All films written by Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan ranked (2023)

Modern western drama seriesGelbsteinhas become the flagship of Paramount's TV series with two prequel series.1883And1923. While the conflicts and crises of the Dutton family have become so popular thanks to the talented cast, the show's success can be credited to the writer's spiritTaylor Sheridan.

Sheridan has quickly become one of the most popular writers in Hollywood and beyondGelbstein, he has the Paramount+ seriesMayor of Kingston. Sheridan fits a unique niche among modern screenwriters and showrunners by incorporating elements of neo-noir, western, thriller and political satire into his "hard genre" narratives. While his work is often subversive, there's a classic "father movie" quality to Sheridan's work that has made him a celebrity.

Sheridan's cinematic work is just as fascinating, having written for other great directors and behind the camera himself. Here is a ranking of every film written by Taylor Sheridan.

6. Without regrets

Without regretssaw Sheridan adapting the work ofJack RyanCreatorTom Clancy, but the U.S. Navy Seal John Kelly (Michael B. Jordan) is a very different character from the CIA Analyst. WhileRyanMovies and series found a certain charm in putting a geeky desk worker behind enemy lines,Without regretsis a no-nonsense military action thriller, and as the title suggests, it certainly fits the no-prisoners mentality. Jordan gives a transformative physical performance and directorStefan Sollima delivers a grizzly representation of modern combat.

It's an impressively done thriller, but disappointingly the story is nothing more than a standard revenge thriller. Sheridan doesn't offer much insight about "everyone is corrupt and you should take the law into your own hands". Despite Jordan's involvement, Kelly isn't a particularly interesting character; he grieves and wants revenge, and that's about it. The third act revelations are particularly boring, although there is a great HammyGuy PearcePerfomance.

5. Those who wish me dead

Sheridan's second film as a director prompted him to increase his budget. During his debutWindflussfelt very much like isolated neo-noir, namelyThose who wish me deadis certainly not a blockbuster, it's closer in narrative to some of the more grounded onesSylvester StalloneVehicles of the 1990s (CoplandAndCliffhangerin particular). The movie follows Hannah (Angelina Jolie), a Montana smokejumper who protects a small child (Finn Little) by two assassins (Aidan GillenAndNicholas Holt).

There are two interesting filmsThose who wish me dead, and unfortunately Sheridan doesn't really commit to it either. On the one hand, you have over-the-top villains and a plethora of fun action sequences borrowed from firefighting tech. On the other hand, you have a sensitive portrayal of Jolie as Hannah processes her grief.Those who wish me deadis compulsive to watch, but it's not goofy enough to be a throwback to the '90s or focused enough to be upscale neo-noir.

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4. Sicario: Day of the Soldier

Sicario: Day of the Soldieris a fascinating sequel. The film dispenses with the meticulous, finely worked out suspenseDenis Villeneuve’s original altogether, and the lack ofRoger Deakinsis particularly noticeable. Not a fan of subtlety, director Stefano Sollima replaces slowly building tension with explosive, blood-spattered violence that borders on exploitative. Also notable was the absence of the originalSicarioLeading Actress of , Kate Macer (Emily Stumpf).

Tag des Soldierrevolves exclusively around the eponymous "Sicario" Alejandro (Benicio del Toro) and his relationship with C.I.A. Agent Matt Graver (Josh Brolin). Compared toWithout regrets,Tag des Soldieris a much more interesting look at the banality of violence in the modern American West. Both Alejandro and Graver are downright villainous and they are surrounded by a world of constant violence where all morals are gray. Credibility is stretched in the third act when Alejandro becomes literally indestructible, but the chilling final scene makes for a somber reflection on the cyclical violence.

3. Windfluss

Sheridan has flirted with political commentary throughout his filmography, but his directorial debutWindflussis his most obvious “message film”. There's still enough mystery and thriller elements to fall under the film's genre label, but Sheridan's focus is exploring the problem of indigenous women being raped and murdered in reservation communities. Though it may be difficult to tell the story from an outsider's perspective, Sheridan shows a refreshing restraint in a very impressive first feature film.

Windflussfollows the investigation into the murder of a teenage girl on Wyoming's Wind River Indian Reservation. Rookie FBI Agent Jane Banner (Elisabeth Olsen) is tasked with scouting the area and hires local tracker Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) to help her. Olsen feels slightly miscast and uncomfortable with Sheridan's dialogue, but Renner delivers the most sensitive performance of his career as a grieving father who heals through his work. Although insufficient time is devoted to the indigenous perspective,Gil Birminghamdelivers a crushing performance as the girl's father.

2. Sicario

If any of Sheridan's work falls into the category of "upscale" genre fare, this is itSicario.Of all his filmsSicariofeels most drastically changed by the director. Denis Villeneuve uses Sheridan's bluntness to create a claustrophobic, nauseating aura of tension. Sequences like the first safe house heist or the freeway shooting might seem straightforward on paper, but Villeneuve transforms what could have been generic set pieces into moments of paranoia.

While the lack of a compelling character inTag des Soldiermade the sequel interesting on a thematic level, Emily Blunt's perspective is crucial to the success of the first film. Both an outsider on the edge and a deer in the headlights, Blunt finds an innocence that is not fragile. Alejandro's final vendetta is one of the crowning achievements of both Villeneuve and Sheridan's careers.

1. Hell or High Water

Sheridan often succeeds with his more pessimistic projects that focus on unlikable characters, howeverhell or floodshowed his remarkable ability to generate empathy for almost all of his characters. The film focuses on the Toby brothers (Chris Kiefer) and Tanner Howard (Ben Foster) who rob a number of Texas Midland banks to save their late mother's ranch and get Toby's kids through college. They are being pursued by two Texas Rangers; Mark Hamilton (Jeff Bridges) nears the end of his career, and Alberto Parker (Gil Birmingham) sees the mission as a chance to get ahead on his own.

All four main actors convince in their own way. Toby is neither a career criminal nor a perfect father, and while Tanner enjoys the thrill of their heists, he's also fiercely protective of his younger brother. Their crimes have something of a Robin Hood nature when they steal from Texas Midland's oppressive banks, but Hamilton and Parker are largely apolitical. They're just men on a mission, and the amusing banter between them becomes more heartfelt as the story progresses. Embodied with local details, gory one-liners and dramatic duels.hell or floodis the most entertaining and impactful work of Sheridan's career.