Gus Van Sant is a renowned American filmmaker who is considered one of Hollywood’s top independent filmmakers. In addition to his work as a filmmaker, Van Sant is also a talented painter, photographer, and musician. Over the years, he’s built a reputation for his eclectic storytelling and exploration of marginalized subcultures. The Academy Award-nominated American filmmaker was born Gus Green Van Sant Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky, on July 24, 1952.
His last name, Van Sant, is derived from the Dutch name “Van Zandt,” with his paternal family having Dutch ancestry. Although Gus Van Sant began his career as a painter, he later developed a passion for filmmaking and switched careers. Dead Man’s Wire, Van Sant’s next project, is set to star Bill Skarsgård and Dacre Montgomery. With a professional filmmaking career spanning over three decades, these are Gus Van Sant’s 10 best-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes.
10. Finding Forrester
Tomatometer: 74%
Popcornmeter: 79%
After ending the 1990s on a high note, Gus Van Sant returned in 2000 with the drama Finding Forrester. Many critics and audiences consider it an underrated gem. Its plot follows Jamal Wallace (Rob Brown), a talented African-American teenager from the Bronx with a natural gift for writing and basketball. After breaking into the apartment of reclusive writer William Forrester (Sean Connery), the two form an unlikely friendship.
Forrester, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author who has withdrawn from public life, becomes Jamal’s mentor, helping him refine his literary talent. As Jamal navigates challenges at an elite private school, including racism and academic scrutiny, Forrester faces his own fears of re-entering the world. Finding Forrester was nominated for the Golden Berlin Beer at the Berlin International Film Festival and won the Prize of the Guild of German Art House Cinemas at the same festival.
9. Elephant
Tomatometer: 74%
Popcornmeter: 79%
Yet another underrated Gus Van Sant film is his 2003 psychological drama Elephant. The 1999 Columbine High School massacre inspired the film. Elephant explores the events leading up to a fictional school shooting. However, rather than on the shooters, Van Sant focuses on the lives of various high school students on a seemingly ordinary day that takes a tragic turn. Van Sant avoids overt explanations or judgments, instead offering audiences a contemplative, unsettling portrayal of the randomness and horror of violence. Besides winning Best Director, Van Sant’s Elephant won the Palme d’Or and Cinema Prize of the French National Education System at the Cannes Film Festival.
8. Paranoid Park
Tomatometer: 76%
Popcornmeter: 65%
Gus Van Sant wrote and directed Paranoid Park, a 2007 coming-of-age indie masterpiece. Van Sant adapted his screenplay from Blake Nelson’s 2006 young adult novel of the same name. The film follows Alex (Gabe Nevins), a teenage skateboarder in Portland, Oregon, who becomes involved in the accidental death of a security guard near a freight train yard called Paranoid Park.
Struggling with guilt and fear, Alex isolates himself and begins to spiral emotionally. To help audiences understand Alex’s frame of mind, Van Sant unfolds Paranoid Park’s story in a fragmented, nonlinear narrative. The film won the Palme d’Or and the 60th Anniversary Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival. Gus Van Sant won Best Director at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards
7. Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot
Tomatometer: 77%
Popcornmeter: 76%
Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot (2018) is a biographical comedy-drama that is based on American cartoonist, artist, and musician John Callahan’s memoir. The film starred Joaquin Phoenix, portraying John Callahan, with Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, and Jack Black in supporting roles. For over half a decade, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot has been Gus Van Sant’s last directed feature-length film. Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot follows Callahan, a Portland-based cartoonist who becomes a quadriplegic following a car accident caused by drunk driving. Struggling with alcoholism, John Callahan finds redemption and a new sense of purpose with Alcoholics Anonymous. The film received two nominations at the Berlin International Film Festival, as well as other award nominations.
6. My Own Private Idaho
Tomatometer: 80%
Popcornmeter: 80%
My Own Private Idaho (1991) was Gus Van Sant’s third feature-length film. The indie adventure drama starred River Phoenix (as Mike Waters) and Keanu Reeves (as Scott Favor). Their characters are two young best friends who navigate life on the fringes of society. Phoenix’s Mike is a sensitive and narcoleptic street hustler who’s searching for a sense of belonging and his long-lost mother.
Reeves’ Scott character is the rebellious son from a wealthy family grappling with his own identity. Van Sant wrote My Own Private Idaho’s screenplay, based on William Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V plays. The film received nominations at the 1992 Film Independent Spirit Awards, winning Best Screenplay. It also won the International Critics’ Award at the 1991 Toronto International Film Festival.
5. To Die For
Tomatometer: 88%
Popcornmeter: 66%
Although audiences were less enthused by Gus Van Sant’s To Die For, the critics thought otherwise. The film starred several of today’s A-list actors in their early careers. Released theatrically in the United States on October 6, 1995, To Die For is a satirical dark comedy centered around its protagonist, Suzanne Stone-Maretto (Nicole Kidman). Kidman’s character is an ambitious and narcissistic woman obsessed with becoming a television broadcaster.
Living in the small fictional town of Little Hope, New Hampshire, Suzanne is married to Larry Maretto (Matt Dillon), a kind but simple man who dreams of a quiet life. However, Larry’s life choices soon hinder Suzanne’s career aspirations after he suggests she quit and join the family’s restaurant business. Manipulative and cunning, she seduces a troubled teenager, Jimmy Emmett (Joaquin Phoenix), and convinces him and his friend, Russell Hines (Casey Affleck), to murder Larry. As the murder investigation unfolds, Suzanne’s schemes unravel, exposing the lengths she’ll go for fame.
4. Milk
Tomatometer: 93%
Popcornmeter: 89%
The 2008 biographical drama Milk was a major critical success for Gus Van Sant. He received his second Academy Awards nomination for Best Director. The film chronicles the life and career of Harvey Milk (portrayed by Sean Penn), the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. Set in the 1970s, Milk follows Harvey Milk’s rise from a newcomer in San Francisco’s Castro neighborhood to his pivotal role as a San Francisco Board of Supervisors member. It also explores his relentless fight for LGBTQ+ rights, personal relationships, and challenges in advocating for equality. The film culminates in Milk’s tragic assassination by fellow supervisor Dan White. Sean Penn’s performance as Harvey Milk earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
3. Mala Noche
Tomatometer: 96%
Popcornmeter: 64%
Another proof of his genius as a filmmaker is having his feature directorial debut as one of his top-rated films. The black-and-white indie film is based on the autobiographical novel of American poet, novelist, and painter Walt Curtis. Tim Streeter portrayed Walt Curtis as a gay convenience store clerk in Portland, Oregon. Walt becomes infatuated with Johnny (Doug Cooeyate), a young Mexican immigrant. Despite Johnny’s initial indifference and later refusal of Walt’s romantic overtures, the two form a complex and uneasy friendship.
2. Drugstore Cowboy
Tomatometer: 97%
Popcornmeter: 85%
Gus Van Sant followed Mala Noche with Drugstore Cowboy (1989), another critical masterpiece as his sophomore directorial project. The film is based on another autobiographical novel by James Fogle. Drugstore Cowboy follows Bob Hughes (Matt Dillon), the leader of a group of drug addicts who rob pharmacies and hospitals to sustain their habits. The movie is noted for its raw portrayal of addiction and standout performances. At the Film Independent Spirit Award, Van Sant was nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay, winning the latter with co-writer Daniel Yost.
1. Good Will Hunting
Tomatometer: 97%
Popcornmeter: 94%
Good Will Hunting is one of Gus Van Sant’s most popular and successful projects. It earned the indie filmmaker his first Academy Awards nomination. The film follows Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a young janitor at MIT with a genius-level intellect and a photographic memory. Despite his extraordinary potential, Will struggles with emotional trauma and a self-destructive streak.
After solving a complex math problem, Will catches the attention of Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), who introduces him to therapist Sean Maguire (Robin Williams). Through their sessions, Sean helps Will confront his past, overcome his insecurities, and embrace his talents. Good Will Hunting also starred Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, and Cole Hauser. If you enjoyed reading about Gus Van Sant’s top-rated films, check out Francis Ford Coppola’s highest-rated movies on Rotten Tomatoes.
Follow Us
