10 Best Robert Downey Jr. Performances
Really, how can one not enjoy pretty much anything Robert Downey, Jr. does? The good, the bad and even the ugly of Downey’s roller coaster of a career is great fun. When I first saw the trailer for the upcoming The Avengers, and therefore first saw the amount of cool guy swagger Downey Jr. has, I instantly thought that the actor needs to be in every trailer made – even if he is not in the movies themselves. He just brings an enormous amount of charm and charisma to everything he is attached to – even to his arrests and mugshots. But we are here not to speak of the more sordid moments in the man’s past, but the highlights of his acting career which incidentally began at the age of five when the actor played a puppy in Pound, a film directed by his father.
Before going on, I would like to mention some runners-up. I liked Downey in films like Chances Are, Soapdish, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, 1969 and In Dreams, but overall these films were quite mediocre and have been left off the list. There are also three films from the actor’s oeuvre – Fur, The Singing Detective and Home For the Holidays – which I have not seen, and therefore cannot judge one way or the other, so for now they stay off the list.
I would also like to mention his role on TV’s Ally McBeal, for he was one of the highlights of that show for the two seasons he appeared. We should probably just skip over his one season run on SNL since it was one of the low points of the show. Anyway, on with the show…..
10. Terry Crabtree in ‘Wonder Boys’
Sure, lead Michael Douglas runs away with this movie (why he did not win a second Oscar, or even get nominated, I will never know) and it is memorable for giving Dylan his Oscar, but the supporting staff is a knock out as well, and the best knock out of them all is our intrepid Mr. Downey, playing the typical Robert Downey, Jr. kind of role. In other words, Downey being Downey – and that is a fun thing to watch indeed.
9. Bill Bush in ‘Short Cuts’
Another film with Downey being Downey. Here he plays a man who gets all hot and bothered by sadist sexual acts. Now I am not saying this is necessarily what Downey himself is into (though it may be, who knows) but he does give the rather repugnant character a strange sense of charm that makes him stand out in a very crowded ensemble piece by Altman.
8. Jack Jericho in ‘The Pick-Up Artist’
Released way back in 1987, when Downey was just 21 (and I was 19), this teen comedy about a smooth-talking rogue, played by you-know-who, and the girl who tames him by beating him at his own game (the ever popular Molly Ringwald), may not be a great film, or possibly even a good film, but with Downey in the role of the barely legal roué, it sure is a fun picture – and especially so for the barely legal me at the time I first saw it.
7. Kirk Lazarus in ‘Tropic Thunder’
“What do you mean you people!?” ” What do YOU mean you people!!?” I am not all that much of a Ben Stiller fan, so I was not expecting much out of this film, but I ended up being more than pleasantly surprised by the outcome – and the best part of that pleasant surprise was Downey as a method actor who turns himself into a black man for a role. The film highlights Downey great talent for snide comedy.
6. Julian Wells in ‘Less Than Zero’
Based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel, this film, the dark antithesis to The Pick-Up Artist out at the same time, helped Downey become a star. Granted, he would not become a superstar until later, but his performance here, as a self-entitled, drug-addicted member of the decadent wealth culture of L.A. is the actor’s first truly great role – and he blows it out of the water.
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27 Comments
Ooh excellent list. I love me some RDJesus! He’s all sorts of awesome. Also, I really need to watch Chaplin.
Oh, I love him in Wonder Boys. He stole every scene he was in. And although I was less than impressed with Less Than Zero, Downey completely blew me away. (Perhaps it was because he was living his life like Julian at that time.)
You forgot Good Night, and Good Luck in which he had a small but pivotal role. I’d probably place that somewhere near Wonder Boys or maybe Zodiac. Another role that never really gets any love is his performance in Two Girls and a Guy. I know most (if not some) of this movie was improv which really let him shine as a performer plus show off some pretty decent vocal chops. The movie may have not been all that great but, for me, he was pretty good.
I did not forget Good Night and Good Luck, I just liked these performances more. And I have not seen Two Girls and a Guy, so I of course could not include that one.
Any list that puts Wayne Gale is a YES!!!
I love that character. Hey, where’s the Harry Lockhart character from “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. It’s Downey making a return to form with that character.
Seconded. That’s the character I was going to mention.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is one of those Downey films I have not seen, so of course I could not rightfully include it.
Kevyn, you should check it out. I think you’d love it. Its my favorite Robert Downey Jr. movie.
Agreed about kiss, kiss, bang, bang. I was expecting that to top the list. How can it be a list of his best films if you haven’t seen them all?
Wayne Gale is by far his #1! Natural Born Killers is a misunderstood masterpiece of drugs, violence and American TV news culture!
I was hoping to see ‘Less Than Zero’ on here, it’s one of the earlier films I saw him in and he just blew me away. Such a tragic film and a tragic character. I do like him as Tony Stark amongst his lighter roles.
Wonderful list, Kevyn. Can’t disagree much with it, with the grand exception for KISS KISS BANG BANG, which helped in RD’s career resurrection and showcased writer Shane Black’s directorial debut. It may be a genre piece but I continue to believe it’s under appreciated. That said, so glad to see Zodiac, Iron Man, his Sherlock Holmes, Less Than Zero, Tropic Thunder, and his Chaplin. Many forget he was deservedly Oscar nominated for his work in those last two. Wonder Boys also offered a deft performance. I haven’t seen his work in The Singing Detective either, partly because I know it hits too close to home for me. But one day, for sure because he’s an actor that continues to draw me in whatever he does. BTW, his small role in A Scanner Darkly shouldn’t be shortchanged. It’s another genre film where he provided his well-known touch with a character. Well done.
So pleased to see both Less Than Zero and The Pick Up Artist making the list. I have seen a number of other similar lists recently and a lot of them have dismissed his work in the 80s. Less Than Zero was a great film, with an outstanding performance by RDJ, you really feel the helplessness that Julian feels, especially when he gets trapped into a vicious cycle by James Spader. Considering the direction his personal life was about to take, it was stand out performance.
My main memory of The Pick Up Artist was his phone call to Molly Ringwald whilst in the shower! Whilst the film has many flaws you really feel the connection that RDJ has for Molly and I defy anyone not to be rooting for them by the end.
Cheers, Will.
Glad to see his Zodiac role so high. That’s one of my favorite performances of his.
I haven’t seen much of the film. But I loved loved loved Fincher’s Zodiac. Tropic Thunder was funny as hell and his presence sure elevates the quality of the film. I am very ashamed to say that I’ve never seen Chaplin since I am a big fan of Charlie Chaplin.
Once again Mr.Knox you’ve done an amazing job here!
Great list, though I’d add his work in little seen “Fur”.
When I saw the headline of the list, my first thought was Chaplin. It’s great to see it as #1. He also does an excellent job in Zodiac, so that would probably be my #2. Excellent list!
Spot on, and in order, too. Very well considered.
Kevyn,
I would like to nominate “A Scanner Darkly” to the list. Yes, it’s animated (rotoscoped over an actual performance), and his chemistry with Woody Harrelson is outstanding in the film.
And yes, you must see “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”. it’s not only necessary that you see it, it’s obligatory!!
Great choice for number one! This just shows I have a lot of great performances from RDJ to catch up on! Kiss Kiss Bang Bang would definitely be very high on this list for me. That’s the film where I went ‘he’s back and better than ever!’
Just thought I’d chime in and say that you should watch “Fur”…it was a better film than I thought it would be.
I agree with the placement of “Chaplin”. And I really like that “The Pick-Up Artist” was #8. Not many I know are aware of that movie. Not the greatest film but he did a great job in it.
Is the writer of this piece supposed to be an expert. It automatically gets discredited for leaving out Restoration and Two Girls and a Guy. Really? Really? Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes??? Too bad. This could have been a fun list.
I do not know if I am an expert or not (40 years of film watching, thousands of films seen in that time, and hundreds of published reviews over the last ten year period and a regular contributor to several online and paper publications, including a regular film column and an upcoming book on cinema history) but I do know that his performances as Holmes and Stark are better than his work in Restoration. As for Two Girls, it is one of (I think) seven RDJ performances I have not seen, sorry. But then this is all mere opinion, so expert or not, we shall agree to disagree I suppose.
I’ve loved RDJ since the beginning of his career. I watched Air America and Back to School, for Christ’s sake!
While I’ve enjoyed/loved all his performances, I HATED his Sherlock. Can’t stand the films or his take on the character.
I agree with most of your choices, but I would argue that you left out two of his best: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Home for the Holidays. While he doesn’t play the lead role in Home for the Holidays, or Zodiac, I would argue those are the best two films he’s been a part of, and he’s amazing in them (Good Night and Good Luck is also amazing, but he’s not in it that much). For the best RDJ leading role, I might go with Chaplin, Restoration or Iron Man. As you mentioned, he’s also incredibly charming in Heart and Souls.
Lastly, I will say that his work on Ally McBeal was amazing. So much so, that he made the show watchable for me. I can’t stand AM’s other seasons, but RDJ brought so much game to that show’s 4th season, that he made everyone ELSE in the cast seem better when they played opposite him.
This list makes me painfully aware that I really need to do a back catalogue of his films and watch more.
I was a big fan of him in A Scanner Darkly. Weird film, good film, but he was brilliant in it.
i was hoping to see ONLY YOU with marissa tomei.
super love that movie!
You NEED to watch The Singing Detective. He’s scorching the paint off the walls as Dan Dark. Also Home For the Holidays. He’s obnoxious and adorable in that role, especially so when I listened to the directer commentary who said many of his lines where improvised and that the character evolved a lot during the filming of the movie due to him. I promise promise promise you won’t be disappointed.
His role of Dr. Kozak on The Shaggy Dog is also a favorite. I love how crazy/weird/evil he acted and loved him even more when I was watching the commentary and found out that 2 entire scenes and many of his ‘almost too dark for Disney’ lines where all improvised.
I love your list, I just request that you make it longer.
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