All John C. Reilly Movies Ranked

For your health: Every John C. Reilly movie in one guide, ranked by Tomatometer, for the next time you want to see a guy go from serious, wrenching drama to broad, dumb comedy withouth breaking a curly-headed sweat.

Reilly made his film debut in Brian De Palma’s Vietnam War-set Casualties of War in 1989, and upon returning home, set up shop with blue-collar roles like playing lead pit boy in Days of Thunder or officers in both Dolores Claiborne and Boys. His collaborations with P.T. Anderson (Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Magnolia) gave him ’90s indie cred in a decade that worshipped it. And Reilly launched himself into a second career in the mid-2000s beneath the big Hollywood comedy tentpole, frequently opposite Will Ferrell: Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and Walk Hard. Of course, lest we forget: his Oscar-nominated performance in musical Chicago, fitting for someone who calls that city his hometown.

Ready for all John C. Reilly movies by Tomatometer? Check it out! —Alex Vo

#1

Boogie Nights (1997)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#1
Adjusted Score: 98933%
Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.
Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner... [More]

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 108476%
Critics Consensus: Guardians of the Galaxy is just as irreverent as fans of the frequently zany Marvel comic would expect -- as well as funny, thrilling, full of heart, and packed with visual splendor.
Synopsis: Brash space adventurer Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) finds himself the quarry of relentless bounty hunters after he steals an orb... [More]

#3

Stan & Ollie (2018)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#3
Adjusted Score: 105174%
Critics Consensus: Stan & Ollie pays tribute to a pair of beloved entertainers with an affectionate look behind the scenes -- and a moving look at the burdens and blessings of a creative bond.
Synopsis: Laurel and Hardy -- the world's greatest comedy team -- face an uncertain future as their golden era of Hollywood... [More]

#4
#4
Adjusted Score: 96140%
Critics Consensus: When Marnie Was There is still blessed with enough visual and narrative beauty to recommend, even if it isn't quite as magical as Studio Ghibli's greatest works.
Synopsis: A tomboy (Hailee Steinfeld) explores a long-abandoned villa and meets a mysterious blonde girl only she can see.... [More]

#5
#5
Adjusted Score: 94632%
Critics Consensus: It's sentimental and somewhat predictable, but those are small complaints, given the tender atmosphere and moving performances at the heart of What's Eating Gilbert Grape.
Synopsis: Gilbert Grape (Johnny Depp) is a small-town young man with a lot of responsibility. Chief among his concerns are his... [More]

#6
#6
Adjusted Score: 103160%
Critics Consensus: Ralph Breaks the Internet levels up on its predecessor with a funny, heartwarming sequel that expands its colorful universe while focusing on core characters and relationships.
Synopsis: Video game bad guy Ralph and fellow misfit Vanellope von Schweetz must risk it all by traveling to the World... [More]

#7

The Lobster (2015)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#7
Adjusted Score: 100114%
Critics Consensus: As strange as it is thrillingly ambitious, The Lobster is definitely an acquired taste -- but for viewers with the fortitude to crack through Yorgos Lanthimos' offbeat sensibilities, it should prove a savory cinematic treat.
Synopsis: In a dystopian society, single people must find a mate within 45 days or be transformed into an animal of... [More]

#8
#8
Adjusted Score: 98472%
Critics Consensus: The Sisters Brothers rides familiar genre trails in occasionally unexpected ways - a satisfying journey further elevated by its well-matched leading men.
Synopsis: It's 1851, and Charlie and Eli Sisters are both brothers and assassins, boys grown to men in a savage and... [More]

#9

Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#9
Adjusted Score: 95944%
Critics Consensus: Equally entertaining for both kids and parents old enough to catch the references, Wreck-It Ralph is a clever, colorful adventure built on familiar themes and joyful nostalgia.
Synopsis: Arcade-game character Wreck-It Ralph (John C. Reilly) is tired of always being the "bad guy" and losing to his "good... [More]

#10

Terri (2011)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#10
Adjusted Score: 90279%
Critics Consensus: Embodied with compelling sensitivity by newcomer Jacob Wysocki and supported by a wonderful John C. Reilly, Terri is an emotionally powerful character study.
Synopsis: Bullied and withdrawn, a large teen (Jacob Wysocki) finds a support system with other school misfits after a vice principal... [More]

#11

Chicago (2002)
Tomatometer icon 86%

#11
Adjusted Score: 95261%
Critics Consensus: A rousing and energetic adaptation of the Broadway musical, Chicago succeeds on the level of pure spectacle, but provides a surprising level of depth and humor as well.
Synopsis: Nightclub sensation Velma (Catherine Zeta-Jones) murders her philandering husband, and Chicago's slickest lawyer, Billy Flynn (Richard Gere), is set to... [More]

#12

The Aviator (2004)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#12
Adjusted Score: 94717%
Critics Consensus: With a rich sense of period detail, The Aviator succeeds thanks to typically assured direction from Martin Scorsese and a strong performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, who charts Howard Hughes' descent from eccentric billionaire to reclusive madman.
Synopsis: Billionaire and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a successful public figure: a director of big-budget Hollywood films such... [More]

#13

Cedar Rapids (2011)
Tomatometer icon 86%

#13
Adjusted Score: 92455%
Critics Consensus: It's as conventional as its Midwestern setting, but Cedar Rapids boasts a terrific cast and a script that deftly blends R-rated raunch and endearing sweetness.
Synopsis: Insurance agent Tim Lippe (Ed Helms) is sublimely naive: He has never stayed in a hotel, has never flown in... [More]

#14

Dolores Claiborne (1995)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#14
Adjusted Score: 88047%
Critics Consensus: Post-Misery Kathy Bates proves to be another wonderful conduit for Stephen King's novels in this patient, gradually terrifying thriller.
Synopsis: In a small New England town, Dolores Claiborne (Kathy Bates) works as a housekeeper for the rich but heartless Vera... [More]

#15

State of Grace (1990)
Tomatometer icon 85%

#15
Adjusted Score: 86446%
Critics Consensus: State of Grace brings an impressive ensemble cast to bear on its epic gangster saga, elevating a largely familiar story with outstanding performances.
Synopsis: Gone for a decade, Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) is welcomed back into the fold in his Irish-American neighborhood in New... [More]

#16

Magnolia (1999)
Tomatometer icon 82%

#16
Adjusted Score: 93402%
Critics Consensus: An eruption of feeling that's as overwhelming as it is overwrought, Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia reaches a fevered crescendo and sustains it thanks to its fearlessly committed ensemble.
Synopsis: On one random day in the San Fernando Valley, a dying father, a young wife, a male caretaker, a famous... [More]

#17

Tale of Tales (2015)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#17
Adjusted Score: 87489%
Critics Consensus: Visually splendid and narratively satisfying, Tale of Tales packs an off-kilter wallop for mature viewers in search of something different.
Synopsis: Three fairy tales revolve around a king (John C. Reilly) who must slay a sea monster, a giant flea and... [More]

#18

Casualties of War (1989)
Tomatometer icon 84%

#18
Adjusted Score: 87971%
Critics Consensus: Casualties of War takes a harrowing plunge into the Vietnam War with a well-acted ensemble piece that ranks among director Brian De Palma's more mature efforts.
Synopsis: Pvt. Max Eriksson (Michael J. Fox) is stationed in Vietnam under Sgt. Tony Meserve (Sean Penn). Though Meserve saves Eriksson's... [More]

#19

The Cowboys (2015)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#19
Adjusted Score: 84509%
Critics Consensus: Les Cowboys pays absorbing homage to John Ford's The Searchers while staking its own claim as a thoughtful and narratively distinctive modern Western.
Synopsis: A father searches for his missing daughter with his son.... [More]

#20

The Good Girl (2002)
Tomatometer icon 82%

#20
Adjusted Score: 87180%
Critics Consensus: A dark dramedy with exceptional performances from Jennifer Aniston and Jake Gyllenhaal, The Good Girl is a moving and astute look at the passions of two troubled souls in a small town.
Synopsis: Justine (Jennifer Aniston) is the good girl. Thirty years old and working in a Texas discount store, she is dissatisfied... [More]

#21

Entertainment (2015)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#21
Adjusted Score: 84823%
Critics Consensus: As brilliantly and uncomfortably confrontational as its protagonist, Entertainment is a boundary-blurring exercise in cinematic misanthropy that more than lives up to its title.
Synopsis: An abrasive stand-up comic (Gregg Turkington) hits the road to perform a series of shows at seedy venues.... [More]

#22
#22
Adjusted Score: 89063%
Critics Consensus: The final film by the great Robert Altman, A Prairie Home Companion, the big screen adaptation of Garrison Keillor's radio broadcast showcases plenty of the director's strengths: it's got a gigantic cast and plenty of quirky acting and dialogue.
Synopsis: A private investigator (Kevin Kline) keeps tabs on the proceedings as guests, cast and crew (Meryl Streep, Lindsay Lohan, Woody... [More]

#23

The Thin Red Line (1998)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#23
Adjusted Score: 86414%
Critics Consensus: The Thin Red Line is a daringly philosophical World War II film with an enormous cast of eager stars.
Synopsis: In 1942, Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) is a U.S. Army absconder living peacefully with the locals of a small South... [More]

#24

Hard Eight (1996)
Tomatometer icon 82%

#24
Adjusted Score: 85078%
Critics Consensus: An absorbing showcase for Philip Baker Hall, Paul Thomason Anderson's feature debut is a gamble that pays off handsomely.
Synopsis: A stranger (Philip Baker Hall) mentors a young Reno gambler (John C. Reilly) who weds a hooker (Gwyneth Paltrow) and... [More]

#25

Cyrus (2010)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#25
Adjusted Score: 86094%
Critics Consensus: While it may strike some viewers as slight, Cyrus is a successful hybrid of mainstream production values and the mumblecore ideals of directors Jay and Mark Duplass.
Synopsis: Seven years after his divorce, John (John C. Reilly) has given up hope that he will find love again. Then... [More]

#26

Georgia (1995)
Tomatometer icon 81%

#26
Adjusted Score: 82277%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Georgia Flood (Mare Winningham) is a well-to-do folk-singer with a stable family and a loving husband. Her younger sister, Sadie... [More]

#27

The Hours (2002)
Tomatometer icon 80%

#27
Adjusted Score: 86618%
Critics Consensus: The movie may be a downer, but it packs an emotional wallop. Some fine acting on display here.
Synopsis: "The Hours" is the story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different... [More]

#28

The Little Hours (2017)
Tomatometer icon 78%

#28
Adjusted Score: 84448%
Critics Consensus: The Little Hours gets plenty of goofy mileage out of its gifted ensemble, anchoring its ribald laughs in a period comedy with some surprisingly timely subtext.
Synopsis: Medieval nuns Alessandra, Fernanda, and Ginevra lead a simple life in their convent. Their days are spent chafing at monastic... [More]

#29

Kong: Skull Island (2017)
Tomatometer icon 75%

#29
Adjusted Score: 97165%
Critics Consensus: Offering exhilarating eye candy, solid acting, and a fast-paced story, Kong: Skull Island earns its spot in the movie monster's mythos without ever matching up to the classic original.
Synopsis: Scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific Ocean. Cut off from everything they... [More]

#30
#30
Adjusted Score: 83352%
Critics Consensus: We Need to Talk About Kevin is a masterful blend of drama and horror, with fantastic performances across the board (Tilda Swinton especially, delivering one of her very best).
Synopsis: Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and bohemian lifestyle to have a... [More]

#31
#31
Adjusted Score: 80329%
Critics Consensus: A parody that pokes fun at rock stars and reductive biopics alike, this comedy sings in large part because of stellar performances and clever original music.
Synopsis: Following a childhood tragedy, Dewey Cox (John C. Reilly) follows a long and winding road to music stardom. Dewey perseveres... [More]

#32

Gangs of New York (2002)
Tomatometer icon 73%

#32
Adjusted Score: 80357%
Critics Consensus: Though flawed, the sprawling, messy Gangs of New York is redeemed by impressive production design and Day-Lewis's electrifying performance.
Synopsis: Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a young Irish immigrant released from prison. He returns to the Five Points seeking revenge... [More]

#33

Sing (2016)
Tomatometer icon 71%

#33
Adjusted Score: 79667%
Critics Consensus: Sing delivers colorfully animated, cheerfully undemanding entertainment with a solid voice cast and a warm-hearted -- albeit familiar -- storyline that lives up to its title.
Synopsis: Dapper Koala Buster Moon presides over a once-grand theater that has fallen on hard times. An eternal optimist, and a... [More]

#34
#34
Adjusted Score: 78559%
Critics Consensus: Though it occasionally stalls, Talladega Nights' mix of satire, clever gags, and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner's circle.
Synopsis: NASCAR superstar Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) is at the top of his game; adored by fans, a trophy wife by... [More]

#35

Carnage (2011)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#35
Adjusted Score: 77823%
Critics Consensus: It isn't as compelling on the screen as it was on the stage, but Carnage makes up for its flaws with Polanski's smooth direction and assured performances from Winslet and Foster.
Synopsis: When some roughhousing between two 11-year-old boys named Zachary and Ethan erupts into real violence, Ethan loses two teeth. Zachary's... [More]

#36

Year of the Dog (2007)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#36
Adjusted Score: 75463%
Critics Consensus: Year of the Dog is a warm and quirky comedy that never condescends to its eccentric characters.
Synopsis: After her beloved beagle dies unexpectedly, an office worker named Peggy (Molly Shannon) looks for ways to fill the void... [More]

#37

Criminal (2004)
Tomatometer icon 69%

#37
Adjusted Score: 72662%
Critics Consensus: If you saw Nine Queens, it may feel redundant, but the snappy performances make it fun to watch.
Synopsis: Needing a new partner capable of intricate cons, Richard Gaddis (John C. Reilly), recruits Rodrigo (Diego Luna), a crook with... [More]

#38
#38
Adjusted Score: 64774%
Critics Consensus: This Party features a killer cast and many funny scenes, but the movie feels like nothing more than an excuse for the actors to emote.
Synopsis: In the next 24 hours, Joe (Alan Cumming) and Sally Therrian's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) roller-coaster marriage will go through an... [More]

#39

9 (2009)
Tomatometer icon 57%

#39
Adjusted Score: 64273%
Critics Consensus: Although its story is perhaps too familiar and less complex than some might wish, 9 is visually spectacular, and director Shane Acker's attention to detail succeeds in drawing viewers into the film's universe.
Synopsis: When 9 (Elijah Wood) springs to life, it finds itself in a post-apocalyptic world where humans no longer exist, and... [More]

#40

The River Wild (1994)
Tomatometer icon 63%

#40
Adjusted Score: 65328%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Fast-paced thriller in which a young family on a white-water rafting adventure in Montana are taken hostage by a pair... [More]

#41

Chicago Cab (1998)
Tomatometer icon 56%

#41
Adjusted Score: 35249%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A nameless Chicago cab driver (Paul Dillon) picks up more than 30 different passengers over the course of a typical... [More]

#42

Step Brothers (2008)
Tomatometer icon 55%

#42
Adjusted Score: 63204%
Critics Consensus: Step Brothers indulges in a cheerfully relentless immaturity that will quickly turn off viewers unamused by Ferrell and Reilly -- and delight those who find their antics hilarious.
Synopsis: Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) have one thing in common: they are both lazy, unemployed... [More]

#43

Never Been Kissed (1999)
Tomatometer icon 55%

#43
Adjusted Score: 59258%
Critics Consensus: Drew Barrymore's effervescent charm is almost enough to make you forgive this teen comedy's incredibly silly storyline.
Synopsis: Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore), a baby-faced junior copywriter at the Chicago Sun-Times, must pose as a student at her former... [More]

#44

The Promotion (2008)
Tomatometer icon 55%

#44
Adjusted Score: 57457%
Critics Consensus: With a workplace-related theme worthy of satire, The Promotion features some sharp witticisms but ultimately disappoints.
Synopsis: Doug Stauber (Seann William Scott) holds the post of assistant manager at a Chicago supermarket that plans to open an... [More]

#45
#45
Adjusted Score: 57722%
Critics Consensus: Tenacious D fans will find this movie hilarious; everybody else will see only a low-brow concept movie and a small assembly of jokes stretched past the 100-minute mark.
Synopsis: Musicians JB (Jack Black) and KG (Kyle Gass) begin a friendship that could lead to the formation of the greatest... [More]

#46

Hoffa (1992)
Tomatometer icon 52%

#46
Adjusted Score: 53471%
Critics Consensus: Jack Nicholson embodies Hoffa with malevolent relish, but a dearth of meaningful insight knocks this crime epic off the mark by a nose.
Synopsis: Dramatized biography of the infamous American union boss Jimmy Hoffa, following four decades of his life, from his rise as... [More]

#47

Dark Water (2005)
Tomatometer icon 47%

#47
Adjusted Score: 52415%
Critics Consensus: All the atmospherics in Dark Water can't make up for the lack of genuine scares.
Synopsis: Dahlia (Jennifer Connelly) wants to move away from her ex-husband, Kyle (Dougray Scott), and take her daughter, Ceci (Ariel Gade),... [More]

#48

The Perfect Storm (2000)
Tomatometer icon 46%

#48
Adjusted Score: 51302%
Critics Consensus: While the special effects are well done and quite impressive, this film suffers from any actual drama or characterization. The end result is a film that offers nifty eye-candy and nothing else.
Synopsis: Based on a true story, the film tells of the courageous men and women who risk their lives every working... [More]

#49

We're No Angels (1989)
Tomatometer icon 48%

#49
Adjusted Score: 49131%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Ned (Robert De Niro) and Jim (Sean Penn) are convicts who get their shot at freedom when they unexpectedly escape... [More]

#50
#50
Adjusted Score: 51486%
Critics Consensus: Baseball wins, romance loses.
Synopsis: Forty-year-old pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is practically a dinosaur by professional baseball standards, fast approaching the end of his... [More]

#51

Life After Beth (2014)
Tomatometer icon 45%

#51
Adjusted Score: 48986%
Critics Consensus: In spite of Aubrey Plaza's committed performance, Life After Beth remains a sketch-worthy idea that's been uncomfortably stretched to feature length.
Synopsis: A guy (Dane DeHaan) discovers that his girlfriend (Aubrey Plaza) has returned from the dead, but his joy turns to... [More]

#52

Anger Management (2003)
Tomatometer icon 42%

#52
Adjusted Score: 48632%
Critics Consensus: Thought not without its funny moments, Anger Management is ultimately stale and disappointingly one-note, especially considering its capable cast.
Synopsis: Dave Buznik (Adam Sandler) is usually a mild-mannered nonconfrontational guy. But after an altercation aboard an airplane, he is remanded... [More]

#53

The Extra Man (2010)
Tomatometer icon 42%

#53
Adjusted Score: 44278%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A flamboyant literature professor (Kevin Kline), who escorts rich old women on the side, teaches his cross-dressing roommate (Paul Dano)... [More]

#54
#54
Adjusted Score: 42216%
Critics Consensus: This overstuffed, scattershot vampire flick suffers from poor characterization and an unwieldy mix of scares and chuckles.
Synopsis: Darren (Chris Massoglia) is just like any other teenager, until the day he encounters the Cirque du Freak and a... [More]

#55

Days of Thunder (1990)
Tomatometer icon 38%

#55
Adjusted Score: 43210%
Critics Consensus: Days of Thunder has Tom Cruise and plenty of flash going for it, but they aren't enough to compensate for the stock plot, two-dimensional characters, and poorly written dialogue.
Synopsis: In the fast-paced world of NASCAR, a rivalry brews between rookie hotshot Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) and veteran racer Rowdy... [More]

#56

Boys (1996)
Tomatometer icon 15%

#56
Adjusted Score: 16161%
Critics Consensus: Winona Ryder's femme fatale proves to be a blank cipher in Boys, a mystery with an intriguing hook that quickly fizzles into teenage ennui.
Synopsis: Fed up with boarding school and frustrated with the way others have planned his life, John Baker Jr. (Lukas Haas)... [More]

#57

Holmes & Watson (2018)
Tomatometer icon 10%

#57
Adjusted Score: 13744%
Critics Consensus: The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of the adventures of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson than does Holmes and Watson.
Synopsis: Detective Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson join forces to investigate a mysterious murder at Buckingham Palace. It seems like... [More]

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