Rami Malek

Rami Malek’s quietness often has an awkwardness to it: his characters seem uncomfortable with other people’s attention. There is enough vulnerability in these withdrawn figures to keep the unease from becoming a mannerism. Mr. Robot (2015–2019), his breakthrough as Elliot Alderson, gave those qualities a leading role to sustain. We prefer this quieter Malek, whose attention to a character’s discomfort gives us a reason to keep watching.

Before that came Nate in Short Term 12 (2013), a foster-home drama led by Brie Larson, and still one of the films we would most readily recommend from his work. We were moved by Larson’s mixture of competence and hurt, and grateful that the humour made room for something other than suffering. The script occasionally arranges that suffering too neatly, but the performances keep it convincing. We would not claim Nate as the reason to watch it, but it is a good place to see Malek without the responsibility of carrying a film.

The conspicuous change was Freddie Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody (2018), the move into major film stardom. Accent work, movement coaching and prosthetics are part of Malek’s meticulous approach, and this role called for a more physically expressive performance. The commitment is clear; the conventional film surrounding it is the reservation. We would hesitate to make this the first stop, since the effort of recreating a famous performer tells only part of what he can do.

In Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023), Malek plays David Hill in an ensemble led by Cillian Murphy’s restrained performance. We recommend it strongly, despite hearings that grip less than the desert passages and sound that swallows too many lines. We do not need Malek to dominate such company, and his next leading role need not involve another elaborate recreation to interest us. Start with Short Term 12 if warmth matters more tonight than scale.