Many know Vince Vaughn for his comedic roles. Characters like Peter LaFleur from Dodgeball - A True Underdog Story and Wes Mantooth from Anchorman - The Legend of Ron Burgundy come to mind, when one thinks of the famous Vince Vaughn. Perhaps you are a fan of Starsky & Hutch, when he played Reese Feldman, or you’re a total Fred Head who loved Vince in his titular role as Fred Claus in Fred Claus.
If any of these were true for you, you’re going to be excited: none of those movies are on the list of Vince Vaughn’s ten best movies (according to Rotten Tomatoes), so you’ve got an entirely new set of films here to watch your new favorite actor in!
10. Thumbsucker (71%)
Who can forget the classic 2005 indie film juggernaut Thumbsucker, directed and written by Mike Mills? The cast included such gems as Tilda Swinton, Vincent D’Onofrio, Keanu Reeves, and — of course — Vince Vaughn! The movie is about a teenager named Justin Cobb who’s dealing with typical dramedy bildungsroman tropes (romance, coming-of-age, et cetera) in addition to having a thumb-sucking problem. Vince Vaughn plays Mr. Geary, Justin’s debate team coach, who was actually originally supposed to be — fun fact — Matthew McConaughey, who dropped out due to a scheduling conflict!
9. Return to Paradise (71%)
Written by Wesley Strick and Bruce Robinson, and directed by Joseph Ruben, this thriller powerhouse stars Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix. They’re two best friends (with a third best friend played by David Conrad) who go on a vacation to a Malaysian paradise, only for Lewis (Phoenix) to be arrested once Sheriff (Vaughn) and Tony (Conrad) leave. Two years later, Sheriff and Tony are informed of their friend’s imprisonment, and return to Malaysia in an attempt to save him. With a chilling, suspenseful ending with wonderful performances from both Vince Vaughn and Joaquin Phoenix, this movie has earned its 71% rating.
8. Made (71%)
Jon Favreau really put his all into 2001 crime comedy Made — he’s the director, producer, and writer, and he’s the top-billed star. Vince Vaughn also snags multiple credits, being a producer and the second-billed star. The cast is filled out with actors like Peter Falk, Famke Janssen, and P. Diddy. Sam Rockwell even appears as a hotel clerk in an uncredited role. Jon Favreau plays Bobby Ricigliano, an amateur boxer with ties to the local mafia boss, Max (Falk). Vince Vaughn plays Bobby’s good-for-nothing best friend, Ricky Slade. Bobby and Ricky spend most of the movie bickering with each other, but they manage to make their way through some mafia contacts in various comedic scenarios before deciding to raise Bobby’s daughter together, still while squabbling all the time. An interesting role!
7. Wedding Crashers (75%)
If you think Vince Vaughn, honestly, your brain probably goes straight to Wedding Crashers. Don’t worry — ours did, too. Vince Vaughn and costar Owen Wilson became incredibly popular through this vehicle, which also launched a revival in the genre of R-rated comedies for adults, which started to see a rise in popularity after Wedding Crashers was released in 2005.
With the cast rounded out by Christopher Walken, Rachel McAdams, Isla Fisher, Bradley Cooper, and Jane Seymour, how can you go wrong?
6. Dragged Across Concrete (75%)
A more recent addition to Vince Vaughn’s filmography is 2018’s Dragged Across Concrete, directed and written by S. Craig Zahler. Vince Vaughn plays Anthony Lurasetti in the large ensemble cast for the neo-noir action thriller that didn’t see a very wide release at all. In fact, after premiering at the Venice International Film Festival in 2018, Dragged Across Concrete received a very limited theatrical and VOD release in March of 2019. Mel Gibson costars with Vince Vaughn, in addition to Tory Kittles, Michael Jai White, and Jennifer Carpenter.
5. Into the Wild (83%)
Some of you may remember Sean Penn’s Into the Wild, the 2007 film he directed, produced, and wrote, based on the book of the same name by Jon Krakauer. Sean Penn tells the story of Christopher McCandless, a real-life man who hiked across North America to Alaska. Vince Vaughn plays Wayne Westerberg, the owner of a contract harvesting company in Carthage, South Dakota that Christopher McCandless worked at. Westerberg ends up arrested for satellite piracy, which forces Christopher to move on. And if you liked Into the Wild, you’ll love the 2007 documentary The Call of the Wild by indie filmmaker Ron Lamothe. Ron Lamothe wrote, directed, and produced the film, revealing the details of Christopher McCandless’ odyssey across North America by making the same trip himself, making new findings about Chris McCandless’ death along the way.
4. Hacksaw Ridge (85%)
Remember Hacksaw Ridge? Few do! Probably because it was directed by the deeply problematic Mel Gibson. Based on the 2004 documentary The Conscientious Objector, this movie inexplicably stars Andrew Garfield as a World War II combat medic who refused to carry weapons as a Christian, a man named Desmond Doss who then became the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor.
The movie got a ton of nominations and awards for everything from Best Picture to Best Sound Editing, and yet, like Sam Worthington’s other juggernaut, Avatar, it’s fallen off the cultural map. Vince Vaughn plays Sergeant Howell, a man saved by Garfield’s Doss.
3. Swingers (87%)
In an abrupt mood change, it’s time for a more comedic drama in Swingers, another movie pairing up Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn. Written by Jon Favreau (yet again), but directed by Doug Liman, this 1996 film stars Jon Favreau (yet again, yet again) as Mike Peters, a struggling and newly-single comedian, and Vince Vaughn as Trent Walker, a struggling actor and Mike’s best friend. Trent is also a swinger who helps Mike get over losing his girlfriend, Michelle. This is the movie that launched both Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn to stardom!
2. Brawl in Cell Block 99 (91%)
Back to the neo-noir genre with Brawl in Cell Block 99, with Vince Vaughn starring and receiving top billing. Vince Vaughn plays Bradley Thomas, a retired boxer who returns to his life of crime when he returns to his work as a drug mule and gets caught in a firefight with police. Bradley Thomas is sent to prison while his girlfriend, Lauren (played by Jennifer Carpenter), is kidnapped; Thomas must make his way to cell block 99 in the Redleaf Correctional Facility and kill an inmate named Christopher Bridge, or his unborn child will die. With a horrifying ending expertly played by Vaughn that you will not soon forget, this movie has earned its spot at #2 on the list of Vince Vaughn’s best movies (according to Rotten Tomatoes).
1. Fighting with My Family (92%)
Only one movie can beat Brawl in Cell Block 99, according to Rotten Tomatoes, and that would be Fighting with My Family, based on the 2012 documentary The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family. Written and directed by Stephen Merchant, this movie stars Florence Pugh as professional wrestler Paige. Lean Headey and Nick Frost are also in the cast, but the praise really all went to Florence Pugh, as well as Vince Vaughn for his role as Hutch Morgan, a WWE coach and recruiter, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as himself!