The lovable and ageless Paul Rudd has had steady work on the silver screen for a long time. He has always been pretty well known and popular, appearing in countless iconic roles, but his role in Marvel’s Ant-Man has made him even more of a widely known and recognizable star.
From I Love You, Man to The Fundamentals of Caring Paul Rudd has had various roles where he’s allowed himself to work on both his comedic and dramatic acting. Let’s revisit some of Paul Rudd’s greatest roles in his top-rated movies!
I Love You, Man- 7.0 (2009)
This 2009 comedic romance, directed by John Hamburg, is rated at 7.0 by reviewers on IMDb. Paul Rudd stars as the lovable Peter Klaven who is about to get married to Rashida Jones. As the wedding date rapidly approaches Rudd realizes he doesn’t have any close male friends, besides his brother and father, to be his groomsmen. He frantically begins to go on friend dates to find a perfect match and runs into Jason Segel and they become fast friends over fish tacos and Rush songs. It’s a fun and hilarious movie with a lot of Paul Rudd, if you somehow haven’t seen this one, give it a try!
Forgetting Sarah Mashall- 7.1 (2008)
This 2008 comedic romance about heartbreak, directed by Nicholas Stoller and written by Jason Segel, is rated at 7.1 by reviewers on IMDb. The movie stars Jason Segel who runs to Hawaii after a devastating breakup. Hilarity ensues with many poignant and dramatic moments to bring weight and depth to the hilarious movie. Paul Rudd doesn’t have too big of a role in this one, but his role is iconic. Segel decides to try surfing and meets Rudd who is an instructor. The audience is treated to Rudd playing a typical surfer dude who imparts his wisdom on anyone who will listen. It’s a great watch overall, check it out if you haven’t had the chance.
Ant-Man and the Wasp- 7.1 (2018)
This 2018 comedic action-adventure, directed by Peyton Reed, is rated at 7.1 by reviewers on IMDb. The second stand-alone movie for Scott Lang (Rudd) follows him as he faces new foes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Paul Rudd is just as funny as the first movie as we see him succumb to boredom after being put on house arrest after various Avenger activities. Rudd again charms the audience with his hilarious and heartfelt portrayal as the star of the movie, definitely worth a watch, and is a fun addition to the MCU.
Anchorman- 7.2 (2004)
This 2004 comedic classic, directed by Adam McKay, is rated at 7.2 by reviewers on IMDb. The movie follows Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) in the 1970s as he runs the news airways of San Diego. Paul Rudd plays a part of his news team (along with Steve Carrell, Christina Applegate, and David Koechner). Rudd has a decent amount of screen time and delivers some truly iconic and quotable lines in the film. If you’ve somehow never seen this film, it’s worth a watch!
Ant-Man 7.3 (2015)
This 2015 comedic action-adventure, directed by Peyton Reed, is rated at 7.3 by reviewers on IMDb. The audience meets Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd) as he is trying to put his life back together after being arrested for morally correct thievery. Rudd easily becomes one of the MCU’s funniest characters as he brings his usual charm and comedic prowess to the role.
The movie has a lot of heart as the audience sees Lang interact with his daughter (Abby Ryder Fortson) and try to keep civil with his ex-wife (Judy Greer) and her new boyfriend (Bobby Cannavale). The movie is a great balance of comedy, action, and family connection and is definitely worth the watch.
The Fundamentals of Caring- 7.3 (2016)
This 2016 comedic drama, directed by Rob Burnett, is rated at 7.3 by reviewers on IMDb. This is a movie where Paul Rudd proves he has dramatic range as an actor. He stars as a writer who decides to retire after a personal family tragedy and chooses to become a caregiver for a disabled teen. They go on a road trip together and both experience life-changing events throughout the journey. This movie is certainly a good watch if you want to see a more serious side of Paul Rudd.
The Little Prince- 7.7 (2015)
This 2015 animated drama, directed by Mark Osborne, is rated at 7.7 by reviewers on IMDb. The Netflix movie follows a young girl protagonist whose mother has planned out her entire life for her. They live in a world where everyone plans every little thing, except for their chaotic neighbor.
Her neighbor introduces her to the world of the beautifully animated Little Prince. Paul Rudd voices a small but important part in the feature of a grown-up who has lost his way and is brought back into the world of creativity and wonder by the little girl. This is a sweet and poignant beautiful movie based on the original French novella.
Captain America: Civil War- 7.8 (2016)
This 2016 action-adventure, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, is rated at 7.8 by reviewers on IMDb. This continuation of the Captain America franchise focuses on in-fighting between all of the previously introduced Avengers as they choose between Iron Man and Captain America, including Paul Rudd’s Scott Lang as Ant-Man, who fights alongside Cap. He doesn’t have too big of a role, but he is certainly memorable in the climactic fight scene between the two groups of Avengers and when he first meets the legendary Steve Rogers. Overall the movie is one of the highest-rated MCU movies and definitely worth a watch.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower- 8.0 (2012)
This 2012 dramatic romance, directed and written by Stephen Chbosky, is rated at 8.0 by reviewers on IMDb. This movie follows an introverted high school freshman who finds friendship in two high school seniors. The story delves into serious topics such as mental illness and suicide as the three main characters navigate high school and the real world. Paul Rudd plays one of their trusted teachers in the movie who has some iconic quotes. Again Rudd is able to show his dramatic side in this coming of age drama.
Avengers: Endgame- 8.5 (2019)
This 2019 dramatic action-adventure, directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, is rated at 8.5 by reviewers on IMDb. Paul Rudd rejoins the Avengers: Endgame cast in the most recent MCU films. He plays an integral role in the group after the cliff-hanger ending of Ant-Man and the Wasp. The movie switches between a balance of comedy, serious drama, and action-adventure. Overall the movie is the highest-rated MCU movie and definitely worth a watch.
