Brad Pitt is one of the most famous and accomplished actors to ever grace the big screen and his filmography is filled with iconic movies, yet his most acclaimed on Rotten Tomatoes might come as a shock. Pitt’s career does offer up a lot of great movies and performances, so there’s certainly plenty to choose from.

The Oscar-winner’s history includes an early small role in Thelma & Louise, a breakout role in 12 Monkeys, his most legendary character in Fight Club, and that’s just in the ’90s. The 25 years since have only bolstered Pitt’s status thanks to Inglourious Basterds, Ocean’s Eleven, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and more.

In a lot of cases, Brad Pitt plays a character who is impossibly cool and it works for him. Whether it’s Tyler Durden, Cliff Booth, or his most recent character, Sonny Hayes, Pitt is always so cool. However, his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes is one where he plays someone totally different.

Moneyball Is Brad Pitt’s Highest Rated Starring Role On Rotten Tomatoes

The highest-rated movie starring Brad Pitt on Rotten Tomatoes is Moneyball. Released in 2011, this film is based on the book Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game, which takes a look at the 2002 baseball season of the Oakland Athletics, also known as the A’s.

The A’s were a team struggling financially and since they couldn’t live up to the teams that spent tons of money, they had to find creative ways around it. Brad Pitt plays the lead role of Billy Beane, the General Manager of the franchise, and does some great work with his performance.

On Rotten Tomatoes, Moneyball sits at 94% and was met with widespread acclaim. In fact, Moneyball received six nominations at the Academy Awards and four at the Golden Globes, though it didn’t take home statues at either.

Despite the film’s critical success and moderate box office intake ($110.2 million on a $50 million budget), Moneyball isn’t what most people likely think of when they wonder what Brad Pitt’s top movie is. He has so many films that were bigger commercial hits and are bigger pop culture staples, yet Moneyball is deserving of being his best project.

Brad Pitt Has A Small Role In A Slightly Higher Rated Movie

As noted, Moneyball is the highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes that features Brad Pitt in a starring role but one film that he acts in ranks just a bit higher. 2013’s 12 Years a Slave holds a 95% rating, yet Pitt only appears in a small part.

The film tells the story of a free Black man in 1841 who gets kidnapped and sold into slavery, where he unjustly spends more than a decade. Pitt’s role in the Steve McQueen-directed film is as Samuel Bᴀss, a laborer who helps the protagonist get back his freedom.

Similar to Moneyball, 12 Years a Slave has Pitt appear on screen but also as a producer. In fact, it was this movie that earned Brad Pitt his first Academy Award as 12 Years a Slave won Best Picture and, as producer, Pitt is credited with a win.

Moneyball Is Great But Brad Pitt Is More ᴀssociated With Other Films

As noted, there are so many fantastic and memorable movies in Brad Pitt’s filmography. That means that, no matter how great Moneyball is, it’s not the project most people ᴀssociate with Pitt. When casual moviegoers think of Pitt, their minds go to a handful of films.

Longtime fans likely consider Fight Club, where Pitt steals the show as Tyler Durden, Se7en, where he works with Morgan Freeman in a tense crime thriller, or the Ocean’s franchise, where he’s part of an incredible ensemble. He also has his first Oscar nomination in 12 Monkeys and his hilarious turn in Burn After Reading.

There’s also Pitt’s work in blockbusters like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and World War Z, his acclaimed performances in The Curious Case of Benjamin ʙuттon, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and Inglourious Basterds. There’s also a case to be made for F1, where he made Sonny Hayes another iconic character.

Most of those movies all feature the kind of roles that Pitt has most become famous for. Moneyball doesn’t fit that bill because Pitt’s character feels unique from the rest of his roles.

Billy Beane Might Be Brad Pitt’s Best Acting Performance

The fact that Billy Beane is so different from a lot of Brad Pitt’s characters is why his performance in Moneyball is so good. We’re so used to seeing Pitt portray the coolest guys around. His work as the likes of Tyler Durden and Sonny Hayes is great but they do feel like extensions of Pitt’s own coolness.

Billy Beane is, for the most part, an everyday guy. Sure, he runs a baseball team but he’s the kind of person you’d see in your personal life. Pitt nails the role, bringing a relaxed energy yet also feeling like someone with an edge lying beneath it all.

Pitt plays so well off of Jonah Hill, leading both to earn nominations at the Academy Awards. In fact, Moneyball marked Pitt’s third Oscar nod for acting, and there’s a case to be made for it being a better performance than his other nominations.

Even if you’re someone who doesn’t care about baseball, Moneyball is able to fully grab a viewer and a major reason for that is Brad Pitt’s stellar performance. It helps cement the idea that Moneyball is indeed the best film in Brad Pitt’s impressive filmography.