American actor Edward Norton's powerful presence in movies is always a sign that the product will be worth watching.
In celebration of the star's 53rd birthday, here is a compilation of Norton's 10 most memorable portrayals of lively, vivid characters that leave audiences immersed and evoke questions of human nature.
Directed by Gregory Hoblit, "Primal Fear" is an American thriller based on William Diehl's 1993 novel of the same name.
Norton's impressive performance received full marks from critics and brought him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.
Starring Richard Gere, the movie revolves around Martin Vail, a Chicago defense attorney who takes on a risky case defending an altar boy, Aaron, who is believed to have murdered an influential Catholic archbishop.
In the first feature movie by director Tony Kaye, the concept of racism being passed from generation to generation is depicted while the movie is considered an unforgettable cult classic in terms of its cinematography.
A reformed skinhead Derek (Norton) joins a Neo-Nazi movement to avenge his father who was killed by a black drug dealer. Influenced by the gang's brutal attacks and abuses, Derek kills two black men trying to steal his car. After Derek ends up in jail, Derek's younger brother Danny (Edward Furlong) also chooses to follow in his brother's footsteps.
Yet, Derek experiences a catharsis in jail, becoming a different man who has learned from his past mistakes and tries to convince his brother to not go down the wrong path.
The first rule about fight clue: Do not talk about fight club!
More of a popular culture kitsch classic nowadays, David Fincher's "Fight Club" based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel of the same name is still among the most popular movies of all time, dubbed the "defining cult movie of our time" by the New York Times.
Jack (Norton) is an insurance officer who is stuck living an ordinary life and has been suffering from "insomnia" for a long time. He participates in group therapy sessions to get rid of his psychological problems. During therapy, he meets a girl named Marla (Helena Bohem Carter) who eventually leads him to meet Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a life-changer who has achieved all the goals Jack wants to. Then Durden introduces Jack to "Fight Club," an organization that should never be talked about.
"The Score" is a star-studded American heist movie that brings Robert De Niro and Marlon Brando together for the first time in cinematography. Norton later confessed that agreed to star in the film just to see his name alongside De Niro and Brando's on the poster.
Nick Wells (Robert De Niro), who runs an NYC jazz bar, is a very competent thief. The man, who has two different lives, plans to quit the monkey business and devote all his time to the jazz club and marry his girlfriend. However, the offer he receives from his partner Max is extremely tempting. Agreeing to get involved in a heist one last time, Nick Wells will attempt to retrieve an extremely valuable ancient wand.
"The Italian Job," a 2003 remake of the film produced by Peter Collinson in 1969, in which Michael Caine played the leading role, is about the adventure of a gang of robbers led by Charlie Croker, a criminal who can be described as having a career in his field.
Norton plays Steve in a team that is assembled for the heist, he is a person driven by greed, planning to take down the members of the group to take the gold for himself.
Director Ridley Scott's epic historical drama unfurls the story of Balian, a blacksmith who has recently lost his family and goes to the city of Jerusalem to fight against Ayubbids.
Norton plays Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, or Leper, in "Kingdom of Heaven," a historical movie with jaw-dropping combat scenes and rich cinematography.
The suspenseful story of an illusionist named Eisenheim (Norton) was hailed by the critics as a "well-crafted story of magic."
As the daughter of an aristocratic family, Sophie Von Teschen (Jessica Biel) falls in love with Eisenheim, the son of a carpenter family. Apart from each other for years, Eisenheim becomes a famous magician, revealing the real-life story of Eduard Abramovich.
The opening movie of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, "Moonrise Kingdom," is a coming-of-age story blended with drama. Written by Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola, the film follows the adventures of young lovers who run away from a small town and the townspeople who are mobilized to find them.
Norton appears in the movie as the Scout Master Ward.
Directed by Wes Anderson, the colorful story, which takes place in the period between the World Wars, shows the Grand Budapest Hotel in its prime, located in the fictional European city of Zubrowka. Thanks to the rich colors and pleasant tone of the movie, the audience feels as if they are inside a dream.
Gustave (Ralph Fiennes) is a concierge officer who manages the operation of the hotel with great professionalism and knows even the smallest details of his customers. One day, a young man named Zero Mustafa (Murray Abraham) arrives at the hotel as a bellboy and busboy, and a close friendship soon begins between them. While the two become confidants, the city they live in is dragged towards a great war.
Directed by Mexican cinematography genius Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, the film reveals the fall of once-superhero actor Riggan (Michael Keaton) as he questions the meaning of life.
Riggan is making final preparations for a play on Broadway that he directed and starred in. However, during the rehearsals, one of the actors is injured unexpectedly and needs to be replaced immediately.
Embedded with quotes from Shakespeare's Macbeth, the movie is a stroke of genius.
