With "Deadpool" set to set the Box Office on fire this weekend, who thought we'd ever say that huh? It seems time to reflect back on the career of the man who pretty much single handily got this movie made with the top 10 movies starring Ryan Reynolds. Now for dramatic sake no "Deadpool" isn't included on this list but i assure you it would be if it wouldn't be a hack choice for number 1. Anyway onto the list:
Honorable Mention: "Two Guys and a Girl" (1998 - 2001)
This one didn't make the list for the obvious reason that it was a TV show but nonetheless was a damn fine and funny show. While the premise itself is a bit boring, two guys run a pizza place and they have a female friend (its the title people), the show was basically a star vehicle for Reynolds to fine tune the comedy style that would make him a star. If you like the smarmy and dickish Reynolds then you'll definitely like this show, which got a surprising 3 full seasons so its not a flash in the pan. Check it out if you can find it because amazingly I'm not sure it ever got a DVD release
10. Green Lantern (2011)
OK i know you're thinking I'm nuts here but Ryan Reynolds was never the problem with "Green Lantern". Sure the movie didn't bother with things like a convincing villain, a love interest who could act or a solid narrative structure but what it did have was a star who was totally in for the role. Reynolds makes Hal Jordan more likable then script seems to want to and is a charismatic enough lead to occasionally forget that everything else about the film just doesn't work. Lucky for us this didn't hit actually or we never would have "Deadpool" today.
9. The Change-Up (2011)
A re imagining of "Freaky Friday" this movie starred Reynolds and Jason Bateman as two buddies who swap bodies after drunkenly pissing together in a fountain, yep that's the set-up. Not the strongest of premises no doubt but the movie itself is actually quite funny. Seeing Bateman really play up the Reynolds personality after the swap is fun to watch and Reynolds himself has a nice turn toning down his antics as well. The movie itself is full of the expected crude jokes and toilet humor but as you'll see later on I'm a sucker for that stuff. Not to mention Leslie Mann and Olivia Wilde are both excellent as the romantic leads. This movie also however started the scourge of "CGI breasts" however as both Mann and Wilde have them added in post-production. Why anyone felt the need to do that i don't know and frankly i don't wanna know.
8. The Amityville Horror (2005)
This was Ryan Reynolds first attempt to do dramatic work as he played George Lutz in this remake. The plot stays pretty faithful to the original and the book as Lutz slowly starts acting more erratic and violent as the house slowly possesses him as his family gets terrorized by ghosts and flies as well. Ultimately a mostly forgettable and unnecessary remake, as most horror ones are these days, but Reynolds gives a good performance and showed there is more to him them just one-liners and ab shots.
7. Smokin' Aces (2006)
This movie is awesome!! A criminally forgotten action movie that featured an All-star cast who all appear to be having a ball making it and a plot that sets up the action and gets out of the way. Reynolds plays Richard Messner, an FBI agent who with his partner Donald Carruthers (Ray Liotta) are tasked with protecting Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) in a hotel casino penthouse because a mob boss has put a $1 million bounty on his head which leads to the top hitmen in the world coming to collect. What happens next is a twisty plot and nonstop violence by a cast that also included Ben Affleck, Chris Pine, Alicia Keys, Common, Andy Garcia, Jason Bateman, Kevin Durand, Taraji B Henson and more. If you missed this one when it came out do yourself a favor and check it out.
6. The Proposal (2009)
I know i know its a romantic comedy starring Reynolds and Sandra Bullock but its still a pretty good one so lay off. Sure you can tell where the movie is going before you even walk into the theatre but its the journey that counts and luckily this one contains a bunch of laughs. Reynolds plays Andrew Paxton, an assistant for the high strung and demanding Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), who must pretend to be engaged to his boss unless she'll be deported to Canada and all the abuse he's been putting up with will have been for nothing. They must then travel to Andrew's hometown in Alaska to meet his family while a suspicious Immigration officer looks on. Expect the usual pratfalls and awkward situations but also expect more then a few laughs to go along. Plus it stars Sandra Bullock and she's a national treasure you monsters!
5. Safe House (2012)
Showing once again he belongs in bigger movies this one was a chance for Reynolds to go toe-to-toe with one of Hollywood's biggest stars in Denzel Washington and Reynolds proved to be up to the task. Reynolds is Matt Weston, a young CIA agent in charge of keeping a CIA safe house in working order. His job is pretty boring and uneventful until one day his house is activated as the CIA brings in rogue agent Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington), a legend who no one is sure what he's up to anymore. What follows is a tense and taut spy thriller where you're not sure who the good or bad guys are. Denzel puts in his usual outstanding performance but Reynolds was up to the task as co-star and actual lead of the movie. Also this movie helped to save his career after the huge flop that was "Green Lantern" so its got that going for it too.
4. National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002)
Yes the movie that introduced the world at large to Ryan Reynolds in a role that almost seems like it was written specifically for him. Reynolds plays Van, a super popular 7 year college student who would rather stay in college and delay his adult life as long as possible the graduate. Its not until his dad (Tim Matheson) stops agreeing to pay his tuition that Van must grow up and begin to live up to his potential. Van spends the movie coming up with schemes to gain tuition money, with the help of his sex obsessed and loyal assistant Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn), as well as trying to win the heart of Gwen Pearson (Tara Reid) who is writing a story about him for the college newspaper. What could have been, and was probably expected to be, just a low budget straight to video college sex comedy turns into a very funny if bit predictable comedy that became quite a hit and launched a few sequels and careers as well. Plus it warns us all of the fire hazard that is massage oil......thanks guy.
3. Just Friends (2005)
Another forgotten and underrated role for Reynolds here as he plays Chris Brander, an obese high school student who's madly in love with his best friend Jamie Palomino (Amy Smart). After being embarrassed right before he tells her Chris moves to LA and becomes rich, skinny and a ladies man. He never returns home until his private jet is forced to make an emergency landing in his hometown in New Jersey thanks to his Pop-star "Girlfriend" Samantha James (Anna Faris). that Chris must face his past and win the girl of his dreams. Another romantic comedy but again an extremely funny one, aside from Reynolds in a fat suit you get allot of the "things keep going horribly wrong" accidents and injuries that always make laugh. When you throw in a completely transparent jerk in Chris Klein as a fellow former nerd turned hot guy who is also trying to get Jaime, though for far less wholesome reasons, you get a movie that was largely ignored when it was released and since then but one you should definitely go back and take a look at.
2. Waiting... (2005)
Ever worry what the staff at TGIF or Applebees is really doing to your food in the back? Or wondered what do they really think of you when you eat there? Well "Waiting..." is here to answer all your questions and fears. While only the co-star alongside Justin Long, the films actual lead, you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who watched this that didn't feel Reynolds was the star. With good reason to as he's given all the big comedy lines and draws your attention every time he's on screen. The movie is about Justin Long's character Dean being fed up with his life as a server and wanting more but being afraid to move on with his life. After an offer to become Assistant Manager comes along he must decide between accepting it for the money but maybe ensure his future there or decline it and go on his own unknown path. The real Crux of the movie though is the staff and how they interact with each other and the customers. Every character has some defining trait that makes them stick out so no one is the same and all bring their quirks to deliver a different kind of comedy and will definitely keep you laughing all the way through. With an all-star cast that also has Anna Faris, David Koechner, Luis Guzman, Dane Cook and Chi Mcbride among others you're 100% guaranteed to be laughing all the way through. Just don't plan on eating at any chain restaurants pretty much ever again after watching.
1. Buried (2010)
If you'd have told me that one man buried alive for 90 minutes without any cutaways or other actors I'd have thought you were crazy but "Buried" is by far one of the most intense thrillers I've ever seen. The sense of claustrophobia we get as viewers is incredible and one can only imagine what the character of Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is going through. A trucker in Iraq whose convoy was attacked, Conroy awakens in a casket he can hear being covered in dirt. With only some matches, glow sticks and a cell phone (the only lighting in the whole movie might i add) he must then try to get out before he runs out of air or the casket collapses in on him, all while having no idea where he is. Reynolds shows off his acting chops as you'll be drawn into this movie from the first frame and won't be able to look away. Also if you thought action scenes couldn't be done when your protagonist can't move much you'd be terribly wrong as a particularly nasty scene involving a snake proves. The horror of imagining ourselves in this situation and the fact we like Conroy and want to see him escape adds to the already ultra-thick tension and will have you holding your breath until the final frame. It shows the range that Reynolds has, that he can do dramatic work if given the opportunity and that he's not just a one-note comedic actor. If you haven't seen this movie go out and get it now, i can't stress that enough
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