(Photo by Warner Bros. /Courtesy Everett Collection)
Kevin Costner’s Best Movies and Shows Ranked by Tomatometer
We’re ranking the films of Kevin Costner, ambassador of classic America and magnificent wearer of big hats! The list starts with his Certified Fresh films, many of which highlight the American traditions of baseball and westerns, including Bull Durham and Field of Dreams demonstrating his love of the game, and the plentiful fields with Open Range, Let Him Go, and Best Picture-winner Dances With Wolves. Beyond those, we must recognize Costner’s work in historical crime and political thrillers with The Untouchables and JFK.
After Costner’s Certified Fresh films are his Fresh movies and TV projects, including yuppie romp The Big Chill, streaming phenomenon Yellowstone, and the western Silverado.
He also has some of the most interesting and popular-favorite Rotten movies, a few of which come from huge creative swings with Costner also in the director’s seat. These include DCEU starter Man of Steel, ’90s romancers The Bodyguard and Message in a Bottle, the (yep, anotha’!) western Wyatt Earp, and mondo sci-fi epics Waterworld and The Postman.
Most recently, Kevin’s back in at-any-Costner mode, claiming to have personally financed $40 million his multi-film project Horizon: An American Saga, with Chapter 1 releasing in June, Chapter 2 slated for August, and the planned third and fourth currently in production.
#1
Adjusted Score: 103340%
Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner is at his funniest and most charismatic in Bull Durham, a film that's as wise about relationships as it is about minor league baseball.
Synopsis: In Durham, N.C., the Bulls minor league baseball team has one asset no other can claim: a poetry-loving groupie named...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 108585%
Critics Consensus: In heartwarming, crowd-pleasing fashion, Hidden Figures celebrates overlooked -- and crucial -- contributions from a pivotal moment in American history.
Synopsis: Three brilliant African American women at NASA -- Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson -- serve as the brains...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 96029%
Critics Consensus: Roger Donaldson's modern spin on the dense, stylish suspense films of the 1940s features fine work from Gene Hackman and Sean Young, as well as the career-making performance that made Kevin Costner a star.
Synopsis: Navy Lt. Tom Farrell (Kevin Costner) meets a young woman, Susan Atwell (Sean Young), and they share a passionate fling....
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#4
Adjusted Score: 93747%
Critics Consensus: Field of Dreams is sentimental, but in the best way; it's a mix of fairy tale, baseball, and family togetherness.
Synopsis: When Iowa farmer Ray hears a mysterious voice one night in his cornfield saying "If you build it, he will...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 98440%
Critics Consensus: Dances with Wolves suffers from a simplistic view of the culture it attempts to honor, but the end result remains a stirring western whose noble intentions are often matched by its epic grandeur.
Synopsis: A Civil War soldier develops a relationship with a band of Lakota Indians. Attracted by the simplicity of their lifestyle,...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 96186%
Critics Consensus: Let Him Go's uneven blend of adult drama and revenge thriller is smoothed over by strong work from a solid veteran cast.
Synopsis: Following the loss of their son, a retired sheriff and his wife leave their Montana ranch to rescue their young...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 89997%
Critics Consensus: As history, Oliver Stone's JFK is dubious, but as filmmaking it's electric, cramming a ton of information and excitement into its three-hour runtime and making great use of its outstanding cast.
Synopsis: This acclaimed Oliver Stone drama presents the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 87707%
Critics Consensus: Thirteen Days offers a compelling look at the Cuban Missile Crisis, and its talented cast deftly portrays the real-life people who were involved.
Synopsis: For thirteen extraordinary days in October of 1962, the world stood on the brink of an unthinkable catastrophe. Across the...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 89860%
Critics Consensus: Slick on the surface but loaded with artful touches, Brian DePalma's classical gangster thriller is a sharp look at period Chicago crime, featuring excellent performances from a top-notch cast.
Synopsis: After building an empire with bootleg alcohol, legendary crime boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) rules Chicago with an iron...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 98916%
Critics Consensus: Powered by an intriguing story and a pair of outstanding performances from Jessica Chastain and Idris Elba, Molly's Game marks a solid debut for writer-director Aaron Sorkin.
Synopsis: The true story of Molly Bloom, a beautiful, young, Olympic-class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high-stakes poker game...
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#11
Adjusted Score: 85837%
Critics Consensus: Disney's inspirational sports drama formula might be old hat, but McFarland, USA proves it still works -- especially with a talented director and eminently likable star in the mix.
Synopsis: Track coach Jim White (Kevin Costner) is a newcomer to a predominantly Latino high-school in California's Central Valley. Coach White...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 85327%
Critics Consensus: Greatly benefiting from the tremendous chemistry between Kevin Costner and Robert Duvall, Open Range is a sturdy modern Western with classic roots.
Synopsis: Boss Spearman (Robert Duvall) and his cowhands Charley (Kevin Costner) and Mose (Abraham Benrubi) are driving cattle across a large...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 80719%
Critics Consensus: A comedy/ drama for grown-ups, with fine performances by Joan Allen and Kevin Costner.
Synopsis: After her husband runs off with his secretary, Terry Wolfmeyer (Joan Allen) is left to fend for herself -- and...
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Synopsis: Oscar and Emmy winner Kevin Costner is the marquee attraction of the ensemble cast in this drama series, starring as...
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#15
Adjusted Score: 80822%
Critics Consensus: Boasting rich detail and well-told story, Silverado is a rare example of an '80s Hollywood Western done right.
Synopsis: Rambling man Emmett (Scott Glenn) assembles a group of misfit cowboys (Kevin Costner), (Kevin Kline, Danny Glover). After helping a...
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#16
Adjusted Score: 80488%
Critics Consensus: Despite some formulaic touches, Clint Eastwood's haunting, ambiguous crime drama is smart and gritty, and features a bravura performance from Kevin Costner as a prison escapee on the run.
Synopsis: Butch (Kevin Costner), a escaped state prisoner from a Texas jail, kidnaps Philip (T.J. Lowther), a young, impressionable boy. As...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 77228%
Critics Consensus: Breezy and predictable, Tin Cup is a likeable sports comedy that benefits greatly from Kevin Costner's amiable lead performance.
Synopsis: Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner) was a golf pro with a bright future, but his rebellious nature and bad attitude cost...
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#18
Adjusted Score: 86974%
Critics Consensus: Zack Snyder's Justice League lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director's vision -- and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.
Synopsis: In ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE, determined to ensure Superman's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben...
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Adjusted Score: 71823%
Critics Consensus: Hatfields and McCoys is a violent and gritty spectacle that perhaps takes itself too seriously.
#20
Adjusted Score: 72908%
Critics Consensus: The Big Chill captures a generation's growing ennui with a terrific cast, a handful of perceptive insights, and one of the decade's best film soundtracks.
Synopsis: This compassionate "comedy of values" probes the growing pains of seven college housemates from the 1960s who have drifted apart...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 73508%
Critics Consensus: It might be hard for most viewers to identify with The Company Men's well-heeled protagonists, but writer/director John Wells uses their plight to make universally resonant points -- and gets the most out of his excellent cast.
Synopsis: A young executive at a shipping and manufacturing conglomerate, Bobby Walker (Ben Affleck) is on the fast track to the...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 53504%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Gardner Barnes (Kevin Costner) is a young Texan who has just graduated from college and is unsure of what to...
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#23
Adjusted Score: 67288%
Critics Consensus: It's perfectly pleasant for sports buffs and Costner fans, but overall, Draft Day lives down to its title by relying too heavily on the sort of by-the-numbers storytelling that only a statistician could love.
Synopsis: Sonny Weaver Jr. is the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. One of pro football's most important days, NFL draft...
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#24
Adjusted Score: 64947%
Critics Consensus: The Highwaymen depicts law enforcement's side of the Bonnie and Clyde manhunt -- a story that's unfortunately not quite as entertaining despite its marquee leads.
Synopsis: Former Texas Rangers Frank Hamer and Maney Gault join forces to try and capture notorious outlaws Bonnie Parker and Clyde...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 73283%
Critics Consensus: Man of Steel's exhilarating action and spectacle can't fully overcome its detours into generic blockbuster territory.
Synopsis: With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and his wife seek to preserve their race...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 61066%
Critics Consensus: The setup is intriguing, but Mr. Brooks overstuffs itself with twists and subplots, becoming more preposterous as it goes along.
Synopsis: Well-respected businessman Earl Brooks (Kevin Costner) has a secret: Beneath his family-man facade lurks a murderous alter-ego named Marshall (William...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 63634%
Critics Consensus: It doesn't reinvent the action-thriller wheel, but Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit offers a sleek, reasonably diverting reboot for a long-dormant franchise.
Synopsis: To his friends and loved ones, young Jack Ryan (Chris Pine) appears to be an ordinary executive; however, he has...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 55697%
Critics Consensus: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves brings a wonderfully villainous Alan Rickman to this oft-adapted tale, but he's robbed by big-budget bombast and a muddled screenplay.
Synopsis: Nobleman crusader Robin of Locksley breaks out of a Jerusalem prison with the help of fellow prisoner Azeem, a Moor,...
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#29
Adjusted Score: 50499%
Critics Consensus: Though it suffered from toxic buzz at the time of its release, Waterworld is ultimately an ambitious misfire: an extravagant sci-fi flick with some decent moments and a lot of silly ones.
Synopsis: After the melting of the polar ice caps, most of the globe is underwater. Some humans have survived, and even...
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#30
Adjusted Score: 51488%
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...
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#31
Adjusted Score: 49715%
Critics Consensus: Its heartstring-tugging overtures may be difficult for dog lovers to resist, but The Art of Racing in the Rain is sentimental and contrived.
Synopsis: Denny Swift is a Formula One race car driver who understands that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also...
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#32
Adjusted Score: 61015%
Critics Consensus: Kevin Costner doesn't lack for ambition as he sketches this frontier saga across the widest of canvases, but Horizon's first chapter proves too diffuse in scope for it to satisfy as a self-contained endeavor.
Synopsis: Families, friends and foes discover the lure of the Old West as the Civil War divides the country....
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#33
Adjusted Score: 17980%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A single father (Kevin Costner) is puzzled by his daughter's (Ivana Baquero) weird behavior, which begins soon after he moves...
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#34
Adjusted Score: 42335%
Critics Consensus: Black or White has more on its mind than your average family drama, but the film's approach to its thought-provoking themes too often lives down to its title.
Synopsis: When his wife dies in a car crash, Elliott Anderson (Kevin Costner) fields another blow: the realization that he must...
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#35
Adjusted Score: 43738%
Critics Consensus: Despite Kevin Costner providing his most charismatic performance in years, Swing Vote fails to find the right mix of political satire and heartfelt drama.
Synopsis: Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), a beer-slinging loser, has one bright spot in his life: his precocious daughter, Molly (Madeline Carroll),...
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#36
Adjusted Score: 41962%
Critics Consensus: The Bodyguard is a cheesy, melodramatic potboiler with occasional moments of electricity from Whitney Houston.
Synopsis: Best-selling pop diva Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) has a stalker whose obsession has risen to the level of disturbing threats....
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#37
Adjusted Score: 42879%
Critics Consensus: The Coast Guard gets its chance for a heroic movie tribute, but The Guardian does it no justice, borrowing cliche after cliche from other (and better) military branch movies.
Synopsis: A Coast Guard rescue swimmer (Kevin Costner), who still mourns losing his crew in a fatal accident, copes by dedicating...
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#38
Adjusted Score: 33172%
Critics Consensus: Handsome-looking but dramatically inert, Message in a Bottle maroons a formidable cast in a trite romance that lacks spark.
Synopsis: During her morning jog on the beach, journalist Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn) discovers a bottle protruding from the sand....
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#39
Adjusted Score: 37179%
Critics Consensus: Easy to admire yet difficult to love, Wyatt Earp buries eye-catching direction and an impressive cast in an undisciplined and overlong story.
Synopsis: The epic biography of western lawman Wyatt Earp, who at an early age, is taught that nothing matters more than...
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#40
Adjusted Score: 36035%
Critics Consensus: Despite the valiant efforts of a game and talented cast, Criminal has little to offer beyond the bare minimum expected by the most undemanding of genre enthusiasts.
Synopsis: CIA agent Bill Pope (Ryan Reynolds) dies while traveling to a secret location to meet a hacker who can launch...
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#41
Adjusted Score: 30885%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Jay Cochran (Kevin Costner), a newly retired U.S. Navy pilot, travels to Mexico to spend time with his friend Tibey...
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#42
Adjusted Score: 32164%
Critics Consensus: 3 Days to Kill uneasily mixes technically accomplished action sequences with an underdeveloped family conflict.
Synopsis: Facing a terminal disease, spy Ethan Renner (Kevin Costner) has decided to give up his dangerous, high-stakes life in order...
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#43
Adjusted Score: 25336%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: In 1970s rural Mississippi, Vietnam veteran Stephen Simmons (Kevin Costner) adjusts to life after military service. Plagued by nightmares about...
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#44
Adjusted Score: 24920%
Critics Consensus: This riff on The Graduate has a solid cast, but is too lightweight to fully register.
Synopsis: Living in New York City, Sarah (Jennifer Aniston) must make the cross-country trip back to her home state of California...
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#45
Adjusted Score: 18004%
Critics Consensus: While the premise sounds promising, the movie turns out to be a tedious and unnecessarily violent heist movie that's low on laughs and leaves no cliche unturned.
Synopsis: It's International Elvis Week in Las Vegas, where the strip is flooded by a sea of King wannabes decked out...
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#46
Adjusted Score: 16237%
Critics Consensus: A massive miscalculation in self-mythologizing by director and star Kevin Costner, The Postman would make for a goofy good time if it weren't so fatally self-serious.
Synopsis: Years after a major global conflict has left the United States in dystopian disarray, a nomadic traveler who becomes known...
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#47
Adjusted Score: 10894%
Critics Consensus: Sappy, dull, and muddled, Dragonfly is too melancholic and cliched to generate much suspense.
Synopsis: When a loved one dies, are they gone forever? As head of emergency services for Chicago Memorial Hospital, Dr. Joe...
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97%
83%
58%
