Russell Crowe: His 5 Best (& 5 Worst) Roles According To IMDb

Oscar winner Russell Crowe is an actor who brings so much intensity to every role he plays. He is an extremely captivating actor whose talent allowed him to become one of the most popular movie stars in Hollywood. He has been in award-winning prestige films, big blockbusters, and even some great overlooked films.

While there are plenty of films in Crowe’s filmography that resonated with fans, not all of them hit the mark. It seems like some of his earlier movies weren’t as well-received as his more famous work later in his career. Take a look at what the folks at IMDb consider Russell Crowe’s best and worst films.

10 Best: American Gangster (2007) – 7.8

Crowe has had a long and impressive collaborating career with director Ridley Scott, and American Gangster is one of their best projects together. It tells the real-life story of Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington), who became one of the biggest drug lords in American history during the 1970s.

Crowe plays an honest detective looking to take Lucas down while surrounded by corruption. He and Washington are exceptional in the movie which feels like a throwback to the gritty crime dramas of the 1970s. American Gangster is a brutal and compelling look at a key figure in American crime.

9 Worst: The Man with the Iron Fists (2012) – 5.4

RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan made his directorial debut in a film that embraced his love of old kung fu movies. He stars as a blacksmith in a small Chinese village that is invaded by various deadly figures all in search of a fabled treasure.

Crowe gets a scenery-chewing role as a rogue British soldier looking for the treasure. However, the over-the-top story and action didn’t seem to impress audiences very much. Despite its potential, The Man with the Iron Fists was largely ignored.

8 Best: Cinderella Man (2005) – 8.0

Crowe dramatically changed his appearance and got into boxing shape for the role of Jim Braddock in the inspiring sports drama, Cinderella Man. This is another true story about how Braddock became a symbol of hope during the Great Depression when he rose from poverty to become the boxing champion of the world.

It’s not hard to see why audiences fell in love with this film. It is the kind of a heart-wrenching tale of an underdog that people seem very drawn to. Crowe gives a great performance as the reserved yet determined hero.

7 Worst: The Mummy (2017) – 5.4

The infamous Dark Universe was meant to kick off with The Mummy, the summer blockbuster which reintroduced this classic Universal monster to modern audiences. Tom Cruise plays a soldier who comes across the tomb of the mummy and accidentally resurrects the terrifying creature.

Crowe has a supporting role in the film as Dr. Jekyll, which was meant to further set up the planned shared universe of monsters. However, the film was a complete mess in terms of its story and even Cruise failed to bring any spark to the adventure.

6 Best: L.A. Confidential (1997) – 8.2

Australian Crowe really started to get noticed by American audiences when he starred in this period crime drama. L.A. Confidential tells the story of three very different Los Angeles detectives who find themselves investigating a conspiracy of corruption.

Crowe was sensational in the star-making role as Bud White, a violent cop who will resort to any means to get bad men off the streets. L.A. Confidential is a stylish and thrilling crime film that feels like a spiritual successor to the classic noir Chinatown.

5 Worst: Love in Limbo (1993) – 5.3

It’s rare to see Crowe taking on a comedic role and maybe this early film Love in Limbo is one of the reasons why. Set in the 1950s, this Australian comedy follows Ken, a young teen who is kicked out of school and forced to join the workforce while trying to kick-start his romantic life.

Crowe has a supporting role as the uptight manager for Ken. The juvenile humor and lack of compelling characters overshadow the impressive 1950s aesthetic of the film.

4 Best: A Beautiful Mind (2001) – 8.2

Crowe seems drawn to real-life characters and he earned his second Oscar nomination for his harrowing performance in A Beautiful Mind. He plays John Nash, a brilliant mathematician who is slowly succumbing to dementia. When he begins working as a code-breaker for the CIA, the lines between reality and his illness start to blur.

A Beautiful Mind takes liberties with Nash’s real-life story, but it does make for an emotionally affecting film. Crowe and co-star Jennifer Connolly both give excellent performances which help to make the film all the more touching.

3 Worst: No Way Back (1995) – 5.1

Before really breaking out in Hollywood, Crowe took a shot at an action hero role in No Way Back. He plays Zack Grant, an FBI agent whose quest for revenge for his fallen partner takes him to Japan to take on the Yakuza. But when his son’s life is threatened, Zack needs to operate outside the law.

The movie barely got any attention when it was released, and for good reason. It is a mix of bland action with a ridiculously convoluted plot. Crowe tries his best, but this thing is a mess from top to bottom.

2 Best: Gladiator (2000) – 8.5

In his first film with Ridley Scott, Crowe became a Hollywood star and won an Oscar. Gladiator stars Crowe as a Roman general who is betrayed by the new Emperor. He finds himself captured as a slave and forced to fight in the gladiator games.

The movie is an epic adventure film with great action sequences and a rousing story. It is also elevated by the performances from Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix in a truly unsettling villain role that helped make him a star.

1 Worst: Breaking Up (1997) – 4.9

Just before he became a big deal in Hollywood, Crowe teamed with Salma Hayek for the romantic comedy Breaking Up. They play a passionate couple who can’t seem to decide if they want to break up or stay together forever.

Despite the talents of the two leads, audiences didn’t find anything very special about this film. It seemed to aspire to be a character-driven relationship story but the writing wasn’t good enough to become invested in the relationship.

About The Author

Colin McCormick
(2027 Articles Published)

Colin McCormick is a Senior Writer with Screen Rant and has been a proud member of the team since 2019. In addition to his work as Screen Rant, Colin is also a writer of News, Feature and Review pieces at Game Rant. Colin has had a long passion and obsession with movies going back to the first time he saw The Lion King in theaters. Along with movies, Colin stays up-to-date on the latest must-see TV shows. While he loves to find interesting projects in any kind of genre, he has a special movie of crime stories that are infused with a little dark humor much like the work of his favorite author, Elmore Leonard.

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