Gary Sinise has quietly been at the forefront of Hollywood for the past 30 years and has had several acclaimed supporting and leading roles in some of the best movies ever made. Having found major success during the 1990s with iconic roles in Forrest Gump and Apollo 13, Sinise has also excelled in playing complex characters in lesser-known films and political figures in incredible made-for-TV movies. While Sinise’s movie output has slowed down in recent years as he shifted focus to television work in shows like CSI: NY and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, he boasts an impressive and varied filmography.
The very best Sinise movies include incredible Stephen King adaptations and underappreciated releases by fantastic directors like Sam Raimi. With a talent for giving subtle and effective performances, Sinise has even showcased his skills behind the camera as the director and producer for the John Steinbeck classic Of Mice and Men. With a fantastic body of work to delve into, viewers may be surprised just how many timeless classics featured Sinise.
10 Ransom (1996)
Gary Sinise as Jimmy Shaker
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9/10 Ransom RActionCrimeThriller
Ransom is a suspense thriller directed by Ron Howard, featuring Mel Gibson as Tom Mullen, a wealthy airline owner. When Mullen’s son is kidnapped, he faces a moral and strategic dilemma, choosing between negotiating with the kidnappers and taking a bold, unconventional stand. Also starring Rene Russo and Gary Sinise, the film delves into intense psychological and emotional territory, showcasing a parent’s struggle in a high-stakes hostage situation.
Director Ron Howard Release Date November 8, 1996 Writers Richard Maibaum , Richard Price , Alexander Ignon Cast Mel Gibson , Gary Sinise , Rene Russo , Brawley Nolte , Delroy Lindo , Lili Taylor , Liev Schreiber , Donnie Wahlberg Runtime 121 Minutes Main Genre Thriller Expand
Gary Sinise showed off his sinister side opposite Mel Gibson in the action thriller Ransom. Directed by Ron Howard, this intense and twisty thriller featured Sinise as the corrupt NYPD detective leading a group of criminals to abduct the child of the multimillionaire Tom Mullen (Gibson.) With two extraordinary performances, this intense game of cat and mouse was Sinise’s first truly villainous role, although he would later show off his talent for capturing corrupt characters in Reindeer Games, Snake Eyes, and Open Season.
As one of the most underrated thrillers of the 1990s, Ransom was released at the height of Sinise’s fame, and he imbued his character with a dark sense of resentment toward those who feel they can buy their way of any situation. With excellent pacing, a terrific script, and sharp characterization, Gibson’s portrayal of a father in crisis contrasted perfectly with Sinise’s cold, calculated plan to strike back at a society he deemed unfair. As an actor previously known for lighter, likable roles, Sinise’s performance in Ransom showcased a new side of his skills.
9 A Midnight Clear (1992)
Gary Sinise as Vance “Mother” Wilkins
With incredible acting and beautiful visuals, Keith Gordon’s A Midnight Clear was one of the most underrated war movies ever made. Through fantastic performances from Ethan Hawke, Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, and Gary Sinise, this story about a World War II American Intelligence Unit meeting a German platoon who wishes to surrender was an atypical war drama that was more about characters than action. Based on a novel by William Wharton, A Midnight Clear powerfully addressed themes around the futility of war and the contradictions between loyalty and survival.
Sinise’s characterization of Vance Wilkins was one of the most impressive aspects of A Midnight War, as his mental anguish after learning of the death of his child back home made him unstable and unpredictable. Set during the early phase of the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944, this US Army squad was selected for their high intelligence, which made them thoughtful and introspective. A Midnight Clear was a movie packed with thought-provoking moral insights and was far more nuanced and sensitive than the average action-filled war movie.
8 Fallen Angel (2003)
Gary Sinise as Terry McQuinn
The Hallmark TV movie Fallen Angel was a gentle drama that featured a touching performance from Gary Sinise. As Terry McQuinn, Sinise played a high-powered attorney who returns to her estranged father’s home in Maine, where he’s forced to confront dark memories from his past and make peace with his present. While this might sound like the same kind of story that’s been told in countless Hallmark movies before, it’s Sinise’s effective performance that helped elevate Fallen Angel into something more and make it a truly compelling drama.
By tackling the complexity of father-and-son relationships, Fallen Angel addressed universal feelings and emotions as resentments carry forward for decades and even after a parent’s death. Through a powerfully restrained performance, Sinise captured the complexities of a son’s feelings after a lifetime ignored by his father as he returned home to clear up his deceased dad’s business. With a mix of long-standing tragedy and a chance at redemption, Fallen Angel explores the sorrow of lost direction and finding one’s way back to meaning.
7 George Wallace (1997)
Gary Sinise as George C. Wallace
Gary Sinise won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor for his incredible performance as George Wallace in this TNT original television film. As a controversial politician who supported segregation and “Jim Crow” policies during the Civil Rights movement, Sinise had the difficult task of capturing the essence of a man who became one of the most reviled figures in United States politics. With the slogan “segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever,” it’s shocking to see just how regressive and out of step with modern times Wallace’s platform was.
George Wallace portrayed this four-term governor of Alabama’s complex political life, including an assassination attempt that left him paralyzed. Sinise’s committed performance must be commended, as he fully embodied the complexities of this man by highlighting his bigotry and humanity as George Wallace attempts to get to the heart of his extremely conservative and racist ideologies. Sinise would reprise his role as Wallace in the director John Frankenheimer’s late television film Path to War, which explored the Vietnam War from the perspective of President Lyndon B. Johnson.
6 The Quick And The Dead (1995)
Gary Sinise as The Marshal
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The Quick and the Dead Not RatedWesternDrama
The Quick and the Dead is a Western action film directed by Sam Raimi, featuring Sharon Stone as a mysterious gunslinger who enters a deadly tournament in a lawless town. Released in 1995, the film also stars Gene Hackman as the tyrannical town leader, Russell Crowe as a reformed outlaw, and Leonardo DiCaprio as a young sharpshooter seeking approval. The narrative explores themes of vengeance and redemption amidst intense gunfights.
Director Robert Day Release Date February 28, 1987 Writers Louis L’Amour , James Lee Barrett Cast Sam Elliott , Tom Conti , Kate Capshaw , Kenny Morrison , Matt Clark , Patrick Kilpatrick , Jerry Potter , Billy Streater Character(s) Con Vallian , Duncan McKaskel , Susanna McKaskel , Tom McKaskel , Doc Shabitt , The Ute , Red Hayle , Ike Mantle Runtime 91 Minutes Main Genre Western Expand
Throughout his career, Gary Sinise has often excelled in playing small supporting roles that help elevate great movies like The Quick and the Dead. While Sinise only popped up briefly as the Marshal, The Quick and the Dead was an impressively star-studded Western and one of director Sam Raimi’s more underrated movies. Sharon Stone gave a terrific performance as the Old West gunslinger known as the Lady, and she was joined by the likes of Gene Hackman, Russell Crowe, and a young Leonardo DiCaprio.
While The Quick and the Dead received mixed reviews at the time, it’s since built up a reputation as one of Raimi’s best films. With an accomplished mix of impressive performances, a strong visual style, and an over-the-top sense of humor, this revisionist Western brought together everything that was great about the director’s idiosyncratic style, which can be felt across genres. While it would have been nice to see more of Sinise’s character, The Quick and the Dead was a must-watch for Western lovers, fans of Raimi, and those who can appreciate a good, underrated hidden gem.
5 Truman (1995)
Gary Sinise as Harry S. Truman
Gary Sinise powerfully embodied the 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman, in the HBO TV movie Truman. This superb biopic explored Truman’s early political career, his rise to the presidency following the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II, and his decision to use the first atomic bomb on the Japanese. As a film building toward such a monumental and earth-shattering decision, Truman was a complex portrait of a man many had initially feared was unfit for the presidency.
The success of Truman rested firmly on the effectiveness of Sinise’s performance, and it was thrilling to witness how a farmer’s hand became one of the most consequential men in human history. While the recent success of Oppenheimer showcased the development of the Manhattan Project and how the atomic bomb came to be, Truman dealt with the moral complexities of its use for the president. Although Truman featured some historical inaccuracies and was an often simplistic retelling of the true complexities of politically charged issues, Sinise’s performance made the movie as he captured Truman’s depth of character.
4 The Green Mile (1999)
Gary Sinise as Burt Hammersmith
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3/10 The Green Mile RDramaCrimeFantasy
Produced and directed by Frank Darabont, The Green Mile is a Drama and Fantasy film based on Stephen King’s book of the same title. Starring Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan in the lead roles, the film follows a prison guard that experiences supernatural events and forms a touching relationship with a death row inmate.
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*Availability in US Director Frank Darabont Release Date December 10, 1999 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Stephen King , Frank Darabont Cast Tom Hanks , Michael Clarke Duncan , David Morse , Bonnie Hunt , James Cromwell , Michael Jeter , Graham Greene , Doug Hutchison Runtime 189 Minutes Budget $60 million Main Genre Drama Expand
The Green Mile was one of the greatest Stephen King movie adaptations, as it powerfully told the supernatural natural story of a wrongly convicted inmate. With Tom Hanks as the guard who becomes convinced of John Coffey’s (Michael Clarke Duncan) innocence, The Green Mile addressed themes of morality, prejudices, and the death penalty. Gary Sinise played the small but vital role of Burt Hammersmith, the father who vehemently believed that his two daughters were murdered by Coffey and who has allowed his racial prejudices to stand in the way of true justice.
With an absorbing and emotional story that saw Coffey gain a mysterious power to heal the ill, The Green Mile tackled issues of discrimination in a sprawling, decades-spanning, poignant narrative. From director Frank Darabont, The Green Mile was just one of several acclaimed King adaptations by the filmmaker, such as The Shawshank Redemption and The Mist. With plenty of intense melodrama and some truly impressive performances, The Green Mile was an epic three-hour fantasy that will tug at the heartstrings of even the most hardened viewer.
3 Apollo 13 (1995)
Gary Sinise as Ken Mattingly
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9/10 Apollo 13 PGHistoryAdventureDrama
Ron Howard directed this iconic Science Fiction film released in 1995. Starring a powerhouse cast of Tom Hanks, Ed Harris, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, and Bill Paxton, the story sees a band of Astronauts attempting to make it back home from a Moon-bound mission when their equipment fails.
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*Availability in US Director Ron Howard Release Date June 30, 1995 Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Writers Jim Lovell , Jeffrey Kluger , William Broyles Jr. Cast Tom Hanks , Bill Paxton , Kevin Bacon , Gary Sinise , Ed Harris , Kathleen Quinlan , Mary Kate Schellhardt , Emily Ann Lloyd Runtime 140 Minutes Budget $52 million Main Genre History Expand
Ron Howard’s incredible story of the aborded 1970 lunar mission of Apollo 13 was one of the most impressive depictions of space travel ever put on the big screen. While viewers will remember Tom Hanks’ iconic quote, “Houston, we have a problem,” Gary Sinise played just as vital a role as Ken Mattingly, the man grounded on Earth who ensured the crew made it back safely. Mattingly even had extra motivation as he was scheduled to be on the mission, but exposure to measles meant he could not go.
With strong attention to detail, Apollo 13 was a visually spectacular film whose technical aspects will please casual viewers and space enthusiasts alike. Sinise and the entire ensemble cast made this disaster story a nail-bitingly tense experience as viewers were brought right into the heart of an ongoing catastrophe. While it’s well known that the men made it back alive, witnessing how this was achieved was a true cinematic marvel.
2 Forrest Gump (1993)
Gary Sinise as Lieutenant Dan Taylor
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8/10 Forrest Gump PG-13RomanceDrama
In this iconic piece of American film history, the presidencies of Kennedy and Johnson, the events of the Vietnam war, Watergate, and other history unfold through the perspective of an Alabama man with an IQ of 75.
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*Availability in US Director Robert Zemeckis Release Date July 6, 1994 Studio(s) Paramount Pictures Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Winston Groom , Eric Roth Cast Mykelti Williamson , Gary Sinise , Tom Hanks , Robin Wright , Sally Field Runtime 142 minutes Budget $55 million Main Genre Drama Expand
The Best Picture winner Forrest Gump featured Gary Sinise in his best-known role as Lieutenant Dan Taylor. As Forrest’s (Tom Hanks) platoon leader during the Vietnam War and later shrimp boat partner in the Bubba-Gump Shrimp Company, Lieutenant Dan was a vital figure in Forrest’s life whose loss of legs during the Vietnam War served as a powerful representation of the challenges veterans face in the United States and the way they were cast aside after the war. While Forrest Gump showcased its hero at the forefront of major political events, Lieutenant Dan’s story felt more grounded and heartbreaking.
Although Hanks took home the Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Forrest, Lieutenant Dan’s struggles were central to Forrest Gump’s emotional core. As a powerful and effective retelling of modern American history, Forrest Gump was a definitive film in both Hanks and Sinise’s careers. Sinise himself has paid tribute to his character’s legacy with his Lt. Dan Band, his music group that often plays shows raising money for disabled veterans.
1 Of Mice And Men (1992)
Gary Sinise as George Milton
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Of Mice and Men (1992) PG-13Drama
Of Mice and Men is a 1992 film adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel, directed by Gary Sinise. The story follows two displaced migrant ranch workers, George Milton and the mentally disabled Lennie Small, in California during the Great Depression. Starring Gary Sinise as George and John Malkovich as Lennie, the film explores themes of friendship, dreams, and the struggle for a better life in harsh circumstances.
Director Gary Sinise Release Date October 2, 1992 Writers John Steinbeck , Horton Foote Cast John Malkovich , Gary Sinise , Ray Walston , Casey Siemaszko , Sherilyn Fenn , John Terry , Richard Riehle , Alexis Arquette , Joe Morton , Noble Willingham , Joe D’Angerio , Tuck Milligan , David Steen , Moira Harris , Mark Boone Junior Character(s) Lennie Small , George Milton , Candy , Curley , Curley’s Wife , Slim , Carlson , Whitt , Crooks , The Boss , Jack , Mike , Tom , Girl in Red Dress , Bus Driver Main Genre Drama Expand
Gary Sinise’s greatest role came with his characterization of George Milton in the John Steinbeck adaptation Of Mice and Men. Sinise was central to the movie, as he not only starred in it but also directed and produced the movie himself. As the heartbreaking story of two best friends, the quick-witted George and his mentally disabled companion Lennie Small (John Malkovich), Of Mice and Men highlighted pressing themes around the unatinable nature of the American dream, the perception of the mentally disabled, and the eternal struggle for meaning.
Steinbeck’s novella has been required reading for countless English students around the world for a reason, and this definitive adaptation perfectly captured the emotional highs and heartbreaking lows of its tragic story. Both stars excelled in their leading roles, and Sinise showed off his incredible and underutilized talent as a filmmaker. As Sinise’s lone directional effort, Of Mice and Men showcased that Gary Sinise’s unique talents as an actor, director, and producer should not be underestimated.