Ever feel like you are the supporting character in someone else’s story? Ever have that friend who was a bit cooler and you found yourself in their shadow? If so, you and David Harbour have something in common. He has played in a plethora of supporting roles leading up to his breakout in Stranger Things. With this weekend being his first “Leading Man” performance, we wanted to peruse the catalog of previous movies he has stared in and highlight the best movies to continue your David Harbour weekend.
“We some kinda Suicide Squad?” Yes, Will that’s what you are. Look, I’m not gonna lie this movie is a complete mess narratively speaking; but, the characters we are given in this film elevate what should be terrible into something enjoyable to watch. From Will Smith’s Deadshot, to the amazing Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, to Jai Country’s unpredictable boomerang, all these actors are firing at all cylinders giving life to these wacky characters. The big standouts for me though are Jared Leto’s Joker and Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn. Their completely toxic, codependent, and abusive relationship is by far the most interesting thing about this film to me. It’s too bad we only got about 7 minutes worth of it in the 2hr and 17min film. Hopefully down the road we get more. (Ben Davis)
Denzel Washington is one of the few leads left in Hollywood that can completely own a film and captivate you. While Gerad Butler and The Rock can lead an action movie, Denzel can command an action movie. Honestly, I’m pretty bummed he doesn’t do more movies. If you haven’t had the pleasure of watching the Equalizer yet you really need to settle in and watch this action packed emotionally charged movie. There is also a great performance by Chloe Moretz. While David Harbour doesn’t have the lead role here, he is still doing good work and I’d go as far as to say this is a must add to your “Ones to Watch List” if you are an action movie fan. (Blake Hodges)
2014 was what I like to call “The Age of Neeson” (he was in 8 movies in 2014, look it up). So, like everyone else, I decided to make a movie night of this and give it a shot. While it’s not a great film per se, the film does get great performances from Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens and…David Harbour. And out of all of his performances, I think this is his best one, including Stranger Things. Harbour is given just a lot of rope to really go nuts with just how scummy a criminal can be and every moment you see of him on screen is truly terrifying. You don’t know if he’s going to blow someone’s head off or just walk away calm and collected. It makes what would’ve been an absolute bore of a movie a thrilling watch every single time. (Austin Belzer)
Say what you want about this movie, but this is one of the most enjoyable (and funniest) superhero movies ever made. Currently ranking at #37 out of 104 superhero films, you can probably tell by now just how much I love this movie. It’s a property I hadn’t heard of before the film released and decides to go a different direction with this “caped crusader”. Seth Rogen is doing what I like to call “the alt-universe Batman” here by showing that being a masked vigilante can be a bit funny, even when you’re being shot at by some crazy Russian mobster with a penchant for nicknames. But, hold up. Where’s our police dude? Well, turn around and see the sly mug of David Harbour’s D.A. Scanlon. He gets a lot of great lines here as a guy caught in between the lines that make killer jokes (sometimes, literally) and is not a performance that anyone should miss out on. (Austin Belzer)
There was a time in the pre-San Andreas Skyscraper/Rampage/Fast era when Dwayne Johnson actually took more introspective and human roles, and get this, pulled them off! Snitch isn’t a great film, but it is a good one, AND one where The Rock’s physique wasn’t the center of his character. Instead he plays a character that is just trying to do the right thing and stand up for the people he loves, but is over matched at every step of the way. We may never see another DJ performance where he doesn’t play some sort of Superman, and that alone makes this worth a look. (Aaron Dicer)
There are plenty of political thrillers out there, but this cast (including Harbour) makes this one you shouldn’t miss. Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright, Jeff Daniels, and even Viola Davis are all hovering around doing incredible work here in a movie that never lets up as it weaves several intricate plot details into a movie celebrating the power of the press. It’s a fascinating piece of film making about a time when principles may have actually still mattered. (Aaron Dicer)
Kate Winslet, Leo Dicaprio, and Sam Mendes directing? How could you go wrong? Yet, many still haven’t gotten around to checking out this simple gem about the trauma of relationship and family in the ’50s. If you like you can pretend you’re watching a movie about what happened if Jack had climbed on that piece of wood with Rose, but you’d be missing one of the most honest and sobering looks at trying to make marriage work when you don’t want to conform. It’s stunning and under seen, and, oh yeah, David Harbour is in it for a bit. (Aaron Dicer)
Harbour’s scene with Johhny Deep as Bulger hits all my movie loving bones and highlights why Harbour should have had a leading role already. When Harbour’s character, John Morris, is told he can’t give away a family recipe but does it anyway, the whole scene takes a darker light (almost like flipping on a dark Instagram filter). His smile transforming from happiness to a look of terror still gives me chills just thinking about it. I know we all collectively know we are watching a movie that was filmed with people playing pretend, but in those seconds it is as real as the person sitting next to you breathing as heavy as you are in anticipation. (Chantal Ashford)
End of Watch is so effective because it examines the mind of a police officer in Los Angeles, who often must deal with life or death situations. It puts you in the mind of two officers (Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña) through its mockumentary style. We see them put their safety at risk almost every day, but through the lens of a close friendship. As they begin to grow their families, the consequences of their job and the constant toll it takes on them becomes more apparent. A powerful and heartbreaking look at the lives of these two men who call each other brothers, End of Watch is intense and incredible all the way through. (Robert Bouffard)
Not going to lie, this was a tough choice. At this point, David Harbour’s best performance is in Stranger Things while Hellboywill really be his first time fronting his own film. I had to really think about which films stuck out to me with a supporting role of his. Brokeback Mountain is a great film and really deserves that honor. Ang Lee paints a beautiful and truly tragic love story that really engrosses the audience in their lie. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger show why they are great talents as they sell every moment of their love affair, from the warm moments to their intense confrontations. This film was definitely ahead of its time with its focus on a gay love story. It is a definite snub at the Oscars for best picture. (Shane Conto)
Also See:
Quantum of Solace, Sleepless, Parkland, Between Us