All in a Day's Work

Top 5 Jon Voight Performances

Jon Voight has been in movies for a long time now. He has given some amazing performances, and then some not so amazing. Regardless he is a man to be celebrated for his contributions to film. Jon Voight can go from quiet to really loud and crazy, and he does it well.

Jon Voight has that instantly recognizable face which makes lots of people go "Oh, it's him!" but they do not know his name. Which is a real shame because even though he has been in some really bad movies (I'm looking at you Transformers), his great movies do not get enough love with audiences nowadays. In a small attempt to change that (at least among some of my friends) here are his 5 best performances.

5. Holes (2003)

So this is not that good of a film, I know that, but when I was younger and watched it I was scared to death of Mr. Sir. This was the first place I saw Jon Voight and at that time I hated him because he was scary to me, but I eventually got around to really liking him, and it is this performance that started that. He plays a guard or assistant to the Warden of a detention camp where kids dig holes. But he has a reason for being there, and the first time I saw this movie I was really surprised how clever it was, it's not really clever anymore but still the best performance of the movie.

4. Heat (1995)

A really small role but there is this quite experienced air to his character. You can tell while watching him trade dialogue with De Niro that he has been doing this for a long time. To old to now control the crowd but does the finding of the jobs and organizing the robberies. The reason such a small role is on this list is because of one thing. Not many people back in the day could hold their own with Robert De Niro, but Jon Voight did and did it very well. When they were talking he wasn't just saying his lines, no. He knew it was one of the greats he was talking with and used that to elevate his small role.

3.  Coming Home (1978)

The role that won him the oscar, in Coming Home, Luke a Vietnam Veteran is confined to a wheelchair that was sent home. Sally (Jane Fonda) falls in love with him while volunteering at a veterans hospital while her man is away. Basically all the proof I need to put this film on here was Luke's speech in the film about Vietnam, so much emotion, so perfect.

2. Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Many who have seen most of the Jon Voight performances would usually put this one at number 1, but it doesn't quite make it there for me. Jon Voight's Joe Buck is so naive in this film. It's really hard to watch without feeling really bad for him because he just doesn't know what he is getting into. Jon Voight gives such great conversations opposite Dustin Hoffman. The two just had tremendous on screen chemistry, and worked so well together.

1. Deliverance (1972)

Not only my favorite Jon Voight movie, but also the best Jon Voight plays one of 4 guys that go to the Cahulawassee River before it is destroyed to go canoeing and camping. I have to say just like how Jaws made me afraid to go into the water because I watched it to early, the same thing happened with this movie and the woods. I cannot go to the woods without hearing, 

"He got a real pretty mouth, ain't he?"

"That's a truth."

Shit is scary, I kid you not. Anyway Jon Voight is so good Ed, you can see the fear in his eyes, especially when about to kill something or about to be raped hillbilly style. Just such a great performance and such an underrated and forgotten masterpiece. Cannot recommend this thing enough, unless you still want to enjoy the woods.

So there we are, the 5 best Jon Voight performances. Jon Voight has done some great movies, and sadly they aren't seen very often by my peers. Anyway hope you enjoyed, and if you think I missed a one that should be on here let me know in the comments.