Matthew McConaughey is one of the most versatile actors working in Hollywood, maintaining a good balance between comedies and profound dramas, and his talent earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor in 2014. McConaughey has been a major presence in movies since the early ’90s, following his breakout performance in the cult classic Dazed and Confused, the first of his three collaborations with Richard Linklater. He continues to pay respect to his Texas origins, with his many Texan characters being a trademark in his career, although he has also proven he can handle any accent.
McConaughey has also dabbled in television, most notably with his immediately iconic character Rust Cohle from True Detective. He has been open to new film franchises, such as the animated Sing series, though some of his movies expected to spawn sequels, such as Sahara, failed to launch (McConaughey was also almost cast as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, which would have been huge for him). Never one to attach himself to a single genre, he has explored many unique projects with several renowned directors, from Martin Scorsese to Christopher Nolan. Even with such a consistent filmography, however, these movies stand out as McConaughey’s best.
12 How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)
Although critics weren’t crazy about How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, given its 43% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience’s invigorating response to the movie makes it one of Matthew McConaughey’s most memorable romantic comedies. Co-leading the movie alongside Kate Hudson, McConaughey is as charming as one can be in even the best that the rom-com genre can offer. He plays Benjamin, a man who wants to prove he’s capable of making any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. Of course, he meets and instead falls for Hudson’s Andie, who is researching how to get a man to leave a woman in 10 days.
Available To Stream On Netflix
11 Sing (2016)
Matthew McConaughey clearly had fun playing Buster Moon in Sing, but that’s not the only reason he decided to come back for a sequel five years later. The original was a massive box office hit, grossing over $600 million worldwide, the story of his theater-producer character and friends hosting a singing competition had the potential for many more movies. Indeed, Sing is the kind of animated musical movie that leaves the audience wanting an encore, just like in an actual concert. McConaughey gives all his heart to his performance as the voice of the charismatic koala, which even had him singing “Call Me Maybe” with Scarlett Johansson.
Available To Stream On Netflix
10 Killer Joe (2011)
Killer Joe might be an outlier in Matthew McConaughey’s movie career, as its violent nature and outrageous humor are definitely not for everyone. Still, the always-alluring McConaughey takes the assignment seriously with a distressing performance. Directed by the prestigious William Friedkin, Killer Joe follows McConaughey’s titular detective as he accepts the task of killing a drug dealer’s evil mother. McConaughey gives life to another Texan character here, yet Joe is different from any other part he’s played, as the role made him engage in some of the most uncomfortable scenes he’s ever taken part in.
Available To Stream On Prime Video
9 Contact (1997)
One of the best Robert Zemeckis movies, Contact features a sci-fi story mostly grounded in reality while following a scientist forced to challenge her faith and beliefs after successfully tracking alien intelligence. The Carl Sagan adaptation only gets better as time progresses, constantly becoming more relevant year after year. In the movie, Matthew McConaughey plays a smaller role as one of Jodie Foster’s protagonist’s love interests, but his character is a key part of an everlasting message about enduring love and faith in times when reality can’t be trusted. While it didn’t thrive at the box office, Contact is now considered a cult classic among movies about extraterrestrial encounters.
Available To Stream On Netflix
8 Tropic Thunder (2008)
Tropic Thunder masterfully mixes war themes with comedy despite primarily being a movie about filmmaking. Offering thrilling action scenes with hilarious behind-the-scenes drama, the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously, and the stellar comedy cast is totally in synch, with many big actors, such as Ben Stiller and Tom Cruise, working together. Matthew McConaughey’s minor performance doesn’t really stand out as much as some of his co-stars, though he is as enjoyable as ever as Hollywood agent Rick Peck.
Available To Stream On Apple TV
7 The Gentlemen (2019)
Matthew McConaughey is the perfect actor to star in a Guy Ritchie movie because he knows exactly when to shift from comedy to drama, and The Gentlemen is another Ritchie effort that aims to be more than one thing at once. In the movie, McConaughey plays an American in London eager to cash out of his marijuana empire. A plot twist avalanche ensues, as can be expected from Ritchie, while many peculiar characters try to get the upper hand over one another. A success among critics and audiences, The Gentlemen is an entertaining watch that never comes to a halt.
Available To Stream On Netflix
6 Lone Star (1996)
Matthew McConaughey’s character in Lone Star is the controversial local hero Sheriff Buddy Deeds, who could have easily inspired McConaughey’s role in True Detective nearly 20 years later. Possibly the greatest deep cut in McConaughey’s career, Lone Star is a modern Western that sets up a murder mystery to uncover a puzzling conspiracy plot. Under a constant atmosphere of suspicion, the movie offers an intriguing narrative while delving deep into each character’s psyche. Although criminally under-seen, Lone Star has 92% on Rotten Tomatoes and is the perfect option for those who enjoy McConaughey’s performances in crime thrillers.
Available To Stream On Apple TV
5 Dazed and Confused (1992)
Dazed and Confused perfectly captures the idiosyncrasies of the ’70s through Richard Linklater’s slice-of-life story. Taking place over the course of 24 hours, the movie introduces many characters who come in and out of teenagers Floyd and Mitch’s sight as they experience an epic hangout on the last day of school: the former as the star football player; the latter as an incoming freshman trying to fit in. Among other movie star debuts, Dazed and Confused offers Matthew McConaughey’s breakthrough performance. He plays Wooderson, a minor yet iconic character who steals every scene he’s in and delivers the first taste of what’s become McConaughey’s most famous line, “Alright, alright, alright.”
Available To Stream On Hulu
4 The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
Martin Scorsese still owes audiences one of his typical neo-noir films starring Matthew McConaughey, but The Wolf of Wall Street is another must-watch movie in the acclaimed director’s career, matching his modern narrative and thematic inclinations with real-life events. The film depicts the true story of a corrupt New York stockbroker as he rises to the top before being caught in a massive fraud scandal. In The Wolf of Wall Street, McConaughey is the center of attention whenever he’s onscreen with his charismatic yet uncomfortable supporting role as Mark Hanna, a real-life figure who dominated the stock market in the ’80s, and the movie could have used more of him.
Available To Stream On Netflix
3 Mud (2012)
Mud is Matthew McConaughey’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 97% critic score. It also broke records when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival by registering an 18-minute-long standing ovation. Featuring an outstanding comeback performance from McConaughey after some time away from the big screen, Mud is a surprisingly sweet drama about two boys who befriend a fugitive and help him to escape. The story addresses subtle political themes through its interesting clash of generations, between the boys trying to evade reality and the fugitive trying to outrun his past. McConaughey carries the movie with a succinct performance from beginning to end.
Available To Stream On Prime Video
2 Interstellar (2014)
Perhaps Matthew McConaughey’s most popular work, this subversive sci-fi movie from Christopher Nolan turns out to be much more emotionally powerful than expected. Interstellar owes its tear-jerking power to McConaughey’s sensitive performance as a man stuck between doing the right thing for humanity and taking care of his daughter as a competent father. Between otherworldly landscapes and moments of extreme danger, McConaughey is there to remind the audience that this is a story about humanity and the ties that bind hearts together, regardless of distance and time. In the end, Intersteller shows viewers that love is the only thing that matches the immensity of the universe.
Available To Stream On Netflix
1 Dallas Buyer’s Club (2013)
Dallas Buyer’s Club feels like a cinematic redemption from Matthew McConaughey since the role, his personal favorite, is rooted in the actor’s personal attachment to Texas and its culture. McConaughey is also virtually unrecognizable as Ron Woodrof, a reckless man who suddenly sees himself working around the U.S. healthcare system after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. McConaughey’s heart-rending lead performance ended up earning him a much-deserved Oscar while the movie was also nominated for Best Picture. Dallas Buyer’s Club remains one of the best efforts of the century to expose how unreliable the U.S. healthcare system is and to manifest the importance of sex education in times when ignorance prevails.
Available To Stream On Netflix
