Top 5 – Ryan Reynolds Movies

Ryan Reynolds was once just a pretty face and six pack.  Now, he is one of the best leading men in Hollywood.  He can do comedy, action, romance, and even drama.  This weekend, Reynolds stars alongside Samuel L. Jackson in The Hitman’s Bodyguard, which is a very, very funny movie.  So in honor of that, here are my picks for the best Ryan Reynolds movies.

Remember, this list is based on movie quality and Reynolds’ performance.

5- VAN WILDER in VAN WILDER (Walt Becker, 2002)

Van Wilder is what Reynolds does best.  Playing an extremely popular college student going on his seventh year of school who meets a news reporter that makes him question his future post-college, Reynolds is at his finest.  Nobody can play a snarky douchebag quite like Reynolds.  Yet, there is also sweetness to Van Wilder that shows he is more than just a party boy.  He helps out kids who aren’t as cool as he is and his main goal is for everyone to have fun, regardless of social status.  The movie might be rude, crude, and kind of stupid, but it is hilarious and a great showcase for Reynolds.

4 – CHRIS BRANDER in JUST FRIENDS (Roger Kumble, 2005)

This is one of the funniest movies is Reynolds’ arsenal, if not the funniest.  Just Friends tells the story of a former high school dork turned attractive L.A. hotshot (Reynolds) who goes back to his hometown for the weekend during the holidays where old flings arise.  Anna Farris plays a diva pop star accompanying Reynolds on his trip and she is so funny that, if it weren’t for the fat suit and retainer Reynolds dons, she might have stolen the show.  This is a painfully true look at the dreaded friend-zone and also a solid romantic comedy.  Some of the humor is a little over the top, but this movie nearly brings me to tears every time I watch it.

3- CURTIS in MISSISSIPPI GRIND (2015, Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck)

This is probably the movie on this list you’ve never seen.  Mississippi Grind is a fascinating buddy road movie about a down on his luck gambler (a brilliant Ben Mendelsohn) who teams up with a charismatic poker player, Curtis (Reynolds), as they hit the road for gambling riches.  This is, for my money, the best performance of Reynolds’ career.  There are brief moments of comedy, but this is unlike anything Reynolds has done before.  This is his most rounded performance, as Curtis is kind of a mystery the whole movie and never shows his true colors, much like a poker player.  Reynolds and Mendelsohn are a dynamic team and the film has great scenes of gambling that aren’t seen in most movies today.  This is a complex character study that everyone should check out.

2- WILL HAYES in DEFINITELY, MAYBE (Adam Brooks, 2008)

Call me a sap if you’d like, but Definitely, Maybe is one of the best romantic comedies of the 21st century.  I loved every minute of this film, about a father (Reynolds) who has to explain to his daughter (Abigail Breslin) why he and her mother are getting a divorce as well as other past relationships.  This movie is incredibly charming and extremely sweet with a lot of funny moments.  Reynolds gives one of his more understated performances, but there are still plenty of flashes of the quick witted Reynolds we know and love.  His rapport with his leading ladies, Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, and Isla Fischer is spot on.  This is a smart, original, fresh, underrated romantic comedy that deserves more respect as a modern classic.

1 -WADE WILSON/DEADPOOL in DEADPOOL (Tim Miller, 2016)

This is the definition of a redemption performance.  Reynolds, who played Deadpool in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was universally panned by critics and fans, got a second chance to portray the comic book favorite and he knocks it out of the park.  The violent, foul-mouthed, hopeless-romantic is hilarious and badass.  You can’t help but love Reynolds’ quick one-liners and ability to make fun of everyone, including himself.  Even under the mask, Reynolds’ personality shines through, making Deadpool one of our most unique and coolest superheroes in a game-changing comic book film.  This is one of the best comic book performances of all-time and the best Ryan Reynolds movie.

What do you think of this list?  What are you favorite Ryan Reynolds movies?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter and Instagram, @kevflix, or on Facebook by searching Kevflix.