While The Hulk technically had two standalone movies—only one of which is considered part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe—Mark Ruffalo didn’t appear in any of them. Instead, he made his official debut as Bruce Banner in The Avengers (2012). Since then, Ruffalo has been internationally recognized as Banner on top of having a thriving acting career since the 1990s.
When he isn’t appearing in the MCU, Ruffalo continues to act in many other well-regarded films. In the 2010s alone he earned a whopping three Oscar nods for his work. Whether he’s in a low-budget indie or an MCU caliber blockbuster, Ruffalo has left behind a consistently strong and dynamic body of work. Here are his best non-MCU films of the 2010s, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
Date Night (66%)
Ruffalo makes a cameo in Date Night (2010) as Brad Sullivan, best friend of Phil and Claire Foster (Steve Carrell and Tina Fey). His pending divorce with his wife Hailey (Kristen Wiig), kickstarts the events that lead Phil and Claire to try and spice up their own marriage… with some bizarre consequences.
His cameo is not the only one in Date Night. Other familiar faces in the comedy include Nick Kroll, Mark Wahlberg, and even Will.i.Am. The film received lukewarm reviews overall, but the cameos were considered a highlight.
Shutter Island (68%)
Having previously appeared in the David Fincher thriller Zodiac (2007), Ruffalo was the perfect choice to play opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island (2010). A psychological thriller set in 1954, it follows U.S Marshal Edward Daniels (DiCaprio) and his new partner Chuck (Ruffalo) as they investigate the disappearance of Rachel Solando from an insane asylum on Shutter Island.
The film was well received and the plot features many twists and turns. In order to execute the thriller properly, the cast had a three week rehearsal period. Ruffalo said in an interview with Cleveland.com, “It was very collaborative. We had these long discussions really breaking down the story, and we were watching all these films. So not only was it a great rehearsal period, it was our own little film school with Marty.”
Margaret (74%)
Margaret (2011) was written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. In addition to having Ruffalo, the cast featured many other famous faces such as Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Jean Reno, and Allison Janey. The plot follows Lisa (Paquin), a 17-year old girl who must deal with the consequences of indirectly causing a woman’s death when she distracts a bus driver (Ruffalo).
This was not the first time that Ruffalo worked with Lonergan. He first appeared in Lonergan’s Oscar-nominated film You Can Count On Me (2000) as Terry Prescott. It was a breakout role that catapulted Ruffalo into the first phase of his movie stardom pre-MCU.
Infinitely Polar Bear (81%)
In Infinitely Polar Bear (2014) Mark Ruffalo plays Cameron, a father who must deal with his bipolar disorder and raising his two daughters while his wife (Zoe Saldana) is in business school. This marks another collaboration between Marvel peers, as Zoe Saldana is known as Gamora in MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy.
On top of the positive reception for the film’s story and its realistic portrayal of mental illness, Ruffalo was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as Cameron. The film is based on director Maya Forbes’ own experiences with her father. Ruffalo toldVanity Fair, “I got a script that really jumped out at me. I read it and felt that is had so much humor, pathos, and honesty.”
Begin Again (82%)
Mark Ruffalo plays a down-on-his-luck ex-record executive in this 2013 musical-comedy. His luck begins to change when he meets Gretta (Keira Knightly), the ex-girlfriend of a successful musician, who has some talent of her own. Begin Again was lauded for its story and original music.
While Keira Knightley and co-star Adam Levine sang the majority of the original tunes, audiences missed out on hearing Ruffalo do some singing of his own. “I did sing for the movie and it was cut out of the movie. I was singing in the bathroom. It was supposed to be a lyric poem song. But we couldn’t get the rights to that song.” he told Cinemovie in an interview.
Foxcatcher (87%)
While Foxcatcher (2014) is best-known for Steve Carrell’s surprisingly sinister turn as millionaire murderer John DuPont, Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal as Olympic wrestler David Schultz also received praise from critics. It netted Ruffalo his second Academy Award nomination of the decade for Best Supporting Actor.
Ruffalo actually had wrestling experience prior to working on Foxcatcher but had to change a few things in order to play David properly. He told Variety, “I wrestled leading with my right foot, and David Schultz lead with his left foot so I really had to unlearn everything I know as far as moves went, which was pretty frustrating for me.” In hindsight, switching feet definitely paid off!
Dark Waters (90%)
Directed by Todd Haynes, Dark Waters (2019) is a legal thriller based on the true story of lawyer Robert Billot (Ruffalo). He takes on a chemical manufacturing corporation when he realizes that they have been allowing a small town’s water supply to be chemically contaminated. In addition to starring as Billot, Ruffalo also produced the film. While it didn’t reach widespread success, the film was critical acclaimed by those who did watch it.
During preparation for the film, Ruffalo talked to ScreenRant about his experience working with the real Robert Billot. He said “I spent as much time as I could with him. And then, while we were shooting, really having him come to set as much as was possible for him. And having him nearby, just to be able to be as honest as possible with the portrayal of him.”
The Kids Are All Right (93%)
Mark Ruffalo started off the 2010s with several decent movies, including some that made it on to this list. But perhaps his most acclaimed role in 2010 was that of sperm donor Paul in The Kids Are All Right (2010). The Kids Are All Right centers around a pair of siblings (Mia Wasikowksa and Josh Hutcherson) who seek out their biological father against the wishes of their lesbian mothers (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore). Problems ensue when Paul decides he wants to be in his children’s lives.
Ruffalo’s performance earned him the first of three Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor during the decade. For director Lisa Cholodenko, Ruffalo was the obvious choice to play Paul after she saw him in You Can Count On Me. She toldNPR that Ruffalo was capable of portraying a character that was simultaneously unlikable and redeemable without being “pathetic,” which can be hard to do.
The Normal Heart (94%)
The HBO movie The Normal Heart (2014) is based on a play that follows a group of gay men during the rise of HIV/AIDS in the early 80s. Ruffalo stars as Ned Weeks, a writer who would go on to found an organization that shared information about the developing disease.
For his performance, Ruffalo was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Ruffalo referred to playing Ned as “modulating the anger and bouncing it against the vulnerability.” Ruffalo is currently in talks to lead another HBO project, Parasite.
Spotlight (97%)
When Spotlight (2015) was released it garnered near-universal acclaim. Based on a true story, it explored the investigation of the Boston Globe‘s spotlight team into the covering up of child sexual abuse allegations in several Boston Catholic Churches. It boasted an ensemble cast of several acting heavyweights including Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci, and Rachel McAdams.
Both Ruffalo and McAdams were nominated for Academy Awards for their supporting roles. While none of them walked away with the statuette, Spotlight went on to win the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.
