*Gangs *is his best performance, but *Mohicans *is a better movie.
I had to go with Mohicans. While there is no one who compares to DDL, I find many of his big roles as “acty” (Gangs, Lincoln, Blood). Whereas with Mohicans, I felt he was “being”.
My Left Foot would be second, but if I recall correctly, he was only in like the last third of the movie, with the younger actor doing the character for a major part of the story. So, I discount a bit for that fact.
So funny – I knew he was the guy I was supposed to crush on, but for me he was eclipsed by the beauty of the other guy 
I find him a bit actor-y, eg Age of Innocence, Room With A View, but he was mesmerizing in My Beautiful Launderette. Last of the Mohicans is my favorite because that movie works on every level. Really really disliked Gangs of New York. I will catch Phantom Thread at some point.
Such a great actor…I need to check 3 movies instead…and, I really don’t want to name them because it’s more like 5
Not his best performance by any means, but my favorite of his movies is “Last of the Mohicans.”
I enjoyed Lincoln the most. Hard to say if it’s his “best”.
The Age of Innocence is my second-favorite of his roles, but I love that book so much I’d probably love Steve Buscemi in that role. :: passes out brain bleach ::
Mine, too. I don’t think there’s a thing wrong with that movie, it is stunning to look at, DDL and Madeline Stowe are gorgeous, the scenery spectacular, and the music hauntingly beautiful. The last scene with the three of them looking wistfully out over the blue mountains (before strip malls, coal mining, and McMansions)…stays in my mind forever.
I do like him in just about everything. The Age of Innocence is great to look at, what a tight, insular little society the 1%-ers lived in! I do like the ending, too - some people are very upset he didn’t go visit her. Maybe it’s just as well.
A tough question because his 2 best movies (IMHO) are not necessarily the ones with his best performance. Since LAST OF THE MOHICANS had some good momentum, I voted for the other, THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING.
But I can’t take issue with THERE WILL BE BLOOD in the lead because it is the best film of those which earned him an Oscar nod (and that is some formidable competition itself). With so many good films on his CV (and no real turkeys), it’s hard to argue that there’s really any “wrong” answer.
Somehow I have only managed to see him in three or four of these movies, none of which I remember him clearly in. So I guess I have no opinion of him.