Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
| 2010 | How Do You Know | Charles |
| 2007 | The Bucket List | Edward Cole |
| 2006 | The Departed | Frank Costello |
| 2003 | Anger Management | Dr. Buddy Rydell |
| 2003 | Something's Gotta Give | Harry Langer |
| 2002 | About Schmidt | Warren Schmidt |
| 2001 | The Pledge | Jerry Black |
| 1997 | As Good as It Gets | Melvin Udall |
| 1996 | Mars Attacks! | President James Dale/Art Land |
| 1996 | Blood & Wine | Alex Gates |
| 1995 | The Crossing Guard | Freddy Gale |
| 1994 | Lobo | Will Randall |
| 1992 | A Few Good Men | Col. Nathan R. Jessup |
| 1992 | Hoffa | James R. "Jimmy" Hoffa |
| 1990 | The Two Jakes | Jake Gittes |
| 1989 | Batman (1989) | Jack Napier/The Joker |
| 1987 | The Witches of Eastwick | Daryl Van Horne |
| 1987 | Broadcast News | Bill Rorich |
| 1987 | Ironweed | Francis Phelan |
| 1986 | Heartburn | Mark Forman |
| 1985 | Prizzi's Honor | Charley Partanna |
| 1983 | Terms of Endearment | Garrett Breedlove |
| 1981 | The Postman Always Rings Twice | Frank Chambers |
| 1981 | Reds | Eugene O'Neill |
| 1981 | Notre Dame de Paris (La Scala Ballet) | Actor |
| 1980 | The Shining (1980) | Jack Torrance |
| 1978 | Goin' South | Henry Lloyd Moon |
| 1976 | The Last Tycoon | Brimmer |
| 1976 | The Missouri Breaks | Tom Logan |
| 1975 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest | Randle Patrick McMurphy |
| 1975 | The Fortune | Oscar |
| 1975 | The Who's Tommy | A. Quackson, Mental Health Specialist |
| 1975 | The Passenger (1975) | David Locke |
| 1974 | Chinatown | J. J. (Jake) Gittes |
| 1973 | The Last Detail | Billy "Bad Ass" Buddusky |
| 1972 | The King of Marvin Gardens | David Staebler |
| 1971 | Carnal Knowledge | Jonathan Fuerst |
| 1971 | A Safe Place | Mitch |
| 1971 | Getting Straight / Drive, He Said | Director, Producer, Screenwriter |
| 1970 | Five Easy Pieces | Robert Eroica Dupea |
| 1970 | On a Clear Day You Can See Forever | Tad Pringle |
| 1969 | Easy Rider | George Hanson |
| 1968 | Psych-Out | Stoney |
| 1967 | Hell's Angels on Wheels | Poet |
| 1967 | The Trip (1967) | Writer |
| 1967 | The Shooting | Billy Spear |
| 1966 | Flight to Fury | Jay Wickham |
| 1965 | Ride in the Whirlwind | Wes |
| 1964 | Back Door to Hell | Burnett |
| 1963 | The Raven (1963) | Rexford Bedlo |
| 1963 | The Terror | Lt. Andre Duvalier |
| 1960 | Little Shop of Horrors (1960) | Wilbur Force |
| 1960 | The Wild Ride | Johnny Varron |
