Brothers and 3 Other Best Movies With Toby Maguire Beyond Spider-Man
This actor deserves recognition beyond Sam Raimi's trilogy.
Tobey Maguire's career began at the age of 22. But his real fame came thanks to Sam Raimi and his Spider-Man trilogy.
Later, the actor mastered completely different images: a military man with an injury, a young romantic and a chess genius – but he never received recognition from the Academy. This does not prevent us from appreciating his skills once again.
1. Pleasantville, 1998
Twins David and Jennifer are high school seniors in the late 1990s. Their sister is living her teenage years to the fullest, while David spends most of his time at home watching television – the 1950s sitcom Pleasantville.
By some miracle, they find themselves in the show's black-and-white world – the Midwestern town of Pleasantville – and their arrival wreaks havoc on the quiet and happy lives of the locals.
Pleasantville was nominated for three Academy Awards. Gary Ross's film still works as both entertainment and an original meditation on the loss of childhood and utopian notions of the world.
2. Brothers, 2009
Captain Sam Cahill's family believes he died in Afghanistan. He is survived by his brother, recently released from prison, and his wife and two young daughters.
To the surprise of his family, the captain returns home after being captured. Trying to adjust to everyday life, Maguire's character learns that his brother has begun a relationship with his wife.
Toby Maguire became the film's leading man. Roger Ebert wrote that the actor steals the show on screen, revealing a previously unseen dark depth to his characters. For this work, Maguire was nominated for his first Golden Globe for Best Actor.
3. The Cider House Rules, 1999
Homer is a young man who grew up in a boys' orphanage during World War II. Never adopted, Homer now helps the orphanage's director, Dr. Larch, who secretly performs abortions.
Having moral doubts about his mentor's activities, Homer decides to leave the orphanage to see the world and eventually get a job at a winery.
Lasse Hallström's film received seven Oscar nominations and two wins. Michael Caine won his second Oscar for his role as the doctor, and the film also stars Charlize Theron, Paul Rudd and future Succession star Kieran Culkin.
4. Babylon, 2022
The story takes place in Hollywood of the 1920s. Dealers, actors, and directors sense a turning point in the industry: the invention of synchronized sound. For enterprising youngsters, this change means new opportunities; for aging stars, it means the end of their careers.
Babylon is a cinephile blockbuster from the director of La La Land and Whiplash that flopped at the box office but galvanized the industry. Maguire has a supporting role here as a slightly crazy, scary crime boss trying to get his script through.