Top Five Ryan Gosling Performances

Don't let his good looks and innocently charming personality fool you- Ryan Gosling is one of the single most versatile and talented actors to emerge this decade. Working his resume with smaller, powerful indie films and starting the deade with a performance in every style, Gosling has proven to be Canada's greatest film export since Jim Carrey and Mike Myers. With his hotly anticipated performance alongside Harrison Ford in the long-awaited science fiction classic sequel Blade Runner 2049​ arriving in theaters next week, it's time to look at the star's greatest gifts to cinemas yet. 
==No. 5 - "The Driver" (Drive​, 2011) - Dir. by Nicholas Winding Refn==
Mysterious, ambiguous, and collected, the nameless Driver is a perfect showcase of Gosling's abilities as a physical performer. Masking his emotions and thoughts behind a callous, intimidating glare, his eyes betray his moments of his walls collapsing with his growing affection for his neighbor and her son. In his sparse dialogue is matched only by his moments of absolute vicious, chaotic violence. He does fantastic work as the Driver, letting his every action speak far louder than he could with words. 
Best Scene: Elevator Fight 
==No. 4 - "Holland March" (​The Nice Guys​, 2016) - Dir. by Shane Black ==
If the last entry is Gosling at his most grim, this is Gosling's most hilarious performance to date. Delivering every line of Shane Black with endless wit, as well as completely dominating the screen in every frame with his physical trips and high-pitched screaming, Gosling is absurdly spectacular in his commitment. Its beautiful to witness Gosling completely give into his comedic chops and talents, with his timing being pitch perfect and every moment just a riot to watch. 
Best Scene: "I'm sorry I'm not Bakishnarov." 
==​No. 3 - "Dan Dunne" (Half-Nelson​, 2006) - Dir. by Ryan Fleck==
Moving, empathetic, and layered, Dan Dunne is Gosling's most gritty and defiant character. As Dunne, not only does Gosling display his charisma and calm, nurturing side during his moments in the classroom, but he gets a chance to expose his darker side. As the cocaine drug addict, Gosling lets his heart pour out into every frame in his volatile attempts to save himself and his students from the dangers he faces everyday.
Best Scene: "Change moves in spirals, not circles."
==No. 2 - "Dean" (Blue Valentine, 2010) - Dir. by Derek Cianfrance==
 
Balancing the carefree and unambitious arc of the younger bachelor Dean and his older, more weary and beaten down self, Gosling creates the most relatable and heartbreakingly intense performances about love in some time. Gosling did a fantastic job juggling the two radically different sides of the character, without ever converging into overacting or too melancholy. Despite his lack of drive, viewers still root for Dean to try and keep his relationship alive.
Best Scene: "You said, "for better or worse."."
==Honorable Mentions==
*"Sebastian" (La La Land​, 2016) - Dir. by Damien Chazelle
*​​"Stephen Meyers" (The Ides of March​, 2011) - Dir. by George Clooney
*"Jacob Palmer" - (​Crazy, Stupid, Love​, 2011) - Glenn Ficarra, John Requa 
*"Jared Vennett" (The Big Short​, 2015) - Dir. by Adam McKay
*"Luke" (​The Place Beyond the Pines, ​2013) - Dir. by Derek Cianfrance
==​No. 1 - "Lars Lindstrom" (Lars and the Real Girl, ​2007) - Dir. by Craig Gillepsie==
This is it- Ryan Gosling is at his most heartwarming, endearing, and captivating playing completely against type. Gosling lets the quirks, mannerisms, and flaws of Lars shine through in the best way, with every tick perfectly assembling itself. This performance could've gone wrong in so many ways, but thanks to Gosling's sheer charm and immense skills as an actor, Lars isn't over the top or understated in anyway. Instead, in this underrated performance in an underrated film, Gosling delivers on every single front.
Best Scene: "Is there something I should be doing now?"
Category:Top Five