All 28 Ryan Gosling Movies Ranked From Worst to Best | Purgatory Film Ranking

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Starting his career at a very early age, Ryan Gosling began to work for Disney in The Mickey Mouse Club alongside future stars like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake. But although all of the aforementioned artists would choose music as their primary career path, Gosling went the other direction and chose acting.

After some work in television in the mid and late nineties, Gosling would have his first major film breakthrough in 2001’s The Believer and would go on to become one of the most recognizable Canadian actors of his generation.

So, in this article, we’ll get ourselves thoroughly acquainted with Gosling’s career on the big screen by ranking all of his movies, starting with the stinkers and ending with the classics. Let’s begin!

This is Ryan Gosling’s first feature film from his days as a Disney child actor. Although almost completely forgotten, Frankenstein and Me gave Gosling a chance to be in a movie with legendary actor Burt Reynolds, even though he doesn’t share any scenes with him.

A silly kids’ movie about a daydreaming boy obsessed with monster stories, Frankenstein and Me is a film people today mostly watch to see Ryan Gosling’s first credited movie role. So if you’re a hardcore Gosling fan, this one might be worth your time, but otherwise, you can move on to something else.

Another one of Gosling’s films that polarized moviegoers. Audiences mostly liked it (69% score on rottentomatoes.com), while critics mostly hated it (26%). As you can see, I’m siding with the critics on this one.

Stay is a psychological thriller about a young man (Gosling) who tells his psychiatrist (Ewan McGregor) that he is about to commit suicide on a specific date, with the reason for the suicide and the significance of the date being revealed as the film goes on.

It tries to achieve something similar to Fight Club (1999) or The Sixt Sense (1999) but misses the mark. A failed effort, but at least Gosling got to be in a movie with more Hollywood heavyweights like Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, and Bob Hoskins.

Two years after Remember the Titans, Ryan Gosling returns to the football movies. He has a much more prominent role here, but the bad news is – The Slaughter Rule is nowhere near as memorable or as well-made as the aforementioned Remember the Titans.

The movie does have strong acting though, with Ryan Gosling and David Morse delivering outstanding performances as a coach and a player burdened by their troubled pasts, but, unfortunately, it’s not enough to save the movie. If you’re a fan of indie films and are interested in Gosling’s early material, The Slaughter Rule might be worth your time, but, otherwise, it’s best to give it a pass.

Barbie is not much of a movie. It’s more of a propaganda piece made to shove a particular worldview down your throat. And, of course, when Hollywood tries to push an agenda onto the audience, all the critics mysteriously give the movie rave reviews and agree it’s a masterpiece. Such was the case with Black Panther back in 2018, and such is the case here. The only thing worthy of any praise in Barbie 2023 is Gosling’s excellent performance which rightfully earned him his 3rd Academy Award nomination.

Related Article: Barbie Sucks! The Most Overrated Movie of 2023

Filmmaker Terrence Malick is well-known for his unique directing style, but his experimentation is not for everyone.

Featuring a ton of cameos from Punk rockers like Patti Smith, Iggy Pop, and Johnny Rotten, as well as many other established acts, Song To Song can best be described as a soap opera on acid. Everyone falls in love with everyone, then everyone breaks up with everyone, then everyone has an affair with someone else.

But despite the mixed reception, at least Gosling got the opportunity to meet dozens of legendary rockstars and work with Hollywood heavyweights like Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, and Rooney Mara.

Actually, God does not forgive such lousy writing. Director Nicolas Winding Refn is surely capable of writing great scripts, but it seems that sometimes he just says “F@ck it” and goes on to make a hyper-violent mess without much substance and hoping that no one would notice. Such is the case with Only God Forgives – his second collaboration with Ryan Gosling.

The film is not much more than dozens of sequences of violence, blood, and gore, and it feels like the entire script was no more than 2 pages long. But if you want to watch a Bangkok police chief (Vithaya Pansringarm) slice hands with a sword for an hour and a half, you can go ahead.

It’s time for Gosling to play the villain again! Like his two previous movies, Remember the Titans (2000) and The Believer (2001), Murder by Numbers is also inspired by true events. It’s based on the 1924 case where two University of Chicago students, Nathan Leopold and Richard Albert Loeb, killed a 14-year-old boy, thinking that they had committed the perfect crime. This was done so they could demonstrate their supposed superior intellect by avoiding the authorities.

Unfortunately, this concept looked a lot better on paper, and Murder by Numbers also feels like a movie “By the Numbers.” It hits almost every cliché in the detective genre and it’s way too predictable despite its plot twists. Nonetheless, Gosling delivered a solid performance and got to star alongside legendary actress, Sandra Bullock, so it’s not all bad.

All Good Things is a crime drama based on the life and crimes of real estate heir Robert Durst (1943 – 2022), who was probably the only multimillionaire serial killer in American history. Gosling (who plays a character inspired by Durst) does a good job here and has earned the praise of the critics, but the movie got only mixed-to-negative reviews.

However, something very interesting happened after the film’s release. Robert Durst (then still unconvicted) liked the film so much that he reached out to director Andrew Jarecki and agreed to do a series of interviews with him. Durst was known to be very uncooperative with journalists until then.

These interviews were filmed for a crime documentary called The Jinx and, during the filming, something unexpected happened – because Durst had a habit of talking to himself aloud (a habit which is also portrayed in the movie), when he was alone, forgetting that he had the microphone still on, he accidentally confessed to all the crimes in the film, which resulted in his arrest and conviction.

So, in a way, this movie finally put Durst behind bars and made sure that the victims and their families received justice.

Five years after filming Blade Runner 2049 Gosling reunites with fellow actress Ana De Armas, but this time, the results are not so shiny. If you’ve watched any John Wick or Mission: Impossible movies, feel free to skip this one because it has nothing new or original to offer. It’s just your generic tough guy-kills-100-people-movie that follows the John Wick formula, but it’s also the kind of movie you’d forget before the end credits roll. It did make a lot of money at the box office though (450 million against a 200 million budget).

Gosling joins forces with George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti for his first political drama. The Ides of March was praised for the acting and got Gosling his fourth Golden Globe nomination.

But although the movie got an Academy nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and even landed on some Best-of-the-Year lists, it’s still far from a classic. Regarding political films, The Ides of March doesn’t really reinvent the wheel and can feel “safe” and even predictable at times. Still, a solid 3.5-star effort, nonetheless.

Gosling tries something different here. He strays away from the usual extroverted characters he typically played in his early movies, and plays an intelligent, introverted teenager who murders a mentally challenged kid for no apparent reason. If this movie had been made ten years later, this role would have likely been given to Jesse Eisenberg. Gosling even has Eisenberg’s hairstyle here.

This is the first movie in Gosling’s filmography that polarized critics and audiences – critics hated it while audiences enjoyed it. Also, many were baffled by the film’s ending, wondering whether the movie justifies “mercy killings.”

Anyways, this is one of the roles Gosling was most passionate about, stating in an interview “I wanted to do [the movie] so badly because I felt like Leland was so different. It’s this kind of character that’s not in movies very often – characters that are emotionally disconnected for the whole film – so it’s a tricky thing to tap into.”

Another iconic role for Gosling as the the ultimate womanizer/PUA, Jacob Palmer. Crazy, Stupid, Love has its flaws, and It can sometimes be cheesy and clichéd, but it also has excellent performances from everyone involved.

Standing out with your acting among a super-talented cast consisting of Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, and Marisa Tomei is no small feat. Still, Gosling charmed the critics just like his character charmed all the women in the film and he rightfully earned his third Golden Globe nomination. In terms of performance alone, this one is one of his finest!

So, here we are. The movie that turned Gosling into a global superstar.

The Notebook is an adaptation of the popular 1996 romance novel by Nicholas Sparks. It is also one of Gosling’s most financially successful movies, making over $117 million against a $29 million budget. The Notebook was for the 2000s what Titanic was for the 90s. It’s the movie that left girls without a breath and made boys eye-roll for 2 hours straight.

If you’re into romance flicks, The Notebook will deliver the goods, but bear in mind that it’s also ridden with cliches and cheesy dialogue that you probably won’t be able to digest if you’re a straight male. Gosling will go on to make much better films in the romance genre, but none would prove to be as successful as The Notebook.

Loosely based on the 1980s TV series of the same name which aired from 1981 to 1986, The Fall Guy pays tribute to the unsung heroes of action movies – the stuntmen and stuntwomen who constantly put themselves in danger so we can have our entertainment. It’s the second time Gosling plays a stuntman after 2011’s Drive.

Whether you like, comedy, action, romance, mystery, or crime, The Fall Guy has a bit of everything for everyone. It deliberately encompasses all Hollywood cliches imaginable and simultaneously makes fun of them. So, if you want a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and still delivers the fun, The Fall Guy has got you covered.

Gosling plays Neil Armstrong – the first man to walk on the moon. The film is based on the 2005 authorized biography of Neil Armstrong by Professor James Hansen.

Despite some controversy (President Donald Trump and Senator Marco Rubio didn’t appreciate that the planting of the American Flag on the Moon was omitted), First Man got excellent reviews, with praise for the visual effects and Gosling’s and Claire Foy’s performances.

The film also landed on several best-of-the-year lists, but some critics were not so impressed, calling it overlong and tedious. All things considered, Fist Man is a damn good movie, but not a great one. One small step for Gosling, but not necessarily a giant leap for his filmography.

Based on real events, this film tells the story of the notorious “Gangster Squad” which consisted of LAPD policemen who sought alternative measures to bring gangster Mickey Cohen to justice, after realizing how corrupt the system is.

Gangster Squad got only mixed reviews upon release, with many criticizing the dialogue, underdeveloped characters, and historical inaccuracy while praising the acting and the style. It draws influences from earlier historical crime films like The Untouchables (1987) and American Gangster (2007), and, although it never reaches the high bar set by them, it makes a solid effort.

You can never go wrong with Anthony Hopkins as a villain. This was Gosling’s chance to be the male version of Clarice Starling. Fracture is a legal crime thriller and is Gosling’s first entry into the genre. It features an excellent cast and superb writing, and, when it comes to legal thrillers, this one is very well-made. Although some critics quickly pointed out the plot’s implausibility, they were also particularly impressed by Gosling’s and Hopkins’ performances. The powerful acting was enough to make up for the flaws.

After a decade of acting Gosling was getting more and more accomplished in his field and it was only a matter of time before he got an Academy Award nomination. That moment finally came in 2006 with his brilliant performance in Half Nelson, where he plays a middle school history teacher with a drug habit.

The film itself is nothing groundbreaking, but it’s the powerful performances by Gosling and Shareeka Epps that elevate the movie into something more. A powerful story about two people of different ages, each on the opposite side of a drug problem, forming an unlikely friendship so they can overcome their hardships. Recommended!

After having only supporting roles in Frankenstein and Me (1996) and Remember the Titans (2000), it was finally time for Gosling to shine and let everyone know what he was truly capable of. The Believer is a drama about a self-hating Jewish man who has joined the Neo-Nazis.

It is based on the true story of Dan Burros, a Jewish man who joined the American Nazi Party in the 1960s, and later, the KKK, but committed suicide in1965 after his Jewish identity was revealed to his fellow clansmen. The film got positive reviews and even won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival with Gosling’s performance receiving particular praise.

Two years after Blue Valentine, Gosling reunites with director Derek Cianfrance for a very different type of movie. The Place Beyond the Pines is an epic crime drama that tries to explain how a life of crime affects not only the lives of those involved but their children’s lives as well.

Gosling carries the movie through its first half, at which point Bradley Cooper steps into the spotlight and carries the movie to the end. The film got good reviews and even landed on some best-of-the-year lists, with Gosling getting a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at the Satellite Awards.

Before taking a two-year hiatus from the big screen (2008 – 2009), Gosling left us with one of his most memorable performances. He plays Lars – a shy and introverted man, who has a problem finding himself a romantic partner. Therefore, he buys a sex doll and acts as if she’s his real-life girlfriend, much to the dismay of his brother and sister-in-law.

Tacking serious mental issues in a comedy can always prove challenging, but director Craig Gillespie masterfully pulls it off and the results are quite impressive. Despite receiving positive reviews, the film was a financial failure, but Gosling’s performance – although not Academy Award-nominated – was hailed as one of his finest.

In many ways, Blue Valentine is the anti-Notebook (2004). While The Notebook was essentially a chick flick with tons of cliches and the most utterly predictable ending ever, Blue Valentine is much more mature, enticing, and powerful. It looks at the failure of relationships and the inability to save a marriage despite the best efforts of the parties involved.

Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams delivered some of the best acting of their respective careers, with Gosling being nominated for a Golden Globe and Williams for an Academy Award in addition to her Golden Globe nomination. The movie also earned high acclaim from critics and ended up on numerous best-of-the-year lists. Not an easy film to watch, but definitely worth your time!

If you’ve ever seen a movie called Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005), you’ll notice that, in many ways, it’s very similar to The Nice Guys. Both are buddy comedies, both underperformed at the box office but were also critical successes, both attracted a strong cult following since their release, both were proclaimed one of the best “under the radar” movies of the decade they were released in, both have very complex plots that people can find confusing at times, and both use exactly the same type of humor.

But then you do a little research, and, what do you know, they were both written and directed by the same guy. So, it all makes sense in the end.

Gosling hasn’t been very active in the comedy genre, but this is perhaps his funniest role. His chemistry with Academy Award-winning actor Russel Crowe was highly praised and he also won the “Best Comedic Performance” Award at the San Diego Film Critics Society Awards. So if Ryan Gosling or Russel Crowe are not the first names to come to mind when you’re thinking “comedic geniuses,” you might wanna give The Nice Guys a watch to be proven wrong.

Musicals are dead. They have been since the 80s. But every now and then, someone comes along with an original idea, and, just for a moment, brings this forsaken genre to life. For the 2010s, that movie was La La Land. Pairing Ryan Gosling as a struggling pianist with Emma Stone as a struggling actress, La La Land gives us excellent acting, memorable songs, dazzling dance scenes, and a powerful ending. It also got a jaw-dropping 14 Academy Award nominations – an achievement reached only by two other movies: Titanic (1997) and All About Eve (1950).

Gosling had to learn to tap dance and play the piano specifically for the role and he earned his second Academy Award Nomination. La La Land is widely considered one of the best movies of the decade and even the century. So even if you don’t like musicals, you might want to make an exception for this one.

Gosling’s first heist movie and his first collaboration with Danish film director Nicolas Winding Refn. Since its release, Drive received almost universal acclaim and was hailed as one of the greatest films of 2011 by many professional critics and publications.

Particular praise was given to the action scenes and the visuals but the excessive violence got a somewhat mixed reception. Many fans loved the movie because of it, but some critics pointed out that it sticks out like a sore thumb and draws attention away from the actual message. Also, many found the ending a bit predictable and anticlimactic.

But, despite its flaws, Drive is considered perhaps the best film by Nicolas Winding Refn, and arguably the best Gosling movie (where he has a prominent role) until then. Two years later, Gosling would collaborate with the same director in Only God Forgives.

The Big Short is a 2015 comedy about the 2007-2008 financial crisis, told from the perspective of four individuals who predicted it at least a year before it happened. The film can get a bit confusing at times with all the financial terms being thrown around, but not to worry – Margot Robbie, Anthony Bourdain, and Selena Gomez are here to explain everything, so it would be easier for us to follow along. Ryan Gosling plays fictional salesman Jared Vennett (based on hedge fund manager Greg Lippmann) and he also narrates the film.

But, you don’t even need to understand everything to get the general gist of the movie! Director Adam Mckay does an excellent job simplifying a very complex issue that the financial world faced in 2007 and portraying it in an entertaining and often funny way. It’s a story as old as time – how the powerful people screw everything up, get away with it, and then leave the common people to pay for their mess. So if you want to get entertained, but also educated, The Big Short is the movie for you.

After establishing himself as a young talent in the 90s with roles in popular television series like Breaker High and Young Hercules, it was time for Gosling to star in his first major feature film. Remember the Titans is a sports drama based on the true story of African-American football coach Herman Boone (played by Denzel Washington) and his struggles to integrate white and black athletes amidst all the racial tensions in Alexandria, Virginia during the 1971 season.

It follows the same tested and proven In the Heat of the Night (1967) formula, but executes it pretty well. Many movies have followed the same concept over the decades, but Remember the Titans is one of the best in the genre. An excellent film, even though Gosling only has a small supporting role here.

Sequels rarely do the original justice. They are often uninspired and made solely to profit from an already-established fanbase. But with Blade Runner 2049, Canadian director Denis Villeneuve managed to do the opposite: the film flopped at the box office but also got glowing reviews, with critics praising the cinematography, visuals, style, and faithfulness to the original movie.

Some thought that, at 2 hours and 40 minutes, the film is a bit overlong (one of them being Ridley Scott – the director of the original 1982 Blade Runner), but despite some criticism for the length and pacing, for the most part, Blade Runner 2049 delivered the sequel fans and critics were hoping for. It didn’t eclipse its predecessor, but it’s as good as a sequel can get and, as of this writing, is arguably Ryan Gosling’s magnum opus.