Alright, alright, alright. It’s Matthew McConaughey’s fifty first birthday, and that’s a day that’s worth celebrating. What is strange is the breadth of his filmography, which almost tells a different tale with every decade that he acts in (he did famously discuss how his future self ten years from now is what he always aspires to be, as he pushes himself to get better and better, so maybe this is part of that strategy). ‘90s McConaughey was chill and magnetic. ‘00s McConaughey was the rom-com sex symbol (this is not my preferred decade of his, as he sold himself short again and again). In the ‘10s, McConaughey became a tour-de-force dramatic staple, and experienced a career renaissance unlike many. Who knows what ‘20s McConaughey will bring, but I’m excited either way. For now, here are five films for newcomers of the works of Matthew McConaughey.

5. Dazed and Confused

Despite not being in the film very long, pop culture has dictated that Dazed and Confused is McConaughey’s film through and through (mainly because this was his initial big break, and he is arguably the largest success story of this ensemble cast). As an older, hazy voice of reason (of sorts, considering his questionable, juvenile values), McConaughey becomes impossible to ignore in this high school stream of consciousness.

4. Mud

While McConaughey was taking on better roles by now, he was still showing glimpses of his capabilities by the time Mud rolled around. As an isolated loner amidst suburban America, McConaughey dominated independent festivals with the titular role, and was a large reason as to why Jeff Nichols’ gritty pseudo-noir was so effective. Who wasn’t blown away by McConaughey’s balancing of drama and captivation here?

3. A Time to Kill

There was a hint of McConaughey’s acting chops early in his career, amidst all of the charming and suave roles he was taking on. It was his performance as lawyer Jake Brigance in A Time to Kill that the world was introduced to the depths that McConaughey could commit to. If anything, this role in particular was a benchmark for me that lasted for years, as all I could see in the 2000’s was a guy that was this gripping, visceral, and raw in this performance, who seemingly wasn’t giving his all for an entire era. That’s completely changed by now.

2. Interstellar

Christopher Nolan’s films can feel calculative, but there can be elements that give his works heart. You needn’t look further than McConaughey’s character Cooper in Interstellar to know where most of that particular film’s emotional core comes from. As a NASA pilot who knowingly takes on a daunting mission that separates him from his family for an insurmountable amount of time, McConaughey is both intriguing and heart-wrenching; the pivotal sequence of Cooper’s “realization” remains the foundation of the film.

1. Dallas Buyers Club

It’s easy to point at an award winning performance as the first film for someone to watch, but in the case of Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club makes perfect sense. His commitment to the role (down to the amount of weight lost) is noteworthy, and his now-signature delivery of nuanced emotions is put on full blast here. Part unapproachable and part enthralling, McConaughey’s finest hour is for sure that of Ron Woodroof, and a guaranteed must for the first film of his to watch if you’re unfamiliar with his talents.

Andreas Babiolakis has a Masters degree in Film and Photography Preservation and Collections Management from Ryerson University, as well as a Bachelors degree in Cinema Studies from York University. His favourite times of year are the Criterion Collection flash sales and the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

Matthew McConaughey: Five Films for Newcomers