"The majority of the films that Warren Oates starred in, he does not play the main character, but is undoubtedly the stand out performance in each film making him one of the all time great character actors to ever grace the screen. Not nearly appreciated enough when he was in his prime, his present day appeal has grown immensely as he has become one of the highest regarded actors of the 1970s'. His mannerisms and caricature speak to the audience, even when playing morally obstruct characters.
There is not one character on this list where Oates is a one layered "good guy." Complexity is one of his most valued assets and these characters are almost always rough, sardonic, and disreputable degenerates. Even when playing the protagonist, Oates is never a hero, more or less an antihero who is leading the audience through the story with complete conviction."
