Russell Crowe's 10 Best Movies, Ranked (2025)

Russell Crowe is one of the most successful and recognizable movie stars of the 21st century, and certain films stand out as his best. Born in 1964, Crowe was actively performing for over a decade before his big break. Starting his career in New Zealand and Australia, Crowe began with stage performances and TV parts before landing his first film role in 1990. He began working in North America in the '90s before L.A. Confidential launched him into international fame, kicking off nearly a decade of critically acclaimed movies and performances.

While he hasn't had as much success in recent years, Crowe's movies have generated over $5 billion at the box office, making him a coveted star. His most remarkable stretch came between 1997 and 2001, when he rose to fame and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor three years in a row (1999, 2000, and 2001). For his iconic role as Maximus in Ridley Scott's historical epic Gladiator, Russell Crowe won his first and only Oscar, solidifying his streak of popularity and success.

10 Les Misérables (2012)

Directed by Tom Hooper

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Although Les Misérables has been remade several times, the modern cast of Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Russel Crowe, and others makes for a terrific ensemble. Russell Crowe has musical roots, but a musical film performance is rare for him, and the film might have been met with higher regard if not for mixed reviews about his singing. Still, his performance as Javert is intense, and it's one of the most commercially successful musicals of the century.

9 Cinderella Man (2005)

Directed by Ron Howard

The 59-year-old star has had some physical roles in his career, and Russell Crowe acquired several injuries filmingCinderella Man, a biopic about professional boxer James J. Braddock. Crowe underwent significant training, working with Olympic athletes to prepare for the role. That dedication pays off as it's an exciting sports movie, and Crowe is believable as a determined athlete. Aside from the physical strain of the role, Crowe delivers one of his most emotionally charged performances in Cinderella Man.

8 A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Directed by Ron Howard

The 2001 biographical drama A Beautiful Mind earned Russel Crowe his third and final Oscar nomination. His performance as John Nash is unbelievable, delicately capturing the nuance of the character's mental health challenges. Despite praise for Crowe's acting, the Ron Howard film is one of the less well-reviewed films of his peak era, with a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. It's a traditional biopic, and outside of the starring performance, it's not the most exceptional movie.

7 3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Directed by James Mangold

In one of James Mangold's best movies, Russell Crowe is phenomenal as the outlaw Ben Wade. It's a classic, charismatic, complex Western gunslinger character, and seeing Crowe in that environment is a treat. Starring opposite Christian Bale, two of the era's finest actors face off in a film with action, adventure, and sharp dialogue and performances. 3:10 to Yuma has one of Crowe's best Rotten Tomatoes scores with 89%, and it's one of his most memorable, powerful performances.

6 American Gangster (2007)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott collaborated on five films, and American Gangster is one of their best. The 2007 film primarily focuses on Denzel Washington's Frank Lucas, the film's star. In his supporting role, Crowe is exciting to follow as Detective Richie Roberts, who's determined to end Frank Lucas' crime empire. It's certainly not Crowe's most outstanding performance, but it's an impressive crime movie, and he's solid behind Denzel Washington.

American Gangster didn't receive the award or critical acclaim it likely sought, but the film boasts an 89% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes, which outweighs its critical score. For crime movie lovers, Scott's epic may not have the same acclaim as crime biopics like Goodfellas, but it's still a gripping story and one of the most entertaining in its genre. American Gangster was so evocative that it inspired Jay-Z to make an album of the same name, and the artist praised the moral complexities of cops and criminals explored in the film (via Charlie Rose).

5 The Nice Guys (2016)

Directed by Shane Black

Russell Crowe isn't known for his comedy work, but he's absolutely hilarious in The Nice Guys. Much of the 2016 film's success can be attributed to the exceptional chemistry between Crowe and co-star Ryan Gosling, who have excellent comedic timing working with dry humor. Since its release, audiences have been calling for The Nice Guys 2, with the film trending on Twitter as recently as September 2023, with movie fans showing how passionately they want to see more. The mediocre box office run certainly doesn't do justice to how beloved the comedy is.

4 The Insider (1999)

Directed by Michael Mann

Following his rising success from L.A. Confidential in 1997, Crowe landing a lead role in The Insider was a massive step in establishing his career. Starring alongside the great Al Pacino and directed by Michael Mann, the 1999 drama was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Crowe's first acting nomination. Crowe being nominated in one of his first prominent movie roles was an enormous achievement, especially considering he stood out in a film with industry legends like Pacino and Christopher Plummer.

Playing a real-life person believably is always a fast track to awards and critical acclaim, and Crowe is incredible as whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand. A powerful story about Tobacco industry corruption, Crowe's performance is intense and complex, and he's given excellent dialogue material to work with. The Insider is one of Michael Mann's best movies and one of his most critically acclaimed, with a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 4/5 score from film fans on Letterboxd.

3 L.A. Confidential (1997)

Directed by Curtis Hanson

Curtis Hanson's L.A. Confidential is the film that launched Russell Crowe into fame, and there's a reason for that. Co-starring with Guy Pearce and Kevin Spacey, Crowe is phenomenal as Officer Bud White. The 1997 film is Crowe's highest score on Rotten Tomatoes, with an extremely impressive 99% and 94% Audience Score. Like many iconic '90s classics, L.A. Confidential excels in its tight, intelligent screenwriting and movie star performances. Regarding dialogue, it's the best Crowe has ever had to work with.

2 Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003)

Directed by Peter Weir

Russell Crowe has had his fair share of historical films, but none is as visually impressive as Peter Weir's Master and Commander. Russell Crowe with a long blonde ponytail may not sound ideal on paper, but he's fantastic as the charming Captain Jack Aubrey, with a commanding, authoritative performance that feels genuine as a naval leader. The naval premise is rare in the historical genre, allowing Master and Commander to be a truly unique cinematic experience with mind-blowing cinematography and a devotion to its authentic portrayal of historic maritime life.

1 Gladiator (2000)

Directed by Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott's Gladiator is Russell Crowe's best movie and his best performance, rightfully earning him his Academy Award for Best Actor. Released at the pinnacle of his early 2000s hot streak, the film was Crowe's first major box office hit, solidifying him as a global superstar. Few actors ever would have had the physicality and performing abilities to pull off Maximus, who's as much an action hero as he is a nuanced character. Crowe's screen presence allows him to believably pull off such a charismatic Roman leader and warrior.

With an 8.5, the film is Russell Crowe's highest-rated movie on IMDb, and it's managed to stay culturally relevant as one of the top films in its genre for over two decades, with a sequel even in the works. Gladiator is one of the best movies set in Ancient Rome, setting a gold standard for many historical dramas in the 2000s that followed it. Ridley Scott's epic even won the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 73rd Academy Awards, making it a rare mix of commercial success and award acclaim.

Sources: Charlie Rose