Adam McKay is an American writer, director, and producer who first emerged as a superstar in comedy cinema. The frequent Will Farrell collaborator eventually branched off into comedic dramas, like Vice and The Big Short. He's also dabbled in sci-fi and action/adventure with his contributions as a writer in the Ant-Man franchise.
This list recollects McKay's best films and ranks them in order based on scores compiled by MetaCritic. The films included are projects that McKay wrote and/or directed. However, there is an abundance of other great movies that Mckay has produced and his name seems to pop up everywhere.
Get Hard - 34/100
Released in 2015, Get Hard presents audiences with an impressive tandem in Will Farrell and Kevin Hart. McKay was a writer and producer for the comedy film. Despite the talent on both sides of the camera, Get Hard faced relatively grave reviews from critics. Regular audiences seemed to have a better reception to Get Hard, but not by much.
Regardless of the negatives, it's still worth watching Kevin Hart struggle to train a fluffy Will Farrell on how to survive prison. This comedic duo are arguably two of the greatest of all time, so there is still some golden material buried in this throwaway.
Step Brothers - 51/100
McKay was the director and executive producer of the hilarious 2008 comedy, Step Brothers. One common thread in McKay's movies is how crude and over the top his humor can be. From being forced by middle school bullies to lick white dog poop to farting their way out of an interview with Seth Rogen, Step Brothers has McKay pushing the envelope as far as it can go.
Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are incomparably funny in this film, which is a far cry from how many felt about the acting duo's most recent work, Holmes & Watson, which McKay had no part in. Hopefully, age hasn't got the best of these two comedians, and they can return to the silver screen with something better in the future.
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues - 61/100
Nine years after the making of the original, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues was released in theatres in 2013. The comedy received scorching box office numbers, as well as fairly positive reviews from critics. McKay wrote and directed both installments of the franchise, and the success of Anchorman 2 could be considered a significant catalyst for McKay's career.
McKay created the iconic crew of characters in the early 2000s, and Ron, Brian, Brick, and Champ are still recognized and celebrated today. Although the sequel can be considered a major success, it cannot beat the hysteria of the first Anchorman.
Vice - 61/100
Vice was nominated for Best Picture at the 2019 Oscars, but was beaten by Green Book. McKay himself received two nominations, one for Best Director and another for Best Original Screenplay. The acclaim for this film is well deserved, with its innovative approach as a historical comedy.
The film not only portrays the fascinating life and career of Dick Cheney, but it also manipulates the conventions of typical historic biopics with funny skits and fantasies. Nonetheless, many critics challenged McKay's film, claiming he was trying too hard to demonize the United States.
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy - 63/100
The original Anchorman is arguably Will Ferrell's funniest film in his astounding run as one of the country's most recognizable comedians. Written and directed by Adam McKay, the 2004 comedy follows television anchor Ron Burgandy as he battles with competing stations for local fame.
The cast consists of well-known names, such as Steve Carell and Paul Rudd, and they may not have become as famous if it wasn't for this film and the characters McKay created. Clips of Anchorman are still celebrated through gifs and memes today, which is a testament to its standing as a comedy classic.
Ant-Man - 64/40
Ant-Man can be considered McKay's first swing at sci-fi. Marvel Studios has been able to find great success in hiring comedy writers to write their screenplays, as box-office numbers continue to skyrocket and McKay is no exception.
Moviegoers have become enthralled by the MCU because of how entertaining the films are in both a comedic and dramatic sense. Ant-Man is action-packed and exciting, but it also squeezes chuckles out of its audience, thanks to Rudd's personality and McKay's writing. The duo seems to flourish together ever since first linking up for Anchorman.
The Other Guys - 64/100
Will Ferrell and Mark Whalberg team up as dysfunctional, underappreciated partners on the police force. After crimefighting phenoms played by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson are killed by an 'optimistic' leap of faith, "the other guys" are forced to pick up the slack.
The Other Guys has the capability of making its audience cry with laughter. There are so many hilarious side dynamics in this film, such as how Ferrell's character is a magnet to astoundingly sexy women and Whalberg's character's deep-rooted regret of shooting Derek Jeter. This movie is surely some of McKay's best work as both a writer and director.
Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby - 66/100
Released in 2006, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby can be considered McKay and Ferrell's follow up to Anchorman. The comedy follows the glorious rise and tumultuous fall of an elite Nascar driver. Ferrell is at his most unhinged in this one, and his antagonist/rival racer (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) only adds to the hysterical mayhem.
No expense is spared in this high-budget, blockbuster comedy. McKay's writing is laced with witty irony and gut-wrenching punchlines that warrant several rewatches. McKay secured his prowess in comedy cinema with his second project as a writer/director.
Ant-Man And The Wasp - 70/100
When movie-goers saw that Marvel was planning a feature film for "Ant-Man," some may have thought: "Why would I waste two hours on Ant-Man?" or "What's next, Praying-Mantis-Man?" Nevertheless, the success of the first film in 2015 forced McKay back into the writer's room to create a sequel.
In Ant-Man And The Wasp, Paul Rudd teams up with Michelle Pfieffer to deliver an explosive, unpredictable adventure. Like in his other works, McKay succeeds in adding good humor to all of the suspense and action expected from Ant-Man's inherent genre. This sequel is also arguably better than its first chapter.
The Big Short - 81/100
MetaCritic is right in ranking The Big Short in such high regard, as well as placing it as McKay's best film. Audiences follow a web of different perspectives during the house market crash of 2007 and the events that led up to the economic recession. The 2015 comedy-drama employs a loaded cast consisting of stars like Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell, and Christian Bale.
McKay won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and an additional nomination for Best Director for The Big Short. This brilliant film combines educational reflection with its allegiance to historical accuracy, along with comedic entertainment with McKay's boisterous dialogue. The Big Short is a must-see.