The 15 Best Mark Ruffalo Movies, Ranked

With Mark Ruffalo such a prominent staple in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s hard to believe he was scorned by studios before he joined the Avengers. But beyond his superhero projects, Mark Ruffalo has had one of the most robust and varied cinematic careers of any actor of his generation. From romantic comedies to procedural thrillers, Ruffalo always gives a standout performance in any movie that he appears in. This ranges from Ruffalo starring in a given film to playing a memorable supporting role, often stealing scenes with his naturalistic performance.

Simply put, Ruffalo is an unassuming master thespian, subtly shifting to play everything from literal comic book heroes to slimy villains. And more than just starring in major studio tentpole projects, he continues to appear in effective indie movies, often providing clear and timely social commentary. Here are the 15 best Mark Ruffalo movies ranked, ready for fans to get a full tour of his impressive work on-screen.

The tragedy surrounding the Schultz brothers and millionaire wrestling enthusiast John Du Pont is depicted in the 2014 sports drama “Foxcatcher.” Channing Tatum stars as Mark Schultz, an Olympic wrestling champion, who feels inferior to his older brother and fellow medalist Dave (Ruffalo). Mark is invited by eccentric heir John Du Pont (Steve Carell) to train as part of his team for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games at Du Pont’s remote Pennsylvania estate. As Du Pont develops an unhealthy attachment to Mark, including a twisted sense of ownership, the two brothers find themselves on a collision course with their presumed benefactor.

The key appeal to “Foxcatcher” is the strong performances from its three lead actors, with Ruffalo the least flashy, and thus the most compelling, of the trio. The complicated dynamic between the Schultz brothers makes for the movie’s emotional core, more so than Du Pont’s murderous descent. While the movie takes creative liberties with the true crime story it depicts, there’s a grounded authenticity to the production, including Ruffalo and Tatum beating each other senseless on set. A self-serious drama carried by its main cast, “Foxcatcher” isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but what it does, it does well.

Of all the romantic comedies that Ruffalo has starred in, the one that continues to have staying power above the rest is “13 Going on 30.” A millennial riff on Tom Hanks’ “Big,” the 2004 movie has teenager Jenna Rink wish to become an adult, with this spur-of-the-moment desire magically coming true. Waking up in 2004, the adult Jenna (Jennifer Garner) discovers she accomplished her professional dreams, but her personal life is in tatters. Jenna sets out to reconcile her relationships, especially with her childhood best friend Matty Flamhaff (Ruffalo), falling in love with him in the process.

“13 Going on 30” is the kind of fantasy comedy that Hollywood doesn’t make much of anymore. Garner delivers one of her best performances as the adult Jenna, adjusting to suddenly transitioning to her 30s while retaining her wide-eyed teenage enthusiasm. Her chemistry with Ruffalo is especially key in the latter half of the film, giving the narrative its emotional foundation. Silly but irresistibly charming, “13 Going on 30” is a great early 2000s rom-com comfort watch.

The Infinity Saga, defining the first 11 years of the MCU, began its climactic end with 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War.” The movie opens with the extraterrestrial overlord Thanos (Josh Brolin) attacking a group of Asgardian refugees for their possession of one of the powerful Infinity Stones. This places the galactic tyrant directly in conflict with Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the Hulk (Ruffalo), with the Mad Titan easily besting both heroes. Sent crashing back to Earth in his human form, Bruce Banner does his best to rally the remaining heroes for an inevitable rematch against Thanos.

Arguably the best “Avengers” movie, “Infinity War” runs significantly tighter than its two preceding movies, racing towards its shocking cliffhanger ending. And despite boasting an extensive all-star cast from past MCU projects, the movie doesn’t feel anywhere near as overstuffed as its 2019 sequel “Avengers: Endgame.” Ruffalo retains the comedic sensibilities he brought to the character with the preceding year’s “Thor: Ragnarok” without compromising the movie’s narrative stakes. The beautiful first half to the Infinity Saga’s climax, “Avengers: Infinity War” is the MCU at its finest.

Before he was crafting “Star Wars” sequels and launching his “Knives Out” whodunits, filmmaker Rian Johnson wrote and directed the crime comedy “The Brothers Bloom.” The 2008 movie stars Adrien Brody and Ruffalo as sibling con artists Stephen and Bloom, who target reclusive New Jersey heiress Penelope Stamp (Rachel Weisz) as their next mark. Playing on Penelope’s love for adventure, the two whisk her away on a global tour, with Bloom falling in love with her. This leads to the group encountering dangerous figures from their past, testing Bloom and Penelope’s burgeoning romance.

Looking back, “The Brothers Bloom” is the most underrated Rian Johnson movie and a clear signal to his wider success with the “Knives Out” films. The movie has a clear quirky sense of humor, something that Weisz handles the most adeptly of the main cast. In playing Stephen, Ruffalo gets to showcase a more irascible character than most from his filmography, something he leans into considerably. An old-school caper movie with Johnson’s usual predilection for genre self-awareness, “The Brothers Bloom” is an overlooked gem.

Ruffalo stepped up as both star and producer of the 2019 legal thriller “Dark Waters,” based on a true story. Ruffalo stars as Robert Bilott, a corporate defense attorney who discovers the DuPont chemical corporation is contaminating a small town in West Virginia. This leads to a protracted legal battle between Bilott and his clients against DuPont, complicated by DuPont employing a significant number of the town’s population. Seeing the widespread effects of the contamination among his clients, Bilott begins increasingly driven in pursuing a settlement from DuPont.

Visibly invested in the production and role, Ruffalo gives a commanding performance as Bilott and his crusade against DuPont. The movie’s messaging surrounding corporate malfeasance feels just as sharp and salient as ever, informing much of the story’s real-world horror. “Dark Waters” has a classic David versus Goliath setup, echoing preceding movies like “Erin Brockovich” and “Silkwood.” As timely now as the case it’s based on, “Dark Waters” has Ruffalo as driven and focused as the character he plays.

In adapting Dennis Lehane’s 2003 period piece thriller novel “Shutter Island,” Martin Scorsese went full horror, at least as far as the venerable filmmaker is concerned. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as US Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating a mental hospital for the criminally insane on a remote island. Daniels is joined by his partner Chuck Aule (Ruffalo), with the case connected to the man who apparently murdered Daniels’ wife. However, as Daniels’ investigation goes deeper into the hospital, his troubled past and revelations about his presence rock his perceptions of himself and the world around him.

With “Shutter Island,” Scorsese is blending neo-noir with psychological thriller overtones in bringing this twisted adaptation to life. While Ben Kingsley brings an authoritatively sinister presence to the story, Ruffalo’s performance as Chuck keeps Daniels grounded in his presumed reality. This helps make the movie’s final twist all the more heartbreaking and shocking as the truth comes to light. One of Martin Scorsese’s unsung masterpieces, “Shutter Island” runs heavy on haunting atmosphere as it weaves its melancholy tale.

Over a decade later, there’s still an undeniable spark and charm to “The Avengers” that its sequels never quite fully recaptured. The 2012 movie was the culmination of years of individual MCU projects, with the heroes assembling to repel an extraterrestrial invasion led by Loki (Tom Hiddleston). The film marks Ruffalo’s debut as the Hulk, following Edward Norton’s behind-the-scenes spat with Marvel Studios, with Banner proving just as valuable to the team as his gamma-radiated alter ego. As the aliens strike New York City, Banner learns to embrace both of his heroic personas while the Avengers make their stand in Manhattan.

Convinced by Robert Downey, Jr. to join the MCU, Ruffalo immediately proves himself as a worthy replacement in the role of the Hulk. Not as overly brooding as preceding actors playing Bruce Banner, Ruffalo mixes nuance with a natural warmth making the character more sympathetic and approachable. The movie also recognizes the inherent thrill of seeing its main ensemble together in action, masterfully pulling off those fan-friendly moments, including the Hulk’s showdown with Loki. The movie that set the tone for the entire MCU moving forward, “The Avengers” is still an enormously influential movie, even beyond the superhero genre.

As far as auteur-driven cinema in Hollywood goes these days, there are few filmmakers as wonderfully weird in their work as Yorgos Lanthimos. The director’s 2023 movie “Poor Things” is his second collaboration with actor Emma Stone in one of her most offbeat roles yet. Set in a pastiche of Victorian London, Stone plays Bella Baxter, a woman resurrected with the mind of an infant by a mad scientist. After discovering the joys of sexual pleasure, Bella runs off with absolute cad Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo), encountering other sadistic and manipulative men as she builds her sense of identity.

While Ruffalo had certainly played morally compromised characters before, “Poor Things” gave him the chance to play the movie villain of the year as the lecherous Duncan. The role presents Ruffalo as audiences had never seen him before, so much so that even he suggested another actor for the part initially. Stone’s performance as Bella serves as a wild and bizarre counterpoint to Duncan, providing the movie with much of its appeal. Absolutely unhinged, “Poor Things” is Lanthimos at his best, with his ensemble cast elevating the unorthodox material.

While Ruffalo had movie roles of varying size since the ’90s, his career breakthrough occurred with the 2000 drama “You Can Count on Me.” Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan, the movie stars Ruffalo and Laura Linney as siblings Terry and Sammy Prescott, respectively. As Sammy raises her son Rudy (Rory Culkin) alone in the Catskills, she is reunited with Terry, who has since become an aimless drifter. While Terry and Rudy bond, Sammy comes to terms with her own questionable life decisions.

With its unassuming presentation and stakes, “You Can Count on Me” relies on its sharp writing and impressive ensemble cast to breathe life into this humanist tale. Linney and Ruffalo offer solid contrasts to one another, both searching for direction in their own way, each stumbling in the face of their respective obstacles. Lonergan paints a portrait of small-town Americana where there are no clear heroes or villains, just people trying to get by as best they can. A breakout role for Ruffalo, “You Can Count on Me” still very much holds up over 20 years later.

Ruffalo is perhaps at his most charming in the 2010 dramedy “The Kids Are All Right,” directed and co-written by Lisa Cholodenko. The movie stars Annette Bening and Julianne Moore as lesbian couple Nic and Jules Allgood, who are raising two teenage children conceived from the same anonymous sperm donor. Nic and Jules’ kids, Joni (Mia Wasikowska) and Laser (Josh Hutcherson), discover their biological father is local restaurateur Paul Hatfield (Ruffalo) and introduce themselves. This kicks off a chain reaction of Paul meeting Nic and Jules, with a messy series of events that rock the Allgood family to its core.

“The Kids Are All Right” has such a stacked cast of master thespians and everyone firing on all cylinders, with Bening as a particular standout. Ruffalo’s Paul serves a solid counterpoint to Bening’s carefully maintained Nic, providing something of a free-spirited temptation to the family. This dichotomy doesn’t necessarily make Paul the movie’s villain, at least not initially, making its emotional stakes all the more searing. A poignant and funny look at a family having to face uncomfortable truths about itself, “The Kids Are All Right” is expertly executed all around.

While Tom Cruise is arguably the last action hero on the silver screen, the 2004 thriller “Collateral” gave him a memorably rare villainous role. Directed and produced by Michael Mann, the movie stars Cruise as an assassin named Vincent who coerces a taxi driver, Max (Jamie Foxx), to escort him to his targets. As Vincent cuts a bloody path through Los Angeles with Max in tow that night, they are pursued by police detective Ray Fanning (Ruffalo). Max tries to find a way to escape from Vincent and warn his last target, federal prosecutor Annie Farrell (Jada Pinkett Smith).

“Collateral” is one of those projects that’s right in Mann’s creative wheelhouse, a neo-noir thriller that uses Los Angeles as its lethal playground. With his phenomenal filmmaking sensibilities, Mann gives this perspective on the City of Angels his usual dark stylish flair, which suits the movie well. Given the premise, the film really is centered on the dynamic between Cruise and Foxx’s characters, but Ruffalo gives a strong supporting performance. The best Michael Mann movie of the 21st century to date, “Collateral” is a dark thrill ride powered by its cast.

For a character as rage-fueled as the Hulk, Ruffalo’s best MCU appearance to date is, oddly enough, Marvel’s silliest movie yet, “Thor: Ragnarok.” The 2017 flick has Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) catapulted across the cosmos as Asgard is attacked by their evil sister Hela (Cate Blanchett). Thor discovers the Hulk is this strange world’s gladiatorial champion, enjoying the adulation and staying transformed in his monstrous state for years. As Hulk reverts back to Banner, Thor recruits him to join him and Loki in a last-ditch effort to save Asgard and its denizens from Hela.

To be sure, “Thor: Ragnarok” is a wonderfully wacky movie veering into outright absurdism, something that Ruffalo worried would ruin Hulk and Thor. But filmmaker Taika Waititi manages the balance between humor, action, and surprising amount of genuine pathos well here, much better than he does in the subsequent “Thor: Love and Thunder.” Ruffalo and Hemsworth make for a great humorously mismatched pairing, with Ruffalo flexing his comedic chops as both the Hulk and Banner. A strong reminder that superhero movies can and should be fun and funny, “Thor: Ragnarok” repositioned Thor and Hulk as comic relief in the MCU for years.

The 2004 movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” isn’t so much a story about falling in love as it is one about falling out of it. The movie focuses on estranged couple Joel Barish (Jim Carrey) and Clementine Kruczynski (Kate Winslet), who separately undergo a procedure erasing their memories of each other after they break up. As Joel relives these shared moments before they’re wiped away, he realizes that he doesn’t want to forget Clementine, trying to mentally stop the procedure. Ruffalo plays Stan Fink, a technician overseeing the procedure who has struck up a wild romance with his co-worker Mary (Kirsten Dunst).

Given its light science fiction premise, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a wonderfully surreal film as Joel’s reality blurs within his memories. But for all the visual spectacle, filmmaker Michel Gondry and his cast never lose sight of the painful emotions of experiencing the highs and lows of a ruptured relationship. Ruffalo’s role in the proceedings is relatively small, but instrumental to the story and he plays his part with understated effectiveness. One of the best break-up movies of all time, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a modern masterpiece.

The legacy of the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late ’60s and early ’70s, has influenced creatives for generations, including filmmaker David Fincher. Inspired by nonfiction books by Robert Graysmith, who worked at the San Francisco Chronicle while the unsolved murder mystery unfolded, Fincher directed 2007’s “Zodiac.” The movie has journalists Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Paul Avery (Robert Downey, Jr.) team up with police detective Dave Toschi (Ruffalo) to identify the killer. This takes a toll on all three men’s lives while the murderer remains at large and dangerously close to Graysmith.

“Zodiac” is a movie about obsession, punctuated by grisly murders as the Zodiac Killer strikes out at fresh victims, with his menacing presence felt throughout. Graysmith, Avery, and Toschi are all depicted as haunted figures by the investigation, with Graysmith especially affected by his work. And ever the modern master of suspense, Fincher gives the whole movie a moody air that hangs over the characters and instills a seedy tension. Still David Fincher’s best movie to date, “Zodiac” is an atmospheric true crime classic leaning into the cast and crew’s creative strengths.

While Mark Ruffalo has consistently proven himself as an effective lead actor, he tends to do his best work as a crucial part of a prominent ensemble. This is particularly true of the 2015 drama “Spotlight,” chronicling the Boston Globe exposing the Catholic Church in Boston covering up its priests committing child abuse. Ruffalo plays Michael Rezendes, a key figure in the newspaper’s investigative journalist team headed by editor Marty Baron (Michael Keaton). As the team delves into the case, they are horrified by the breadth of the coverup and conspiracy taken by the Church.

“Spotlight” evokes the classic investigative journalism thrillers that really hit their stride in Hollywood during the ’70s. Everybody in the ensemble is very much at the top of their respective game, including and especially Ruffalo. As Rezendes becomes more invested in the case and realizes the nightmarish full extent of what he’s diving into, Ruffalo’s performance really takes off. A tautly delivered drama and one of the best movies of the 21st century, “Spotlight” is a masterclass in filmmaking on every level.