Jesse Eisenberg: 5 Awesome Performances & 5 That Sucked

4. Columbus - Zombieland (2009)

The role that really set things in motion for Eisenberg, Zombieland doesn’t just share a similarity in name with Adventureland; it also came out the very same year, 2009, and once again let Eisenberg show off his skill in jumping from being confident and witty to flappable when faced with particular situations (normally involving women, this time around: Emma Stone). Oh, and they both reallllllly like theme parks.

Eisenberg’s own experience coping with obsessive-compulsive disorder is perfectly mirrored in Columbus’ list of 33 rules (Although eagled-eyed viewers will spot that there are actually at least 49…) to follow in order to avoid becoming dinner for the undead. Naturally, he then demonstrates almost all of them, from ‘Beware of bathrooms’ and ‘Check the backseat’ to the more obvious entries like ‘Cardio’ and ‘Double tap’.

As anyone who has seen the film knows, Columbus also ends up breaking a few of his own rules as he grows increasing fond of Stone’s Wichita. And through it all Eisenberg once again proves an alternative male heartthrob – who knew that accidentally murdering Bill Murray was such a turn-on?