Paul Rudd: His Best And Worst Movies, Ranked (According To IMDb)
Paul Rudd is one of those actors who just seems impossible to dislike. He is an energetic, charming, and hilarious performer who has been entertaining audiences for many years despite never appearing to age at all. And while he is probably best known for his comedic roles, Rudd’s filmography is filled with various projects of all kinds.
As with all actors, not all of the movies Rudd has appeared in have been winners. Some are very forgettable while others are just plain bad. But his career also featured some highly acclaimed movies and the kind of crowd-pleasing adventures you can watch again and again. Explore the good and bad of Rudd’s career according to the IMDb ratings.
10 Best: The Cider House Rules (1999) 7.4
Before Rudd had established himself as one of the best comedic actors in Hollywood, he had a supporting role in this Oscar-winning period drama. The Cider House Rules tells the story of a young man who grew up in an orphanage and takes the opportunity to finally leave and see more of the world. Rudd and Charlize Theron play a married couple who the young man befriends.
It is a moving and beautifully looking movie based on an acclaimed novel. It also features a very talented cast including Tobey Maguire, Delroy Lindo, and Michael Caine in an Oscar-winning role.
9 Worst: The Château (2001) 5.2
Before Rudd and Romany Malco co-starred in the very funny and very successful The 40-Year-Old Virgin, they teamed up for this much less funny and successful indie comedy. In The Château, Rudd, and Malco play two brothers who go to France to claim a chateau they have inherited.
Rudd and Malco do have wonderful chemistry which is quite apparent and there might be some charm to the quiet and simple story. Sadly there is just not enough for audiences to grab on to in terms of a compelling narrative and some sharp writing.
8 Best: The Little Prince (2015) 7.7
Though not as well-known as some of the Pixar and Disney movies, The Little Prince is nonetheless one of the most engaging animated features of the last decade. It tells the story of a young girl who meets her old and friendly neighbor who introduces her to a world where anything is possible.
The movie is a stunning visual achievement with a mix of animation styles. It also features all all-star cast of voice actors, including Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, and Benicio Del Toro who all help to bring this magical story to life.
7 Worst: Over Her Dead Body (2008) 5.2
Rudd has starred in some very charming romantic-comedies over the years, but Over Her Dead Body didn’t connect with many audiences. Rudd plays a man trying to get over the death of his fiancé. When he meets a new girl, his fiancé’s ghost begins haunting her.
The sitcom premise didn’t impress too many people and even Rudd wasn’t charming enough to make it work. Instead of having fun with a darker rom-com premise, the movie just played it safe with a predictable story.
6 Best: Captain America: Civil War (2016) 7.8
After making his charming MCU debut in his solo adventure Ant-Man, Rudd got his first chance to play in the big leagues as he joined the stacked cast of Captain America: Civil War. The movie finds Steve Rogers and Tony Stark clashing on an issue that threatens to tear the Avengers apart.
With so many heroes popping up, this feels almost like an Avengers movie. However, it still manages to tell a compelling and emotional story while also having a lot of fun. Though a smaller role, Rudd is a standout in the movie’s epic airport battle sequence.
5 Worst: The Ten (2007) 5.0
The Ten is another brilliant idea with a ton of talented people involved that somehow got lost along the way. The comedy stars a whole host of famous faces in this collection of ten stories each inspired by one of the ten commandments.
There is a lot to be admired with the movie as it really embraces its own weirdness without reservation. But for many people, that weirdness did not translate into the big laughs they were hoping for.
4 Best: The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012) 8.0
Based on the popular teen novel, The Perks of Being a Wallflower stars Logan Lerman as a shy and introverted freshman at a new high school. He is taken out of his lonely life when a couple of seniors welcome him into their dysfunctional inner circle. Rudd has a supporting role as a caring teacher.
Fans of the novel were very satisfied that the movie managed to deliver a touching, heartfelt, and fun adaptation. The story is elevated by the young cast who do strong work, including Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.
3 Worst: Year One (2009) 4.9
Director Harold Ramis, the man responsible for Groundhog Day and Caddyshack, made this prehistoric set comedy which stars Michael Cera and Jack Black as a couple of cavemen who go on a great journey where they encounter various biblical figures. Rudd appears alongside David Cross as Cain and Abel.
Everything about this movie sounded so promising, so how did it end up being so painfully unfunny? The scene between Rudd and Cross is a perfect example as these two talented comedic actors in a perfect set up for hilarity fail to elicit any laughs.
2 Best: Avengers: Endgame (2019) 8.4
Rudd has the distinction of appearing in the biggest movie of all time as he joined some of the other remaining heroes for the epic finale Avengers: Endgame. As the ones left behind deal with the aftermath of defeat, Ant-Man returns with a plan that might set things right.
With the difficult task of concluding the Infinity Saga story and bidding farewell to some iconic characters, the movie somehow managed to deliver a satisfying, exciting, and emotional cinematic event.
1 Worst: Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995) 4.8
The original Halloween is known as a classic slasher movie that helped to popularize the genre. Since then, the franchise has had its ups and downs. Many fans consider Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers to be its lowest point.
Rudd made his film debut as a grown-up Tommy Doyle and thankfully his career would only go up from here. The movie is a messy, confusing, and dumb retooling of the franchise that has Michael Myers involved in a cult for some reason.
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