by Released : 2024-07-25
1. Adventureland (2009)
2009 was a big year for Ryan Reynolds after a series of flops he starred in The Proposal which grossed over 300 million dollars and portrayed Deadpool for the first time in X-men Origins Wolverine. However, overshadowed in 2009 was Ryan Reynolds best film of his career this time in a rare supporting role. Set in 1987 the film follows Jesse Eisenberg as he navigates his summer after college. Reynold plays the seemingly cool guitarist/ repair man at the carnival, but his character is also sinister. One of Reynold’s deeper performances where he gets to play against type. Unfortunately the film was a box office bomb and is largely forgotten in Reynolds filmography.
2. Harold and kumar go to White Castle (2004)
One of the best vulgar comedies of the 2000s and one of the better stoner films, Reynolds has a brief but fun cameo as an ode to his Van Wilder co-star. Most people remember Neil Patrick Harris' extended cameo, but Reynolds also gives a memorable turn in a short amount of screen time. The film went on to spawn a trilogy with talks of a fourth one still going on.
3. Mississippi Grind (2015)
Ryan Reynolds in an A24 movie?? Today, that would be a huge deal and seem very out of character for Reynolds. However, back in 2015 no one seemed to care. Right before the success of Deadpool and after the flops of Green Lantern and RIPD, Reynolds ' career was in trouble. He was no longer viewed as a leading man and started making a number of interesting small indie films. Mississippi Grind was one of the first A24 films back when the studio was unknown. The film had a 7 million dollar budget, but was given a limited theatrical release and only grossed less than 500,000$. Both Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn have excellent chemistry in this film. The best movie about gambling addiction since Calfornia Split Hopefully Reynolds does another A24 film soon now that he and the studio are at their peak popularity.
4. Dick (1999)
The film is a satire about the “Deep Throat” scandal that brought down the Nixon Administration. The film was released before the real identity of “Deep Throat” was known to the public. The film stars Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams which led to the two stars becoming close friends in real life. A hilarious witty satire of Nixon and the 1970s, the studio did not know how to market the film resulting in a box office flop. However, the film is also notable for being one of Ryan Ryenold’s first roles in a studio film and every scene he’s in he steals.
5. The Voices (2014)
After a few too many box office flops Reynold’s had a period from 2013-2016 where he made a number of direct to DVD indies, during this time some of his most weird and forgotten films came out. A mix of an American Physco and Summer of Sam, a smart dark comedy with Reynold’s given one of his best performances would be interesting to see him play a serial killer again.
6. Definitely maybe (2008)
Ryan Reynolds best known rom com is the proposal, but his best romance film is the underrated Definitely Maybe the film takes place in the early 90s and follows its characters up to the 2000s. This film represented a transition for Reynolds where he went from playing snarky characters to sincere one's. The film is similar to the plot of How I met your mother. Reynold’s has great chemistry with his young daughter in the film played by Abigail Brenson. It was a modest box office success making 55 million against a 30 million dollar budget.
7. Buried (2010)
Buried is a tense thriller with Ryan Reynolds as the only actor in the entire film. The whole film takes place in a coffin. The best performance of Ryan Reynolds career he manages to keep the audience enthralled for it’s entire 90 minute runtime even though the whole film is set in one small location. Reynold’s is able to make the audience hopeful and terrified at the same time a suspenseful thriller that is carried by Reynold’s brilliance.
8. Just Friends (2005)
This film is best known for Ryan Reynolds wearing a fat suit, but it is not just some cheesy 2000s comedy. In fact it’s a very sweet film with an important message of loving yourself for what’s on the inside not on the outside. Similar message to Shallow Hall, but in a more sincere way. Chris Klein and Anna Faris also give great supporting turns. The film was a box office success and is one of Reynold’s more beloved early films.
9. The Nines (2007)
In this film Reynold’s gives one of his most complex performances as he plays three different characters. An underrated Sci Fi film that makes fun of Reality Television. The film never found an audience due to being released straight to DVD. It also stars a young Melissa MCcarthy.
10. Finder’s Fee (2001)
A small pulpy little crime thriller this time with Reynolds rocking a beard to make him look older he would not don a beard again until the late 2010s for most of his films he is clean shaven. Reynolds and Matthew Lillard provide tense performances, but the film is boosted by the presence of legends like James Earl Jones and Robert Forrester.
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