Jake Johnson isn’t the prototypical leading man, but he has a roguish charm, understated charisma, and knows how to land a joke as well as anyone. He has become the underdog leading man, being incredibly likable, and sympathetic; creating characters you’d like to get a beer with, and that’s no small feat. Here are Jake Johnson’s best performances, ranked.
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8 Jurassic World (2015)
Universal Pictures
After more than twenty years after the original park disaster, they finally opened Jurassic World. After some years, things start to go wrong. Who would have thought? Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard) must do everything to save their loved ones from the park. Was a new Jurassic Park trilogy necessary? Absolutely not. Has the franchise run its course? Yes. Having said that, Jurassic World at least had some new ideas. It was less of a thriller, and more of a monster movie à la Godzilla. And it had a couple of funny characters, played by great improvisers Jake Johnson and Lauren Lupkus. Johnson played Lowery Cruthers, a tech in the control room, who is a fanatic of the original park. His character and the relationship with Lupkus steal all the scenes they’re in, getting all the laughs in the movie, and having better chemistry than the leads.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 No Strings Attached (2011)
Paramount Pictures
Lifelong acquaintances Emma (Natalie Portman) and Adam (Ashton Kutcher) sleep together and decide to have a no-strings-attached relationship where they’re friends with benefits. The only rule: they can’t fall in love with each other. Is that even possible? No Strings Attached is a fun rom-com with a modern wrinkle and was Elizabeth Meriwether’s first-made script. It was also one of the first big breaks for most of the young cast, not including Portman and Kutcher, but all the actors who surrounded them: Johnson, Greta Gerwig, Lake Bell, Olivia Thirlby, Mindy Kaling, and Abby Elliot. Johnson plays Eli, one of Adam’s friends and sounding board. He also has his own low-key plot, as he and Gerwig’s Patrice have a full relationship that works, mirroring what Emma and Adam could have if they admitted their feelings. This is one of the first times we met Johnson and his understated leading charisma.
6 Digging for Fire (2015)
Sony Pictures Worldwide
A couple, Tim (Johson) and Lee (Rosemarie DeWitt), are in a rut. They take the weekend off from each other and have experiences that might get them to see what they have with each other, or it might be the end of the road for their marriage. Digging for Fire was the second collaboration between Johnson and director Joe Swanberg, and it might be one of the best examples of the mumblecore subgenre. Johnson’s improvisational skills and vulnerability are what make his character interesting, even when he’s obsessing about a bone and a gun he’s found in his backyard. We can see why all his friends would want to be part of this scavenger hunt, as there’s no better way to spend a weekend than with a character who is as fun to hang out with as Johnson’s Tim.
5 Safety Not Guaranteed (2012)
FilmDistrict
Kenneth Calloway (Mark Duplass) has put an ad in the newspaper: “WANTED - Someone to go back in time with me. This is not a joke. You’ll get paid when we get back. Must bring your own weapons. Safety not guaranteed. I have only done this one before.” Darius (Aubrey Plaza) is a young intern at a magazine and has to investigate the story. Her boss, Jeff (Johnson) and intern Arnau (Karan Soni) go with her. Safety Not Guaranteed was a quirky romance, and the typical weird indie movie with great performances. Johnson’s character is the cynic with great jokes that underline the premise. Although his character starts being one note, Johnson creates a three-dimensional character with the more time we spend with him, and see how he pursues his former teenage crush.
4 Win It All (2017)
Netflix
Eddie Garret (Johnson) is a gambler with bad luck. Is it called bad luck if he’s one of the worst gamblers ever? A local tough guy asks him to hold onto a bag while he’s in prison, but he must not look inside. Eddie looks in the bag and finds a lot of money, which he can gamble with. When the tough guy gets out of prison early, Eddie has a big problem. Down on his luck, but charming, is one of Johnson’s acting go-tos, and this movie lets him play with this acting persona until the end. Although he’s a mess, we understand his misgivings and want his character to succeed. Even if all the problems he gets into are of his own volition. Johnson not only starred and produced Win it All, but also co-wrote it with his friend and director, Joe Swanberg, in their third movie together. Swanberg told Under the Radar Magazine of his collaboration with Johnson: “So we really wanted to write this time. Even though we did a lot of improv on set we committed to sitting down and writing a script. It was great, having this familiarity of a collaborator that I’ve worked with before, but it also being a brand-new process for me.”
3 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Columbia Pictures
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse tells the story of Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), the new Spider-Man, and how he gets to be the hero with the help of other Spider-Men (and women) from other universes. The movie was the first time we saw Miles Morales in a film, and his character arc is indebted to the help of the other Spider-Man. Especially Peter B. Parker (Johnson), an older, worn-out Spidey, who has seen it all. Johnson’s vocal performance and chemistry with Moore show the evolution of his character, from cynical to an eye-rolling teacher, and finally, a hopeful sensei, as he gives Miles the final motivational speech he needs to become Spider-Man. We normally don’t value voice performances enough, especially those that can bring us emotional moments, like the chills Johnson’s final speech always gives us.
2 Drinking Buddies (2013)
Magnolia Pictures
Luke (Johnson) and Kate (Olivia Wilde) work together in a Chicago brewery. They work, they drink, they flirt. But, both are in long-term relationships with Jill (Anna Kendrick) and Chris (Ron Livingston). When the four go together on a camping trip, things get muddled. Drinking Buddies was the first collaboration between Johnson and Swanberg, and is also their best. Johnson shines as the lead character, full of improvised lines that show the character’s sense of humor and beliefs. The movie’s naturalistic comedy is the perfect fit for Johnson in one of his more charming roles. It was also one of the top-10 movies of the year for Quentin Tarantino.
1 New Girl (2011-2018)
Fox
An adorable, quirky girl named Jess (Zooey Deschanel) moves into a loft with three dudes; Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.), Schmidt (Max Greenfield), and Nick (Johnson). Comedy and hijinks ensue for seven seasons. New Girl was a surprising success. The comedy became even more surreal as Winston (Lamorne Morris) and Cece (Hannah Simone) became more integrated into the stories. The chemistry of the whole gang was incredible, especially the one between Johnson and Deschanel. They were a surprising couple, better suited to each other than Ross and Rachel, or Ted and Robin (controversial alert!), even though their relationship could sometimes be frustrating. As there was a lot of improvisation on set, Johnson and his character became even more similar, and that was a good thing, as he transformed into a leading man in front of our eyes. About the improvisational nature of the show, Johnson himself told Bustle: “[Creator and showrunner] Liz [Meriweather] would refer to being on set as a “lab,” meaning you would do the scene, but really, you were just trying to get a lot of footage so that they had enough options in post-production.” Be it as the lead, or as part of an ensemble, Johnson always brings a sense of fun, vulnerability, and charm to all his roles, making his characters people you want to root for.
