Ryan Reynolds is widely recognized for his roles in comedies and superhero films, especially the blend of both in the Deadpool franchise. However, his highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes? It’s a drama.
Ryan Reynolds' second-highest-rated film leans comedic but primarily operates as a drama, while his third spot belongs to a thriller. To find Deadpool, you’ll have to look down to the fourth position. Topping the list? Mississippi Grind, a drama that teamed Reynolds with Captain Marvel’s Ben Mendelsohn and was directed by Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden—the same duo behind Captain Marvel.
What Is Mississippi Grind About & Why Do Critics Consider It Reynolds’ Best?
Mississippi Grind tells the story of Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn), a gambling addict struggling with mounting debts. He crosses paths with Curtis (Ryan Reynolds), a charismatic younger gambler seemingly on a similar trajectory. After a night of heavy drinking and bad luck leaves Gerry nearly broke, his loan shark demands repayment. With Curtis about to leave town, Gerry devises a plan: the two embark on a road trip to Mississippi, stopping at various gambling spots en route to a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans.
They have a connection to the high-stakes New Orleans poker game—Curtis knows the host—but they still need $25,000 for the buy-in. Gerry sees Curtis as his good-luck charm, while Curtis assumes Gerry is just a gambling enthusiast rather than a full-blown addict. Both assumptions are eventually proven wrong.
By the end, one of the men undergoes meaningful personal growth, while the other remains largely unchanged. However, both leave the journey with an unexpected friendship. The film is a thoughtful exploration of its characters, elevated by outstanding performances from Reynolds and Mendelsohn, whose on-screen chemistry is magnetic.
While many excellent gambling films exist, what sets Mississippi Grind apart from movies like 21 or Maverick is its deep commitment to character study. In this way, it aligns more closely with Molly’s Game, The Hustler, or James Caan's The Gambler. Even more so, it serves as a perfect counterpart to Rounders. Like that ’90s classic, Mississippi Grind delves into the fragility and strength of human connections, alongside the destructive allure of addiction.
What Is Reynolds’ Top 10?
What joined Mississippi Grind towards the top of the cinematic heap? The silver and bronze medals are attached to fellow smaller films Adventureland and Buried, respectively. Deservedly so, as both of those movies are about as solid as Mississippi Grind and are equal displays of Reynolds’ oft-underutilized range.
As mentioned, fourth place is held by Deadpool with 85%, but Deadpool 2 isn’t far behind with 84%. Sixth went to the surprise critical and commercial hit Free Guy, while seventh place goes back to Deadpool for box office juggernaut Deadpool & Wolverine. The Croods: A New Age comes in eighth (Reynolds was also in the first film, at #11), ninth is the woefully underappreciated The Voices (which features what is arguably Reynolds’ best work to date), while the tenth spot went to the similarly underappreciated charmer Definitely, Maybe.
Another “Fresh” movie, though one that missed the Top 10, is Apple TV+’s holiday musical Spirited, which is a modern take on A Christmas Carol that actually manages to alter the formula of Charles Dickens’ frequently adapted source material. There’s also Detective Pikachu, which surprisingly hasn’t received a sequel yet, the Alien-like Life (a film that has already generated something of a cult following), and The Adam Project, from Free Guy and Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy.
What Are Reynolds’ Lowest-Rated Movies?
Out of 44 ranked movies, 26 have a “Rotten” score. The lowest rated is R.I.P.D., and justifiably so. Just above that is National Lampoon’s Van Wilder, though that film undoubtedly did quite a bit for Reynolds’ career.
There are a few other fan-favorites in there to go alongside Van Wilder, such as Waiting…, Criminal, Smokin’ Aces, Just Friends, and IF. Then there are the “Rotten” highlights that found some level of commercial success. These include the 2005 remake of The Amityville Horror, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Proposal, and Safe House.
As for the box office bombs, there is Green Lantern and 2011’s unpleasant comedy The Change-Up. In short, not every Reynolds movie is an out-and-out winner, but he’s a scene-stealer in just about all of them. And, while he’s funny, he’s also shown time and time again that he’s capable of much more when given the opportunity to do so.