Ryan Gosling is one of the magnetic actors Hollywood has blessed us with. He has acted in projects that allowed him to showcase everything that he has. Be it comedy, action, or romance, Gosling has proved that he is more than just a charming face. So, if you’re a fan or someone who wants to explore the movies he’s worked in, this article lists the 10 Best Ryan Gosling movies you need to watch.
10. The Gray Man
- Release Date: July 15, 2022
- Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Jessica Henwick, Regé-Jean Page, Wagner Moura, Julia Butters, Dhanush, Alfre Woodard, Billy Bob Thornton
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.5/46%
The Gray Man is an action-packed film that features an amazing cast. It follows Court Gentry, aka. Sierra Six, who is a highly skilled CIA agent. He is considered the best in the entire organization because he is good at tackling the deadliest mission that no one else can. However, when he comes across the darkest secret of his own organization, he becomes the target and is hunted by the ex-agent named Lloyd Hansen. The Gray Man is filled with car chases and top-tier action sequences.
Ryan Gosling is stunning as usual; he portrays the character, who is emotionally drained and has no one he can trust. So, he becomes this calm and composed hero, who appears a bit underdeveloped at the start of the film but emerges as one of the most developed as he moves further.
9. The Fall Guy
- Release Date: May 3, 2024
- Director: David Leitch
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.8/82%
The Fall Guy is a story of a stuntman named Colt Seavers, who takes an early retirement after getting badly injured a year before the main storyline. However, when he decides to help his ex-girlfriend with her directorial debut film, he gets dragged into some real-life action. He must fight all the bad guys and win his ex-girlfriend back.
The chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt is the heart and soul of the film. On the other hand, Gosling emerges as an absolute stunner who balances the action-hero element with the lighthearted and humorous ones naturally.
8. Barbie
- Release Date: July 21, 2023
- Director: Greta Gerwig
- Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 6.8/88%
Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film takes place in the beautiful, fictional world of Barbieland. We get to meet the stereotypical Barbie, portrayed by the glamorous Margot Robbie. The film also allows us to meet the various versions of the celebrated doll, its discontinued models, and, of course, the charming Kens. The lead Ken is portrayed by Ryan Gosling, who became a cultural phenomenon with his scene-stealing energy. They enjoyed their perfect life until the main Barbie started having weird experiences. For instance, her feet go flat, and she starts facing the problems that no Barbie ever did. So, accompanied by Ken, she travels to the real world and finds it scary and much more different than her perfect world.
Ryan Gosling as Ken was absolutely amazing. With his comedic timing and emotional vulnerability, the actor stole every scene in the film.
7. Fracture
- Release Date: April 20, 2007
- Director: Gregory Hoblit
- Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, David Strathairn, Rosamund Pike, Embeth Davidtz, Billy Burke
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.2 / 72%
Fracture is sort of an underrated movie, but trust me, this psychological crime thriller will catch you off guard with its incredible twists. Ryan Gosling takes on the role of Willy Beachum, a lawyer who has to prove a man guilty of murder. The man in question is Ted Crawford, portrayed by Anthony Hopkins, who kills his wife after finding out that she’s cheating.
This movie is basically a cat-and-mouse chase, where Willy uses every bit of his wit to prove Ted guilty of murder. Ryan’s portrayal of Will is so good that you’d want him to play this role in a full-fledged TV show, or maybe see the character appear in Suits.
6. Lars and the Real Girl
- Release Date: October 12, 2007
- Director: Craig Gillespie
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Kelli Garner, Patricia Clarkson
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.3/81%
We have seen Ryan playing an action hero or a stud, but in Lars and the Real Girl, the actor plays a lonely, shy man who can’t make any friends whatsoever. He takes on the character of Lars Lindstrom, an emotionally broken man who buys a life-like doll and introduces her as his girlfriend. It’s a heartbreaking tale where a man comes out of depression with the help of his loved ones.
Overall, Lars and the Real Girl is an incredible story that becomes even better with Ryan’s incredible portrayal of Lars. Seriously, the range this actor has is truly astounding, and this movie is a perfect example of his skills.
5. The Nice Guys
- Release Date: May 20, 2016
- Director: Shane Black
- Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Margaret Qualley, Keith David, Kim Basinger
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4/91%
The film takes place in 1977 in Los Angeles and revolves around Holland March, a clumsy private investigator, and Jackson Healy, an enforcer who doesn’t shy away from killing people to earn a living. When a girl named Amelia disappears mysteriously, the two of them form an unlikely alliance to fight against the odds that stop them from uncovering the truth.
In The Nice Guys, the banter between Healy and March rules the heart of the fandom. The chemistry between the main characters is no short of pure gold. The clever script doesn’t let the movie feel dull even for a minute.
4. Crazy, Stupid, Love
- Release Date: July 29, 2011
- Directors: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
- Cast: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Analeigh Tipton
- IMDb / Rotten Tomatoes: 7.4 / 79%
Crazy Stupid Love is yet another masterpiece that puts Ryan Gosling in a romantic setting. The actor plays the role of Jacob Palmer, who helps Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) get his love life sorted. However, things get rather tricky for Jacob when he falls for someone, which is rare for his character.
If you’re thinking of having a good time, then what could be better than the killer combo of Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling? Both actors are amazing in the film, but if you love Ryan being a total stud, this film is for you.
3. Drive
- Release Date: September 16, 2011
- Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac, Albert Brooks
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 7.8/93%
Drive is an exciting crime thriller that is considered one of the best movies Ryan Gosling has starred in. Gosling portrays the role of an unnamed Hollywood stuntman, who is known as ‘The Driver.’ He works as a stuntman in the morning and moonlights as a getaway driver for the criminals at the end of the day. However, his life takes an unexpected turn when he gets involved with his neighbour and her son.
In the film, Ryan Gosling doesn’t have too many dialogues as he is seen as a man of few words. He portrays someone whose action speaks more than words. So, Drive allowed him to show the world that he doesn’t need buckets of dialogue to show what he is capable of.
2. La La Land
- Release Date: December 9, 2016
- Director: Damien Chazelle
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8/91%
If you miss the golden age of Hollywood musicals, La La Land is definitely a must-watch. It revolves around Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a musician, who meet and fall in love. However, they also don’t give up on their individual dreams and ambitions. The film blesses us with a true love story rather than a fairy tale one. Besides the dazzling cinematography, the film is praised for its incredible soundtrack, particularly City of Stars.
Ryan Gosling plays the lead man and wins hearts with his energetic performance. It was his and Emma Stone’s on-screen chemistry that grabbed the attention of cinephiles. Also, for the uninitiated, Gosling learned to play piano to do justice to his role in the film.
1. Blade Runner 2049
- Release Date: July 15, 2022
- Director: Denis Villeneuve
- Cast: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto
- IMDb/Rotten Tomatoes: 8/88%
Taking place in 2049, the film follows a world where bioengineered humans, also known as replicants, exist. K, a bioengineered cop, holds the responsibility of killing the rogue replicants. When he discovers that bioengineered humans can reproduce, he is tasked to kill the child that came out of a replicant, to prevent the war that can happen if this knowledge is revealed to the humans.
Gosling again impresses the audience with his subtle yet enigmatic performance. He plays the role of someone who pretends to be emotionless, but deep inside, he has a bucket full of strong feelings. This film gives Ryan Gosling the opportunity to shine.
Alright, that’s it for the best Ryan Gosling movies. Of course, the actor has appeared in several movies, but these are surely some of the best ones that you should never, never miss out on.
