the robert downey jr film guide

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Robert Downey Jr Film Playlists

Ranking

• Must-See

• Second Tier

• Middlers

• Suffer Through

• Last Resort for the Obsessive Fan

Career Trajectory

• Unknown Actor

• Up and Coming Actor

• Established Actor

• Troubled Actor

• Making a Comeback

• Superstar

Screentime

• Starring Roles

• Supporting Roles

• Minimal Screentime

• The Invisible Man

Genre

• Action!

• Comedy

• Drama

• Horror

• Documentary

• Romantic Comedy

Availability

• Not Released on DVD

• On Blu-Ray

• On DVD in Region 1

• On DVD in Region 2

• On DVD in Region 4

And More ...

• RDJ Improvises!

• RDJ Commentary on DVD

• RDJ = Only Good Thing About This Movie

• Shirtless

• Underwear (Or Less)

• The Other Kind of Action

• Gay Parade

• Under the Influence

• Crazies

• Playing a Real Guy

• Has an Accent

• Independent

• Short Films

• Black and White

• Period Pieces

• Weirdness

• Feel Good Flicks

Ranking

The Must-See Films

The breakout performances, career-defining roles, the most of his personality and the most screentime.

• Chaplin

• Home for the Holidays

• Heart and Souls

• Iron Man

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• The Last Party

• Less Than Zero

• The Route V50

• Sherlock Holmes

• Tropic Thunder

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Wonder Boys

Second Tier

Solid performances and plenty of screen time. Some mediocre movies where he's great and some great movies that he isn't in enough.

• The Avengers

• Chances Are

• Due Date

• Fur

• Iron Man 2

• Natural Born Killers

• Only You

• The Pickup Artist

• Restoration

• A Scanner Darkly

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Singing Detective

• Soapdish

• True Believer

• Zodiac

Middlers

The middlers are a mixed bag. The balance of his screentime, the quality and enjoyability is just a bit off.

• Air America

• Back to School

• Charlie Bartlett

• Eros

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night and Good Luck

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• In Dreams

• Richard III

• The Shaggy Dog

• The Soloist

• US Marshals

• Weird Science

• Whatever We Do

Suffer Through

These are the ones that aren't necesarily worth watching just for RDJ. Either because he's hardly in it or because it's just an atrocious movie.

• Black and White

• Bowfinger

• Firstborn

• Gothika

• Hail Caesar

• Johnny Be Good

• Lethargy

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• The Outsider

• Short Cuts

• That's Adequate

• Tuff Turf

Last Resort for the Obsessive Fan

The absolute least screentime, the absolute worst films and some of the most difficult to find. Only to be watched if you're attempting to view his entire filmography.

• America

• Auto Motives

• Baby It's You

• Danger Zone

• Friends and Lovers

• Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• Greaser's Palace

• Danger Zone

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• The Incredible Hulk

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• Lucky You

• Moment to Moment

• Pound

• Rented Lips

• Too Much Sun

• Up the Academy

Career Trajectory

Unknown Actor

Back when he was an actor and a busboy (or a small child)

• America

• Baby It's You

• Back to School

• Firstborn

• Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• Greaser's Palace

• Moment to Moment

• Pound

• That's Adequate

• Tuff Turf

• Up the Academy

• Weird Science

Up and Coming Actor

His first leading roles, still not quite a movie star yet.

• Chances Are

• Hail Caesar

• Johnny Be Good

• Less Than Zero

• 1969

• The Pickup Artist

• Too Much Sun

• True Believer

Established Actor

When he was famous, but not yet notorious.

• Air America

• Chaplin

• Heart and Souls

• The Last Party

• Lethargy

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• Natural Born Killers

• Only You

• Rented Lips

• Restoration

• Richard III

• Short Cuts

• Soapdish

Troubled Actor

Movies from the era where he was equally famous for his off-screen antics.

• Auto Motives

• Black and White

• Bowfinger

• Danger Zone

• Friends and Lovers

• The Gingerbread Man

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• One Night Stand

• Two Girls and a Guy

• US Marshals

• Wonder Boys

Making a Comeback

Once sober, these were the movies he did to regain his credibility.

• Charlie Bartlett

• Eros

• Fur

• Game Six

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Lucky You

• The Outsider

• The Route V50

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• The Singing Detective

• Whatever We Do

• Zodiac

Superstar

It was a long road, but he finally became an A-list international superstar.

• The Avengers

• Due Date

• The Incredible Hulk

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Iron Man 3

• The Judge

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

Genre

Action

With guns and fighting and stuff.

• Air America

• The Avengers

• Danger Zone

• The Incredible Hulk

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Iron Man 3

• Natural Born Killers

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Tropic Thunder

• Tuff Turf

• US Marshals

Comedy

• America

• Back to School

• Bowfinger

• Chances Are

• Due Date

• Friends and Lovers

• Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• Greaser's Palace

• Hail Caesar

• Heart and Souls

• Home for the Holidays

• Johnny Be Good

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Only You

• The Pickup Artist

• Rented Lips

• The Shaggy Dog

• Soapdish

• That's Adequate

• Too Much Sun

• Tropic Thunder

• Weird Science

• Wonder Boys

• Up the Academy

Drama

• Baby It's You

• Black and White

• Chaplin

• Charlie Bartlett

• Eros

• Firstborn

• Fur

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night & Good Luck

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• The Judge

• Lucky You

• Less Than Zero

• Lethargy

• 1969

• Natural Born Killers

• One Night Stand

• Pound

• Restoration

• Richard III

• A Scanner Darkly

• Short Cuts

• The Singing Detective

• The Soloist

• True Believer

• Tuff Turf

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

• Zodiac

Horror

• In Dreams

• Gothika

Documentary

• The Last Party

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• The Outsider

Romantic Comedy

• Chances Are

• Heart and Souls

• The Pickup Artist

• Only You

Screentime

Starring Roles

• Air America

• Chances Are

• Chaplin

• Due Date

• Fur

• Heart and Souls

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Iron Man 3

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• The Last Party

• Only You

• The Pickup Artist

• Restoration

• The Route V50

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Singing Detective

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

Supporting Roles

• The Avengers

• Auto Motives

• Back to School

• Black and White

• Charlie Bartlett

• Danger Zone

• Eros

• Firstborn

• Friends and Lovers

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Johnny Be Good

• Less Than Zero

• Natural Born Killers

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• The Outsider

• Rented Lips

• Richard III

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• Short Cuts

• Soapdish

• Too Much Sun

• True Believer

• Tuff Turf

• US Marshals

• Weird Science

• Wonder Boys

• Zodiac

Minimal Screentime

• America

• Baby It's You

• Back to School

• Bowfinger

• Firstborn

• Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• Danger Zone

• Hail Caesar

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• The Incredible Hulk

• Lethargy

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• Lucky You

• Moment to Moment

• One Night Stand

• The Outsider

• Pound

• That's Adequate

• Up the Academy

• Weird Science

The Invisible Man

The most fleeting of the cameos.

• America

• Baby It's You

• Bowfinger

• Danger Zone

• Girls Just Want to Have Fun

• The Incredible Hulk

• Moment to Moment

• Pound

• Up the Academy

Et Cetera

RDJ Improvises!

On some of these, he should've gotten a writing credit.

• Black and White

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• The Last Party

• Rented Lips

• Sherlock Holmes

• Short Cuts

• Too Much Sun

• Tropic Thunder

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

RDJ Commentary on DVD

More details in the guide!

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Tropic Thunder

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Zodiac

RDJ is the Only Good Thing About This Movie

• Black and White

• Friends and Lovers

• Game Six

• Gothika

• Less Than Zero

• One Night Stand

• The Singing Detective

• Two Girls and a Guy

• US Marshals

Shirtless

• Auto Motives

• Chaplin

• Chances Are

• Friends and Lovers

• Fur

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• Iron Man

• Johnny Be Good

• The Last Party

• Less Than Zero

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• The Pickup Artist

• Rented Lips

• Restoration

• Richard III

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Short Cuts

• Tuff Turf

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

• Wonder Boys

Underwear or Less

• Chances Are

• Friends and Lovers

• Fur

• Heart and Souls

• Johnny Be Good

• The Last Party

• Less Than Zero

• 1969

• Rented Lips

• Restoration

• Sherlock Holmes

• Short Cuts

• Too Much Sun

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

• Wonder Boys

The Other Kind of Action

With bodies and stuff.

• Friends and Lovers

• Fur

• Game Six

• Less Than Zero

• Restoration

• Richard III

• The Singing Detective

• Two Girls and a Guy

Gay Parade

Where the bromance goes a step beyond, literally or figuratively.

• Black and White

• Home for the Holidays

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Less Than Zero

• One Night Stand

• Wonder Boys

Under the Influence

Where his character has a problem or significant experience with drugs/alcohol.

• Charlie Bartlett

• Due Date

• The Gingerbread Man

• Iron Man 2

• Less Than Zero

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• Restoration

• A Scanner Darkly

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Wonder Boys

• Zodiac

Crazies

Characters who are less stable, mentally.

• Back to School

• Charlie Bartlett

• Game Six

• Hail Caesar

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Johnny Be Good

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Singing Detective

• Tropic Thunder

• Zodiac

Playing a Real Guy

I suppose I probably could have called this “based on a true story.”

• Chaplin

• Good Night and Good Luck

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• The Last Party

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• The Outsider

• Richard III

• The Soloist

• Zodiac

Has an Accent

• Chaplin

• Danger Zone

• Friends and Lovers

• The Gingerbread Man

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• Natural Born Killers

• Rented Lips

• Restoration

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Indie

• America

• Black and White

• Danger Zone

• Eros

• Friends and Lovers

• Greaser's Palace

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• The Last Party

• Lethargy

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• The Outsider

• Pound

• The Singing Detective

• That's Adequate

• Too Much Sun

• Two Girls and a Guy

• Whatever We Do

Short Films

• Auto Motives

• Lethargy

• The Route V50

• Whatever We Do

Black and White

Ooh, artsy.

• Eros

• Good Night & Good Luck

• Lethargy

Period Pieces

Everything from the 17th century to the 1980s. Anything that wasn't set in the present day at the time of filming.

• Air America

• Baby It's You

• Chaplin

• Eros

• Fur

• Game Six

• Good Night and Good Luck

• 1969

• Restoration

• Richard III

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Zodiac

Weirdness

• Eros

• Danger Zone

• Friends and Lovers

• Fur

• Game Six

• Hail Caesar

• Heart and Souls

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Johnny Be Good

• Lethargy

• Moment to Moment

• Natural Born Killers

• Pound

• Rented Lips

• The Route V50

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Singing Detective

• Too Much Sun

Feel Good Flicks

• Chances Are

• Heart and Souls

• Only You

• The Pickup Artist

• The Shaggy Dog

• Soapdish

Availability

Never Released on DVD

Movies that were only available on VHS (or only released online).

• America

• The Last Party

• Lethargy

• Pound

• Rented Lips

• The Route V50

• That's Adequate

• Too Much Sun

• Whatever We Do

On Blu-Ray

Movies released on Blu-Ray (U.S. and Canada).

• Air America

• Back to School

• Chaplin

• Due Date

• Firstborn

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Natural Born Killers

• A Scanner Darkly

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

• Two Girls and a Guy

• US Marshals

• Zodiac

On DVD in Region 1

DVDs released in the U.S. and Canada.

• Air America

• Auto Motives

• Baby It's You

• Back to School

• Black and White

• Bowfinger

• Chances Are

• Chaplin

• Charlie Bartlett

• Due Date

• Eros

• Friends and Lovers

• Fur

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• Greaser's Palace

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Hail Caesar

• Heart and Souls

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Johnny Be Good

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Less Than Zero

• Moment to Moment

• Natural Born Killers

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• Only You

• The Outsider

• The Pickup Artist

• Restoration

• Richard III

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Short Cuts

• The Singing Detective

• Soapdish

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

• True Believer

• Tuff Turf

• Two Girls and a Guy

• US Marshals

• Weird Science

• Wonder Boys

• Zodiac

On DVD in Region 2

DVDs released in Europe.

• Air America

• Auto Motives

• Back to School

• Black and White

• Bowfinger

• Chances Are

• Chaplin

• Charlie Bartlett

• Danger Zone

• Due Date

• Eros

• Fur

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Hail Caesar

• Heart and Souls

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Johnny Be Good

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Less Than Zero

• Natural Born Killers

• Luck, Trust and Ketchup

• 1969

• One Night Stand

• Only You

• The Outsider

• The Pickup Artist

• Richard III

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• Short Cuts

• The Singing Detective

• Soapdish

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

• True Believer

• Tuff Turf

• US Marshals

• Weird Science

• Wonder Boys

• Zodiac

On DVD in Region 4

DVDs released in Australia.

• Air America

• Back to School

• Black and White

• Bowfinger

• Chances Are

• Chaplin

• Charlie Bartlett

• Danger Zone

• Due Date

• Fur

• Game Six

• The Gingerbread Man

• Good Night and Good Luck

• Gothika

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

• Heart and Souls

• Home for the Holidays

• Hugo Pool / Pool Girl

• In Dreams

• Iron Man

• Iron Man 2

• Johnny Be Good

• Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang

• Less Than Zero

• Natural Born Killers

• 1969

• Only You

• The Pickup Artist

• Richard III

• A Scanner Darkly

• The Shaggy Dog

• Sherlock Holmes

• Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

• The Singing Detective

• Soapdish

• The Soloist

• Tropic Thunder

• True Believer

• Tuff Turf

• US Marshals

• Weird Science

• Wonder Boys

• Zodiac