5. Boogie Nights (1997) - Scotty J. Buys A New Car
After a memorable single-scene role in director Paul Thomas Anderson's debut Hard Eight, Hoffman took the role of young Scotty J., awkward, overweight kid wrapped up in the porn industry. Hoffman and Anderson would forge a lifelong friendship over multiple collaborations, and Hoffman's work in The Master (mentioned at #10) is perhaps the culmination of all of the combined efforts between the brilliant director and the legendary actor. And Lancaster Dodd could not be more different than Scotty J., despite the same director/actor team being involved, further showing Hoffman's ability to slip into any role. He chews up the background in much of Boogie Nights, but for this scene he steps forward.
