by Two-time Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. has experienced his fair share of highs and lows. Due in large part to the immensely popular “Avengers” series, in which he received tremendous praise for his portrayal of the wealthy superhero Tony Stark (also known as Iron Man), he has recently been in greater demand than ever. Now 21 best Robert Downey Jr. films, sorted from worst to best.
He made his acting debut in his father’s 1970 film “Pound” at the age of five. Robert Downey Jr. is the son of actor Elsie Downey and underground filmmaker Robert Downey Sr. In 1992, he was nominated for his first Oscar in the Best Actor category for his portrayal of Charles Chaplin in the film “Chaplin.” It took him 16 years to enter the Best Supporting Actor category for his portrayal of an Australian actor who underwent cosmetic surgery to portray an African-American platoon leader in “Tropic Thunder” (2008).
He received Golden Globe and BAFTA nods for both films and “Chaplin” also earned him a BAFTA for Best Actor. Furthermore, Downey Jr. received three awards from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association: Best Ensemble for “Short Cuts” (1993), Best TV Supporting Actor for “Ally McBeal” in 2001, and Best Comedy/Musical Actor for “Sherlock Holmes” (2009). In addition to winning a SAG Award, his work on “Ally McBeal” earned him an Emmy nomination for Best Comedy Supporting Actor.
21. Chances Are (1989)
Emilio Ardolino is the director. Perry and Randy Howze are the authors. including Mary Stuart Masterson, Ryan O’Neal, and Cybill Shepherd.
In Emilio Ardolino’s “Chances Are,” a dead D.A. is reincarnated as an aspiring reporter (Downey, Jr.), and unintentionally falls in love with his daughter (Mary Stuart Masterson) from his former incarnation. This is one of those high-concept romantic comedies that may easily spiral out of hand. After learning the truth, he tries to break off the engagement and start dating his widow (Cybill Shepherd), who rejects the desperate advances of her best friend (Ryan O’Neal). Fortunately, “Chances Are” is witty, engaging, and intelligent, making it a classic example of lighthearted entertainment.
20. 1995’s HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Jodie Foster is the director. W. D. Richter is the author. starring Charles Durning, Anne Bancroft, Holly Hunter, Steve Guttenberg, Geraldine Chaplin, Dylan McDermott, and Claire Danes.
The movie “Home for the Holidays” starring Jodie Foster will make you shiver and giggle if you’ve ever dreaded visiting Thanksgiving with your family. Claudia Larson, played by Holly Hunter, is a character who, after losing her job, must face the terrifying prospect of spending Thanksgiving at home. Downey, Jr. co-stars as Tommy, Claudia’s gay brother, who quarrels with Steve Guttenberg’s brother-in-law. Instead of establishing a one-dimensional cliché of Tommy, the movie creates a fully developed character who is about more than simply his sexuality. In fact, “Home for the Holidays” was up for Best Film at the GLAAD Media Awards.
19. 2003’s THE SINGING DETECTIVE
Keith Gordon is the director. Based on Dennis Potter’s BBC television series. starring Mel Gibson, Katie Holmes, Jeremy Northam, and Robin Wright Penn.
In Keith Gordon’s motion picture adaptation of Dennis Potter’s BBC series, Robert Downey Jr. displays his singing and dancing talents. He portrays Dan Dark, a writer with a terrible skin ailment who is confined to a hospital bed. As his body deteriorates, he lets his thoughts wander and creates a hybrid of noir films and Technicolour musical extravaganzas. Although Potter’s original eight-hour epic couldn’t be fully shown in the two-hour movie, Downey is a charming and sympathetic private eye, and the musical moments are breathtaking.
18. RETIREMENT (1995)
Michael Hoffman is the director. Rupert Walters wrote the text. including Meg Ryan, Sam Neill, David Thewlis, Polly Walker, Hugh Grant, and Ian McKellen.
In Michael Hoffman’s “Restoration,” Robert Downey Jr. portrays Robert Merivel, a 17th-century medical student, sporting a flowery wig and a puffy blouse. After saving the life of King Charles II’s (Sam Neill) favorite spaniel, Merivel lives a life of excess, only to be expelled after falling in love with one of the King’s favorite mistresses (Polly Walker). In the meantime, London is destroyed by the Great Fire and the Black Plague. The magnificent recreation of the grandeur of the royal court and the squalor of the London streets by Eugenio Zanetti’s production design and James Acheson’s costumes earned them both well-deserved Oscars.
17. SOAPDISH (from 1991)
Michael Hoffman is the director. Story by Robert Harling; writing by Andrew Bergman. including Carrie Fisher, Elisabeth Shue, Cathy Moriarty, Kevin Kline, Sally Field, and Garry Marshall.
Just a little bit more farcically, “Soapdish” did for soap operas what “Network” did for nightly news. The movie, which was directed by Michael Hoffman, blends the on- and off-screen drama of a daytime soap opera. Robert Downey Jr. portrays David Seton Barnes, a young producer who teams up with a competitive blonde bombshell (Cathy Moriarty) to undermine the show’s leading lady, Sally Field, to gain her a bigger part. There are complications, and the outcomes are hysterically funny. Kevin Kline was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as a previous star of the soap opera who returns after having his head chopped off.
16. A SCANNER DARKLY (2006)
Richard Linklater is the author and director. starring Rory Cochrane, Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson, and Keanu Reeves.
Robert Downey Jr. is known for being animated as a performer, therefore “A Scanner Darkly” by Richard Linklater is a fantastic fit for him. The movie, which is based on the Philip K. Dick novel, envisions a time in the future in which a substance called Substance D has taken over the country. Police detective Bob Arctor (Keanu Reeves) is assigned to infiltrate the drug’s underworld and becomes hooked to Substance D in the process. Bob Arctor is a member of a clandestine network of high-tech surveillance and undercover informants. James Barris, one of Arctor’s drug-addicted housemates, is portrayed by Robert Downey Jr. The film was digitally captured by Linklater, who then animated the cells with an interpolated rotoscope, creating an extremely surreal visual experience.
15. RICHARD III (1995)
a Richard Loncraine production. Based on William Shakespeare’s play, this novel was co-written by Ian McKellen and Loncraine. McKellen, Annette Bening, Jim Broadbent, Nigel Hawthorne, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, and John Wood are among the actors who appear in the film.
Richard Loncraine’s “Richard III” is one of the best Shakespearean adaptations of modern cinema. In an alternate past when fascism has taken over the nation, Loncraine sets the play in 1930s London. As the villainous hunchback who murders to get to the throne, Ian McKellen puts in one of his greatest performances. Lord Rivers, one of Richard III’s numerous victims, is portrayed by Downey, Jr. While the film’s Art Direction and Costumes got Oscar nominations, all of the performers were mysteriously left out (although McCKellen did compete at the Globes and BAFTA).
14. 2005’s GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK
George Clooney is the director. Clooney and Grant Heslov wrote the script. including Clooney, David Strathairn, Jeff Daniels, Patricia Clarkson, and Frank Langella.
Despite taking place more than 60 years ago, it’s difficult to avoid drawing comparisons between the events in George Clooney’s “Good Night, and Good Luck” and the current state of affairs. The movie follows the conflict between Senator Joe McCarthy and CBS newsman Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn). McCarthy used his position of authority to persecute Americans whom he believed to be Communists, regardless of whether they belonged to the demonized party. Downey, Jr. portrays Joseph Wershba, a CBS reporter who secretly weds Patricia Clarkson, a fellow employee. “Good Night, and Good Luck” is a testament to the value of a free press in the face of government deceit now more than ever. The movie was up for six Oscars, including Best Picture, and Downey, Jr. received a SAG nomination for Best Ensemble.
13. BOWFINGER (1999)
Frank Oz is the director. Steve Martin is the author. including Terence Stamp, Heather Graham, Eddie Murphy, Martin, and Christine Baranski.
In Frank Oz’s funny Hollywood farce, Robert Downey Jr. gives a brief but noteworthy performance. Even if it means filming the movie without the actor’s knowledge, Steve Martin, who authored the book and plays Bobby Bowfinger, will stop at nothing to get a B-grade sci-fi movie with the biggest star in the world (Eddie Murphy) produced. Bowfinger offers the script to Jerry Renfro, a strong studio executive, who is played by Robert Downey Jr. The fondness “Bowfinger” has for its La La Land dreamers in its cast is what sets it apart from other films. The movie is not nasty or mean-spirited; rather, it is a tender and heartfelt tribute to the passion that even the least skilled individuals possess. Oh, and it’s hilarious, too.
12. LESS THAN ZERO (1987)
Marek Kanievska is the director. Based on a book by Bret Easton Ellis, this writing was done by Harley Peyton. starring Michael Bowen, James Spader, Jami Gertz, and Andrew McCarthy.
In this terrifying adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’ best-selling book, Robert Downey Jr. rose to fame. The film, which was directed by Marek Kanievska, is about three wealthy best friends (Downey, Jr., Andrew McCarthy, and Jami Gertz) who part ways after finishing high school in Beverly Hills. When Clay (McCarthy) gets home from college, he discovers his ex-girlfriend (Gertz) living with his old friend Julian (Downey, Jr.), who is doing drugs and getting into trouble. Instead of lecturing, “Less Than Zero” illustrates the ugly realities of heroin addiction and the horrible toll it has not just on the user but also on their loved ones.
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11. The 2005 film KISS KISS, BANG BANG
Adapted from Brett Halliday’s “Bodies Are Where You Find Them” and written and directed by Shane Black. Val Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, and Corbin Bernsen are the stars.
One of those films, “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” by Shane Black, keeps revolving inside of itself until the plot becomes less important than how it was put together. Harry Lockhart, played by Robert Downey Jr. is a would-be actor who relocates from New York to Los Angeles and begins learning private eye techniques from Gay Perry, a gay investigator played by Val Kilmer. He runs into an old flame (Michelle Monaghan) at a party, which sets off a complicated narrative that would have Raymond Chandler scratching his head (the movie makes five references to Chandler’s works in the chapter headers). Fans will keep coming back to “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” to solve its numerous riddles since it is clever, stylish, and self-referential entertainment.
10. The year 2000’s WONDER BOYS
Curtis Hanson is the director. Adapted from the Michael Chabon book by Steve Kloves. starring Katie Holmes, Rip Torn, Frances McDormand, Tobey Maguire, and Michael Douglas.
The rhythms of university life are best captured in Curtis Hanson’s “Wonder Boys” than in any other movie. Grady Tripp is an English professor who struggles with issues from his students (Tobey Maguire and Katie Holmes), his mistress (Frances McDormand), and his publisher (Robert Downey Jr.), who has been waiting on his elusive second novel for seven years. Michael Douglas gives one of his best performances as Grady Tripp. Compared to films like “Back to School,” “Wonder Boys” is more genuine and honest, but no less wacky. For his original song “Things Have Changed,” Bob Dylan received an Oscar. The movie also competed for Best Adapted Screenplay (Steve Kloves) and Best Film Editing.
9. 2009’s SHERLOCK HOLMES
Guy Ritchie is the director. The Story by Lionel Wigram and Johnson, based on characters by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, was written by Michael Robert Johnson, Anthony Peckham, and Simon Kinberg. Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong, and Eddie Marsan are the stars.
The MCU is only one of Downey, Jr.’s franchise entertainment projects. In “Sherlock Holmes,” directed by Guy Ritchie, the renowned detective of Arthur Conan Doyle is brought to the big screen for a new generation of viewers. Let’s just say that this isn’t your father’s Sherlock Holmes; although he is highly intelligent, this man uses both his body and brain to solve riddles. The story revolves around the efforts of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson (Jude Law) to prevent Lord Blackwood (Mark Strong), a villain, from seizing control of London. The movie is an amazing feat of stunning spectacular effects and fast-paced action. The Golden Globe for Best Comedy/Musical Actor went to Robert Downey Jr. who also played the same character in the 2011 sequel “Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows.”
8. NATIVE BORN KILLERS (1994)
Oliver Stone is the director. Story by Quentin Tarantino; written by Richard Rutowski, Stone, and David Veloz. featuring Juliette Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Woody Harrelson, and Tom Sizemore.
Oliver Stone’s “Natural Born Killers” created quite a sensation when it was published in 1994. The plot of the movie, which is loosely inspired by a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino, centers on Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory Knox (Juliette Lewis), two severely broken individuals who fall in love and go on a murderous rampage across the nation. A sleazy tabloid host (Robert Downey Jr.) interviews Mickey while he is in jail, keeping the camera rolling even as a riot breaks out. Their case attracts media attention. “Natural Born Killers” isn’t for everyone because it features severe, almost comical violence and was shot in Stone’s signature rough, angular style. Nevertheless, the movie continues to be a potent critique of our obsession with bloodshed, particularly in this era of mass shootings.
7. SHORT CUTS (1993)
Robert Altman is the filmmaker. Adapted from Raymond Carver’s writings by Altman and Frank Barhydt. In this film, Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davidson, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Anne Archer, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Lili Taylor, Madeleine Stowe, Tim Robbins, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits, Frances McDormand, Peter Gallagher, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Jack Lemmon, Lyle Lovett, Buck Henry, and Huey Lewis are among the cast members
One of the twenty-two protagonists in Robert Altman’s intimate epic is Robert Downey Jr. The movie, which is based on the short story writings of Raymond Carver, looks at the lives of different people in Los Angeles who are dealing with work, love, and death. Downey, Jr. portrays Bill Bush, a cosmetics artist who spends time with his wife (Lili Taylor) in their neighbor’s flat. Altman skillfully emphasizes the chance aspect of life as the lives of this diverse bunch converge in surprising, humorous, and occasionally sad ways. Interestingly, despite taking home a special Golden Globe for Best Ensemble, none of the ensemble members received an Oscar nomination. The only nomination for the movie, Best Director, went to Altman, who ultimately lost to Steven Spielberg (“Schindler’s List”).
6. THE AVENGERS film franchise (2012, 2015, 2018, and 2019)
Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors under Joss Whedon. Based on “The Avengers” by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Joss Whedon, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely wrote the script. starring Tom Holland, Josh Brolin, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Don Cheadle, and Tom Hiddleston.
The cast of “The Avengers” films, a superhero mashup series that helped the Marvel Cinematic Universe live up to its name, is present. Downey, Jr. returns to the role of billionaire Tony Stark (also known as Iron Man), who teams up with Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), Spider-Man (Tom Holland), and other superheroes to Even though these heroes frequently part ways, they have repeatedly needed to work together to rescue the planet, as seen in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Avengers: End Game.”
5. The IRON MAN trilogies (2008, 2010, and 2013)
Shane Black and Jon Favreau are the directors. Based on characters created by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber, Don Heck, and Jack Kirby, the story was written by Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby, Art Marcum, Matt Holloway, Justin Theroux, Drew Pearce, and Shane Black. Starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Ben Kingsley, Guy Pearce, Jeff Bridges, Shaun Toub, and Terrence Howard.
With “Iron Man,” released ten years ago, Marvel Studios began its plan to rule the global film industry. And what a start it was. Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey Jr. is a quick-witted, arrogant billionaire engineer who creates a weaponized suit of armor after being imprisoned in an Afghan cave. After making his getaway, he turns his focus to the dark forces at home. The lighthearted, humorous, and engaging direction of Jon Favreau allows his star’s personality to show through the armor mask. The movie inspired other superhero movies and two direct sequels, “Iron Man 2” (2010) and “Iron Man 3” (2013), although the original is still regarded as one of the best superhero movies, in large part because of Robert Downey Jr.
4. ZODIAC (2007)
David Fincher is the director. Written by James Vanderbilt and based on Robert Graysmith’s “Zodiac” and “Zodiac Unmasked” novels. starring Dermot Mulroney, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Elias Koteas, Donal Logue, Mark Ruffalo, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Mark Ruffalo.
“Zodiac” by David Fincher is one of those exceptional films that skillfully balances two themes at once. On the one hand, it’s a newspaper drama about a cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and a reporter (Downey, Jr.) who become obsessed with the Zodiac Killer, a person who went on a killing spree in Northern California in the late 1960s/early 1970s, terrifying the region. On the other hand, a pair of San Francisco detectives (Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Edwards) are involved in a police procedural that centers on finding the murderer. A horrifying and compelling investigation of one of the most puzzling mysteries in recent history is made possible by the seamless coexistence of the two stories. When Paul Avery becomes a target of the Zodiac, his life falls apart, and Downey, Jr. provides one of his greatest performances as Paul Avery. It’s astonishing that “Zodiac” didn’t get even one Oscar nod. That is now unlawful.
3. TROPIC THUNDER (2008)
Ben Stiller is the filmmaker. Story by Stiller and Justin Theroux, with writing assistance from Etan Cohen and Stiller. Nick Nolte, Stiller, Jack Black, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Brandon T. Jackson, Bill Hader, and Jay Baruchel are the main actors.
Perhaps no film character has ever been as dangerous as Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr.) in “Tropic Thunder.” The movie, which was directed by Ben Stiller, is about a bunch of narcissistic actors who get trapped in the jungle while filming an exaggerated Vietnam War epic, including action hero Tugg Speedman (Stiller), five-time Oscar winner Lazarus, and crude comic Jeff Portnoy (Jack Black). Lazarus, an Australian actor with blonde hair and blue eyes, surgically darkens his complexion to play the African-American platoon leader in the movie. Lazarus is an extraordinary method actor who never breaks character and frequently thinks he is a black man. Lazarus is the kind of performance that could easily make you squirm, but Downey, Jr. turns it into a parody of ethnic stereotypes and movie star egotism with his deft direction. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor, but Heath Ledger from “The Dark Knight” won.
2. CHAPLIN (1992)
A Richard Attenborough-directed film. Story by Diana Hawkins, based on the works “My Autobiography” by Charles Chaplin and “Chaplin: His Life and Art” by David Robinson, was written by William Boyd, Bryan Forbes, and William Goldman. starring James Woods, Paul Rhys, Marisa Tomei, Nancy Travis, Kevin Dunn, Anthony Hopkins, Milla Jovovich, Moira Kelly, Kevin Kline, Diane Lane, and Penelope Ann Miller.
In Richard Attenborough’s autobiographical drama, Robert Downey Jr. portrays silent film star Charles Chaplin in a strangely striking way. He not only resembles Chaplin’s director and star roles in “The Gold Rush,” “City Lights,” “Modern Times,” and “The Great Dictator” (to name a few), but he also successfully captures the jovial spirit and sly charm that made Chaplin the most well-known actor in the world. As well as exploring his mentally ill mother (Geraldine Chaplin, portraying her own grandmother), his nomadic upbringing in music halls, and his unsuccessful relationships with too-young ladies, it also explores the deep source of grief that inspired his creativity. Robert Downey Jr. was nominated for an Oscar for “Scent of a Woman” and won the BAFTA for Best Actor. Al Pacino won the Oscar.
1. OPPENHEIMER (2023)
Christopher Nolan is the author and director. starring Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Kenneth Branagh.
After completing his role as Iron Man Tony Stark for Marvel, Downey significantly changed the course of his career with his shocking supporting turn in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed biopic “Oppenheimer.” For the majority of the three-hour film, Downey’s performance as Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Lewis Strauss blends in seamlessly with Nolan’s ensemble of A-List actors. However, in the film’s climactic Act 3, Downey assumes center stage as Strauss’ attempts to obtain a Cabinet position expose the bureaucrat as a master manipulator who would wreck another man’s career as retaliation for just a perceived slight. Downey offers an unbridled intensity to the part, a side of the actor we haven’t seen much of before but is certainly welcome.
Is Robert Downey Jr. the perfect Iron Man?
As Iron Man, Christopher Nolan calls it “one of the greatest casting decisions” in film history. Robert Downey Jr. being the focus of the MCU and being chosen to play Iron Man is praised by Christopher Nolan.
Who is a better actor Tom Cruise or RDJ?
Actor Tom Cruise is superior to Robert Downey Jr. His acting is far more original and relatable, which is the key factor. There is nothing to detract from RDJ; he is among the best actors of our day.
Is Robert Downey Jr. one of the best actors?
Robert Downey Jr., one of the most successful performers of his time, started acting when he was five years old and has since made appearances in more than 70 films.
