George Clooney's Best Movies, Ranked by Metacritic
George Clooney at Berlin International Film Festival
Kurt Krieger/Corbis Entertainment/Getty ImagesHe's an actor, he's a director, he's a producer, he's known to deliver a heck of a prank — what more could you want? George Clooney has been breaking hearts since his days on The Facts of Life. Other series he has been apart of range from ER to Unscripted and Catch-22, but he has made an even bigger imprint on the film world.
The two-time Oscar winner has played astronauts, criminals, real-life Hollywood figures, family men, romantic leads, soldiers, literary figures, and even Batman over the course of his four-and-a-half decade long career thus far.
Beginning in 2002, he began pulling double duty as an actor and a director on Confessions of a Dangerous Mind. Since then, he has added half a dozen other films to his résumé on which he held both key positions. He also expanded even further behind-the-scenes by producing, and in 2006, he co-founded Smokehouse Pictures with Grant Heslov. This list of titles on which he worked as a producer is even longer, often helping bring to life vehicles for other performers, such as Showtime's On Becoming a God in Central Florida, which stars Kirsten Dunst.
His latest release, The Tender Bar, is another project he produced (and directed) but did not star in. Instead, Ben Affleck plays protagonist Charlie Maguire, a bartender who acts as a mentor to his nephew. Lily Rabe also stars. The next film Clooney will star in is Ticket to Paradise alongside Julia Roberts and Billie Lourd, and the next film he will direct is The Boys in the Boat.
But if you want to see him on-screen for now, there is a plethora of projects to choose from. To narrow down the selection, here, Metacritic highlights the top 10 films Clooney has acted in and/or directed, ranked by Metascore.
Gravity
Metascore: 96
Best for: Adventurers, Sandra Bullock fans
Where to watch:
Runtime: 91 minutes
This isn't your average feel-good space movie. What begins as a routine trip into space with a medical engineer and veteran astronaut (played by Bullock and Clooney, respectively) turns into a worst-case scenario. Much of the movie takes place after a disastrous space walk destroys their shuttle and leaves the characters hurtling through space. You'll get an adrenaline rush and then you may just shed a tear or two. The film won seven Oscars in 2014.
"A stunning space saga that takes off for new technical frontiers without leaving its humanity behind." — James Mottram, Total Film
Out of Sight
Metascore: 85
Best for: Steven Soderbergh fans and those who like complicated romances
Where to watch:
Runtime: 123 minutes
This Clooney vehicle from 1998 also stars Jennifer Lopez and is directed by Soderbergh in the first of what would become many collaborations between the two men. Clooney stars as a fugitive being tracked by U.S. Marshal (Lopez) as he and his friends seek out a collection of uncut diamonds. The fast-paced movie is great for anyone who likes cat-and-mouse stories.
"Two gorgeous leads and a good story are usually the best one can expect from a popular movie. Out of Sight has all that in Clooney and co-star Jennifer Lopez." — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
The Descendants
Metascore: 84
Best for: Fans of messy family drama
Where to watch:
Runtime: 115 minutes
Family is hard. This dramatic film from writer-director Alexander Payne stars Clooney in a more somber role than many of his other films. He plays a family man living in Hawaii who is thrown for a tragic loop when his wife ends up in a coma. In addition to making health and financial decisions for his family, he must come to terms with his wife's secrets and reconnect with his daughters, Alexandra (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller). The movie is a bit dark at times, but also has moments of levity.
"It's a precarious balance, but Payne blends wit and poignancy so artfully it feels like an exquisitely choreographed dance." — Claudia Puig, USA Today
Fantastic Mr. Fox
Metascore: 83
Best for: Families, farmers with a sense of humor
Where to watch:
Runtime: 87 minutes
This animated film in which Clooney voices Mr. Fox is good for all ages. In a family of Foxes, the the titular father becomes bored with an idyllic life. He retreats into old habits — specifically, chicken stealing — and plans a heist against local farmers. Ultimately, a community of furry animals end up trapped underground trying to ward off threats and angry farmers.
"The film is a marvel to behold — with wonderful shifts in perspective, an intensely tactile design, and an intentional herky-jerkiness of motion that only enriches the make-believe atmosphere." — Scott Foundas, Village Voice
Up in the Air
Metascore: 83
Best for: Romantics, travelers
Where to watch:
Runtime: 109 minutes
In this almost rom-com, Clooney plays a man who makes a living by traveling the country and firing people. He also happens to have a side gig as a motivational speaker. The movie follows him as he realizes his position may be obsolete thanks to teleconferencing, as well as through a complicated romantic entanglement. Moody and dramatic, this movie is a clever take on the bachelor trope.
"One of the year's best films and so tapped into the zeitgeist that it's positively scary." — Lou Lumenick, New York Post
Michael Clayton
Metascore: 82
Best for: Mystery readers, fans of Scandal
Where to watch:
Runtime: 119 minutes
If you like Olivia Pope from Scandal, check out Michael Clayton (Clooney). He is a fixer for a large corporate firm in NYC who begins to rethink his life. The movie follows the titular character as he is tasked with bringing one of the firm's own litigators back into the fold when he goes rogue. If you like twisty, turny, dramatic tales with a touch of espionage — this film will satisfy you.
"It's better than good; it's such a crackling and mature and accomplished movie that it just about restores your faith." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Three Kings
Metascore: 82
Best for: War movie buffs
Where to watch:
Runtime: 114 minutes
Clooney stars alongside Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube in this post-war flick about life as a soldier at the end of the Gulf War. A group of vets decides to go in search of a fabled cache of gold. What follows is an unexpected encounter with a group of Iraqis who need help fighting against members of Saddam Hussein's guard. The movie is an adrenaline journey that marks one of Clooney's best performances.
"Some kind of weird masterpiece...one of the best movies of the year." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Good Night, and Good Luck
Metascore: 80
Best for: Historians, nostalgic-movie lovers
Where to watch:
Runtime: 93 minutes
Clooney stars as a news producer in this biographical film about what happened when a CBS Newscaster went toe to toe with Senator Joseph McCarthy. As the paranoid senator began his fruitless investigation into communists in the U.S. government, Edward R. Murrow (David Strathairn) became dedicated to exposing McCarthy's corrupt practices. Anyone interested in a walk through one of the government's more bizarre scandals may enjoy this one.
"You go to Good Night, and Good Luck expecting inspiration, and you get it. It's also unexpectedly subtle, tense, and challenging." — Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun
The Thin Red Line
Metascore: 78
Best for: War historian buffs and those who love masterful battle scenes
Where to watch:
Runtime: 170 minutes
Based on the novel of the same title by James Jones, the movie follows World War II's Charlie Company during the Battle of Mount Austen in Guadalcanal. Starring Clooney, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, and many more, The Thin Red Line tells a thought-provoking story focused on the experiences and bonds of war, as well as the sacrifices that so many soldiers have faced while away from their families. In 1999, the film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Music, and Original Score.
"Misshapen but magnificent vision of a soulful quest — in the thick of misery and fear — for the meaning of our lives." — Tom Keough, Film.com
Syriana
Metascore: 76
Best for: Political thriller fans
Where to watch:
Runtime: 126 minutes
Written and directed by award-winning director Stephen Gaghan, Syriana is a politically-charged film that's focused on the global oil industry. Syriana has multiple storylines that capture the reality of natural resource corruption, including behind-the-scenes deals among Washington's most important political players and the people actually working on the Persian Gulf oil fields. This film marked a milestone in Clooney's acting career as he won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2006.
"What's so powerful about the film is the rich stories it tells and how it leads them like so many human tributaries to one black, bubbling source." — Desson Thomson, The Washington Post