Ranking All Of Ben Stiller's Movies From Best To Worst Was An Experience I'm Not Soon To Forget
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It's crazy to think about what a wild and varied career some longtime, beloved talent in Hollywood have had.
Ben Stiller is definitely one, and though he may have gotten his start through nepotism, there's no questioning he's also got talent and a unique vision.
Whether it's in front of the camera or behind it, comedy, drama, or any combination thereof, Stiller has delivered some major performances.
You don't get nearly 60 film credits to your name without exploring range. Here's how I ranked his films among each other.
59.The Nutt House (1992)
58.Black & White (1999)
57.That's Adequate (1989)
56.Next of Kin (1989)
55.The Independent (2000)
54.I'm Still Here (2010)
53.Locked Down (2021)
No offense to Ben in his role as Guy, but I just wasn't ready for a COVID heist film.
52.Starsky & Hutch (2004)
A reboot before the reboot era, Ben Stiller is funny but misses the mark a few times in this buddy cop movie.
51.Heavyweights (1995)
50.Zero Effect (1998)
Ben Stiller took more of a buddy comedy approach to this role than a detective one, and it made the movie a little better for it.
49.Highway to Hell (1991)
48.If Lucy Fell (1996)
Ben Stiller as a new-age artist type is something to behold.
47.Fresh Horses (1988)
Ben Stiller in a Molly Ringwald late '80s rom-com? He's not the heartthrob, but instead, the edgy best friend that puts him on a different path. It's definitely got so-bad-it's-good value.
46.Envy (2004)
45.Zoolander 2 (2016)
Red Hour Productions / Via giphy.com
Zoolander 2 coming out was a little surprising and the comedy wasn't always spot-on, but there was some nostalgia value.
44.Little Fockers (2010)
43.Empire of the Sun (1987)
42.The Marc Pease Experience (2009)
41.The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
40.Duplex (2003)
One half of a deliciously deceived couple, this is a solid dark comedy from Stiller.
39.Your Friends and Neighbors (1998)
I hate this look but Ben Stiller is great in another dark role.
38.Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)
37.Permanent Midnight (1998)
Stiller is great for his grainy, snide way in this film, a rare but welcome persona he's taken on in films before and since.
36.The Suburbans (1999)
35.Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012)
34.Stella (1990)
It's great to see stars like Stiller recall how happy they were to just be in the midst of other stars early in their career, and the film gets a little boost on this ranking for that fact.
33.Nobody Knows Anything! (2003)
32.Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
31.Hubie Halloween (2020)
Hubie. Happy. Whatever. Where’s MY one year anniversary??Hal L https://t.co/tR136qFV4Y
30.Along Came Polly (2004)
Jersey Films / Via giphy.com
Some of the humor in Along Came Polly is a little much for me, but the Ben Stiller/Jennifer Aniston bond makes up for it, though you can debate how believable a pairing they are.
29.Hot Pursuit (1987)
28.School for Scoundrels (2006)
27.The Cable Guy (1996)
26.Keeping the Faith (2000)
This dramedy sees Ben Stiller as a rabbi trying to figure out love, faith, and dating when a childhood friend blows back into his life.
25.Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (2006)
24.Meet the Fockers (2004)
Paramount Pictures / Via giphy.com
We probably didn't need a part three necessarily, but the Meet the Parents universe is too good to pass up.
23.Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)
1942 Productions / Via justanothercinemaniac.tumblr.com
Prior to this list, I didn't know there was a third NATM movie, so I can't praise or fault it.
22.Madagascar (2005)
21.Megamind (2010)
20.Tower Heist (2011)
Stiller teamed up with Eddie Murphy to bring a lot of laughs to a fast-paced heist flick and it worked.
19.Greenberg (2010)
18.Don't Think Twice (2016)
Cold Iron Pictures / Via giphy.com
Ben Stiller makes a brief appearance as himself in a film about an improv troupe that tries to move on after one of its members hits it big.
17.The Watch (2012)
16.Flirting with Disaster (1996)
15.Happy Gilmore (1996)
Universal Pictures / Via gfycat.com
You may be surprised to learn Stiller's uncredited in this one (I was) because it's pretty memorable for a small role.
14.While We're Young (2014)
Scott Rudin Productions / Via gifer.com
Ben Stiller is funny opposite Naomi Watts as a couple realizing they aren't as hip as they used to be and looking to catch up with a new, younger pair of friends.
13.Mystery Men (1999)
Mystery Men is full of hilarious people as D-list superheroes getting into some great shenanigans.
12.Night at the Museum (2006)
20th Century Fox / Via giphy.com
Something about this movie was great, especially if you were a low-key history geek like myself. It really felt vibrant and different from what was out there at the time.
11.Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
Ben Stiller is funny, albeit a little cringy, in a star-studded cast where he played Arturo Mendes.
10.Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Red Hour Productions / Via imgur.com
Okay, I may be a bit biased because this is probably one of my favorite comedies ever. That said, bad guy Ben Stiller is kind of amazing, and this is one of the best examples of that.
9.The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)
Netflix / Via giphy.com
This one pairs Stiller up with Adam Sandler again, this time as somewhat estranged siblings of an eccentric dad played by Dustin Hoffman.
8.The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Touchstone Pictures / Via gifer.com
Chas Tenenbaum's over-the-top protective nature after the death of his wife, especially as it applies to his kids, is endearing, as is the rest of the zany Tenenbaum family.
7.Reality Bites (1994)
6.The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)
This film was one of many times in Ben Stiller's career that he proves he's got the range, playing an ordinary man who ends up on an extraordinary journey.
5.Zoolander (2001)
Who can forget the first time they saw Zoolander? The dumb and pretty stereotype is somewhat behind us, but the beauty of this hilarious film still stands.
4.Tropic Thunder (2008)
3.There's Something About Mary (1998)
Taking a second chance with a teenage crush in this film proved to be a winning formula for Stiller in a truly memorable role.
2.Brad's Status (2017)
Amazon Studios / Via giphy.com
Stiller has really come into playing a dad, and those heartfelt moments mean something, especially to viewers who are in that same stage of life.
1.Meet the Parents (2000)
For a whole generation, this is Ben Stiller's most memorable and best-known movie, and with good reason. Greg Focker is a hilariously relatable character perpetually dealing with everything going wrong in his attempts to impress his girlfriend's family. His chemistry with Robert DeNiro is everything.
