(Photo by Lucasfilm/ courtesy Everett Collection)
All Ewan McGregor Movies Ranked by Tomatometer
A lot of careers were launched with the release of Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting, star Ewan McGregor’s among them. Big career moves were clearly in play for him, but mega stardom would have to wait as McGregor used his post-Trainspotting boost to continue doing diverse and challenging work in the UK. Films like Little Voice, Velvet Goldmine, and The Pillow Book came out in this period.
But soon American blockbuster entertainment came knocking and, well, McGregor actually didn’t have to go anywhere to answer the call since Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace shot in England and Europe abroad. George Lucas cast McGregor as young Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his consistency in the role made him a steady highlight in a very inconsistent trilogy of prequel films.
Phantom Menace put a spotlight on his first post-Star Wars project, which unfortunately was the bewildering Ashley Judd mystery Eye of the Beholder, representing the lowest point of his career. McGregor bounced back quickly with Moulin Rouge! and Black Hawk Down, which are spectacles in very different ways.
By 2005, the Star Wars prequels were all released, freeing McGregor up to go on a long run of critical disappointments, like The Island, Angels & Demons, and Amelia. The 2010 political thriller The Ghost Writer represented something of a comeback for McGregor (and its director Roman Polanski), and he’s since added Beginners, Haywire, The Impossible, and T2 Trainspotting to his portfolio of Certified Fresh hits.
With his most recent movies Doctor Sleep and Birds of Prey out there in the universe, we’re looking back with all of Ewan McGregor’s movies ranked by Tomatometer!
#56
Adjusted Score: 11.628%
Critics Consensus: Improbable and muddled.
Synopsis: Part high-tech spy thriller and part psychological study, Eye of the Beholder was Ewan McGregor's first feature film following his...
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#55
Adjusted Score: 14.259%
Critics Consensus: Deception is a middling, predictable potboiler with mediocre dialogue and ludicrous plot twists.
Synopsis: "Are you free tonight?" A simple enough question, but how Jonathan McQuarry answers it will change his life forever. A...
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#54
Adjusted Score: 15.664%
Critics Consensus: Aggressively strange and willfully unfunny, the misguided Mortdecai sounds a frightfully low note in Johnny Depp's post-Pirates filmography.
Synopsis: Juggling some angry Russians, the British Mi5, his impossibly leggy wife and an international terrorist, debonair art dealer and part...
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#53
Adjusted Score: 18.451%
Critics Consensus: A solid performance from Michelle Williams isn't enough to save this well meaning, but disappointing, cliché ridden drama.
Synopsis: A woman wrestles with grief, betrayal and redemption in this psychological drama from director Sharon Maguire. One afternoon, a young...
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#52
Adjusted Score: 25.089%
Critics Consensus: Amelia takes the compelling raw materials of its subject's life and does little with them, conventionally ticking off Earhart's accomplishments without exploring the soul of the woman.
Synopsis: An extraordinary life of adventure, celebrity and continuing mystery comes to light in "Amelia," a vast, thrilling account of legendary...
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#51
Adjusted Score: 27.11%
Critics Consensus: American Pastoral finds debuting director Ewan McGregor's reach exceeding its grasp with a well-intentioned Philip Roth adaptation that retains the form, but little of the function, of its source material.
Synopsis: AMERICAN PASTORAL follows Seymour "Swede" Levov, a legendary high school athlete, who grows up to marry a former beauty queen...
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#50
Adjusted Score: 30.771%
Critics Consensus: A muddled brain-teaser, Stay has a solid cast and innovative visuals but little beneath the surface.
Synopsis: Marc Forster's psychological thriller Stay stars Ewan McGregor as Sam Foster, a psychologist who begins to feel his grip on...
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#49
Adjusted Score: 28.868%
Critics Consensus: Nightwatch loses much of what made its inspiration entertaining - and proves that when remaking a foreign film, hiring the original director is no guarantee of success.
Synopsis: Like The Vanishing (1988 and 1993), Nightwatch is an English-language version of a foreign-made film with the original director hired...
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#48
Adjusted Score: 30.177%
Critics Consensus: Rogue Trader tells its headline-grabbing true story too late to really have much of an impact - and too clumsily to take advantage of Ewan McGregor's game performance.
Synopsis: Ewan McGregor stars in this drama as Nick Leeson, the real-life stockbroker whose excess ambition and reckless investment strategies destroyed...
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#47
Adjusted Score: 32.159%
Critics Consensus: Zoe has some interesting ideas but never manages to get a satisfying grip on them, settling for slow-moving sci-fi that ultimately fails to engage.
Synopsis: Director Drake Doremus's science fiction romance envisions a Pygmalion-esque dynamic between a lonesome artificial-intelligence engineer/divorcee (Ewan McGregor) and Zoe (Léa...
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#46
Adjusted Score: 35.386%
Critics Consensus: Valiant has a good collection of voice talents, but the story is strictly by-the-numbers.
Synopsis: Inspired by the true-life story of carrier pigeons who were trained to carry vital information for the Allied forces across...
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#45
Adjusted Score: 36.691%
Critics Consensus: Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker is strictly children's fare, as it lacks originality, excitement, and believabiltity.
Synopsis: An outwardly ordinary teenager finds himself suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances upon discovering that his entire youth was part of...
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#44
Adjusted Score: 45.558%
Critics Consensus: Angels and Demons is a fast-paced thrill ride, and an improvement on the last Dan Brown adaptation, but the storyline too often wavers between implausible and ridiculous, and does not translate effectively to the big screen.
Synopsis: Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of...
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#43
Adjusted Score: 42.654%
Critics Consensus: A Life Less Ordinary has an intriguing cast and stylish work from director Danny Boyle, but they're not enough to overcome the story's fatally misjudged tonal mishmash.
Synopsis: The acclaimed Trainspotting trio (director Danny Boyle, producer Andrew Macdonald, scripter John Hodge) reunited for this update of '30s screwball...
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#42
Adjusted Score: 11.701%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A handful of couples discuss their romantic and erotic tribulations on a sunny afternoon in this romantic comedy drama. It's...
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#41
Adjusted Score: 46.772%
Critics Consensus: A clone of THX 1183, Coma, and Logan's Run, The Island is another loud and bombastic Michael Bay movie where explosions and chases matter more than characters, dialogue, or plot.
Synopsis: Blockbuster action director Michael Bay delivers a striking look at a strange world of the future in this sci-fi action...
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#40
Adjusted Score: 45.435%
Critics Consensus: Jane Got a Gun flounders between campy Western and hard-hitting revisionist take on the genre, leaving Natalie Portman's committed performance stranded in the dust.
Synopsis: Natalie Portman stars in this western concerning a woman who has to defend her home against a group of outlaws....
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#39
Adjusted Score: 27.36%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: World War II: What if Nazis seized London and all of England had to band together? When scarily campy Nazi...
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#38
Adjusted Score: 48.476%
Critics Consensus: Colin Farrell and Tom Wilkinson act up a storm in Cassandra's Dream, but Woody Allen's heavy-handed symbolism and foreshadowing drains the plot of all tension.
Synopsis: Two brothers with serious financial woes are approached by a third party to commit a crime, but things go bad...
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#37
Adjusted Score: 56.971%
Critics Consensus: Though The Men Who Stare at Goats is a mostly entertaining, farcical glimpse of men at war, some may find its satire and dark humor less than edgy.
Synopsis: Reporter Bob Wilton is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady, a shadowy figure who...
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#36
Adjusted Score: 59.962%
Critics Consensus: It's enthusiastically acted and reasonably fun, but Jack the Giant Slayer is also overwhelmed by digital effects and a bland, impersonal story.
Synopsis: "Jack the Giant Slayer" tells the story of an ancient war that is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens...
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#35
Adjusted Score: 62.871%
Critics Consensus: Burdened by exposition and populated with stock characters, The Phantom Menace gets the Star Wars prequels off to a bumpy -- albeit visually dazzling -- start.
Synopsis: In 1977, George Lucas released Star Wars, the ultimate sci-fi popcorn flick-turned-pop-culture myth machine. It quickly became the biggest money-making...
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#34
Adjusted Score: 58.637%
Critics Consensus: Perfect Sense has interesting ideas and charismatic stars, all of which add up to a viewing experience that's frustratingly less than the sum of its intriguing parts.
Synopsis: A hit at Sundance '11 and winner of the Ediburgh Film Festival's prize for Best New British Feature, the amazing...
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#33
Adjusted Score: 59.899%
Critics Consensus: Velvet Goldmine takes a visual and narrative approach befitting its larger-than-life subject, although it's still disappointingly less than the sum of its parts.
Synopsis: At the 1998 Cannes Film Festival, American independent director Todd Haynes (Safe) received the "Artistic Achievement" award for this re-creation...
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#32
Adjusted Score: 65.002%
Critics Consensus: Looks great, but Zellweger and McGregor have no chemistry together, and the self-satisfied, knowing tone grates.
Synopsis: A post-modern sex comedy set in the early 1960s centering upon a love affair between a best-selling advice author and...
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#31
Adjusted Score: 64.222%
Critics Consensus: Gritty, stylish, and smart, Son of a Gun serves up plenty of genre thrills while offering a refreshing change of pace for Ewan McGregor.
Synopsis: When JR (Brenton Thwaites) is sent to prison for a minor crime, he becomes the apprentice to Brendan Lynch (Ewan...
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#30
Adjusted Score: 27.128%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: The true story of the intense love affair between James Joyce and Nora Barnacle, the simple servant girl who became...
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#29
Adjusted Score: 70.002%
Critics Consensus: Robots delights on a visual level, but the story feels like it came off an assembly line.
Synopsis: A young genius wants his robots to make the world a better place. He falls in love with a very...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 72.449%
Critics Consensus: Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones benefits from an increased emphasis on thrilling action, although they're once again undercut by ponderous plot points and underdeveloped characters.
Synopsis: The second prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy takes place ten years after the events depicted in Star Wars:...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 74.789%
Critics Consensus: The sheer amount of acting going on in August: Osage County threatens to overwhelm, but when the actors involved are as talented as Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts, it's difficult to complain.
Synopsis: AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY tells the dark, hilarious and deeply touching story of the strong-willed women of the Weston family, whose...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 69.873%
Critics Consensus: The Pillow Book is undeniably sensual and visually ravishing, but the film's narrative lacks the hypnotic pull of its imagery.
Synopsis: The erotic exploits of a Japanese woman with an obsession for body writing provides the basis of this exotic, intellectually...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 70.935%
Critics Consensus: A charming biopic that maintains its sweetness even in sadder moments.
Synopsis: This biography of children's author Beatrix Potter explores how she overcame a domineering mother and the chauvinism of Victorian England...
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#24
Adjusted Score: 72.154%
Critics Consensus: Quirky and a little reserved, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is nonetheless a charming little romantic drama sold by some strong central performances.
Synopsis: When Britain's leading fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheikh's (Amr...
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#23
Adjusted Score: 71.753%
Critics Consensus: This black-humored thriller features characters who are more obnoxious than clever. During the second half, the movie descends into gratuitous violence.
Synopsis: In this black British comedy, set in modern Scotland, three odd people finally find a new roommate and must figure...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 75.424%
Critics Consensus: This fact-based romantic comedy has its flaws, but they're mostly overcome by its consistently sweet, funny tone and one of the best performances of Jim Carrey's career.
Synopsis: Bad Santa co-screenwriters Glenn Ficara and John Requa re-team for this fact-based black comedy starring Jim Carrey as a Texas...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 87.222%
Critics Consensus: With an enchanting cast, beautifully crafted songs, and a painterly eye for detail, Beauty and the Beast offers a faithful yet fresh retelling that honors its beloved source material.
Synopsis: Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" is a live-action re-telling of the studio's animated classic which refashions the classic characters from...
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#20
Adjusted Score: 77.012%
Critics Consensus: Our Kind of Traitor relies on solid writing and acting rather than action to deliver its spy-movie thrills -- and thankfully has the pedigree to pull it off on both fronts.
Synopsis: While on holiday in Marrakech, an ordinary English couple, Perry and Gail, befriend a flamboyant and charismatic Russian, Dima, who...
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#19
Adjusted Score: 80.643%
Critics Consensus: Miles Ahead is worth watching for Don Cheadle's strong work on both sides of the camera, even if this unconventional biopic doesn't quite capture its subject's timeless appeal.
Synopsis: MILES AHEAD is not just about the music. It's about what we all face at one time or another in...
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#18
Adjusted Score: 84.558%
Critics Consensus: Christopher Robin may not equal A.A. Milne's stories -- or their animated Disney adaptations -- but it should prove sweet enough for audiences seeking a little childhood magic.
Synopsis: In the heatwarming live action adventure "Disney's Christopher Robin," the young boy who loved embarking on adventures in the Hundred...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 81.343%
Critics Consensus: A charming father-and-son tale filled with typical Tim Burton flourishes, Big Fish is an impressive catch.
Synopsis: The story of a braggart and exaggerator, Edward Bloom, and his son, William, who--after a long estrangement--returns home only to...
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#16
Adjusted Score: 79.145%
Critics Consensus: Emma Thompson's second labor of love with the Nanny McPhee character actually improves on the first, delivering charming family fare with an excellent cast.
Synopsis: A struggling mother receives some much-needed assistance tending to the family farm and raising a group of spirited children while...
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#15
Adjusted Score: 81.666%
Critics Consensus: Though it's light on character development and cultural empathy, Black Hawk Down is a visceral, pulse-pounding portrait of war, elevated by Ridley Scott's superb technical skill.
Synopsis: A quickly forgotten chapter in United States military history is relived in this harrowing war drama from director Ridley Scott,...
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#14
Adjusted Score: 82.668%
Critics Consensus: A love-it-or-hate-it experience, Moulin Rouge is all style, all giddy, over-the-top spectacle. But it's also daring in its vision and wildly original.
Synopsis: The third film from pop-music-obsessed director Baz Luhrmann tweaks the conventions of the musical genre by mixing a period romance...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 78.049%
Critics Consensus: Last Days in the Desert offers enough stately grandeur and spiritual exploration to offset an occasionally ambiguous narrative.
Synopsis: This film follows Jesus in an imagined chapter from his forty days of fasting and praying in the desert. On...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 91.095%
Critics Consensus: Doctor Sleep forsakes the elemental terror of its predecessor for a more contemplative sequel that balances poignant themes against spine-tingling chills.
Synopsis: "Doctor Sleep" is the continuation of Danny Torrance's story 40 years after the terrifying events of Stephen King's The Shining....
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#11
Adjusted Score: 81.371%
Critics Consensus: Brassed Off combines inspiring drama with populist socioeconomics to create a film whose familiar outlines are filled in with genuine and surprisingly palpable emotion.
Synopsis: Set in Yorkshire, this socially conscious British comedy-drama centers on a small coal town and the famed brass band that...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 81.092%
Critics Consensus: Little Voice brings its award-winning source material to the screen in style, elevated by a commanding lead performance from Jane Horrocks.
Synopsis: Based on the Olivier Award-winning London play, LITTLE VOICE follows the story of a young girl who can only express...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 87.121%
Critics Consensus: MMA star and first-time actress Gina Carano displays ample action-movie chops in Haywire, a fast-paced thriller with a top-notch cast and outstanding direction from Steven Soderbergh.
Synopsis: This dynamic action-thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 90.542%
Critics Consensus: With Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, George Lucas brings his second Star Wars trilogy to a suitably thrilling and often poignant -- if still a bit uneven -- conclusion.
Synopsis: George Lucas draws the Star Wars film series to a close with this dark sci-fi adventure which sets the stage...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 98.765%
Critics Consensus: With a fresh perspective, some new friends, and loads of fast-paced action, Birds of Prey captures the colorfully anarchic spirit of Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn.
Synopsis: You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess? "Birds of Prey (And...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 88.414%
Critics Consensus: The screenplay isn't quite as powerful as the direction or the acting, but with such an astonishing real-life story at its center, The Impossible is never less than compelling.
Synopsis: Maria, Henry and their three sons begin their winter vacation in Thailand, looking forward to a few days in tropical...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 91.481%
Critics Consensus: T2 Trainspotting adds an intoxicating, emotionally resonant postscript to its classic predecessor, even without fully recapturing the original's fresh, subversive thrill.
Synopsis: First there was an opportunity......then there was a betrayal. Twenty years have gone by. Much has changed but just as...
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#4
Adjusted Score: 87.498%
Critics Consensus: Emma marks an auspicious debut for writer-director Douglas McGrath, making the most of its Jane Austen source material -- and a charming performance from Gwyneth Paltrow.
Synopsis: Based on a comic novel by 19th century author Jane Austen's , this medium-budget romance features charming, sprightly humor chronicles...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 90.116%
Critics Consensus: While it may lack the revelatory punch of Polanski's finest films, Ghost Writer benefits from stylish direction, a tense screenplay, and a strong central performance from Ewan McGregor.
Synopsis: When a successful British ghost writer, The Ghost, agrees to complete the memoirs of former British Prime Minister Adam Lang,...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 89.731%
Critics Consensus: Wearing its twee heart on its sleeve, Beginners explores the depths of modern, multi-generational romance with wit and depth.
Synopsis: Beginners imaginatively explores the hilarity, confusion, and surprises of love through the evolving consciousness of Oliver (Ewan McGregor). Oliver meets...
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#1
Adjusted Score: 95.718%
Critics Consensus: A brutal, often times funny, other times terrifying portrayal of drug addiction in Edinburgh. Not for the faint of heart, but well worth viewing as a realistic and entertaining reminder of the horrors of drug use.
Synopsis: Mark Renton (Ewan McGregor), a young man with few prospects and fewer ambitions, lives in economically depressed Edinburgh. Like most...
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