Bill Murray’s Best Roles
Bill Murray launched his career as a breakout star on television’s ‘Saturday Night Live’ where his sarcastic wit and deadpan delivery set him apart. He brought that unique comedic energy to the big screen becoming one of the most beloved and unconventional movie stars of the 1980s. His improvisational style and ability to play the charmingly cynical slacker made him a cultural icon in a string of hugely successful comedies.
As his career progressed he made a remarkable transition into more dramatic and nuanced work. He became a celebrated figure in the world of independent film known for his subtle and melancholic performances that revealed a surprising depth. This second act of his career showcased his incredible range proving that beneath the wisecracking exterior was a gifted actor capable of conveying profound loneliness and quiet humanity.
‘Broken Flowers’ (2005)
He portrays Don Johnston a former tech mogul who has settled into a quiet and lonely retirement. His life is disrupted when he receives an anonymous letter from a former lover informing him that he has a nineteen-year-old son who may be looking for him. Encouraged by his neighbor he embarks on a cross-country road trip to visit his old flames and solve the mystery.
The role is a masterclass in minimalist acting. His character is a passive and emotionally detached man who is forced to confront his own past and the relationships he left behind. The journey becomes a quiet and often awkward exploration of his life’s choices and missed connections.
‘The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou’ (2004)
He stars as the title character Steve Zissou an aging and eccentric oceanographer and documentary filmmaker. His career is on the decline and his best friend was recently killed by a mysterious creature he calls the jaguar shark. He assembles his crew which includes his estranged wife and a man who may be his son for one last expedition to hunt down the shark.
The character is a parody of real-life figures like Jacques Cousteau. He is a flawed and often comically self-absorbed leader whose best days are behind him. The role allows Murray to blend his signature deadpan humor with moments of genuine sadness and introspection as the character seeks redemption.
‘Caddyshack’ (1980)
He plays Carl Spackler a slightly unhinged and dim-witted groundskeeper at a snooty golf club. The character is engaged in a personal and increasingly absurd war against a gopher that is tearing up the golf course. He spends his time muttering to himself and devising elaborate yet unsuccessful plans to eliminate his furry nemesis.
His performance in this film is almost entirely improvised. The character of Carl was a minor one in the original script but his on-set ad-libbing and creation of the character’s backstory turned it into one of the most iconic and quoted comedic performances of all time. His scenes are a legendary example of improvisational genius.
‘Tootsie’ (1982)
He plays the supporting role of Jeff Slater the roommate of the main character Michael Dorsey. Jeff is a deadpan and perpetually unimpressed playwright who watches with bewilderment as his roommate an out-of-work actor disguises himself as a woman to land a role on a soap opera.
While not the lead his character serves as the film’s sarcastic anchor to reality. Jeff is the only one who knows Michael’s secret from the beginning and his dry observations about the ridiculous situation provide some of the film’s biggest laughs. His performance is a memorable example of a supporting character stealing every scene he is in.
‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)
He provides the voice for Baloo a lazy and carefree sloth bear who befriends the young “man-cub” Mowgli. Baloo is a charming con artist who initially uses Mowgli to help him gather honey for his winter hibernation. Over time he develops a genuine fatherly affection for the boy and becomes one of his fiercest protectors.
His vocal performance perfectly captures the spirit of the beloved animated character. He brings his signature laid-back and sarcastic charm to the role making Baloo both funny and endearing. He also gets to sing the classic song “The Bare Necessities” adding his own unique style to the famous tune.
‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ (2001)
In this ensemble film he plays Raleigh St. Clair a quiet and reserved neurologist. He is married to the family’s adopted daughter Margot a gifted playwright with a secretive past. His character is a kind man who is completely oblivious to his wife’s unhappiness and the fact that she still carries a torch for her adopted brother.
Raleigh is a character of quiet desperation whose polite demeanor hides a deep sadness. The role is a subtle and understated performance that showcases his ability to convey emotion with very little dialogue. He is another memorable character in the quirky and melancholic world created by director Wes Anderson.
‘Rushmore’ (1998)
He portrays Herman Blume a wealthy and disillusioned industrialist who is bored with his life and his obnoxious sons. He strikes up an unlikely friendship with Max Fischer an eccentric and ambitious fifteen-year-old student at Rushmore Academy. Their friendship becomes complicated when they both fall in love with the same elementary school teacher.
The role was a major turning point in his career marking his transition into more serious and acclaimed independent films. He plays Blume with a deep sense of melancholy and world-weariness. The performance earned him widespread critical praise and established his long-running collaboration with director Wes Anderson.
‘Lost in Translation’ (2003)
He stars as Bob Harris an aging American movie star who is in Tokyo to shoot a lucrative whiskey commercial. Feeling disconnected from his family and suffering from a midlife crisis he feels lost in the unfamiliar culture. He forms a deep and meaningful bond with another lonely American a young woman named Charlotte who is also feeling adrift.
His performance earned him an Academy Award nomination. He portrays Bob with a perfect mix of his trademark humor and a profound sense of loneliness and vulnerability. The character’s quiet and subtle connection with Charlotte is the heart of the film a story about two people finding a brief moment of understanding in a foreign land.
‘Ed Wood’ (1994)
He plays the supporting role of Bunny Breckinridge a friend of the famously untalented filmmaker Ed Wood. Bunny is a flamboyant and aspiring psychic who dreams of getting a sex change operation. He joins Wood’s eccentric group of misfit actors and helps him make his famously bad science-fiction movies.
The character of Bunny is both comedic and tragic a man with big dreams that never seem to pan out. He is a loyal member of Wood’s bizarre inner circle. His performance is a warm and funny portrayal that fits perfectly within the film’s tribute to the strange and wonderful world of the real-life filmmaker.
‘Moonrise Kingdom’ (2012)
In another collaboration with director Wes Anderson he plays Walt Bishop the father of the film’s young female protagonist Suzy. He lives on a small New England island and is having a quiet marital crisis with his wife. When his daughter runs away with a young Khaki Scout he joins the island’s search party to find her.
His character is a sad and somewhat checked-out father who seems overwhelmed by his life. The role is a key part of the film’s ensemble of quirky and melancholic adults. He delivers a typically understated performance conveying his character’s quiet desperation with a subtle and humorous touch.
‘Isle of Dogs’ (2018)
He lends his voice to the character of Boss in this stop-motion animated film. Boss is a former baseball team mascot and one of the members of a pack of alpha dogs living in exile on Trash Island. Along with the other dogs he helps a young boy search for his own lost dog Spot.
His distinctive voice is a perfect fit for the deadpan humor of the film. Boss is a loyal and gruff member of the pack who provides commentary on their adventures. It is another successful vocal performance in his long list of collaborations with the director Wes Anderson.
‘Ghostbusters’ (1984)
He stars as Dr. Peter Venkman a sarcastic and womanizing parapsychologist at Columbia University. After being fired he and his friends start a professional paranormal investigation and elimination service known as the Ghostbusters. Venkman is the charismatic showman and unofficial leader of the group.
The role of Peter Venkman made him a global superstar. Much of his dialogue was famously improvised and his performance defined the film’s unique blend of supernatural action and dry comedy. He created one of the most iconic and beloved movie characters of the 1980s a hero who faced down ghosts with a smirk and a witty one-liner.
‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’ (2009)
In this stop-motion animated film he voices the character of Badger. He is a lawyer and a close friend of the titular character Mr. Fox. Badger is the more cautious and pragmatic of the two and he frequently warns his friend about the dangers of his reckless schemes to steal from the local farmers.
He brings a sense of weary resignation and dry wit to the character. As Badger he acts as the voice of reason trying in vain to keep his charismatic friend out of trouble. His vocal performance is a key part of the film’s charming and talented ensemble cast.
‘Groundhog Day’ (1993)
He plays Phil Connors a cynical and arrogant television weatherman. He is sent on an assignment he despises to cover the annual Groundhog Day festival in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania. He wakes up the next morning to discover that he is trapped in a time loop forced to live the same day over and over again.
The role is one of his most iconic and acclaimed performances. His character goes through a profound transformation from a selfish and miserable person to a kind and enlightened man who learns to use his infinite time to help others and better himself. The film is a classic comedy with a surprisingly deep philosophical message.
‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ (2014)
In this critically acclaimed ensemble film he has a small but memorable role as Monsieur Ivan. He is a member of a secret society of elite hotel concierges known as the Society of the Crossed Keys. When the film’s protagonist is in trouble Ivan is one of the many concierges who is called upon to help.
His character is a perfect example of the quirky and detailed world created by director Wes Anderson. Monsieur Ivan is a distinguished professional who mobilizes a network of fellow concierges to aid their friend. The role is a delightful and humorous part of the film’s intricate plot.
Which Bill Murray performance do you think is his all-time best?