Netflix's 4-Part WWII Miniseries Features One of Mark Ruffalo's Greatest Roles Ever

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Mark Ruffalo staring ahead in a crowd in All the Light We Cannot See

Published Mar 5, 2026, 8:33 AM EST

Liam Gaughan is a film and TV writer at Collider. He has been writing film reviews and news coverage for ten years. Between relentlessly adding new titles to his watchlist and attending as many screenings as he can, Liam is always watching new movies and television shows.

In addition to reviewing, writing, and commentating on both new and old releases, Liam has interviewed talent such as Mark Wahlberg, Jesse Plemons, Sam Mendes, Billy Eichner, Dylan O'Brien, Luke Wilson, and B.J. Novak. Liam aims to get his spec scripts produced and currently writes short films and stage plays. He lives in Allentown, PA.

It’s not always the case that a great novel is easily adapted to the screen, as certain stories have components that simply work better on the page than they do when visualized. Considering that the novel that it was based on won the Pulitzer Prize for literature, All the Light We Cannot See was a highly-anticipated adaptation about a powerful World War II story that examined the importance of memory, art, and resistance. Although it looks beautiful and features a tremendous score by James Newton Howard, the Netflix adaptation of All the Light We Cannot See was ultimately a disappointment, as director Shawn Levy didn't feel like the right choice to tell such a thorny, weighty story that deals with such an ugly period in history. It’s an adaptation that’s worth watching because of the ambition involved, but it's especially because of the amazing performance by Mark Ruffalo that makes the series far more emotionally and powerful than it would've been with another actor in the role.

Mark Ruffalo Is the Best Part of 'All the Light We Cannot See'

All the Light We Cannot See earned praise for casting a blind actress in the role of Marie-Laure, which was both an important piece of representation and the best way to make the performance feel authentic. All the Light We Cannot See would only work as a spotlight for Loberti if there was an equally gracious actor in the role of her father, and Ruffalo has always had a talent for playing key supporting roles without detracting from his co-stars. While Daniel is an admirer of art, often thought to be a visual medium, the efforts he takes to find ways for Marie-Laure to share his passion are truly heartwarming and incredibly tender.

Ned and Felix, played by actors Mark Ruffalo and Matt Bomer, embrace each other on a stage in front of an audience in The Normal Heart.

Even though All the Light We Cannot See takes place during a monumental world event that shook the landscape of European politics, Ruffalo was able to highlight an understated side of heroism revolving around the preservation of cultural history. The desire to ensure that the treasures of the past are not corrupted is not a result of materialism, but a desire to ensure that a people’s history can be remembered in their own words by its artists. Daniel is not someone of high stature within the museum, but the responsibility that he puts on his shoulders is tremendous. At the same time, Ruffalo shows how Daniel justifies the sacrifice he is willing to make; even if it means never seeing his daughter again, Daniel wants to embark on a mission that will ensure the sanctity of the nation’s future, which he hopes Marie-Laure will be able to grow up peacefully within.

'All the Light We Cannot See' Works Best as a Father-Daughter Story

The detracting aspects of All the Light We Cannot See come down to Levy’s direction, which tends to be a bit too overly sentimental. However, Ruffalo is able to bring the appropriate grittiness to Daniel’s survival mission, particularly when he is abducted and questioned by the sadistic SS officer Reinhold von Rumpel (Lars Eidinger). Eidinger gives a terrifying performance as a villain who lacks all sense of empathy, and Ruffalo conveys a sense of genuine fear that helps to make the series feel less idealized. Even if Daniel has not given up his conviction that what he is doing is right, that doesn’t make it any less horrifying for a civilian to face the rage of a cruel fascist who would strip his dignity away just for the sick pleasure of feeling empowered.

Levy may be a director who literalizes story components that are best left unspoken, but the notion that Marie-Laure has come to adopt her father’s perspective is well-realized thanks to the strength of both performances. It’s within Marie-Laure’s search for the mysterious “Sea of Flames” that she discovers the same drive that her father has, which leads her to begin mirroring his behavior. The connection is so strong that Daniel’s sacrifice, while tragic, isn’t entirely depressing because his spirit lived on within his daughter. While a great actor can always deliver when the material is there to support them, Ruffalo is the type of special performer who can elevate whatever he is in to be even greater quality.

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