Peter Weir

Peter Weir is one of my favorite directors and one of my heroes.

Here are my favorite movies that he has directed.

• Gallipoli
• The Year of Living Dangerously
• Witness
• Dead Poet’s Society
• Fearless
• The Truman Show

The Year of Living Dangerously, Dead Poet’s Society, and Fearless are each so good that I would love Peter Weir’s work if he had done nothing else. But he has! Each of the following movies is also excellent.

• The Mosquito Coast
• Green Card
• Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

What I notice about Peter Weir’s movies is that they are all very different from each other and that they are all well-made. He consistently manages to get great performances from his actors. He tells stories that require audience members to pay close attention in order to get the most out of them.

Unlike Tarantino, Weir does not have a strong “directing style”. You can’t watch one of his movies and immediately recognize that he directed it. I consider this a strength. He tells each of his stories in a way that works best for the material, not in a self-aggrandizing way.

I like that Peter Weir has given Harrison Ford the opportunity to play two unique characters who are very different from Han Solo and Indiana Jones.

I’m also impressed by how long Peter Weir has been making great movies.