Born to a former actress in New York City,Dylan O’Briennaturally gravitated to posting film content on YouTube where he made himself comfortable in front of the camera. His first major role came with MTV and its favorite supernatural TV seriesTeen Wolf, in which he played the beloved Stiles Stilinski. More offers came rolling in due to his natural laid-back talent, and he managed to make a name for himself in the world of Hollywood.
O’Brien is arguably one of the most underrated actors of our generation. Since his time onTeen Wolf, O’Brien has built a strong resume of roles that include hit action franchises, likeThe Maze Runner, and more grounded stories likeThe Internshipand, most recently, Taylor Swift’s short filmAll Too Well. Next, perCollider, O’Brien is set to star inNot Okay, a modern satire opposite Zoey Deutch. Until then, here are his eight best movies so far, ranked.
8The First Time (2012)
The First Timeis an American teen comedy starring O’Brien and Britt Robertson in the lead roles as two high school students who learn what it is like to truly fall in love over the span of a weekend. Although the plot is pretty fundamental in terms of how high school romance movies go, but the lead actors' chemistry seals the deal for this one. It’s no wonder, then, that the actors ended up dating for a good number of years. Ultimately, the film explores the awkwardness of experiencing your firsts, as well as showing how everything appears as the “end of the world” when you’re a teenager in love.
Related:10 Totally Forgotten About Teen Comedies That Are Actually Good
7The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
As the second installment of the dystopian science-fiction franchiseThe Maze Runner: The Scorch Trialswas expected to follow the success of its predecessor. It’sbased on the YA novelof the same name by James Dashner, and centers around teenagers called Gladers who were chosen to undertake serious experiments to save the planet from a virus. InThe Scorch Trials, the characters are trying to escape the organization that put them through all of it. It mainly showcases their strong bond as a found family and O’Brien’s acting as the lead character Thomas is immaculate as ever.
6Flashback (2020)
The Education of Fredrick FitzellorFlashbackis a Canadian mystery thriller drama focusing on the character of Fred, played by O’Brien, who experiences vivid flashbacks from his high school days. He finds out that there’s a drug that causes people to perceive multiple timelines. There are so many small details that make the plotline even deeper than it already is, so you better pay extra attention to detail. It’s arguably one of O’Brien’s best performances, and it’s a wonder that it’s not talked about more.
5The Maze Runner (2014)
We also have to mention the first installment ofTheMaze Runnerfranchise, which brought even more worldwide recognition to O’Brien after hisTeen Wolfdays. Centering Thomas, who wakes up in a maze with other teenage boys and doesn’t remember his identity, the movie was considered by critics to be better than other young adult movies, mainly because of the performances. O’Brien’s performance acts as the pivotal point in making the franchise unforgettable and cherished by many, creating its own huge fandom on social media.
4Deepwater Horizon (2016)
Although considered one of thebiggest box office bombsof all time, the Mark Wahlberg-ledDeepwater Horizonwas still nominated for numerous major awards, including two Oscars. It tells the true story of the Deepwater Horizon explosion and the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. O’Brien plays the character of Caleb Holloway, one of the workers present at the time of the disaster. It’s arguably one of the most terrifying movies out there, because the devastation portrayed was truly visceral. It makes you realize just how messed up big corporations are and what a huge part they play in destroying our planet. As for O’Brien’s performance, it serves as a reminder of what a great actor he truly is.
Related:Best Mark Wahlberg Movies, Ranked
3The Outfit (2022)
The Outfitis an American crime drama centered around Leonard Burling, an English tailor who primarily works for a family of gangsters. Besides O’Brien, the cast consists of popular names such as Mark Rylance, Zoey Deutch, and Johnny Flynn. The movie received positive reviews and had its premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. The mob member character suited O’Brien really well, and it gave us a new insight as to what he’s capable of as an actor — although it’s true that the movie needs more of Dylan.
2Bumblebee (2018)
Grossing $468 million worldwide,Bumblebeewas still a commercial success, serving as a prequel to theTransformersmovie franchise. In this one, O’Brien lent his voice to the title character Bumblebee/B-127. The overall movie was praised for its action sequences and the sense of nostalgia. It’s safe to say that the actor did an amazing job, even though his face didn’t appear in the film. The limited time of his speaking voice didn’t make any difference for us to not call it swoony.
1Love and Monsters (2020)
Last but not least, we have to mention his role as the lead character Joel Dawson in the monster adventure filmLove and Monsters. Dawson is a survivor who, after the chemical fallout, was separated from his girlfriend and promised to find her and be reunited. The chemical fallout from an asteroid causes animals to turn into monsters, which makes it even more special that O’Brien is accompanied by a dog throughout the whole movie. The movie is overall very fun and satisfying to watch as it doesn’t have any unnecessary narrative plot twists and actually gives you a hopeful ending. In addition, it has one of the coolest monster designs.
