If you know Jason Bateman, you likely know him from his roles on TV. From Arrested Development through to the Netflix smash Ozark, Bateman has proven that he can fit comfortably in a wide number of different genres. Even as he’s built up a great career on TV, though, Bateman has also worked regularly on the big screen, and some of those roles have become just as important to his career as anything he did on TV.
Generally, Bateman is known for playing the straight man. He’s the regular guy in an absurd situation who’s just trying to make it through the day. He’s not trying to make waves or cause a fuss, and he’s built an entire career around that averageness. On the big screen, though, he’s occasionally allowed himself to cut loose. His best film roles reflect the enormous diversity of his career, and also cement him as one of the most undersung actors of his generation.
If you’re a Bateman expert, we also have these lists of the best Seth Rogen movies, the best Brad Pitt movies, and the best Jim Carrey movies for your perusal.
Game Night (2018)
100m
Genre
Mystery, Comedy, Crime
Stars
Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler
Directed by
John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein
Jason Bateman may never make another movie as good as Game Night, but many comedians never make one movie this good. Bateman leads an incredible ensemble cast through the movie, which tells the story of six friends who inadvertently find themselves involved in a much more high-stakes game night than the one they imagined. He has several incredible scenes throughout, including one in which he bleeds all over a neighbor’s dog. Game Night is one of the funniest comedies of the 2010s, and Bateman and Rachel McAdams, who plays his wife, are the anchors that make the whole thing work.
The Gift (2015)
108m
Genre
Thriller, Mystery, Drama
Stars
Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, Joel Edgerton
Directed by
Joel Edgerton
Bateman rose to prominence as a comedian, but he’s proven throughout his career that he’s capable of delivering more dramatic performances. In The Gift, Bateman plays Simon, a normal, married man, who runs into Gordo, an old acquaintance he hasn’t seen in years. After the two run into one another, Simon’s life begins to unravel, and when his wife learns what happened between Simon and Gordo, she begins to question their entire relationship. The Gift is a taut, suspenseful thriller about a mild-mannered man who faces a long-due comeuppance, and Bateman is perfect in a role that asks him to hide how cruel he can be.
Juno (2007)
96m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
Directed by
Jason Reitman
In Juno, Bateman gives the kind of performance very few actors are capable of. He’s one half of the couple that’s planning to adopt Juno’s baby, but while his wife, played marvelously by Jennifer Garner, is filled with anxious anticipation over the arrival of their child, Bateman’s Mark initially seems to be much more laid back. Mark and Juno start hanging out, and what starts as a meeting of the minds eventually becomes something vaguely predatory. Bateman plays both halves of the character beautifully, and you slowly realize that he’s much more bad husband than cool guy.
Hancock (2008)
92m
Genre
Fantasy, Action
Stars
Will Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateman
Directed by
Peter Berg
Hancock is the kind of deranged superhero movie that would never get made today, but made total sense in 2008. The film stars Will Smith as the titular character, a superpowered hero who is also a drunk and frequently causes bigger problems than the ones he solved. Bateman co-stars as the film’s normal guy, a PR specialist who works with Hancock to help rehabilitate his image. The movie takes some strange turns from there, but Bateman remains the film’s straight man. He’s just a regular guy in a world of superheroes, trying to make enough money to retire in peace.
Horrible Bosses (2011)
98m
Genre
Comedy, Crime
Stars
Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis
Directed by
Seth Gordon
On top of being a great comedic presence, Bateman is also an excellent comedic collaborator, which is why Horrible Bosses works so well. Bateman stars alongside Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis as three employees who hate the people they work under, and concoct elaborate plans to rid themselves of those bosses for good. The movie is best when Bateman is working off of his numerous scene partners, and leaning into his straight guy persona. Horrible Bosses is one of the defining comedies of its era, and that’s because it’s hilarious from its first moment to its last.
Up in the Air (2009)
110m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
Directed by
Jason Reitman
Few actors can move as seamlessly between lead and supporting performances as Jason Bateman, and that’s in part because he doesn’t seem like a movie star. In Up in the Air, Bateman continued his collaboration with Juno director Jason Bateman by taking on a small role as George Clooney’s boss. Clooney plays a man who travels the country to fire people for companies that don’t want to do it themselves. As his boss, Bateman has a few crucial scenes in which he plays a comedic role that turns tragic in his final moments. It’s not a major part, but it’s enough for Bateman to stand out in a great ensemble.
Zootopia (2016)
109m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Family, Comedy
Stars
Jason Bateman, Ginnifer Goodwin, Idris Elba
Directed by
Byron Howard, Rich Moore
Bateman has delivered plenty of great live-action performances, but one of his best performances comes as a sly fox in Zootopia who’s trying to prove that he’s more than the usual stereotypes that foxes are tagged with. Bateman’s Nick teams up with a plucky cop to uncover a conspiracy at the heart of the seemingly utopic society that they both live in. Zootopia has some big ideas on its mind, but those ideas mostly deliver in part because Bateman provides such an acerbic presence at the film’s center. He’s witty, wry, and has a heart, even if he hides that fact from those around him.
Bad Words (2013)
89m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohan Chand
Directed by
Jason Bateman
Bateman’s work in front of the camera has defined his career, but he can also be a pretty great director. Bateman both starred in and directed Bad Words, which takes an absurd setup and turns it into something strangely compelling. In the movie, Bateman stars as an adult who is, through a loophole in the rules, allowed to enter in and win a local spelling bee. As he ascends toward the national championship, his profile rises, and he eventually becomes friendly with a teenage competitor who is feeling incredible pressure to win the whole thing.
This Is Where I Leave You (2014)
103m
Genre
Drama, Comedy
Stars
Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Jane Fonda
Directed by
Shawn Levy
Another of his more successful dramatic turns, Bateman is one of the leads of This is Where I Leave You, the 2014 dramedy about a family who comes together for a week in the wake of their patriarch’s death. The all-star cast also includes Adam Driver and Tina Fey, and everyone gets plenty of great work to do. Ultimately, as he so often is, it’s Bateman who provides a steady center throughout the film. This is Where I Leave You is heartfelt and emotional, and although Bateman’s work isn’t the showiest in the film, it might just be the best.
The Change-Up (2011)
112m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Leslie Mann
Directed by
David Dobkin
Although it wasn’t very well-reviewed, The Change-Up features two comedy stars doing great work whenever they bounce off of one another. Bateman stars alongside Ryan Reynolds, and the two are leading very different lives. As is often the case, Bateman plays the more buttoned-up, normal guy, living with a wife and three children, while Reynolds plays the more adventurous bachelor. The two switch bodies, though, and that’s when Bateman gets to have some real fun as he begins playing a version of Reynolds. Reynolds can be just as compelling as Bateman, and it’s this mad-cap energy that gives the film its ultimate verve.
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