After starring as Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man movies, Andrew Garfield has become a household name for every superhero fan out there. His return to the role in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home blockbuster sparked a resurgence of love for his rendition of Spider-Man, and fans have been posting about Garfield non-stop on social media ever since.
Of course, this isn't the only role where Garfield shines. In addition to playing Spider-Man, Garfield has starred in numerous other noteworthy films, although many of his roles have been overshadowed by his time as Peter Parker. Garfield has proven himself to be an incredibly diverse, talented actor in his other movies, such as those listed below.
Boy A (2007)
In one of his earlier roles, Garfield plays the part of a convicted child killer in the film adaptation of Johnathan Trigell’s novel, Boy A. Garfield stars as Eric Wilson, who just finished serving time in prison for the murder of a young woman. Eric changes his name to Jack and tries to rehabilitate himself into society. The movie leaves a lot up to viewer imagination and ends on a harrowing cliffhanger, implying that Eric will commit suicide to escape his past. Although it's an extremely dark role and Garfield was still relatively fresh in his acting career, he does a good job of capturing Eric’s tortured nature.
Garfield found the perfect balance between Eric’s difficult childhood and young adult life, and Jack’s desire to do right and become an upstanding citizen. Although technically the same person, Garfield was able to seamlessly blend these two widely different halves into a single, believable performance that will surely leave viewers thinking about it for days.
99 Homes (2014)
99 Homes is a shockingly real story, inspired by the many people who have been brutally evicted from their homes in American society. Garfield’s character, Dennis Nash, finds himself homeless, penniless, and without hope when he and his family are forced to leave their home, which inspires him to strike a deal with the man responsible for this tragedy.
Garfield does an excellent job portraying the desperation many people feel under the brutal American economy. His performance makes viewers feel as if they’re watching a documentary about a struggling individual, rather than a fictional movie.
Breathe (2017)
This tear-jerking drama, in which Garfield plays the incredible Robin Cavendish, was inspired by a true story. The film takes viewers on a journey of love and loss, as Garfield’s character is diagnosed with polio in his 20s, then dedicates his life towards helping others in the same position that he is.
Andrew Garfield gives audiences a well-rounded depiction of what it means to live with a terminal diagnosis, nailing his performances in both the good and bad moments that come along for his character throughout his life. Garfield truly helped bring the story of the Cavendish family to life as Robin shows people that it’s possible to live a happy, fulfilling life with a disability.
Under the Silver Lake (2018)
Garfield tackles the role of the directionless, unmotivated Sam in this film, who eventually finds purpose while investigating the murder of a woman named Sarah. Sam and Sarah met at the pool in their apartment complex, but Sarah is nowhere to be found less than 24 hours after the two spend time together. In an attempt to find Sarah’s killer, Garfield’s character hunts for clues and travels down a dark path, where he gets more than he ever bargained for.
Garfield does a great job acting out what audiences are feeling during this film, as the story takes both viewers and Garfield’s character Sam on a wild ride full of mystery, confusion, and plenty of jaw-dropping moments. At one point, Garfield shares the screen with Topher Grace, who played Venom in the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man movies.
Mainstream (2020)
Mainstream details the journey of a young woman searching for internet stardom with the help of Andrew Garfield’s character Link, who thrives in front of cameras and isn’t afraid to do outlandish things for views. Garfield’s Link is irresponsible, a bit reckless, and disturbingly charismatic, which is what eventually boosts him to influencer status on social media.
During the climax of the movie, Link convinces a girl to post an unfiltered selfie that shows off a birthmark on her face. After posting the picture at Link’s insistency, the girl winds up committing suicide over what people were saying about her online. Link never takes responsibility for the part he played in pressuring her to post the photo, and gives a passionate speech near the end of the film, criticizing the audience and blaming them entirely for this young woman’s suicide.
Garfield nailed the egocentric internet celebrity role and perfectly encapsulated the overinflated sense of importance that his character feels, as his narcissistic tendencies leave him more invested in maintaining his public image, rather than trying to atone for pushing someone to commit suicide. Although Mainstream is rather ridiculous and a bit cringe-worthy at times, the movie still maintains social relevance, as it boldly calls out this new wave of online culture that allows people to get away with bad things, simply because of the large followings they've created for themselves.