(Photo by Claudette Barius/©Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection)

All Matthew McConaughey Movies Ranked

“Alright alright alright!” Only one man in Hollywood could fully embody the laidback cool of that now-famous catchphrase: Matthew McConaughey. The actor broke into the scene with the landmark stoner comedy Dazed and Confused, and for a while there looked like he was good to just coast on his twangy bro-charm and ample shirtless scenes. Occasional dramas like Amistad and Frailty gave him acting cred, which some would say was squandered on a string of duds like Fool’s Gold, Failure to Launch, and Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – the mediocrity cresting with the 0% Surfer, Dude.

Then came the McConaissance.

It all started with 2011’s The Lincoln Lawyer: He entered one side a laughing stock, and came out the other a bona fide movie legend. The hits followed: Magic Mike, Mud, The Wolf of Wall Street, and an honest-to-God Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club. And there was that critically-lauded turn in HBO’s True Detective. Before 2011, McConaughey had notched six Certified Fresh films over 20 years; this past decade, he’s racked up nine. See where they all place, including his latest The Gentlemen, as we rank the best Matthew McConaughey movies (and the worst) by Tomatometer!

#45

Surfer, Dude (2008)
0%

#45

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Hands on a Hard Body director S.R. Bindler directs this wave-twisting tale of a soul-searching surfer (Matthew McConaughey) in the... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Alexie Gilmore, Jeffrey Nordling, Zachary Knighton

Directed By: S.R. Bindler

#44

Larger Than Life (1996)
11%

#44

Adjusted Score: 11.282%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: When motivational speaker Jack inherits an elephant from his father, he wants to get rid of it as soon as... [More]

Starring: Bill Murray, Janeane Garofalo, Matthew McConaughey, Keith David

Directed By: Howard Franklin

#43

Fool's Gold (2008)
11%

#43

Adjusted Score: 16.279%

Critics Consensus: With little chemistry among the performers, humorless gags, and a predictable storyline, Fool's Gold fails on every level.

Synopsis: How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days co-stars Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey re-team on the big screen for... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Kate Hudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena

Directed By: Andy Tennant

#42

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994)
16%

#42

Adjusted Score: 17.821%

Critics Consensus: The Next Generation has the fortune of starring early-career Matthew McConaughey and Renée Zellweger, but it services neither headliner well in a convoluted and cheap-looking slasher that doesn't live up to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre legacy.

Synopsis: More of an updated remake than a sequel to 1974's Texas Chainsaw Massacre, this slasher outing again centers on one... [More]

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Matthew McConaughey, Robert Jacks, Tonie Perensky

Directed By: Kim Henkel

#41

The Sea of Trees (2016)
17%

#41

Adjusted Score: 18.222%

Critics Consensus: Dull, maudlin, and fundamentally empty, The Sea of Trees extinguishes the contributions of a talented cast and marks a depressing low point in director Gus Van Sant's career.

Synopsis: The film follows Arthur Brennan (McConaughey) trekking into Aokigahara, known as the Sea of Trees, a mysterious dense forest at... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe, Jordan Gavaris

Directed By: Gus Van Sant, Chris Sparling

#40

The Wedding Planner (2001)
17%

#40

Adjusted Score: 20.052%

Critics Consensus: Instead of being light and charming, this romantic comedy is heavy-handed and contrived in its execution. Also, it's too unoriginal.

Synopsis: This lighthearted romantic comedy in the tradition of Runaway Bride (1999) casts Jennifer Lopez in the Julia Roberts mold. Lopez... [More]

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Justin Chambers

Directed By: Adam Shankman

#39

The Dark Tower (2017)
16%

#39

Adjusted Score: 27.568%

Critics Consensus: Go then, there are other Stephen King adaptations than these.

Synopsis: There are other worlds than these. Stephen King's The Dark Tower, the ambitious and expansive story from one of the... [More]

Starring: Idris Elba, Matthew McConaughey, Abbey Lee, Tom Taylor

Directed By: Nikolaj Arcel

#38

Serenity (2019)
20%

#38

Adjusted Score: 28.075%

Critics Consensus: A high-concept mystery with a twist, Serenity isn't what it appears to be at first -- unfortunately, it's also not anywhere near as clever or entertaining as it thinks.

Synopsis: From the creative mind of Oscar nominee Steven Knight comes a daringly original, sexy, stylized thriller. Baker Dill (Academy Award... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jason Clarke, Diane Lane

Directed By: Steven Knight

#37

Two for the Money (2005)
22%

#37

Adjusted Score: 25.244%

Critics Consensus: Despite its sportsmanlike swagger, Two for the Money's aimless plot isn't worth betting on.

Synopsis: D.J. Caruso's Two for the Money stars Matthew McConaughey as Brandon Lang, a former college quarterback whose life plans changed... [More]

Starring: Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo, Armand Assante

Directed By: D.J. Caruso

#36

Failure to Launch (2006)
24%

#36

Adjusted Score: 28.942%

Critics Consensus: The few comic gags sprinkled throughout the movie fail to spice up this formulaic rom-com.

Synopsis: A overgrown mama's boy who hasn't found the courage to take flight from the nest gets a little help from... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Sarah Jessica Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Justin Bartha

Directed By: Tom Dey

#35

Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
28%

#35

Adjusted Score: 32.312%

Critics Consensus: A retread of A Christmas Carol, featuring Matthew McConaughey in a retread of his Dazed and Confused role, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past lacks originality, humor, and any semblance of charm.

Synopsis: Ghosts of Girlfriends Past -- the Mark S. Waters-directed fusion of A Christmas Carol with a traditional romantic comedy --... [More]

Starring:

Directed By:

#34

Tiptoes (2004)
20%

#34

Adjusted Score: 6.627%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Matthew Bright directs the romantic comedy Tiptoes, written by Bill Weiner. Rolfe (Gary Oldman) is a dwarf, but his brother... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gary Oldman, Kate Beckinsale, Debbie Lee Carrington

Directed By: Matthew Bright

#33

Angels in the Outfield (1994)
33%

#33

Adjusted Score: 34.059%

Critics Consensus: A queasy mishmash of poignant drama and slapstick fantasy, Angels in the Outfield strikes out as worthy family entertainment.

Synopsis: Updated from the 1951 film of the same name, Angels In The Outfield takes liberties with the original to bring... [More]

Starring: Danny Glover, Tony Danza, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Brenda Fricker

Directed By: William Dear

#32

Sahara (2005)
38%

#32

Adjusted Score: 43.867%

Critics Consensus: A mindless adventure flick with a preposterous plot.

Synopsis: Matthew McConaughey stars as explorer and adventurer Dirk Pitt in this adaptation of the best-selling novel by Clive Cussler. Pitt... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Penelope Cruz, Steve Zahn, Lambert Wilson

Directed By: Breck Eisner

#31

Reign of Fire (2002)
42%

#31

Adjusted Score: 46.857%

Critics Consensus: Reign of Fire gains some altitude with its pyrotechnic action and a smolderingly campy Matthew McConaughey, but the feature's wings are clipped by a derivative script and visual effects that fizzle out.

Synopsis: In present-day London, twelve-year-old Quinn watches as his mother, a construction engineer inadvertently wakes an enormous fire-breathing beast from its... [More]

Starring: Christian Bale, Matthew McConaughey, Izabella Scorupco, Gerard Butler

Directed By: Rob Bowman

#30

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
42%

#30

Adjusted Score: 46.043%

Critics Consensus: Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson are charming together, but they can't overcome How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' silly premise and predictable script.

Synopsis: Two New Yorkers fight the battle of the sexes to a standstill (without entirely realizing it) in this romantic comedy.... [More]

Starring: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Kathryn Hahn, Annie Parisse

Directed By: Donald Petrie

#29

Gold (2017)
42%

#29

Adjusted Score: 49.501%

Critics Consensus: Gold boasts an impressively committed performance from Matthew McConaughey, but it's just one glittering nugget in an otherwise uneven heap of cinematic silt.

Synopsis: TWC-Dimension presents GOLD, a Black Bear Pictures and HWY61 production directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan (Syriana, Traffic) and... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Edgar Ramirez, Bryce Dallas Howard, Macon Blair

Directed By: Stephen Gaghan

#28

The Paperboy (2012)
45%

#28

Adjusted Score: 50.101%

Critics Consensus: Trashy and melodramatic, The Paperboy is enlivened by a strong cast and a steamy, sordid plot, but it's uneven and often veers into camp.

Synopsis: A sexually and racially charged film noir from Oscar-nominated director Lee Daniels (Precious), The Paperboy takes audiences deep into the... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, John Cusack

Directed By: Lee Daniels

#27

Free State of Jones (2016)
47%

#27

Adjusted Score: 54.033%

Critics Consensus: Free State of Jones has the noblest of intentions, but they aren't enough to make up for its stilted treatment of a fascinating real-life story.

Synopsis: Directed by four-time Oscar (R) nominee Gary Ross and starring Oscar (R) winner Matthew McConaughey, Free State of Jones is... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell, Mahershala Ali

Directed By: Gary Ross

#26

We Are Marshall (2006)
48%

#26

Adjusted Score: 51.925%

Critics Consensus: Matthew McConaughey almost runs We Are Marshall to the end zone, but can't stop it from taking the easy, feel-good route in memorializing this historic event in American sports.

Synopsis: A true story of tragedy, hope, and resilience comes to the screen in this sports drama. Huntington, WV, is home... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, David Strathairn, Kate Mara

Directed By: McG

#25

The Beach Bum (2019)
56%

#25

Adjusted Score: 60.741%

Critics Consensus: The role of a lifetime for Matthew McConaughey, The Beach Bum is set apart by Harmony Korine's distinctive style, but that isn't always enough to offset the unfocused story.

Synopsis: THE BEACH BUM follows the hilarious misadventures of Moondog (Matthew McConaughey), a rebellious rogue who always lives life by his... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Snoop Dogg, Isla Fisher, Martin Lawrence

Directed By: Harmony Korine

#24

White Boy Rick (2018)
57%

#24

Adjusted Score: 63.146%

Critics Consensus: Solid work from the cast - particularly a scene-stealing Matthew McConaughey - helps White Boy Rick make up for a number of missed opportunities in the script.

Synopsis: Set in 1980s Detroit at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, WHITE BOY RICK is... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Rory Cochrane

Directed By: Yann Demange

#23

The Newton Boys (1998)
64%

#23

Adjusted Score: 65.507%

Critics Consensus: The Newton Boys uses a sharp cast and absorbing period detail to help make up for the frustrations of a story puzzlingly short on dramatic tension.

Synopsis: Richard Linklater's fifth feature is a major departure from his previous work -- his first big-budget picture, it's also the... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D'Onofrio

Directed By: Richard Linklater

#22

Contact (1997)
66%

#22

Adjusted Score: 69.797%

Critics Consensus: Contact elucidates stirring scientific concepts and theological inquiry at the expense of satisfying storytelling, making for a brainy blockbuster that engages with its ideas, if not its characters.

Synopsis: She's known it since she was a young girl, when she would magically connect with distant voices on her father's... [More]

Starring: Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, James Woods, John Hurt

Directed By: Robert Zemeckis

#21

EDtv (1999)
64%

#21

Adjusted Score: 65.403%

Critics Consensus: If it's not as ambitious as The Truman Show in satirizing the voyeuristic nature of television, EdTV is an amiable, witty comedy with fine performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.

Synopsis: The turning point in the life of Ed Pekurny (Matthew McConaughey) comes thanks to the misfortunes of the NorthWest Broadcasting... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Woody Harrelson, Sally Kirkland

Directed By: Ron Howard

#20

A Time to Kill (1996)
67%

#20

Adjusted Score: 69.712%

Critics Consensus: Overlong and superficial, A Time to Kill nonetheless succeeds on the strength of its skillful craftsmanship and top-notch performances.

Synopsis: Carl Lee Hailey takes the law into his own hands after the legal system fails to adequately punish the men... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L. Jackson, Sandra Bullock, Kevin Spacey

Directed By: Joel Schumacher

#19

U-571 (2000)
67%

#19

Adjusted Score: 70.823%

Critics Consensus: Excellent cinematography and an interesting plot accompanied by a talented cast and crew make U-571 a tense thriller.

Synopsis: In this World War II action thriller, American reconnaissance agents learn that a German submarine is sinking. The doomed ship... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jake Weber

Directed By: Jonathan Mostow

#18

Interstellar (2014)
72%

#18

Adjusted Score: 87.083%

Critics Consensus: Interstellar represents more of the thrilling, thought-provoking, and visually resplendent filmmaking moviegoers have come to expect from writer-director Christopher Nolan, even if its intellectual reach somewhat exceeds its grasp.

Synopsis: With our time on Earth coming to an end, a team of explorers undertakes the most important mission in human... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine

Directed By: Christopher Nolan

#17

Sing (2016)
72%

#17

Adjusted Score: 78.948%

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: A koala impresario stages a grand singing competition for the world's animals in order to save his elegant theater in... [More]

Starring: John C. Reilly, Jennifer Hudson, Nick Kroll, Beck Bennett

Directed By: Garth Jennings, Christophe Lourdelet

#16

The Gentlemen (2020)
75%

#16

Adjusted Score: 86.825%

Critics Consensus: It may not win writer-director Guy Ritchie many new converts, but for those already attuned to the filmmaker's brash wavelength, The Gentlemen stands tall.

Synopsis: THE GENTLEMEN follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery

Directed By: Guy Ritchie

#15

Boys on the Side (1995)
74%

#15

Adjusted Score: 75.653%

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: In the tradition of Fried Green Tomatoes, this touching drama focuses upon the relationships of three strong, independent women who... [More]

Starring: Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Marie-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore

Directed By: Herbert Ross

#14

Frailty (2002)
74%

#14

Adjusted Score: 78.087%

Critics Consensus: Creepy and disturbing, Frailty is well-crafted, low-key horror.

Synopsis: Actor Bill Paxton made his directorial debut with Frailty. The bulk of the story is told through flashbacks, as a... [More]

Starring: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Matt O'Leary, Jeremy Sumpter

Directed By: Bill Paxton

#13

Amistad (1997)
77%

#13

Adjusted Score: 80.653%

Critics Consensus: Heartfelt without resorting to preachiness, Amistad tells an important story with engaging sensitivity and absorbing skill.

Synopsis: In the summer of 1839, on a stormy night off the coast of Cuba, 53 Africans held captive in the... [More]

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Anthony Hopkins, Djimon Hounsou, Matthew McConaughey

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

#12

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
79%

#12

Adjusted Score: 90.386%

Critics Consensus: Funny, self-referential, and irreverent to a fault, The Wolf of Wall Street finds Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio at their most infectiously dynamic.

Synopsis: Martin Scorsese directs the story of New York stockbroker Jordan Belfort. From the American dream to corporate greed, Belfort goes... [More]

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey

Directed By: Martin Scorsese

#11

Killer Joe (2012)
79%

#11

Adjusted Score: 85.104%

Critics Consensus: Violent, darkly comic, and full of strong performances, Killer Joe proves William Friedkin hasn't lost his touch, even if the plot may be too lurid for some.

Synopsis: When 22 year-old drug dealer Chris (Hirsch) has his stash of drugs stolen from him by his mother, he has... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Juno Temple, Thomas Haden Church

Directed By: William Friedkin

#10

Magic Mike (2012)
79%

#10

Adjusted Score: 86.943%

Critics Consensus: Magic Mike's sensitive direction, smart screenplay, and strong performances allow audiences to have their beefcake and eat it too.

Synopsis: Set in the world of male strippers, Magic Mike is directed by Steven Soderbergh and stars Channing Tatum in a... [More]

Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello

Directed By: Steven Soderbergh

#9

Tropic Thunder (2008)
82%

#9

Adjusted Score: 91.764%

Critics Consensus: With biting satire, plenty of subversive humor, and an unforgettable turn by Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder is a triumphant late Summer comedy.

Synopsis: Ben Stiller's satirical look at Hollywood, Tropic Thunder concerns the production of an epic Vietnam War film that quickly derails... [More]

Starring: Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jay Baruchel

Directed By: Ben Stiller

#8

Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001)
83%

#8

Adjusted Score: 86.438%

Critics Consensus: Thirteen Conversations About One Thing is an intelligent and poignant look at lives intersecting.

Synopsis: A group of people live their separate lives, unaware of the subtle interconnections that bring them together. There's a cocky... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, David Connelly, John Turturro, Clea DuVall

Directed By: Jill Sprecher

#7

The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
83%

#7

Adjusted Score: 88.306%

Critics Consensus: It doesn't offer any twists on the predictable courtroom thriller formula, but with a charming Matthew McConaughey leading its solid cast, The Lincoln Lawyer offers briskly enjoyable entertainment.

Synopsis: Matthew McConaughey stars in this legal thriller as a low-rent defense attorney named Mickey Haller. Most of the time, Mickey... [More]

Starring: Marisa Tomei, Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, Josh Lucas

Directed By: Brad Furman

#6

Bernie (2012)
88%

#6

Adjusted Score: 93.979%

Critics Consensus: Richard Linklater's Bernie is a gently told and unexpectedly amusing true-crime comedy that benefits from an impressive performance by Jack Black.

Synopsis: In the tiny, rural town of Carthage, TX, assistant funeral director Bernie Tiede was one of the town's most beloved... [More]

Starring: Jack Black, Matthew McConaughey, Shirley MacLaine, Rick Dial

Directed By: Richard Linklater

#5

Dazed and Confused (1993)
92%

#5

Adjusted Score: 96.629%

Critics Consensus: Featuring an excellent ensemble cast, a precise feel for the 1970s, and a killer soundtrack, Dazed and Confused is a funny, affectionate, and clear-eyed look at high school life.

Synopsis: Like George Lucas' American Graffiti, Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused is an affectionate look at the youth culture of a... [More]

Starring: Jason London, Rory Cochrane, Sasha Jenson, Wiley Wiggins

Directed By: Richard Linklater

#4

Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
93%

#4

Adjusted Score: 103.307%

Critics Consensus: Dallas Buyers Club rests squarely on Matthew McConaughey's scrawny shoulders, and he carries the burden gracefully with what might be a career-best performance.

Synopsis: Matthew McConaughey stars in DALLAS BUYERS CLUB as real-life Texas cowboy Ron Woodroof, whose free-wheeling life was overturned in 1985... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, Jennifer Garner, Dallas Roberts

Directed By: Jean-Marc Vallée

#3

Lone Star (1996)
94%

#3

Adjusted Score: 96.172%

Critics Consensus: Smart and absorbing, Lone Star represents a career high point for writer-director John Sayles -- and '90s independent cinema in general.

Synopsis: A small town Texas sheriff who is living in the shadow of his legendary father prods an investigation no one... [More]

Starring: Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Morton, Ron Canada

Directed By: John Sayles

#2

Mud (2013)
97%

#2

Adjusted Score: 103.855%

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by a strong performance from Matthew McConaughey in the title role, Mud offers an engaging Southern drama that manages to stay sweet and heartwarming without being sappy.

Synopsis: Mud is an adventure about two boys, Ellis and his friend Neckbone, who find a man named Mud hiding out... [More]

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Sam Shepard, Jacob Lofland

Directed By: Jeff Nichols

#1

Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
97%

#1

Adjusted Score: 105.443%

Critics Consensus: Kubo and the Two Strings matches its incredible animation with an absorbing -- and bravely melancholy -- story that has something to offer audiences of all ages.

Synopsis: Kubo and the Two Strings is an epic action-adventure set in a fantastical Japan from acclaimed animation studio LAIKA. Clever,... [More]

Starring: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Ken Takemoto, Aaron Aoki, Luke Donaldson

Directed By: Travis Knight