Tim Roth – Best Ever Screen Roles
The British Actor's Stand Out Performances on Film and TV
Jul 10, 2009
Tim Roth was born in London, England on May 14th 1961. His early career was punctuated by gritty, urban dramas headed up by some of the best directors working in Britain during the 1980s. Alan Clarke (Made in Britain), Mike Leigh (Meantime) and Stephen Frears (The Hit) were all important formative influences upon the young Tim Roth. His name also became synonymous with fellow British rising stars such as Gary Oldman, Phil Daniels and Ray Winstone. Roth worked again with Oldman on several projects later in his career, and he cast Winstone in his first and only (to date) film as a director, The War Zone.
Top 10 Tim Roth Films/Roles
Tim Roth has a reputation for mastering accents which has helped ease his transition from England to America. As an actor, his work can still be broadly categorised as British or American, but he now seems equally at home in both countries. Undoubtedly, his big break in the US came via America's own enfant terrible Quentin Tarantino, with whom Roth has worked three times. He's also worked with other big name directors as diverse as Woody Allen (Everyone Says I Love You), Werner Herzog (Invincible) and Walter Salles (Dark Water).
1. Reservoir Dogs (1992) – Mr Orange (or Freddy Newandyke)
Quentin Tarantino's debut feature film Reservoir Dogs was an explosive kick for Tim Roth's Hollywood career. Arguably, his role as undercover cop Mr Orange was the strongest of the ensemble, and certainly the moral centre for audience identification. With admirably few words, Roth managed to convey a host of complex emotions in Reservoir Dogs.
2. Rob Roy (1995) – Archibald Cunningham
Playing the twisted, murderous baddie Archibald Cunningham in Michael Caton-Jones' Rob Roy was a total romp for Roth. His sneering, snobbish portrayal turned much of the wickedness into (almost) humour, like Alan Rickman did with the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood. Roth was nominated for an academy award for Rob Roy, and won a Bafta.
3. Meantime (1984) – Colin
Roth delivers a sweet, delicately nuanced performance as the mentally handicapped Colin in one of director Mike Leigh's little known but very finest films.
4. Made in Britain (1982) – Trevor
Roth's debut as skinhead Trevor is a brilliant piece of acting, and the film – directed by Alan Clarke – is a biting, and quite distressing, look at the street-level troubles of 1980s Britain.
5. Vincent and Theo (1990) – Vincent Van Gogh
Robert Altman's underrated film about the famous artist and his brother draws a fine, restrained performance from Tim Roth that completely taps into the character.
6. Pulp Fiction (1994) – Pumpkin
Although they were only small parts, Quentin Tarantino wrote Pumpkin and his girlfriend Honey Bunny especially for Tim Roth and actress Amanda Plummer - and the performances they put in were wonderfully memorable, so Pulp Fiction makes the list.
7. Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead (1990) – Gildenstern
Tom Stoppard's brilliant and funny adaptation of his own play about two minor characters from Shakespeare's Hamlet was brought to life on screen by Tim Roth and Gary Oldman, both of whom are just perfect in the roles.
8. Planet of the Apes (2001) – Thade
Tim Burton's re-imagining of Planet of the Apes wasn't a total success, but Roth's role as the human-hating Thade was wonderful. Despite his head to toe monkey outfit, his performance is easily the stand-out piece of the film.
9. Skellig (2009) – Skellig
This made for TV film was beautifully performed by everyone involved, but Roth's role in particular, as the grubby tramp who may or may not be an angel, was absolutely made for him.
10. The Legend of 1900 (La leggenda del pianista sull'oceano) (1998) – Danny Boodman T.D. Lemon Nineteen Hundred (or just 1900)
Another film of Roth's that's highly rated by those who have seen it, despite it languishing rather unfairly in the camp of little known gems. Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore of Cinema Paradiso fame, this dream-like story of a gifted pianist who was born on board a cruise ship, and has never ever left it, is another of Roth's tour de force performances.
What's Next for Tim Roth? Present/Future Roles of Note
Tim Roth is currently starring in another juicy, intense role, that of Dr Cal Lightman in Fox TV's drama Lie to Me. Coming up is lead role in a Spanish film called King Conqueror, and after that the part of Pete Smalls in Alexandre Rockwell's new film Pete Smalls is Dead. That should be a good one to look out for. Rockwell is currently the indie director du jour, thanks to In The Soup and 13 Moons. New film Pete Smalls is Dead will reunite Roth with his Reservoir Dogs co-star, and Rockwell regular, Steve Buscemi too, so it already looks like a winner.
Further Reading: Read about the current crop of rising British stars here.
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