(Photo by Nicola Dove / © MGM / © Danjaq / Courtesy Everett Collection)

Jeffrey Wright Movies Ranked

We’re ranking all the movies of actor Jeffrey Wright, including his Basquiat major debut, blockbusters (The Batman, the Daniel Craig Bond films), and arthouse films (The French Dispatch, Only Lovers Left Alive). —Alex Vo

#1

Casino Royale (2006)
94%

#1

Critics Consensus: Casino Royale disposes of the silliness and gadgetry that plagued recent James Bond outings, and Daniel Craig delivers what fans and critics have been waiting for: a caustic, haunted, intense reinvention of 007.

Synopsis: After receiving a license to kill, British Secret Service agent James Bond (Daniel Craig) heads to Madagascar, where he uncovers [More]

Starring: Daniel Craig , Eva Green , Mads Mikkelsen , Judi Dench

Directed By: Martin Campbell

#2

Source Code (2011)
92%

#2

Critics Consensus: Finding the human story amidst the action, director Duncan Jones and charming Jake Gyllenhaal craft a smart, satisfying sci-fi thriller.

Synopsis: Helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is part of a top-secret military operation that enables him to experience the last [More]

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal , Michelle Monaghan , Vera Farmiga , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Duncan Jones

#3

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
90%

#3

Critics Consensus: Smart, smoothly directed, and enriched with a deeper exploration of the franchise's thought-provoking themes, Catching Fire proves a thoroughly compelling second installment in the Hunger Games series.

Synopsis: After arriving safely home from their unprecedented victory in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta [More]

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Francis Lawrence

#4

O.G. (2018)
89%

#4

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Louis Menkins is in the final weeks of his 24-year prison sentence. Though he doesn't talk about it, Louis' nervousness [More]

Starring: Jeffrey Wright , Theothus Carter , Boyd Holbrook , Yul Vazquez

Directed By: Madeleine Rotzler

#5

Broken Flowers (2005)
87%

#5

Critics Consensus: Bill Murray's subtle and understated style complements director Jim Jarmusch's minimalist storytelling in this quirky, but deadpan comedy.

Synopsis: When his latest girlfriend (Julie Delpy) leaves him, retired computer magnate Don Johnston (Bill Murray) has no greater ambition than [More]

Starring: Bill Murray , Jeffrey Wright , Sharon Stone , Frances Conroy

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

#6

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
86%

#6

Critics Consensus: Worth watching for Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton's performances alone, Only Lovers Left Alive finds writer-director Jim Jarmusch adding a typically offbeat entry to the vampire genre.

Synopsis: Artistic, sophisticated and centuries old, two vampire lovers (Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston) ponder their ultimate place in modern society. [More]

Starring: Tilda Swinton , Tom Hiddleston , Anton Yelchin , Mia Wasikowska

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

#7

Moynihan (2018)
88%

#7

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A biographical portrait of Daniel Patrick Moynihan, a seminal public intellectual and sociologist, policy specialist, ambassador and long-serving senator. [More]

Starring: Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Joseph Dorman , Toby Perl Freilich

#8

The Batman (2022)
85%

#8

Critics Consensus: A grim, gritty, and gripping super-noir, The Batman ranks among the Dark Knight's bleakest -- and most thrillingly ambitious -- live-action outings.

Synopsis: Batman ventures into Gotham City's underworld when a sadistic killer leaves behind a trail of cryptic clues. As the scale [More]

Starring: Robert Pattinson , Zoë Kravitz , Jeffrey Wright , Colin Farrell

Directed By: Matt Reeves

#9

The Ides of March (2011)
84%

#9

Critics Consensus: While not exactly exposing revelatory truths, The Ides of March is a supremely well-acted drama that moves at a measured, confident clip.

Synopsis: As Ohio's Democratic primary nears, charming Gov. Mike Morris (George Clooney) seems a shoo-in for the nomination over his opponent, [More]

Starring: Ryan Gosling , George Clooney , Philip Seymour Hoffman , Paul Giamatti

Directed By: George Clooney

#10

The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete (2013)
84%

#10

Critics Consensus: The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete uses its compelling streetwise setting -- and powerful performances from its young leads -- to offer a refreshing twist on the coming-of-age formula.

Synopsis: The sons (Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon) of two drug-addled hookers must fend for themselves after one's mother goes missing and [More]

Starring: Skylan Brooks , Ethan Dizon , Jennifer Hudson , Anthony Mackie

Directed By: George Tillman Jr.

#11

No Time to Die (2021)
83%

#11

Critics Consensus: It isn't the sleekest or most daring 007 adventure, but No Time to Die concludes Daniel Craig's franchise tenure in satisfying style.

Synopsis: In No Time To Die, Bond has left active service and is enjoying a tranquil life in Jamaica. His peace [More]

Starring: Daniel Craig , Rami Malek , Léa Seydoux , Lashana Lynch

Directed By: Cary Joji Fukunaga

#12

Confirmation (2016)
84%

#12

Critics Consensus: Stellar performances and gripping subject matter help Confirmation overcome production values that occasionally feel as dated as the infamous real-life case it covers.

Synopsis: Nominated to the Supreme Court in 1991, Judge Clarence Thomas (Wendell Pierce) must testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee after [More]

Starring: Kerry Washington , Wendell Pierce , Greg Kinnear , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Rick Famuyiwa

#13

Chicago 10 (2007)
80%

#13

Critics Consensus: Brett Morgan's half-animated, half-documentary film is an arresting, sometimes visionary portrait of the historic and chaotic trial.

Synopsis: Deftly combining contemporary commentary with archival materials and animated reenactments, "Chicago 10" examines the demonstrations at the 1968 Democratic Convention [More]

Starring: Hank Azaria , Dylan Baker , Nick Nolte , Mark Ruffalo

Directed By: Brett Morgen

#14

The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
79%

#14

Critics Consensus: While not the classic its predecessor is, this update is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance.

Synopsis: Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) finds himself having terrible nightmares. [More]

Starring: Denzel Washington , Meryl Streep , Liev Schreiber , Jon Voight

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

#15

The Good Dinosaur (2015)
76%

#15

Critics Consensus: The Good Dinosaur delivers thrillingly beautiful animation in service of a worthy story that, even if it doesn't quite live up to the lofty standards set by Pixar, still adds up to charming, family-friendly entertainment.

Synopsis: Luckily for young Arlo, his parents (Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand) and his two siblings, the mighty dinosaurs were not wiped [More]

Starring: Jeffrey Wright , Frances McDormand , Maleah Nipay-Padilla , Ryan Teeple

Directed By: Peter Sohn

#16

The French Dispatch (2021)
75%

#16

Critics Consensus: A loving ode to the spirit of journalism, The French Dispatch will be most enjoyed by fans of Wes Anderson's meticulously arranged aesthetic.

Synopsis: THE FRENCH DISPATCH brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in [More]

Starring: Benicio del Toro , Adrien Brody , Tilda Swinton , Léa Seydoux

Directed By: Wes Anderson

#17

Lackawanna Blues (2005)
75%

#17

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In the 1950s and '60s, young Ruben Santiago Jr. (Marcus Franklin) lives in a lively boardinghouse in the blue-collar town [More]

Starring: S. Epatha Merkerson , Marcus Carl Franklin , Yasiin Bey , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: George C. Wolfe

#18

Syriana (2005)
72%

#18

Critics Consensus: Ambitious, complicated, intellectual, and demanding of its audience, Syriana is both a gripping geopolitical thriller and wake-up call to the complacent.

Synopsis: The Middle Eastern oil industry is the backdrop of this tense drama, which weaves together numerous story lines. Bennett Holiday [More]

Starring: George Clooney , Matt Damon , Jeffrey Wright , Amanda Peet

Directed By: Stephen Gaghan

#19

Hold the Dark (2018)
69%

#19

Critics Consensus: Hold the Dark's unsettling aesthetic offers more of what filmgoers expect from director Jeremy Saulnier - and is often enough to prop up shaky narrative underpinnings.

Synopsis: Summoned to a remote Alaskan village to search for the wolves that killed three children, a wolf expert soon finds [More]

Starring: Jeffrey Wright , Alexander Skarsgård , James Badge Dale , Riley Keough

Directed By: Jeremy Saulnier

#20

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (2014)
70%

#20

Critics Consensus: The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 sets up the franchise finale with a penultimate chapter loaded with solid performances and smart political subtext, though it comes up short on the action front.

Synopsis: Following her rescue from the devastating Quarter Quell, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) awakes in the complex beneath the supposedly destroyed District [More]

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Francis Lawrence

#21

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 2 (2015)
70%

#21

Critics Consensus: With the unflinchingly grim Mockingjay Part 2, The Hunger Games comes to an exciting, poignant, and overall satisfying conclusion.

Synopsis: Realizing the stakes are no longer just for survival, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) teams up with her closest friends, including [More]

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence , Josh Hutcherson , Liam Hemsworth , Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Francis Lawrence

#22

Ali (2001)
69%

#22

Critics Consensus: Though perhaps no film could fully do justice to the fascinating life and personality of Muhammad Ali, Mann's direction and Smith's performance combine to pack a solid punch.

Synopsis: With wit and athletic genius, with defiant rage and inner grace, Muhammad Ali forever changed the American landscape. Fighting all [More]

Starring: Will Smith , Jamie Foxx , Jon Voight , Mario Van Peebles

Directed By: Michael Mann

#23

Monster (2018)
68%

#23

Critics Consensus: Monster would have benefited from a less heavy-handed approach, but Kelvin Harrison Jr.'s performance gives this timely drama emotional heft.

Synopsis: Monster tells the story of Steve Harmon (Kelvin Harrison, Jr.) a seventeen-year-old honor student whose world comes crashing down around [More]

Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr. , Jennifer Hudson , Jeffrey Wright , Jennifer Ehle

Directed By: Anthony Mandler

#24

Basquiat (1996)
69%

#24

Critics Consensus: With affected strokes, Basquiat paints an expressionist portrait of a misfit artist, masterfully rendered by a riveting Jeffrey Wright.

Synopsis: Despite living a life of extreme poverty in Brooklyn, graffiti artist Jean-Michel Basquiat (Jeffrey Wright) strives to rise up through [More]

Starring: Jeffrey Wright , Michael Wincott , Benicio del Toro , Claire Forlani

Directed By: Julian Schnabel

#25

Shaft (2000)
67%

#25

Critics Consensus: With a charismatic lead, this new Shaft knows how to push the right buttons.

Synopsis: Crooked cops on the take -- small-time drug lords -- sleazy informers and sadistic rich kids ready to kill --- [More]

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson , Vanessa Williams , Jeffrey Wright , Christian Bale

Directed By: John Singleton

#26

Cadillac Records (2008)
66%

#26

Critics Consensus: What Cadillac Records may lack in originality, it more than makes up for in strong performances and soul-stirring music.

Synopsis: In 1947 Chicago, Polish emigrant and bar owner Leonard Chess (Adrien Brody) hires a blues combo that includes guitarist Muddy [More]

Starring: Adrien Brody , Beyoncé , Jeffrey Wright , Gabrielle Union

Directed By: Darnell Martin

#27

The Public (2018)
65%

#27

Critics Consensus: Its intentions are sometimes easier to appreciate than its execution, but The Public remains an earnest and reasonably engaging social advocacy drama.

Synopsis: An act of civil disobedience turns into a standoff with police when homeless people in Cincinnati take over the public [More]

Starring: Alec Baldwin , Emilio Estevez , Jena Malone , Taylor Schilling

Directed By: Emilio Estevez

#28

Quantum of Solace (2008)
63%

#28

Critics Consensus: Brutal and breathless, Quantum Of Solace delivers tender emotions along with frenetic action, but coming on the heels of Casino Royale, it's still a bit of a disappointment.

Synopsis: Following the death of Vesper Lynd, James Bond (Daniel Craig) makes his next mission personal. The hunt for those who [More]

Starring: Daniel Craig , Olga Kurylenko , Mathieu Amalric , Judi Dench

Directed By: Marc Forster

#29

Ride With the Devil (1999)
64%

#29

Critics Consensus: A well-acted, eccentric Civil War film, Ang Lee's Ride With the Devil is often more visually striking than it is emotionally engaging.

Synopsis: On the fringes of the Civil War, Missouri Bushwackers engage in guerrilla warfare with Union Jayhawkers. Bushwackers Jake Roedel (Tobey [More]

Starring: Skeet Ulrich , Tobey Maguire , Jewel , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Ang Lee

#30

Hamlet (2000)
59%

#30

Critics Consensus: Stiff performances fail to produce any tension onscreen.

Synopsis: This is a modern retelling of the classic tale of a young fimmaker in New York City (Ethan Hawke) struggling [More]

Starring: Ethan Hawke , Kyle MacLachlan , Sam Shepard , Diane Venora

Directed By: Michael Almereyda

#31

Critical Care (1997)
59%

#31

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Medical resident Dr. Werner Ernst (James Spader) aspires to help sick people, but is constantly warned by his mentor, Dr. [More]

Starring: James Spader , Kyra Sedgwick , Helen Mirren , Margo Martindale

Directed By: Sidney Lumet

#32

W. (2008)
58%

#32

Critics Consensus: A surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the 43rd American president, W. is fascinating in spots, but merely rudimentary as a whole.

Synopsis: Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush from ne'er-do-well party boy and son [More]

Starring: Josh Brolin , Elizabeth Banks , Ellen Burstyn , James Cromwell

Directed By: Oliver Stone

#33

All Day and a Night (2020)
54%

#33

Critics Consensus: All Day and a Night addresses worthy issues with thoughtfulness and care, although its effectiveness is undermined by a disappointingly familiar story.

Synopsis: A young man embarks on a journey of self-discovery after landing in the same prison as his father. [More]

Starring: Ashton Sanders , Jeffrey Wright , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Isaiah John

Directed By: Joe Robert Cole

#34

A Single Shot (2013)
48%

#34

Critics Consensus: It has a bleak sense of atmosphere and a terrific performance by Sam Rockwell, but A Single Shot is undercut by its predictable story and slow pace.

Synopsis: A poacher (Sam Rockwell) becomes the quarry of merciless criminals after he takes the cash he found while hunting in [More]

Starring: Sam Rockwell , William H. Macy , Ted Levine , Kelly Reilly

Directed By: David M. Rosenthal

#35

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
44%

#35

Critics Consensus: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close has a story worth telling, but it deserves better than the treacly and pretentious treatment director Stephen Daldry gives it.

Synopsis: Oskar (Thomas Horn), who lost his father (Tom Hanks) in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, is convinced [More]

Starring: Tom Hanks , Sandra Bullock , Thomas Horn , Zoe Caldwell

Directed By: Stephen Daldry

#36

The Laundromat (2019)
41%

#36

Critics Consensus: The Laundromat misuses its incredible cast by taking a disappointingly blunt and unfocused approach to dramatizing the real-life events that inspired it.

Synopsis: When her idyllic vacation takes an unthinkable turn, Ellen Martin begins investigating a fake insurance policy. [More]

Starring: Meryl Streep , Gary Oldman , Antonio Banderas , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

#37

Celebrity (1998)
42%

#37

Critics Consensus: Entertaining, but too scattered.

Synopsis: The career and personal life of writer Lee (Kenneth Branagh) are at a standstill, so he divorces his bashful wife, [More]

Starring: Hank Azaria , Kenneth Branagh , Judy Davis , Leonardo DiCaprio

Directed By: Woody Allen

#38

Broken City (2013)
26%

#38

Critics Consensus: Broken City's thinly sketched, formulaic script offers meager rewards for all but the least demanding noir aficionados.

Synopsis: Former cop Billy Taggart (Mark Wahlberg) sees a chance at redemption for past sins when New York City's Mayor Nicolas [More]

Starring: Mark Wahlberg , Russell Crowe , Catherine Zeta-Jones , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Allen Hughes

#39

The Goldfinch (2019)
24%

#39

Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed yet mostly inert, The Goldfinch mishandles its source material, flattening a complex narrative into a largely uninvolving disappointment.

Synopsis: Theodore Decker was 13 years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art [More]

Starring: Oakes Fegley , Ansel Elgort , Nicole Kidman , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: John Crowley

#40

Lady in the Water (2006)
25%

#40

Critics Consensus: A far-fetched story with little suspense and unconvincing scenarios, Lady In The Water feels contrived, pretentious, and rather silly.

Synopsis: When Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) rescues an enigmatic young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from danger, little does he know that [More]

Starring: Paul Giamatti , Bryce Dallas Howard , Jeffrey Wright , Bob Balaban

Directed By: M. Night Shyamalan

#41

Crime and Punishment in Suburbia (2000)
21%

#41

Critics Consensus: Despite the beautiful visuals, Crime and Punishment is too somber and pretentious. Also, the acting is of mixed quality.

Synopsis: At school, Roseanne (Monica Keena) is the object of fellow student Vincent's (Vincent Kartheiser) infatuation, By night, she deals with [More]

Starring: Monica Keena , Vincent Kartheiser , Ellen Barkin , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Rob Schmidt

#42

The Invasion (2007)
20%

#42

Critics Consensus: The Invasion is slickly made, but it lacks psychological insight and thrills.

Synopsis: Washington, D.C. psychologist Carol Bennell (Nicole Kidman) and her colleague Dr. Ben Driscoll (Daniel Craig) are the only two people [More]

Starring: Nicole Kidman , Daniel Craig , Jeremy Northam , Jeffrey Wright

Directed By: Oliver Hirschbiegel

#43

Eye See You (2002)
18%

#43

Critics Consensus: Whether it's being presented as D-Tox or Eye See You, this Stallone starring vehicle is a slapdash thriller to actively avoid.

Synopsis: Recovering from the psychological effects of witnessing a brutal crime, FBI Agent Jake Malloy (Sylvester Stallone) checks into a rehabilitation [More]

Starring: Sylvester Stallone , Tom Berenger , Charles S. Dutton , Sean Patrick Flanery

Directed By: Jim Gillespie