S. Quint (Jeremy London), for much of the movie. The milquetoast straight-man dilutes some of Brodie's best punchlines, but Lee still makes his part work. There's a reason that Smith keeps working with Lee decades after "Mallrats." The evidence is right there in Lee's star-making performance.
5. Vanilla Sky
Another filmmaker Jason Lee connects with on an intuitive level, especially in delivering their dialog, is Cameron Crowe. Lee and Crowe's second collaboration, 2001's "Vanilla Sky," is an American remake of the 1997 Spanish film "Open Your Eyes." The film stars Tom Cruise as Manhattan playboy David Aames. Lee plays David's best friend, Brian Shelby, who introduces David to his love interest, Sofia Serrano (Penelope Cruz), setting off a nightmarish chain of events. As David's vengeful former lover, Julie Gianni (Cameron Diaz), ruins his life in the wake of this new romance, David spirals into a surreal identity crisis.
"Vanilla Sky" is a strange movie, the oddest film in Crowe's extensive filmography, with its existential pondering and dreamlike cinematography. Lee's presence as Brian is understated and grounding as the movie gets caught up in its turgid questions about reality. That understatement is exactly what "Vanilla Sky" needs to counter the trippy sequences that occur as David steadily loses himself. In a career full of comedic turns, Lee's deliberately muted performance in "Vanilla Sky" is among his most underrated.
4. Mumford
Years before working together on "Dreamcatcher," Lee and filmmaker Lawrence Kasdan's first collaboration was the 1999 comedy-drama "Mumford." Named for its Oregon small-town setting and psychologist protagonist (Lowell Dean), the film offers snapshots of Mumford's eclectic patients. Among those seeking psychotherapy from Mumford is young billionaire Skip Skipperton (Lee), a tech guru with a solution for everything except his loneliness. Fortunately, in his usual unassuming way, Mumford has a solution in mind to help Skip improve his life immeasurably.
"Mumford" is Kasdan at his most slice-of-life, with relatively low stakes and no big, punchy payoffs across its numerous subplots. Skip is a flashy character by nature, but in fitting with the overall tone and narrative, Lee reins it in for his performance. Where Lee excels is in just how emotionally vulnerable he portrays his character, providing a nice contrast to his usual roles. There is a quiet sadness in Skip that Lee brings, and while the film is an uneven ride, Lee's performance is a solid highlight.
3. The Incredibles
Starting with the Pixar animated film "The Incredibles," Jason Lee, with his distinctively scratchy voice, has become a prolific voiceover actor since 2004. The blend of superhero and espionage genres features Lee as the ultimate toxic fanboy, Buddy Pine, who is spurned by his childhood hero, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson). Buddy uses his technological know-how to grow into the criminal mastermind Syndrome, targeting Mr. Incredible and his family as part of his longstanding vendetta. Syndrome is determined to wipe out the previous generation of superheroes before positioning himself as humanity's next caped savior.
If "Dogma" stands as Lee's first villainous performance, "The Incredibles" gives him the chance to embrace his inner bad guy, and he runs with it. Syndrome's cocksure, sneering personality fits firmly in Lee's wheelhouse, and yet, he never chews the scenery. Lee is something of the franchise's secret weapon, and that becomes especially evident with his absence from 2018's "Incredibles 2." Syndrome is a cackling evil genius and a worthy foe to Mr. Incredible's family. No other adversary has even come close, largely thanks to Lee's performance.
2. Chasing Amy
Although "Mallrats" was not the commercial or critical success Kevin Smith hoped for, the New Jersey filmmaker reunited with Lee for the 1997 romantic dramedy "Chasing Amy." In contrast to "Mallrats'" admittedly sophomoric humor, "Chasing Amy" is a more frank discussion of love that retains Smith's affinity for raunchy laughs. Lee and Ben Affleck star as comic book creators and best friends Banky Edwards and Holden McNeil. When Holden (Affleck) falls in love with queer comic creator Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), it puts a heavy strain on his and Banky's (Lee) friendship.
Banky exists in that pocket of sarcastic comedic relief characters devised by Smith and Lee but has an emotionally vulnerable edge. For all of his bravado, Banky is a lonely and hurting guy under the surface, with Lee capturing that nuance beautifully. Following "Chasing Amy's" success, Lee revisited the Banky role in several subsequent follow-ups but none with the same gusto as the 1997 movie. Though in a supporting role to Affleck and Adams, Lee steals every scene he's in, with the movie standing as his best with Smith.
1. Almost Famous
For all his comedic strengths, Jason Lee offers a lot more acting range than a steady stream of stinging humor. He also has surprising amounts of emotional depth. The movie that utilizes Lee's acting talents best is 2000's "Almost Famous," a semi-autobiographical take on Cameron Crowe's youth as a journalist for "Rolling Stone" magazine. Teen writer William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is tasked with shadowing the fictional rock band Stillwater while touring the country in 1973. At the heart of Stillwater is the mounting friction between lead guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) and lead singer Jeff Bebe (Lee).
In "Almost Famous," Lee gets to play the charming, funny scoundrel-type he's built his acting career on, but Jeff Bebe is not an inherently funny character. There are pangs of jealousy and distrust that drive Jeff throughout the film, culminating in a panicked confrontation during a near-plane crash. Jeff is at once an approachable, friendly figure to William and a furious foil for Russell. Lee is given plenty of room to explore all that. Neither Crowe nor Lee has hit the same heights, and I hope they reunite someday because "Almost Famous is a cinematic knockout.