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- Ryan Reynolds has made his name in some big movies over the years, and he often plays a very similar role. He is the sarcastic protagonist, who often has a quip for every action he makes. He will return to his most beloved role (as far as IMDb voters are concerned) when he takes on the role of Deadpool again in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it is a good time to catch up on some of Reynolds best movies of his career.
Ryan Reynolds is one of the most interesting faces in Hollywood. The Canada native first made it big with the 2002 comedy National Lampoon's Van Wilder, after getting his start in a small-time TV series, Two Guys, a Girl, and a Pizza Place. But the fascinating thing about Ryan Reynolds is the incredibly consistent on-and-off-screen personality that he has. In almost every movie, interview, and social media interaction, Ryan Reynolds is Deadpool.
But, while Deadpool did blast him into superstardom, he has a relatively significant selection of movies under his belt. These are his best, according to IMDb ratings.
UPDATE: 2022/10/23 20:22 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS
Ryan Reynolds has made his name in some big movies over the years, and he often plays a very similar role. He is the sarcastic protagonist, who often has a quip for every action he makes. He will return to his most beloved role (as far as IMDb voters are concerned) when he takes on the role of Deadpool again in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it is a good time to catch up on some of Reynolds best movies of his career.
The Mississippi Grind (2015) - 6.4
Stream now on HBO Max
The Mississippi Grind is not the average gambling movie. When gambling addict Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) finds a new 'lucky charm' at the poker tables in the form of Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), he believes his luck is about to turn around. With glasses of Woodford in hand, the two begin to play their way from Iowa to New Orleans, with the goal of earning enough money to make the $25,000 buy-in at a massive New Orleans game.
The 2015 drama focuses intently on the people, providing an interesting commentary into the complexities of addiction, optimism, and human behavior.
Life (2017) - 6.6
Stream now on Tubi
Reynolds stars in the 2017 sci-fi/thriller Life across from Jake Gyllenhaal and Rebecca Ferguson as astronauts on the verge of making a significant discovery: life on Mars. This quickly turns into something far more terrifying than they had previously guessed, as the organism is far more intelligent than they could ever hope to be.
Reynolds plays his usual role here, as the nonchalant, quick-talking comedian of the crew. And in that at least, he succeeds. The movie as a whole is a little lackluster, though not for lack of trying, with part of its problem being its disappointing horror movie ending.
Safe House (2012) - 6.7
Stream now on TNT & TBS
In this 2012 thriller, Reynolds plays CIA agent Matt Weston with a thirst to prove himself, who was dropped at the relatively quiet South African post. When the rogue agent Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) is captured at the safe house for debriefing, he inadvertently leads a group of mercenaries right to them.
Weston and Frost escape with their lives, but the hunt is on - they need to find out who is trying to kill them before he succeeds. Relatively successful, though not exactly wildly popular, Washington and Reynolds are what really make this film shine.
The Adam Project (2022) - 6.7
Stream now on Netflix
The Adam Project was a Netflix original movie that brought together the man who played Deadpool with the actor who played Hulk. Reynolds played Adam Reed, a time traveler who goes back to team up with his 12-year-old self to save the world.
Mark Ruffalo plays his dad, who was the man who developed time travel. While a Netflix original, ended up as a huge favorite for fans on IMDb. The movie was a strong homage to classic Spielberg movies and allowed Reynolds to play a very different sort of hero.
Adventureland (2009) - 6.8
Stream now on Hoopla
From the same director behind the hilarious genius that was Superbad comes a sweeter, more romantic kind of comedy. Reynolds plays more of a background role in Adventureland, as the charming, fast-talking, 'cowboy' maintenance guy at the Adventureland amusement park.
The film follows Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart, two Adventureland workers, and their budding romance. Though it seems like it would be a pretty run-of-the-mill teen flick, Adventureland has surprising heart, making it one of Reynolds' more successful movies.
The Croods: A New Age (2020) - 6.9
Stream now on Hulu
The sequel to The Croods saw Ryan Reynolds return as Guy. He was the young man who wanted to find a brighter future than the one that consisted of nothing more than hunting and gathering. The second movie did open up more possibilities.
Guy was a much larger part of this movie, so Reynolds had a lot more to do. The movie had the Croods family finding another family, this one more aligned with Guy's worldview. It helped bring conflict into the newly formed clan.
The Hitman's Bodyguard (2017) - 6.9
Rent now on Apple TV & Prime Video
Samuel L. Jackson plays one of the world's greatest assassins in this flick, while Ryan Reynolds plays the head of one of the world's greatest protection agencies. The two men have spent years on opposite ends of a bullet; it is to Reynolds' immense irritation (and Jackson's amusement) that the agency is called upon to protect the captured assassin to ensure that he can testify.
Things quickly go awry as a group of mercenaries begins to hunt down Jackson. The two enemies are thrown together in a wild and bloody chase, becoming rather unlikely allies. It may not be Reynolds' best movie, but it is definitely enjoyable.
Buried (2010) - 7.0
Stream now on Roku
Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is not a soldier. He is nothing more than a civilian truck driver. But his route goes through Iraq. When his truck is captured by a band of insurgents, Conroy wakes up in a coffin with nothing but a lighter and a cell phone. He must battle his anxiety and attempt to break free, awaiting a rescue that could very well never come.
A film that is far more serious than the bulk of Reynolds' work, Buried is full of a grim sort of ambition that it delivers on masterfully.
Definitely, Maybe (2008) - 7.1
Stream now on Peacock+
Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is going through a divorce. In the middle of the divorce proceedings, his daughter asks him about life before marriage, leading Hayes to recount the stories of 3 different romances he had with 3 different women, though he alters their names so that she'll have to guess which one actually became his wife.
It is a pure and simple rom-com, a role that Reynolds had mastered well before he earned fame as the foul-mouthed mutant in Deadpool.
Free Guy (2021) - 7.1
Stream now on Disney+ and HBO Max
In 2021, Ryan Reynolds played a video game character in Free Guy. Not based on a real video game, Free Guy had Reynolds star as a non-playable character named Guy who realized he was in a video game. He then set out to become the hero, much to the chagrin of the game's developer.
Reynolds was great in the role, taking a wide-eyed innocence he doesn't usually possess in his other movies. By the end, he got a chance to play a second character, a more alpha version of himself.
