Thanks in part to his successful run as Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. has established himself as one of the biggest movie stars of all time, with a long legacy of roles in less financially successful works from master directors.
Fans can certainly list a ton of movies starring the actor that they would count as favorites, but which of his movies are considered the best by critics? To paint a clearer picture of the critical response to his career so far, here are Robert Downey Jr.'s highest-ranking movies on Metacritic.
Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) - 73
Reprising the role of Iron Man or his eighth movie appearance as the character, this time for more of a ing role than usual as the mentor to the titular hero, Homecoming strengthened a new bond within the Marvel Cinematic Universe between its newly reacquired star player, Spider-Man, and its foundational icon, Tony Stark.
The first full Spider-Man movie in the MCU after the character's appearance in Captain America: Civil War, this high-school-set coming-of-age adventure struck the right chord with critics thanks to some homages to the king of that particular genre, John Hughes, and the talents of its varied cast.
Wonder Boys (2000) - 73
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Michael Chabon, Wonder Boys stars Michael Douglas in the lead role as a university professor struggling to find the motivation and inspiration to write their second novel with Robert Downey Jr. in a ing role as his editor.
A witty and wonderfully cast movie, it remains somewhat of a hidden gem of its time period despite a great reputation.
A Scanner Darkly (2006) - 73
With a distinct animated look that was added in post-production over a traditionally shot live-action movie, writer and director Richard Linklater's sci-fi movie is one of the most standout examples of a movie adapted from the work of Philip K. Dick, and it's a pretty strong field.
Robert Downey Jr. plays one of the main ing characters to Keanu Reeves' lead in the paranoid story about a dystopian near-future that revolves around potent narcotics and all-consuming surveillance.
Natural Born Killers (1994) - 74
Robert Downey Jr. plays a significant ing role in this highly stylized–and highly controversial–crime movie from Oliver Stone that satirizes media fascination with killers, with the actor playing an unscrupulous journalist who sensationalizes the killing spree of two lead characters.
Interestingly, Metacritic's score is more reflective of what the movie's reputation has ended up being, taking an average from 20 reviews, but Rotten Tomatoes' score of 48%, taken from 40 reviews, is more reflective of what the critical reception was more at the time of the movie's release.
Captain America: Civil War (2016) - 75
Another movie in the vast MCU for Robert Downey Jr., Civil War effectively doubled as a third Captain America movie and a third Avengers movie, incorporating the wider cast of heroes within the universe.
It was a huge financial success, as had become the norm for the MCU at that point, and kickstarted Marvel Studios' Phase Three of movie productions, leading to multiple record-breaking successes.
Zodiac (2007) - 78
Downey Jr. starred as real-life journalist Paul Avery in this sprawling historical mystery thriller revolving around the activity of the Zodiac killer in the late 1960s and early 70s. He's part of a wide and impressive ensemble of actors, including fellow MCU stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo in the other leading roles.
Directed by the revered David Fincher, the movie shares its score on Metacritic with another epically long ensemble movie starring Downey Jr. and Ruffalo, though it was on the opposite end of the spectrum in regards to its box office take.
Avengers: Endgame (2019) - 78
Robert Downey Jr. delivered a satisfying ending to his run as Iron Man in the MCU with this blowout event movie that ended one era of the franchise while beginning another.
Avengers: Endgame not only broke box office records but also cemented the actor's iconic status as one of the biggest movie heroes of the previous decade, if not the biggest.
Iron Man (2008) - 79
The only out and out lead role on this list is, of course, for the movie that reinvigorated the actor's whole career. Iron Man was the first MCU movie and still holds a place of reverence within the massively successful franchise today.
Providing an origin story for the hero, a brilliant but selfish heir to a weapons manufacturing empire, the movie gave Robert Downey Jr. the opportunity to show his comedic chops to a wide moviegoing audience and the billions that the MCU has raked in since Iron Man's release speaks to their resonance with fans.
Short Cuts (1993) - 79
Robert Downey Jr. once again takes a small role in a wide and impressive ensemble but, then again, so does every member of the cast. Robert Altman's anthology movie chooses no real area of focus other than its setting in the city of Los Angeles as it adapts several stories from writer Raymond Carver.
Downey Jr. plays a somewhat worrying movie makeup artist who has his own plot thread as well as being part of another of the other various interconnecting stories. His borderline aggressiveness is, however, easily overshadowed by the behavior of other characters within the movie. Nevertheless, he remains a memorable part of one of the best movie ensembles ever assembled.
Good Night, and Good Luck (2005) - 80
In his highest-rated movie on Metacritic, Robert Downey Jr. stars as real-life journalist Joseph Wershba in this dramatization of Edward R. Murrow's clash with Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s.
Directed by George Clooney, who also co-starred and co-wrote the screenplay, Good Night, and Good Luck is a stylishly bold movie that earned several Oscar nominations for its look, like Art Direction and Cinematography, as well as a drama about brave ideas that earned other major nominations that year for Best Actor, Best Picture and both Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Clooney.
