2. Flirting With Disaster
Arguably, one of Stillers finest performances is in one of his lesser known roles (aint it always the way?); as Mel Coplin in David O. Russels pitch-black family drama about a man struggling to make sense of the fact that hes adopted. Stillers pulls a whole range of emotions out of the bag here; fear, confusion, resentment, guilt its a veritable smorgasboard, especially for those who believe that Stiller has only one mode. Of course, his ability for farce is still at the forefront he does it well, hence why he won the role but its the deeper, subtler nuances of his performance here that really provide the meat. His turn in Flirting With Disaster is certainly one of his best, and fits in nicely this side of the list.