Despite having faced many problems in his personal life over the course of his career, Robert Downey Jr's best films have never gone out of favor with the general public. The actor has a career spanning more than 40 years and many films under his belt. He became even better known after playing Tony Stark in the MCU and winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Oppenheimer (2023).
Would you like to know more about the projects the Hollywood star has been involved in? In today's article, we've put together nine must-see movies in which Downey Jr has shone in terms of acting and which you certainly won't want to miss! Is your favorite film by the artist among the works on this list?
Zodiac (2007)
Based on real events, Zodiac is one of Robert Downey Jr's best films and also one of the most serious of his career. The star's performance in his role as crime reporter Paul Avery was very convincing and came at the right time after many controversies in the actor's personal life. In this role he proved to be back and ready to be a reliable professional again, according to the critics.
This movie recounts the events of one of the best-known serial murder cases in the United States, which took place in the 1970s. The aforementioned killer taunted the police with riddles in the form of letters that kept everyone intrigued while his trail of crimes only got longer and longer. The film was received by the public in an average way, considering that it grossed US$ 84.7 million against a budget of US$ 65 million.
Tropical Thunder (2008)
If you're looking for a comedy movie starring Robert Downey Jr, you definitely need to see Tropic Thunder. This movie is already considered a classic by many fans of the genre, mainly because of its iconic Portuguese dubbing. It was extremely well received by audiences and critics alike, with a box office of US$ 195.7 and a budget of US$ 92 million.
In the plot, the characters are trying to shoot a movie called "Tropic Thunder" about the "real" events in the life of a character who is a Vietnam war veteran. Many things go wrong and the actors' egos get in the way of the shoot, which ends up taking place in the middle of the forest. However, many dangers are lurking for the characters without them even knowing it. Here, Downey Jr plays the role of Kirk Lazarus, a white actor who underwent skin surgery in order to play a controversial role, but ensures the film's place among Robert Downey Jr's best films.
Kiss and Shoot (2005)
Another title that ranks among Robert Downey Jr's best films is Kiss and Shoot, a feature that combines comedy, romance and action in a way that works very well. The actor took part in this film alongside other big names such as Val Kilmer (Top Gun), but despite all this, the box office take can be considered rather lukewarm. In all, the film earned US$ 15 million, while its budget was only US$ 5 million lower, for a total of US$ 10 million.
The story itself tells how a failed thief, played by Downey Jr, ends up being mistaken for a Hollywood actor and finds himself in the middle of making a movie while trying to escape from the police. In general, the film was well received by critics, achieving an 86% rating on specialized websites.
Chapplin (1992)
Among Robert Downey Jr's best films is Chapplin, the biopic of one of the greatest geniuses in the history of the entertainment industry. Here the actor plays the lead role and surprises with his ability to bring dramatic and impressive scenes to life. The film shows Chapplin's entire journey, from childhood to the peak of his career and his expulsion from the United States.
This was a milestone in Downey Jr.'s career for many reasons, but mainly because it was responsible for his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor. On specialized websites, the film achieved a 61% approval rating, but it didn't do so well at the box office, taking in only US$ 9.5 million on a much larger budget of US$ 31 million.
Iron Man (2008)
Iron Man is undoubtedly the best known of Robert Downey Jr's films. The 2008 release introduced him to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and established him as the hero Iron Man. The film managed to win over audiences and critics alike, earning a huge amount at the box office: US$ 585.8 million against a budget of US$ 140 million.
Tony Stark (Downey Jr) is a young billionaire and a brilliant inventor who runs his family's company, which specializes in technological resources. One day he is kidnapped and forced to work for terrorists in order to create a powerful resource. But what he ends up building is a combat suit that allows him to get out of there, save the day and take on the identity of a charismatic superhero.
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Another big box office success among Robert Downey Jr's best films with US$ 524 million collected against a budget of just US$ 90 million is Sherlock Holmes. This title was one of those that proved that the bad phase of his personal life and career was over, showing that he was ready to return to stardom. The film only had one sequel in 2011, but fans are still waiting for a possible sequel, given its success.
The story of this new version of pop culture's most famous detective begins with a series of murders that is leaving the city of London terrified. It is the responsibility of Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr) and his assistant in the field of solving complex crimes, Dr. Watson (Jude Law) to find out who is behind this carnage.
Richard III (1995)
Despite having caused damage to its creators, Richard III is still one of Robert Downey Jr's best films. In this feature, we can see all the actor's talent when he plays Lord Rivers, alongside names like Ian McKellen, who played Richard III himself, after whom the film is named.
It's a period story based on a classic work by the famous author William Shakespeare. It is set in England in 1930, where a civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York is in full swing. The film cost six million pounds to make, but only grossed around two million pounds, and was considered a major failure in that respect, despite the excellent performances of its cast.
Short Cuts - Scenes from Life (1993)
This movie didn't do very well at the box office either, even though it was among Robert Downey Jr.'s best films. Here, the then young actor got the chance to share the screen with some of the biggest names of the time, such as Julianne Moore, Tim Robbins and many others. But the box office gross was only US$ 6 million, while the budget was double that: US$ 12 million.
The story is a compilation of several other stories, all set in the city of Los Angeles and showing how chaotic its routine can be. Downey Jr plays a character called Bill, who is married to Honey, a woman played by actress Lili Taylor. Things start to get complicated for the couple when a suspicious friendship begins with an unbalanced boy called Jerry (Chris Penn).
Oppenheimer (2023)
And last but not least, we have Oppenheimer among Robert Downey Jr's best films! It was this title that won him the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in the role of Lewis Strauss. The film was a huge success, with a budget of US$ 100 million and a box office of US$ 953.8 million.
Based on real events, Oppenheimer is directed by Christopher Nolan and is set during the Second World War. Here we follow the story of the scientist responsible for the project that created the nuclear bomb that hit the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan in 1945, played by Cillian Murphy.
Conclusion
Finally, despite having had a very troubled career, we can see that the best films of Robert Downey Jr manage to convey much of the actor's talent, making him one of today's biggest names. Do you have a movie we haven't mentioned that you'd like to see here? Let us know in the comments! Also, take a look at our article on Emma Watson's 11 movies that you need to watch and in the video below!
