10. On the Edge (2001)

'On the Edge' is not your typical movie about suicide and depression. Although the subject of the film is very sensitive, director John Carney manages to keep the balance between reality and an optimistic view about self-harm and suicide. The patients are not the usual caricatures we see in other movies. They have their unique stories and personalities and there is a good analysis of their backgrounds. Cillian Murphy delivers a top-notch performance as a suicidal patient of the ward, who is also trying to help the other patients get better. We see him change emotions many times to depict with utmost realism how is it to feel like your life is not worth anything, and to try to find a meaning behind all this pessimism and misery.

9. 28 Days Later (2002)

In '28 Days Later' director Danny Boyle creates one of the most iconic films about zombies. Although we see how the master of the zombie apocalypse George Romero influences him, he makes a unique movie of the genre. He approaches the theme of rage from a societal point of view and he tries to show the consequences of it in human nature. Cillian Murphy proves to be an excellent choice as the protagonist. Although he was not the first choice for the role, his electrifying performance shows that he is a top actor who is not afraid to challenge himself with such difficult roles, especially in the second part of the movie, where he is great at depicting the change of his character.

8. The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Director Ken Loach, almost 10 years after 'Land and Freedom' (1995), creates another powerful political drama about oppression and the resistance against it. Cillian Murphy has never been better. In one of the best, or the best roles of his career, he creates a believable and unforgettable character. He is the main force of the movie and his acting adds authenticity to the battle between the Irish and the Brits. Murphy shows his stubbornness and unwillingness to face the truth with brilliance as he opposes his brother, who thinks there is no alternative for them.

7. Red Eye (2005)

Director Wes Craven, the legendary director of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984) and 'Scream' (1996), creates a claustrophobic thriller and ultimately a fight between a woman and a man. Although the second part of the story is a little uneven and harder to believe, it is generally a very good movie for the fans of the genre. The scenes on the plane seem very original and they distinguish it from many movies that were also shot on a plane. The two protagonists are excellent casting choices and they help the most to keep the pace blistering. Cillian Murphy is once again great and his physical appearance with the crazy look convinces the audience of his abilities. He shows how versatile he is by depicting a completely different character from his previous filmography.

6. Sunshine (2007)

Director Danny Boyle collaborates again with Cillian Murphy and screenwriter Alex Garland after '28 Days Later' (2002), and the result is a transfixing, mesmerizing movie that is not just visually stunning but also deals with philosophical and social issues. Boyle is not afraid to show his influences from Stanley Kubrick’s '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1968), Andrei Tarkovsky’s 'Solaris' (1972), and Ridley Scott’s 'Alien' (1979). Like in '28 Days Later', the music by John Murphy is combined perfectly with the theme of the movie. Cillian Murphy is great as the physicist of Icarus I and he worked with leading physicist Brian Cox to learn all about advanced physics. He even went to a touring of the CERN facility in Switzerland and learned to copy the physicist’s mannerisms.

5. Batman Begins (2005)

After Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher, director Christopher Nolan creates a much darker and more realistic aspect of the Batman franchise. For the first time we watch Batman vulnerable, being hit by vicious enemies. Cillian Murphy was cast in the beginning for the role of Batman but he didn’t get it. Christopher Nolan liked his performance so much that he got the role of Dr. Crane/Scarecrow. Murphy is great as the mad psychiatrist and he created one of the most memorable villains of the Batman franchise. Even without his scary mask, Murphy looks horrifying to the people of Gotham. Nolan was so impressed by the bright color of his eyes that he looked to find ways for him to be in scenes without the glasses.

4. Inception (2010)

Director Christopher Nolan creates one of the most ambitious films in his career. The script is carefully written by himself and after so many successes in Hollywood, he has complete freedom over the movie. The result is a mesmerizing project that takes you to ride the unconscious and the dreams like you have never seen before. Cillian Murphy’s performance is tremendous and he includes himself in the elite list of actors that Nolan wants to cast often in his filmography, Christian Bale and Michael Caine. To be selected by such a great director, proves that Murphy has matured from an actor who usually took part in local movies into a first class actor with worldwide fans.

3. Broken (2012)

The story of the film is based on the book 'Broken' by Daniel Clay. It is an important achievement for director Rufus Norris, taken into consideration that this is his directorial debut. He did not make a single fault with the casting and all the people in the movie are great. Cillian Murphy is superb as the love interest of Skunk and his girlfriend Kasia. He proves that he can easily handle difficult roles in such intense dramas like 'Broken'. 

2. Breakfast on Pluto (2005)

Director Neil Jordan doesn’t need any special recommendations. He has created some of the most iconic films and this film is smartly separated into little chapters and as the story goes on, we see the innocence of the first and funny chapters give their place to a drama that is more about the exploration of a lost soul during the 1970s and 1980s. Cillian Murphy, in a groundbreaking performance, depicts the life of a trans woman without exaggerations and without succumbing to any clichés. It is completely different from the idea that most people had about trans people and Murphy is not afraid to show a different aspect of it. His previous roles showed that he is an actor with promising potential, but with this role he is established as one of the most upcoming actors in the European and American film industries. Not often have we come across such deep and multilayered acting.

1. Intermission (2003)

Although it is his directorial debut, director John Crowley creates a movie that deals with many characters and subjects. His directing is commendable as he joins all the dots masterfully. Violence, crime, love, loneliness, loss, and an unhealthy working environment are just some of the things that Crowley shows the audience. Cillian Murphy is also great at depicting the insecurities of the contemporary man in the 21st century; he is unsure about his relationship and what he wants from it. He doesn’t have any financial security and he has to face the threats of his boss everyday in an environment where the words good and stable working conditions are simply unknown.