George Clooney is much more than a handsome Hollywood face. He is a director and screenwriter, the man behind some of the tautest political dramas in recent history. Clooney's feature films combine satire, action, and classic cinematic character tropes to tell stories often based on true events.
To date, Clooney is credited with directing six films, many of which he also stars in. A seventh feature, The Midnight Sky, is forthcoming. In addition to films, Clooney has also worked behind the camera on television series. After all, the actor did get his start on the small screen, playing ER's Doug Ross.
Suburbicon (2017) - 5.7
Clooney directs this film, co-written with Grant Heslov and the kings of dark comedy, Joel and Ethan Coen. Matt Damon and Julianne Moore play a married couple living in an all-white subdivision in 1959, a subdivision whose residents don't deal with the arrival of a black family very well. This facet of the film is loosely inspired by similar attempts to integrate a neighborhood in suburban Pennsylvania in 1957.
Despite its talented cast, Suburbicon did not fare well critically or in theaters. Its overly complicated plot bites off more than it can chew. The film attempts to provide satire, commentary on systemic racism in America, and an entertaining whodunnit plotline, and does most unsuccessfully.
Leatherheads (2008) - 6.0
Clooney directs and stars in this historical drama about the early days of American football. Set in 1925, Leatherheads sees Clooney plays Jimmy "Dodge" Connelly, the coach of a failing professional football team. Connelly convinces Princeton University's star player, Carter "the Bullet" Rutherford (John Krasinski), to his crumbling Duluth Bulldogs.
Leatherheads received mixed reviews from critics, many of whom praised its game-playing scenes. The film fails when it tries to integrate romance and screwball comedy into the narrative. Renée Zellweger and Jonathan Price also star in the movie.
The Monuments Men (2014) - 6.1
Based on Robert M. Edsel and Bret Witter's book The Monuments Men: Allied Heroes, Nazi Thieves and the Greatest Treasure Hunt in History, The Monuments Men is an ensemble WWII drama about Allied troops in charge of saving invaluable artifacts and pieces of art from the Nazis' path of destruction.
Clooney directs and stars again here. He also co-wrote the screenplay with frequent collaborator Grant Heslov. In addition to Clooney, the misfit gang of art protectors includes Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Bob Balaban. While character development suffers due to the monumental nature of the film's subject matter, it is saved by its immersive settings and beautiful cinematography.
Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind (2002) - 7.0
George Clooney's directorial debut is a wild biopic based on the life of game show host Chuck Barris. Barris, known for shows like The Dating Game and later The Gong Show, claimed he was hired as a CIA assassin during the height of his career in the '60s.
Sam Rockwell gives a riveting performance as Barris in Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Charlie Kaufman's lively, thought-provoking script also adds to the movie's inventiveness. Drew Barrymore co-stars as Barris' long-time partner, Penny. Clooney and Julia Roberts play CIA operatives who may or may not be a figment of Barris' imagination.
Unscripted (2005) - 7.1
Unscripted is a short-lived HBO comedic drama about a trio of struggling actors in Hollywood. The title refers to the fact that much of the dialogue in the series is improvised. Bryan Greenberg, Krista Allen, and Jennifer Hall star as fictionalized versions of themselves. Frank Langella co-stars as acting teacher Goddard Fulton.
Clooney served as writer, director, and executive producer for Unscripted, which he co-developed with Grant Heslov and Steven Soderbergh. The series is known for its numerous celebrity cameos that aid in blurring the line between fact and fiction. These cameos include Brad Pitt, Meryl Strep, and Shia LaBeouf — just to name a few.
The Ides Of March (2011) - 7.1
Ryan Gosling plays the staffer, Stephen Morris, and Clooney co-stars as his boss, current Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris, who aspires to become president.
Clooney also serves as producer and co-writer for the film, which also features memorable performances from Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, and Jeffrey Wright.
Good Night, And Good Luck (2005) - 7.4
Set during Senator Joseph McCarthy's 1950s Red Scare, Good Night, and Good Luck tells the real-life story of veteran radio and television journalist Edward R. Murrow. David Strathairn plays Murrow, who was targeted by McCarthy after publicly deeming the senator's anti-Communist crusade a witch hunt.
This gorgeously filmed black-and-white feature is a testament to the power of media, especially as a vehicle to fight back against government wrongdoing. Good Night, and Good Luck was nominated for six Oscars, including one for Clooney as director. Clooney co-wrote the screenplay with Grant Heslov, and both act in the film alongside Robert Downey Jr., Patricia Clarkson, and Jeff Daniels.
Catch-22 (2019) - 7.8
Clooney's latest directorial venture is Hulu's adaptation of Joseph Heller's beloved WWII satirical novel, Girls, struggles to maintain his sanity while dealing with warfare, incompetent military officials, and endless bureaucracy.
Grant Heslov, Ellen Kuras, and Clooney each direct two episodes of Catch-22, which was developed and written by Luke Davies and David Michôd. Kyle Chandler co-stars.
