Johnny Depp is a household name thanks to his blockbuster roles in huge franchises like Pirates of the Caribbean. However, beyond the big budget films, Depp has delivered some truly unforgettable performances in movies that haven’t gotten nearly as much attention over the years. While films like Edward Scissorhands, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and What’s Eating Gilbert Grape have earned cult followings, there are several other Johnny Depp movies that deserve more praise. Here’s a deeper look at some of Depp’s most underrated roles and the films they appeared in.

Dead Man (1995)

One of Depp’s earliest collaborations with acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch, Dead Man is a neo-Western film like no other. Depp plays William Blake, an accountant from Cleveland who travels west seeking his fortune. However, things take a strange turn when he gets mixed up with a shady character named Nobody, played chillingly by Gary Oldman. On the run for a murder he didn’t commit, Blake wanders through a surreal and dreamlike landscape as he tries to survive in a lawless frontier town.

Visually stunning with its black and white cinematography that makes the barren wilderness look almost otherworldly, Dead Man has an hypnotic, meditative quality. It moves at a languid pace that some viewers may find challenging, but it’s worth sticking with for Depp’s committed performance. He brings a quiet vulnerability to Blake as his character grapples with loss of identity and a sense of dislocation. The film’s avant-garde style and Neil Young’s haunting soundtrack also give it a truly unique atmosphere unlike any Western. While not for everyone, Dead Man rewards those willing to immerse themselves in its oneiric vision.

The Ninth Gate (1999)

Roman Polanski directs this underseen thriller based on Arturo Pérez-Reverte’s novel The Club Dumas. Depp stars as Dean Corso, a rare book dealer who takes on a mysterious assignment tracking down an unsettling tome called The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows. It’s rumored the book contains demonic spells and was authored by the devil himself. Corso’s investigation takes him across Europe, where he encounters eccentric book collectors and sinister occult groups.

Polanski keeps the supernatural elements subtly unnerving rather than overtly horrific. Depp is perfectly cast, projecting an air of weary world-weariness but also quiet determination as his character gets deeper into dangerous territory. Frank Langella makes for a superb villain as the enigmatic Boris Balkan. The film builds an atmosphere of mounting dread and paranoia that lingers long after viewing. While not a box office hit, The Ninth Gate has gone on to gain a cult following for its moody, mysterious qualities and performances.

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Based on a true story, Donnie Brasco saw Depp team up with icon Al Pacino for this crime drama about an undercover operation. Depp plays Joe Pistone, an FBI agent who spent years successfully infiltrating the New York mafia in the 1970s by posing as jewel thief Donnie Brasco. Within the insular criminal world, Pistone gains the trust of aging mobster Lefty Ruggiero, played pitch perfectly by Pacino.

Directed with gritty authenticity by Mike Newell, Donnie Brasco presents a fascinating look inside the secretive world of organized crime. But it also explores the complex relationship and blurred lines that develop between the undercover cop and the mobster he’s manipulating. Both Depp and Pacino deliver raw, lived-in performances that anchor the film. Their scenes together, as student and teacher, are some of the most compelling work in their storied careers. Donnie Brasco brought Depp one of his first Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor. Yet it remains too often overlooked among both actors’ filmographies.

Michael Mann’s crime epic presented Depp with one of his most physically demanding roles – notorious bank robber John Dillinger in 1930s America. As law enforcement switched tactics to track down Public Enemy Number One, Dillinger became both a folk hero and the FBI’s most wanted. Depp disappeared fully into the real-life outlaw, tracing his fall from small-time crook to nationally famous criminal before an untimely end.

Visually sumptuous, with Mann’s signature attention to historical detail, Public Enemies transports viewers to the Dust Bowl era of desperation and lawlessness that allowed Dillinger to thrive. It also co-stars a magnetic Christian Bale as an ambitious young FBI agent determined to take Dillinger down. Though not a box office smash, Depp delivers one of his rawest performances through nuanced gestures, mannerisms and an unflinching willingness to get his hands dirty. Public Enemies proved Depp is just as skilled with historical dramas as more offbeat roles.

Rango (2011)

In a departure to animated family fare, Depp lent his voice acting talents to this visually stunning western comedy from Gore Verbinski. Depp plays Rango, a chameleon who stumbles into a parched Western town in desperate need of a hero. Pretending to be a tough gunslinger, Rango rises to the occasion and becomes the town’s sheriff. However, he soon finds himself in over his head facing off against a diabolical plot involving the theft of the community’s water supply.

Co-starring the likes of Abigail Breslin, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy and Isla Fisher, Rango was a box office success. But it also showed off Pixar-level animation with its vividly realized critter characters and desert vistas. Depp brought his trademark eccentricity and flair for offbeat humor to the role of the hapless hero lizard. Rango won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, proving Depp can find success even when taking a risk on less traditional projects. The film endures as one of the most visually striking and funny animated westerns.

Conclusion

While blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean rightfully established Johnny Depp as a global superstar, they often overshadow the riskier, more unorthodox work he’s excelled at over the years. Films like Dead Man, The Ninth Gate, Donnie Brasco, Public Enemies and Rango showcase Depp’s chameleon-like ability to disappear into any character, from real-life outlaws to talking lizards. Under experimental auteurs or within prestigious true stories, Depp brings soul and nuance even to the smallest roles.

As his career enters a sixth decade, Depp continues choosing passion projects over paychecks. With any luck, more cinephiles will rediscover these underrated gems that demonstrate his immense talents beyond tentpole franchises. There are few modern actors so willing to take chances and fully commit body and soul to bringing unique stories and characters to life, no matter the budget. For that, Depp deserves more celebration and appreciation for the diverse, compelling work featured in films that may have slipped under the mainstream radar but are no less worthy of praise.