Since his start in the early 90s, Ryan Reynolds has been in a wide variety of things. After going the sitcom route, Reynolds’s debut in National Lampoon’s Van Wilder established him as good looking and ridiculous in a good way. In the years that would follow, and in the search for his definitive role—which it turns out is Deadpool—Reynolds has jumped from genre to genre. He’s starred in rom-coms like The Proposal (overrated) and action flicks like Green Lantern and R.I.P.D—all of which are ridiculous, and not in a good way. But then there are the films that play to his strengths. With the release of Free Guy, let’s rank Reynolds’ ridiculously good movies.
Cover Photo: 20th Century Studios
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There can only be one: Ryan Reynolds Trolls Queen Elizabeth on Twitter After She Too Starts Own Gin Line
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Ryan Reynolds
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12. The Hitman's Something Bodyguard
There are only two reasons to watch the movie’s where a bodyguard protects either a hitman or his wife: Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a brilliant pairing and, while they deserved a better script (especially the second time around), their talent and chemistry are enough to rank this franchise.
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11. The Voices (2014)
Before wowing critics as the Merc with the Mouth, Ryan Reynolds received raves review for his performance as a schizophrenic, Jerry, who is constantly torn between his dog (who represents his conscience) and his cat (who represents his inner sociopath)—animals Reynolds also voices in the film. The Voices is an perfect example of how suited Reynolds is for dark comedy.
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10. Definitely, Maybe (2008)
Part mystery, part rom-com, part Ryan Reynolds vehicle, Definitely, Maybe is a less frustrating version of How I Met Your Mother. Reynolds plays Will, who tells his daughter, Maya (Abigail Breslin) the story of his three great loves, one of which is her mom. It's clever, heartwarming, and arguably the last good romantic comedy of its era.
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9. Life (2017)
In Life, Ryan Reynolds, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rebecca Ferguson play astronauts who discover the first evidence of extraterrestrial life on Mars. Unfortunately for them, they’re in an Alien rip-off that sees them go up against a rapidly evolving and very deadly life-form. Cookie-cutter plot aside, the acting in this film is top-notch, and it looks pretty cool too.
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8. Just Friends (2005)
Unless you’re a balding jock still living the dream, Ryan Reynolds’ Just Friends probably struck a chord with you. The film follows a very plump Reynolds as Chris, who loves his high-school best friend, Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart)—the ultimate girl next door. Unfortunately, Jamie friend zones Chris. Hard. Fortunately, all one has to do to win the love of their life is move to LA, lose a bunch of weight, come back, and never forget to Bump All-4-One’s “I Swear.”
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7. Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
Ryan Reynolds voices the titular detective as Ryan Reynolds. In what is essentially a PG Deadpool, Detective Pikachu appeals to long-time fans of the gotta catch 'em all IP and newbies alike; opening the door for sequels that will probably never happen.
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6. Adventureland (2006)
Ryan Reynolds plays the maintenance man who cheats on his wife with Kristen Stewart’s Em in Adventureland. The film follows recent college grad James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) who takes a job at a local amusement park to pay for a trip aboard. Although it expects it to be a miserable experience, he ends up falling for Em and having the best summer ever. Although Reynolds has a smaller role here, Superbad director Greg Mottola’s dramedy is worth a watch for everyone involved.
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5. The Croods Franchise
Both The Croods and its sequel are visually stunning. In them, Reynolds voices Guy (which is coincidentally the same name as his character in Free Guy), an evolved caveman who advises the titular Croods about the destruction of the world. Animation aside, The Croods’ true beauty lies in its message of adapting to an ever-evolving society.
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4. Buried (2010)
Buried sees Ryan Reynolds play a truck driver in Iraq who, after falling victim to a band of insurgents, wakes up in a coffin with only a lighter and a dying cell phone. The entire film takes place in that coffin and is as thrilling as anything with multiple locations—all thanks to Reynolds. Arguably his best performance.
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3. Mississippi Grind (2015)
Mississippi Grind sees Ryan Reynolds play the good-luck-charm of a gambling addict (Ben Mendelsohn) dead-set on participating in a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans. Not only is the film Reynolds's most overlooked buddy film but it’s one of the greatest gambling films of all time. Criminally underrated.
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2. Free Guy (2021)
Ryan Reynolds plays the titular “Guy” in Free Guy, an NPC who discovers he’s living in a video called Free City—which is basically Fortnite/GTA online. When the game’s publisher decides to shut it down, Guy teams up with the coder who conceived him to save Free City. On top of being a lot of fun, Free Guy incorporates a slew of pop culture references, cameos (including the late Alex Trebek), and Easter Eggs. It’s easily one of Reynolds's best films and bodes well for his future with Disney. Go see it.
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1. Deadpool (s)
Deadpool is Ryan Reynolds's role of a lifetime. The franchise’s irreverence is a perfect match for that actor who often writes his own lines. The fourth-wall-breaking, R-rated comic book movies have been Reynolds’s labor of love for a long time. The Merc With a Mouth proves Reynolds as an inimitable force in Hollywood.
