Ryan Reynolds: 10 Movies You Totally Forgot About

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Movies You Forgot Ryan Reynolds Was In. We all love him as Deadpool and Pikachu, but for this list we’ll be showcasing some of the more underrated or largely forgotten roles of Ryan Reynolds. What do you think is Reynolds’ most underrated film? Share your thoughts in the comments!

#10: “The Croods” (2013)

This delightful DreamWorks animated movie follows The Croods, a prehistoric cave family in search of a new home in the midst of several natural disasters. The movie’s main focus is on Nicolas Cage’s stubborn Grug and Emma Stone’s Eep, Grug’s rebellious daughter. But Reynolds still shines as Guy, a more developed specimen with an endless amount of inventions. Some of the best jokes in the movie come from the family’s reaction to his intelligence and his creations. Of course, Grug’s fear of anything new puts Guy in some hot water. However, it’s Guy that delivers the movie’s main message to explore and bask in the joy of creativity and the unknown. Reynolds sells it well, and we can see why Eep falls for him.

#9: “Adventureland” (2009)

This 2009 comedy revolved around something many of us can relate to: working a crummy summer job when you’d rather be doing anything else. Jesse Eisenberg plays James, a new employee at the theme park who falls for Kristen Stewart’s Emily. Unfortunately, Emily is also involved with Reynolds’ Mike, the maintenance worker and resident ‘cool guy.’ Reynolds brings his signature winning charm to the role, as well as likeability, despite Mike being a downright terrible person who uses his good looks and supposed musical prowess to have multiple affairs. Reynolds was a perfect casting choice though, as both James and the audience needed to like him at first. We actually wish he had a little more screen time.

#8: “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle” (2004)

The stoner adventures of Harold & Kumar started off strong with a ridiculously silly quest for tiny hamburgers. And it’s packed with great cameos. Among the many issues that crop up, one scene has them trying to steal medical cannabis from a hospital. Only, they’re mistaken for actual doctors and brought in to operate on a gunshot victim. Reynolds only plays a small role as the O.R. nurse who mistakes them for professionals. But even in this short amount of screentime, he manages to get a few laughs. Reynolds had some chemistry with Kal Penn, who plays Kumar, as they also starred in the raunchy comedy “Van Wilder” together.

#7: “Smokin’ Aces” (2006)

When a $1 million bounty is placed on a Vegas magician for informing on the mafia, it brings out all manner of assassins seeking to claim it. Trying to defend him against the parade of uniquely twisted murderers are two FBI agents. Ryan Reynolds plays Agent Richard Messner, the younger and less seasoned of the two. Given that there’s a rather large cast that includes the likes of Ben Affleck, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, and Chris Pine, you’d be forgiven for forgetting Reynolds’ inclusion. Additionally, his performance as Agent Messner is naturally a bit more subdued than the variety of insanity the villains offer. Still, as the bodies continue to mount, he showcases a ferocity that would come in handy in later performances.

#6: “Waiting…” (2005)

Ryan Reynolds starred in his fair share of comedies that made it clear he’d be a good match for Deadpool. “Waiting…” follows a day in the life of the strange and often unprofessional staff at a restaurant called Shenaniganz. Based on writer/director Rob McKittrick’s time working as a waiter, it features a cast of increasingly madcap characters we would never want handling our food. Reynolds plays Monty, a waiter who spends most of his time goofing off and screwing with customers. Reynolds has charisma with just about everyone, from his best friend Dean to his scorned ex-lover Serena. Despite a lot of elements about Monty being pretty despicable, Reynolds can still manage to win us all over.

#5: “Foolproof” (2003)

This Canadian thriller stars Reynolds as one of three friends who like to play a game that involves devising plans to rob various establishments. It’s just a game to them, but when a real criminal steals their plans and tries to blackmail them, they have to perform an actual heist. It was released in more Canadian theaters than any other movie filmed there at the time. But as it failed commercially and Reynolds is the only big name attached, it’s pretty forgettable. In fact, we would’ve forgotten about it entirely if not for Reynolds himself poking fun at it. In 2020, he and Mint Mobile launched a joke streaming service where “Foolproof” was the only thing you could watch.

#4: “Paper Man” (2009)

Before Reynolds donned the iconic Deadpool suit, or even starred in “Green Lantern,” he portrayed an imaginary superhero in this dramedy. The film follows a down-on-his-luck writer who still relies on his childhood imaginary friend, Captain Excellent, to cope with life. While struggling with writer’s block and a failing marriage, he befriends a young girl he has a surprising amount in common with. Reynolds and Jeff Daniels also boast great chemistry; it’s fun seeing the two argue over the writer’s need for Captain Excellent. However, the indie barely made a dent at the box office. Critics weren’t exactly kind to it either.Well, they can’t all be winners.

#3: “The Nines” (2007)

A troubled actor, a TV writer, and a videogame designer — Reynolds plays all three in this twisty sci-fi thriller. Divided into three sections, the film shows each character living their lives and dealing with their individual problems. However, they find their lives beginning to cross over in strange and unsettling ways. We don’t want to spoil how and why their lives are connected, but trust us when we say things get pretty bizarre. Reynolds is able to bring something different to each character, and his performances guide us through the maze of confusion until the final reveal. It helps that, like always, he has great rapport with his co-stars Melissa McCarthy and Hope Davis, who also play three different characters.

#2: “Chaos Theory” (2008)

Frank Allen gets paid to give lectures on time management. Everything in his life is completely organized, expertly planned, and highly efficient. However, a string of terrible things he can’t control puts his life on a new track; one of chaos. From missing a career-defining seminar to finding out his daughter isn’t biologically his, Frank’s life comes tumbling down. And so, he decides to give chance a shot. While “Chaos Theory” didn’t impress critics overall, Reynolds carries the plot well through his character’s downward spiral. He’s both believable as the reserved version of Frank at the beginning and the more haywire version later, which showcased some of his trademark manic energy.

#1: “Boltneck” (2000)

Once upon a time, Ryan Reynolds played a version of Frankenstein’s monster in this incredibly campy horror movie, which originally received a limited release in 1998. The film follows highschooler Frank Stein (yes, really), who reanimates the body of his classmate following his accidental death. Unfortunately, he does so by stealing a brain from his father’s lab, the brain of a serial killer. Naturally, this leads to some personality changes. “Boltneck” is clearly only for the most diehard of Ryan Reynolds fans and you’re not really missing anything if you haven’t seen it. The only reason many of us were likely made aware of its existence is because Reynolds, yet again, poked fun at his previous work. This time, it was while promoting “Deadpool 2” with David Beckham.