Ryan Gosling has become one of the most noteworthy actors working in Hollywood today. While he largely avoids the large franchise projects, Gosling has shown a talent for choosing very compelling, entertaining, and acclaimed films. He has also shown his incredible versatility in a number of different roles.
Now that he is one of the biggest stars in the world, there is excitement any time Gosling announces a new project. However, like any actor, he also has a few less memorable films throughout his career. But looking at the good along with the not-so-good, Gosling still has an impressive filmography.
Best: The Big Short (2015) - 7.8
Gosling joined the star-studded cast of Adam McKay's comedy-drama about the American housing crisis. The Big Short focuses on separate stories of people who saw the coming disaster and made it work in their favor. Gosling plays a particular smarmy banker.
McKay takes what could be a pretty dry subject matter and makes it thrilling as well as heartbreaking. The cast is exceptional with Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, and Steve Carell rounding out the impressive ensemble.
Worst: Murder by Numbers (2002) - 6.2
In a rare villain role for Gosling, he plays a privileged yet disturbed high school student who, along with a friend, plans and carries out what they see as the perfect murder. As a detective (Sandra Bullock) begins investigating the crime, Gosling's killer takes pleasure in toying with her.
As fascinating as it is to see Gosling as an antagonist, he doesn't quite pull it off. The crime story also feels uninspired and, ironically, quite by-the-numbers. In the end, it makes for a serviceable yet forgettable thriller.
Best: Drive (2011) - 7.8
The stylish and violent crime thriller Drive remains a standout film in Gosling's filmography. He plays a skilled yet reserved stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. When he gets drawn into a double-cross, he is pushed to the limits to protect the people he cares about.
With limited dialogue, Gosling is very effective as the cryptic protagonist. What could have been a standard thriller is instead a haunting, beautiful, and shocking journey with some unforgettable sequences and a phenomenal soundtrack.
Worst: The Slaughter Rule (2002) - 6.0
Early in his career, Gosling tried to make a name for himself in indie dramas. Some were successful and some just got lost; The Slaughter Rule falls into the latter category.
Gosling plays a young man who, after losing his father, finds his life spiraling out of control. He begins to find purpose when a football coach recruits him to be the team quarterback. Despite Gosling's talents, the movie didn't really get much attention and quickly faded away.
Best: The Notebook (2004) - 7.8
Gosling really broke into Hollywood's A-list with his charming and sincere performance in the romance epic, The Notebook. In the film, he plays a young man from humble beginnings who forms a relationship with a wealthy girl (Rachel McAdams) only for fate to tear them apart.
The Notebook has gone on to become an iconic romance story for an entire generation. The chemistry between Gosling and McAdams is wonderful and it helps make the film a heartbreaking yet also a heartwarming love story for the ages.
Worst: Song to Song (2017) - 5.7
Terrence Malick is a renowned filmmaker whose incredible body of work allows him to cast some of the biggest names in Hollywood in his films, even the more forgettable ones. Song to Song explores love stories, temptation, and betrayal set to the backdrop of the Austin music scene.
Gosling is joined by stars like Natalie Portman and Michael Fassbender, but they all seem somewhat aimless in Malick's world. The director's naturalistic and loose storytelling style can be effective, but here it feels like a bad fit.
Best: La La Land (2016) - 8.0
Just to prove how talented he is, Gosling took the role in La La Land where he sings, dances, and plays the piano. He plays Sebastian, a jazz musician who meets an aspiring actress (Emma Stone). Together, they fall madly in love while also trying to realize their individual dreams.
Gosling and Stone are incredibly lovely together and their romance is utterly charming. The movie is also a wonderful modern musical that takes inspiration from the musicals of Hollywood's past.
Worst: Only God Forgives (2013) - 5.7
Fans were eagerly anticipating Gosling reuniting with his Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn for the crime film Only God Forgives. Unfortunately, this follow-up failed to live up to expectations in the strange story of an American drug smuggler who faces off with a crime lord in Bangkok.
The promise of their previous work gave audiences false expectations for this film, which is seemingly trying hard not to conform to Hollywood rules. It is a complicated, ugly, and uncomfortable movie that just didn't sit well with most people.
Best: Blade Runner 2049 (2017) - 8.0
It was a big risk returning to the world of Blade Runner with this long-awaited sequel. Gosling stars as a replicant used by the police to hunt down runaway replicants. But after uncovering shocking secrets, he begins to question everything about his existence.
The film sadly bombed at the box office, but that should not take away from how beautiful, epic, and moving this sequel is. It is a worthy continuation of the original story while also forging its own thought-provoking path.
Worst: Frankenstein and Me (1996) - 5.3
Gosling got his first film role in Frankenstein and Me, a family-friendly horror-comedy that probably even Gosling's most die-hard fans have never heard of. The film follows a young boy obsessed with monsters who happens to find Frankenstein's monster and plans to bring him back to life.
Gosling plays the boy's best friend, and his early role might be the only reason worth seeking this film out. Frankenstein and Me is a messy, disjointed, and unamusing bore that barely fulfills its premise of monster fun at all.