7 Christian Slater movies that will glue you to your seats

Christian Slater is an American actor who is known for his roles in movies like Heathers, The Legend of Billie Jean, and Young Guns II. The actor has worked in a variety of movies like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Pump Up the Volume, and True Romance. Christian Slater is known for playing characters that are rebellious and enigmatic but the actor has also starred in a wide variety of roles, portraying his versatility. He has also starred in TV shows like Mr. Robot and The Spiderwick Chronicles. Therefore, fans of the actor must check out this list of 7 must-watch Christian Slater movies.

Heathers, True Romance, and other Christian Slater movies that are a must-watch

1. Nymphomaniac

Still from the movie (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Lars von Trier and starring Christian Slater, Uma Thurman, Shia LeBeouf, and others, this erotic art movie is also written by Trier. The movie is about Joe, who is a nymphomaniac and recounts her erotic experiences to a bachelor who is trying to help her recover from an assault. The movie is split into eight chapters and told across two volumes that chronicle the life of Joe from adolescence to adulthood. The movie is tragic, graphic, and not for the faint-hearted. Yet, the movie’s complex matter proves that Christian Slater was not intimidated to take on heavy and nuanced roles in his career. In the movie, an intelligent but cloistered middle-aged bachelor Seligman, finds Joe in a beaten-up position outside his apartment and takes her to his home. Over there, Joe begins recounting her tragic life story as a nymphomaniac. Slater stars as Joe’s father in the film and his character therefore plays a foundational role in the film. In the film, Joe recounts about her childhood to Seligman by telling him that her father was kind and helpful, while her mother was arrogant. The film is highly artistic and underrated and fans of the actor must-watch this one.

2. Heathers

Starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, this iconic movie from the 1980s is considered a pop culture staple and still has the ability to subvert expectations and shock the viewers. Directed by Michael Lehmann, the film is a dark teen comedy and crime movie that was intended to be a contrast to the cheerful teen movies of the era. The film is about four teenage girls, all named Heather. But their clique gets disturbed when one of them begins to fall for a misanthrope, who wants to murder the popular classmates. The movie was a break-out role for both Christian Slater and Winona Ryder, even though both of them had worked on other projects before. Slater plays the role of J.D. or Jason Dean, who is the misanthrope and disturbing character that wants to create chaos and murderous mayhem. The movie also focuses on Ryder’s character Veronica, who is initially a part of the Heather-clique but is disillusioned by the arrogance and fake attitude of the wealthy girls and wants to have friends who are more authentic and real. Therefore, she finds herself being drawn to the mysterious and enigmatic J.D. who acts as a revolutionary and uses Veronica as a pawn to execute his bloody plan. Slater perfectly embodies the charismatic and unnerving facets of his character and it is his most memorable one.

3. The Name of the Rose

Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, this historical mystery movie is based on the 1980 novel of the same name by Umberto Eco. The film features Sean Connery, Christian Slater, and others. Connery stars as the Franciscan friar, William of Baskerville, who is called to solve a deadly mystery that has occurred in a medieval abbey. Christian Slater plays the role of William’s apprentice, who is called Adso of Melk. The movie received positive reviews and can be seen as the first movie that truly brought the viewer’s attention towards Slater. The film is therefore his breakout role and fans of the actor must watch this one as it is an engaging watch. Slater delivers a dedicated performance as he is paired with the veteran actor Sean Connery. He leaves his mark in this early film of his career and showcases his ability to hold his own, even in the presence of a senior actor. The movie is inventive and unique as it is a murder-mystery film that is set in the Middle Ages. Both Connery and Slater elevate the movie with their performances and it is therefore one of the must-watch movies by Christian Slater that viewers will love and enjoy. The mystery behind the murder of several monks at the monastery, will keep the viewers glued to their seats.

4. The Wife

Still from the movie (Image via Sony Pictures)

Starring Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater, and others, this drama movie is directed by Björn L. Runge and is based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Meg Wolitzer. The movie is about Joan (Close), who begins to question her life choices when her husband Joseph (Pryce), wins a Nobel Prize in Literature and the two travel to Stockholm to receive it. The movie was a critical success and Close’s performance was noted. However, Christian Slater also played an important role in the film. The actor plays the role of Nathaniel Bone, who is a biographer and meets the couple on the flight. Bone loves scandal and gossip and wants to know more about the relationship between the couple. The actor delivers a solid performance and is perfect in a role where he has to play a shady and manipulative character. Slater embodies the tricky qualities of Bone and infuses his character with a certain air of earnestness that is subtly deceiving. While Close is the one who stands out in the film, Slater and Pryce also deliver a strong performance. The film is one of the newer movies from Slater’s filmography and fans of the actor must definitely watch this one. The movie has many layers and is not over-the-top. It is balanced, subtle, and filled with meaning.

5. The Legend of Billie Jean

Directed by Matthew Robbins and starring Christian Slater, Helen Slater, and others, this action and drama movie is the debut movie of Christian Slater. The film is emblematic of the 1980s era, where more underrated movies had a lot of street action and had an atmosphere of punk. The movie is about Billie Jean Davy (Helen Slater), who is from Texas and she becomes involved with some local bullies when a confrontation turns violent. She and her brother Binx (Christian Slater) have to go on the run but Billie wants justice and becomes a local icon for standing up against the bullies and the authorities. While the movie is underrated and is something of a cult classic now, it is still a fun watch and is a must watch for die-hard fans of Christian Slater. The movie is packed with action and chaos and is targeted towards the youth as it has an energetic and rebellious attitude. The movie might be Slater’s first movie role, but the actor puts his all into delivering a dedicated and pumped-up performance. He brings the right amount of energy and fieriness that is needed for the role of Binx and displays his acting ability with full force.

6. Young Guns II

Starring Christian Slater, Kiefer Sutherland, and others, this Western action movie is directed by Geoff Murphy and is a sequel to Young Guns. The movie focuses on Billy the Kid (Emilio Estevez), after the Lincoln County War and the years leading up to his death. The movie is told by Brushy Bill Roberts, who appeared in 1950 and claimed that he was the real Billy the Kid. The movie is a must watch for Christian Slater fans who want to see the actor in a different kind of role and if they want to see their favorite star being donned in Western attire. Slater plays “Arkansas” Dave Rudabaugh, who is a racist and reckless outlaw, who joined the Regulators and caused a lot of problems. The movie came after Heathers and Slater proved that he can be versatile and diversify his acting roles. While the film received mixed reviews from the critics and was not as memorable as the original movie, it did have a minor box office success and got popular on home video. The film is therefore one of the more underrated movies from the actor’s filmography and even though it might not be as famous, it does have plenty of action and a dedicated performance by Christian Slater, which proves that the actor can hold his own in a large ensemble cast as well.

7. True Romance

Directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, this romantic crime movie featured Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Val Kilmer, and others. While the movie was not successful upon release, it now has a cult following and critics and viewers have appreciated the direction, tone, and its offbeat style. The movie is about Clarence and Alabama, played by Slater and Arquette, who are a newly-married couple. They get into trouble when they head to California with a stolen suitcase full of drugs. They get into all sorts of trouble as the Mafia chases them. Christian Slater delivers one of his most entertaining performances as he plays Clarence, who is a movie lover and an Elvis fan. When he falls in love with Alabama, who is a sex worker, the two decide to run off together. However, when Clarence goes to Alabama’s pimp to get her things and her freedom, he ends up leaving with a suitcase full of drugs mistakenly. As the couple are chased by assassins and deadly mafia lords, the movie makes for a fun and interesting watch. Fans of Slater must definitely watch this one as it is packed with witty dialogues, entertaining scenes, and a unique tone.