Jake Gyllenhaal: 5 Awesome Performances And 5 That Sucked

3. Anthony Swofford - Jarhead

It must be tough playing a real-life figure, especially one who's still alive and can be easily compared to your performance. Thankfully Gyllenhaal didn't let any such worries get to him as he starred in this underrated and incredibly sharp film about the first Gulf War, based on the memoir of the same name by real life army recruit Anthony "Swoff" Swofford. The author has since lead an increasingly rollercoaster existence, the fame afforded to him by his literary success taking him into some dark places at times, but his experiences as a Scout Sniper with the marines. What sets Jarhead apart from other war films is that it doesn't focus on the battles, the imminent danger and the flashy explosions. No, the movie endeavours to show one of the other most crucial elements of conflict: boredom. For large stretches of his time in Iraq, Swofford did nothing but sit around in the sun. Gyllenhaal is great not only at making Swoff a real character, rather than an impersonation, but also in selling the supreme tedium of sitting in a sniper position for days without moving. And making it something you actually want to watch.