(Photo by Mark Tille/©Sony Pictures Classics/Courtesy Everett Collection)
Sam Rockwell Movies Ranked by Tomatometer
Moon celebrates its 15th anniversary!
We’re ranking the films of Sam Rockwell by Tomatometer! A prolific actor, we start the guide with his Certified Fresh films, including two from his breakthrough 1999 year: The Green Mile (as psychotic inmate Wild Bill) and Galaxy Quest, where he played pragmatic panicker Guy Fleegman. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Matchstick Men continued to grow his stature, heading into the lead on hidden gems-lists fixture Moon, and a spot in the MCU as Iron Man 2‘s Justin Hammer. Rockwell’s also been in some of the more interesting, quirky, and abrasive wide releases of the past two decades, including The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Seven Psychopaths, Jojo Rabbit, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
#1
Adjusted Score: 103703%
Critics Consensus:Frost/Nixon is weighty and eloquent; a cross between a boxing match and a ballet with Oscar worthy performances.
Synopsis: In 1977, three years after the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency, Richard Nixon (Frank Langella) selects British TV personality… [More]
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall
Directed By: Ron Howard
#2
Adjusted Score: 113302%
Critics Consensus:Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri deftly balances black comedy against searing drama — and draws unforgettable performances from its veteran cast along the way.
Synopsis: After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three… [More]
Starring: Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Lucas Hedges
Directed By: Martin McDonagh
#3
Adjusted Score: 97725%
Critics Consensus: Boosted by Sam Rockwell’s intense performance, Moon is a compelling work of science-fiction, and a promising debut from director Duncan Jones.
Synopsis: Astronaut Sam Bell’s (Sam Rockwell) three-year shift at a lunar mine is finally coming to an end, and he’s looking… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Dominique McElligott, Kaya Scodelario, Benedict Wong
Directed By: Duncan Jones
#4
Adjusted Score: 96443%
Critics Consensus: Intelligent and humorous satire with an excellent cast — no previous Trekkie knowledge needed to enjoy this one.
Synopsis: The stars of a 1970s sci-fi show — now scraping a living through re-runs and sci-fi conventions are beamed aboard… [More]
Starring: Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub
Directed By: Dean Parisot
#5
Adjusted Score: 96923%
Critics Consensus: Fast-paced, funny, and full of colorful visual appeal, The Bad Guys is good news for audiences seeking options the whole family can enjoy.
Synopsis: In the new action comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, Awkwafina
Directed By: Pierre Perifel
#6
Adjusted Score: 92454%
Critics Consensus: Despite its familiar themes, The Way Way Back makes use of its talented cast, finely tuned script, and an abundance of charm to deliver a funny and satisfying coming-of-age story.
Synopsis: Duncan (Liam James) is an awkward teen who must spend the summer at a beach house with his mother (Toni… [More]
Starring: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, AnnaSophia Robb
Directed By: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash
#7
Adjusted Score: 93236%
Critics Consensus:Seven Psychopaths delivers sly cinematic commentary while serving up a heaping helping of sharp dialogue and gleeful violence.
Synopsis: Boozy writer Marty (Colin Farrell) is a man in search of a screenplay. He has a catchy title but no… [More]
Starring: Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson
Directed By: Martin McDonagh
#8
Adjusted Score: 89334%
Critics Consensus: Breezy and well-acted, Matchstick Men focuses more on the characters than on the con.
Synopsis: Roy (Nicolas Cage), a depressed con artist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, and Frank (Sam Rockwell), his partner, find their line of… [More]
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman, Bruce Altman
Directed By: Ridley Scott
#9
Adjusted Score: 102836%
Critics Consensus:Jojo Rabbit‘s blend of irreverent humor and serious ideas definitely won’t be to everyone’s taste — but either way, this anti-hate satire is audacious to a fault.
Synopsis: Jojo is a lonely German boy who discovers that his single mother is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic…. [More]
Starring: Roman Griffin Davis, Thomasin McKenzie, Scarlett Johansson, Taika Waititi
Directed By: Taika Waititi
#10
Adjusted Score: 85422%
Critics Consensus: Rockwell is spot-on as Barris, and Clooney directs with entertaining style and flair.
Synopsis: Game show television producer Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) is at the height of his career. His creation, “The Dating Game,”… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Julia Roberts
Directed By: George Clooney
#11
Adjusted Score: 85787%
Critics Consensus: Though The Green Mile is long, critics say it’s an absorbing, emotionally powerful experience.
Synopsis: Paul Edgecomb (Tom Hanks) walked the mile with a variety of cons. He had never encountered someone like John Coffey… [More]
Starring: Tom Hanks, David Morse, Michael Clarke Duncan, Bonnie Hunt
Directed By: Frank Darabont
#12
Adjusted Score: 92709%
Critics Consensus:Richard Jewell simplifies the real-life events that inspired it — yet still proves that Clint Eastwood remains a skilled filmmaker of admirable economy.
Synopsis: During the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell discovers a suspicious backpack under a bench in Centennial… [More]
Starring: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm
Directed By: Clint Eastwood
#13
Adjusted Score: 83870%
Critics Consensus: On the strength of its two lead performances Assassination is an expertly crafted period piece, and an insightful look at one of the enduring figures of American lore.
Synopsis: Infamous and unpredictable, Jesse James (Brad Pitt), nicknamed the fastest gun in the west, plans his next big heist while… [More]
Starring: Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker
Directed By: Andrew Dominik
#14
Adjusted Score: 84677%
Critics Consensus: It isn’t quite the breath of fresh air that Iron Man was, but this sequel comes close with solid performances and an action-packed plot.
Synopsis: With the world now aware that he is Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from… [More]
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson
Directed By: Jon Favreau
#15
Adjusted Score: 42014%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Tom (Joe Mantegna) is a hardened assassin with an eager but boorish apprentice, Jerry (Sam Rockwell). While waiting in a… [More]
Starring: Joe Mantegna, Sam Rockwell, Maury Chaykin, Ted Danson
Directed By: Saul Rubinek
#16
Adjusted Score: 80788%
Critics Consensus: A fun follow-up for fans of the original, Trolls World Tour offers a second helping of colorful animation, infectious energy, and sing-along songs.
Synopsis: Poppy and Branch discover that there are six different troll tribes scattered over six different lands. Each tribe is also… [More]
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Rachel Bloom, James Corden
Directed By: Walt Dohrn
#17
Adjusted Score: 72402%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Kentucky snobs (Christopher McDonald, Kathleen Quinlan) discourage their 10-year-old daughter’s fascination with a working-class laborer (Sam Rockwell)…. [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Christopher McDonald, Kathleen Quinlan, Bruce McGill
Directed By: John Duigan
#18
Adjusted Score: 77280%
Critics Consensus: An uncertain approach to the story’s darker themes undermines its emotional stakes, but The One and Only Ivan offers heartwarming entertainment for younger viewers.
Synopsis: A gorilla tries to piece together its past and escape captivity with help from an elephant…. [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Angelina Jolie, Bryan Cranston, Brooklynn Prince
Directed By: Thea Sharrock
#19
Adjusted Score: 75610%
Critics Consensus: Less compelling — and more manipulative — than it should be, Conviction benefits from its compelling true story and a pair of solid performances from Swank and Rockwell.
Synopsis: When her older brother Kenny (Sam Rockwell) is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in 1983, Betty Anne Waters… [More]
Starring: Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo
Directed By: Tony Goldwyn
#20
Adjusted Score: 73706%
Critics Consensus: Mixing tongue-in-cheek cheesecake with glossy action set pieces, Charlie’s Angels is slick and resonably fun despite its lack of originality.
Synopsis: A trio of elite private investigators armed with the latest in high-tech tools, high-performance vehicles, martial arts techniques and an… [More]
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray
Directed By: McG
#21
Adjusted Score: 71443%
Critics Consensus: Heist didn’t cover any new ground, but the cast and Mamet’s expertise with witty banter make it worthwhile.
Synopsis: Joe Moore (Gene Hackman) has a job he loves. He’s a thief. His job goes sour when he gets caught… [More]
Starring: Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delroy Lindo, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: David Mamet
#22
Adjusted Score: 71024%
Critics Consensus: With fine acting and considerable emotional depth, Snow Angels aptly captures the highs, and especially the lows of human relationships.
Synopsis: Waitress Annie (Kate Beckinsale) has separated from her suicidal alcoholic husband, Glenn (Sam Rockwell). Glenn has become an evangelical Christian,… [More]
Starring: Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Michael Angarano, Jeannetta Arnette
Directed By: David Gordon Green
#23
Adjusted Score: 70523%
Critics Consensus: Faultless production and shining performances display the Bard’s talent propitiously.
Synopsis: This version of the renowned comedic play finds the world of humans intersecting with the realm of magic. The lovely… [More]
Starring: Kevin Kline, Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Everett, Stanley Tucci
Directed By: Michael Hoffman
#24
Adjusted Score: 85656%
Critics Consensus:Vice takes scattershot aim at its targets, but writer-director Adam McKay hits some satisfying bullseyes — and Christian Bale’s transformation is a sight to behold.
Synopsis: Gov. George W. Bush of Texas picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co., to be his Republican running mate… [More]
Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: Adam McKay
#25
Adjusted Score: 69954%
Critics Consensus:Laggies may not do as much with its ideas as it could, but it’s buoyed by a winsome performance from Kiera Knightley, as well as Lynn Shelton’s empathetic direction.
Synopsis: When 28-year-old Megan attends her 10-year high-school reunion, she realizes that very little in her life has changed. An unexpected… [More]
Starring: Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, Ellie Kemper
Directed By: Lynn Shelton
#26
Adjusted Score: 66658%
Critics Consensus:Digging for Fire finds director/co-writer Joe Swanberg working from a familiar palette, but in ways that suggest he’s taking new and exciting strides as a filmmaker.
Synopsis: A house sitter (Jake Johnson) becomes an amateur sleuth after finding a bone and a gun on the property…. [More]
Starring: Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt, Orlando Bloom, Brie Larson
Directed By: Joe Swanberg
#27
Adjusted Score: 65402%
Critics Consensus: Though Joshua is ultimately too formulaic, its intelligence and suspenseful buildup heighten the overall creep factor.
Synopsis: Brad (Sam Rockwell) and Abby (Vera Farmiga) Cairn have a seemingly picture-perfect life. Brad is a successful stockbroker, their son,… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Celia Weston, Dallas Roberts
Directed By: George Ratliff
#28
Adjusted Score: 61447%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: When a business trip ends abruptly, distressed middle-aged electrical engineer Al Fountain (John Turturro) decides to seek out a lake… [More]
Starring: John Turturro, Sam Rockwell, Catherine Keener, Lisa Blount
Directed By: Tom DiCillo
#29
Adjusted Score: 67386%
Critics Consensus: A frantic and occasional funny adaptation of Douglas Adams’ novel. However, it may have those unfamiliar with the source material scratching their heads.
Synopsis: Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) is trying to prevent his house from being bulldozed when his friend Ford Prefect (Mos Def)… [More]
Starring: Martin Freeman, Yasiin Bey, Sam Rockwell, Zooey Deschanel
Directed By: Garth Jennings
#30
Adjusted Score: 60577%
Critics Consensus:Woman Walks Ahead gets some extra mileage out of watchable work from Jessica Chastain and Michael Greyeyes, but uneven pacing and two-dimensional characters undermine their efforts.
Synopsis: A headstrong New York painter embarks on a dangerous journey to meet Sitting Bull but must face off with an… [More]
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Michael Greyeyes, Ciarán Hinds, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: Susanna White
#31
Adjusted Score: 57470%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Sam (Sam Rockwell) and Eddie (Steve Zahn) are just a couple of clueless, untalented singers. But, when they are mistaken… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn, Paul Giamatti, Michael Schmidt
Directed By: John Hamburg
#32
Adjusted Score: 61482%
Critics Consensus: While bolstered by strong performances from Sam Rockwell and Anjelica Huston, Choke struggles to capture the tone of Chuck Palahniuk’s novel.
Synopsis: Destitute, a sex addict (Sam Rockwell) fakes choking in expensive restaurants, whose patrons “save” him, then fund his hospitalized mother’s… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Brad William Henke
Directed By: Clark Gregg
#33
Adjusted Score: 56608%
Critics Consensus: Contains some funny moments, but it’s still a very lightweight comedy.
Synopsis: Five hapless misfits from the hard-luck streets of Cleveland band together to try and pull off the greatest job they’ve… [More]
Starring: Luis Guzmán, Michael Jeter, Patricia Clarkson, Andy Davoli
Directed By: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
#34
Adjusted Score: 55621%
Critics Consensus:The Best of Enemies has the best of intentions, but they’re derailed by a problematic perspective and a disappointing lack of insight.
Synopsis: The true story of the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater, an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis, a local… [More]
Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell, Babou Ceesay, Nick Searcy
Directed By: Robin Bissell
#35
Adjusted Score: 52659%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Hollywood agent Howard Holloway cannot find any real success until he signs Lydia, a talented and troubled 14-year-old with an… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Clark Gregg, William H. Macy, Amanda Peet
Directed By: Clark Gregg
#36
Adjusted Score: 52024%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Increasingly estranged from his own daughter, a boozy busboy (Sam Rockwell) gets a shot at redemption when an old friend… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Emma Roberts, Rob Corddry, Shareeka Epps
Directed By: James C. Strouse
#37
Adjusted Score: 52410%
Critics Consensus: A calm, charismatic performance from Robert De Niro nearly saves the movie, but ultimately, Everybody’s Fine has the look and feel of a stereotypical Christmas dramedy.
Synopsis: Eight months after the death of his wife, Frank Goode looks forward to a reunion with his four adult children…. [More]
Starring: Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: Kirk Jones
#38
Adjusted Score: 48464%
Critics Consensus: It has a bleak sense of atmosphere and a terrific performance by Sam Rockwell, but A Single Shot is undercut by its predictable story and slow pace.
Synopsis: A poacher (Sam Rockwell) becomes the quarry of merciless criminals after he takes the cash he found while hunting in… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, William H. Macy, Ted Levine, Kelly Reilly
Directed By: David M. Rosenthal
#39
Adjusted Score: 44904%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Rejected by the girl of his dreams, a writer (Justin Long) creates an online alter ego that makes her fall… [More]
Starring: Justin Long, Evan Rachel Wood, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage
Directed By: Kat Coiro
#40
Adjusted Score: 46769%
Critics Consensus: Sam Rockwell and Anna Kendrick work well together, but Mr. Right is too much of a tonal jumble to take advantage of their chemistry.
Synopsis: A woman (Anna Kendrick) comes to a crossroad when she finds out that her new beau (Sam Rockwell) is a… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, James Ransone
Directed By: Paco Cabezas
#41
Adjusted Score: 54433%
Critics Consensus: Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford are as dependably appealing as ever, but they’re let down by director Jon Favreau’s inability to smooth Cowboys & Aliens‘ jarring tonal shifts.
Synopsis: Bearing a mysterious metal shackle on his wrist, an amnesiac gunslinger (Daniel Craig) wanders into a frontier town called Absolution…. [More]
Starring: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: Jon Favreau
#42
Adjusted Score: 36643%
Critics Consensus: This contrived heist film strikes gold with Sam Rockwell, but there isn’t much else going for Blue Iguana.
Synopsis: Ex-jailbirds Eddie and Paul are on parole and working in a New York diner, and their lives seem to be… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Ben Schwartz, Phoebe Fox, Simon Callow
Directed By: Hadi Hajaig
#43
Adjusted Score: 55380%
Critics Consensus:Argylle gets some mileage out of its silly, energetic spin on the spy thriller, but ultimately wears out its welcome with a convoluted plot and overlong runtime.
Synopsis: Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World franchise) is Elly Conway, the reclusive author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose… [More]
Starring: Bryce Dallas Howard, Sam Rockwell, Henry Cavill, John Cena
Directed By: Matthew Vaughn
#44
Adjusted Score: 33385%
Critics Consensus: True to its name, Loitering with Intent lingers longer than necessary — and not with good reason — as its script crumbles under the weight of mediocrity.
Synopsis: Fledgling screenwriters (Michael Godere, Ivan Martin) retreat to a quiet country manor to work on their script, but a constellation… [More]
Starring: Michael Godere, Ivan Martin, Marisa Tomei, Sam Rockwell
Directed By: Adam Rapp
#45
Adjusted Score: 20311%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Three brothers (Nathan Forrest Winters, Brian McHugh, Sam Rockwell) are trapped in an old house with three escaped killers wearing… [More]
Starring: Nathan Forrest Winters, Brian McHugh, Sam Rockwell, Michael Jerome West
Directed By: Victor Salva
#46
Adjusted Score: 35106%
Critics Consensus: Paying competent homage without adding anything of real value to the original Poltergeist, this remake proves just as ephemeral (but half as haunting) as its titular spirit.
Synopsis: All seems well for Eric Bowen (Sam Rockwell), wife Amy (Rosemarie DeWitt) and their three children as they move into… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Catlett, Jane Adams
Directed By: Gil Kenan
#47
Adjusted Score: 29986%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A devout biblical archaeologist (Sam Rockwell) treads down a less-than-righteous path when he begins to receive financial support from an… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Amy Ryan, Will Forte, Danny McBride
Directed By: Jared Hess
#48
Adjusted Score: 23797%
Critics Consensus:Better Living Through Chemistry proves suburban satire and a talented cast can be mixed together to produce a disappointingly tepid blend.
Synopsis: A pharmacist’s uneventful life spirals out of control when he has an affair with a trophy wife who enjoys sex,… [More]
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Olivia Wilde, Michelle Monaghan, Ben Schwartz
Directed By: Geoff Moore, David Posamentier
#49
Adjusted Score: 26697%
Critics Consensus:G-Force features manic action, but fails to come up with interesting characters or an inspired plot.
Synopsis: Armed with the latest high-tech spy gear, a guinea pig named Darwin (Sam Rockwell) and his team of specially trained… [More]
Starring: Bill Nighy, Zach Galifianakis, Sam Rockwell, Tracy Morgan
Directed By: Hoyt H. Yeatman Jr.
#50
Adjusted Score: 24944%
Critics Consensus: With its recycled plot, misguided gags, and formula performance from Jonah Hill, The Sitter adds up to another disappointing entry from director David Gordon Green.
Synopsis: Noah Griffith (Jonah Hill) is stuck in a rut; he’s been kicked out of college, and his self-absorbed girlfriend, Marisa… [More]
Starring: Jonah Hill, Max Records, Ari Graynor, J.B. Smoove
Directed By: David Gordon Green
#51
Adjusted Score: 22516%
Critics Consensus: Unselfconsciously juvenile and overwhelmingly quirky, Gentlemen Broncos offers a lot of potty humor but isn’t terribly funny.
Synopsis: A legendary novelist steals a story idea from a teenage loner (Michael Angarano) and, subsequently, makes it into a disastrous… [More]
Starring: Michael Angarano, Jennifer Coolidge, Halley Feiffer, Héctor Jiménez
Directed By: Jared Hess
