Best Tim Robbins Movies, Ranked

Starting his acting career in theater, Tim Robbins dabbled in TV roles in the early ‘80s before taking the leap onto the big screen with 1984’s Toy Soldiers. Robbins has proven himself as one of the most diverse actors in the industry and has appeared in a plethora of films across a wide variety of genres and styles.

Whether he’s demonstrating his comedic chops in movies like High Fidelity or The Player or delivering acclaimed dramatic performances in Oscar-winning movies like Mystic River or The Shawshank Redemption, Robbins rarely misses. This includes his current run of success as part of the main cast in Apple TV+’s Silo.

Here, we have taken a look back over his long and celebrated movie career and chosen his 10 greatest movies, and ranked them.

10 ‘Howard the Duck’ (1986)

1986’s Howard the Duck is definitely one of the most interesting Marvel movie adaptations ever made, not least for the fact that it was the first one to ever be theatrically released! On top of that, it had some huge names involved with the production including one George Lucas, fresh off the phenomenal success of the original Star Wars trilogy. It was his Lucasfilm Ltd. that produced Howard The Duck, while he served as executive producer.

The Movie Was a Huge Flop But Has Since Developed a Cult Following

Lucas, Lucasfilm Ltd., and Universal Pictures were so confident that audiences would be won over by Marvel’s relatively unknown anthropomorphic alien duck, over the likes of fan favorites like Spider-Man and Captain America, that an estimated budget of $38 million dollars was allocated to the production of the movie. At the time, this was a substantial amount, estimated to be considerably higher than the budgets for Star Wars. Needless to say, they were wrong to be confident in the movie. It was a commercial and critical disaster. The movie was criticized for its wildly uneven tones, its poor attempts at humor, and its terrible effects.

The movie’s commercial performance wasn’t helped by its lack of big-name actors. The studio reached out to some big stars including Robin Williams, but nothing came to fruition. Despite a young and relatively unknown Tim Robbins making the most of what he could as the bumbling lab assistant, under the circumstances, it wasn’t enough to win the masses over. Having said that, the movie has since developed a cult following and is celebrated by those who appreciate its schlocky charm and those who consider the movie to be so bad, it’s good.

9 ‘War of the Worlds’ (2005)

Based on the H.G. Wells novel of the same name, Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film War of the World stars Tom Cruise alongside Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, and Tim Robbins, with narration by Morgan Freeman. It follows Tom Cruise’s character and the lengths he goes to to protect his family during an alien invasion, and the individuals they meet on this journey of survival.

‘War of the Worlds’ Touches on the Fragility of Civilization

The movie was a hit becoming 2005’s 4th highest grossing movie and scoring a respectable 75% on Rotten Tomatoes. While undoubtedly a Tom Cruise vehicle, the supporting cast do a fine job. Tim Robbins plays another father, trying to find his own way of surviving. Robbins skillfully adds an extra layer of tension to the movie with his portrayal of a man clearly suffering mentally, exhibiting erratic paranoid traits.

8 ‘Bull Durham’ (1988)

Bull Durham revolves around the struggling minor league baseball team, The Durham Bulls. In an attempt to turn things around an old veteran player (played by Kevin Costner) is brought in and takes a young player under his wing. The player in question, played by Tim Robbins, is cocky but talented. His behavior is erratic both on and off the field and it’s apparent he needs guidance. Things get complicated, though, as both mentor and mentee fall for the same woman.

‘Bull Durham’ Is a Sports Rom-Com That Doesn’t Skimp on Drama

Primarily a comedy, Robbins’ character’s hot-headedness is often played for laughs and the absurdity of the love triangle scenario and the rivalry between the two men evokes plenty of chuckles. Elsewhere, though, the drama hits hard as it delves into the struggles of chasing dreams, the bittersweet realities of aging in sports, and the emotional complexities of love and loyalty.

7 ‘The Hudsucker Proxy’ (1994)

Having been co-written by the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi and directed by Etan Coen, there was no shortage of talent involved in The Hudsucker Proxy. That applies to the cast too. Tim Robbins portrays a naïve but ambitious business school graduate who finds himself the president of a manufacturing company. Unbeknownst to him, though, his hiring was part of a stock scam.

‘The Hudsucker Proxy’ Faced Stiff Competition

Released in 1995, the movie, with all its whimsy and sharp satire was vying for attention against the likes of Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, and another Tim Robbins movie, The Shawshank Redemption. Despite The Hudsucker Proxy being a great little quirky black comedy, it flopped at the box office and was unfortunately overshadowed by the aforementioned films, and later by the Coen Brothers’ own impressive catalog.

6 ‘Arlington Road’ (1990)

Tense and gripping, Arlington Road is a thought-provoking examination of paranoia, trust, and human perception. It revolves around a college professor who grows increasingly suspicious that his neighbors are domestic terrorists.

‘Arlington Road’ Was Praised for its Intriguing Premise

The movie was praised for the performances of its strong cast, which includes Tim Robbins, Jeff Bridges, Joan Cusack, and Hope Davies. It was also praised for its intriguing premise which was heavily inspired by the growing concern in the 1990s regarding the right-wing militia movement and events like the Ruby Ridge, the Waco siege, and Oklahoma City bombing. However, the movie stands at 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, with some critics wishing the story didn’t tail off into absurdity towards the end.

5 ‘The Player’ (1992)

The Player is a hilarious dark comedy that stars Tim Robbins as Griffin Mill, a Hollywood film studio executive who kills an aspiring screenwriter he believed was sending him death threats. Desperate to cover up his crime, Mill becomes embroiled in the corrupt world of the film industry and its seedy underbelly.

‘The Player’ Is Dripping in Satire

The Player skillfully skewers the superficiality and cynicism of Hollywood through its sharp satire and self-aware humor. It was met with universal acclaim and scored a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 97%. It was nominated for dozens of awards including 3 Oscars and won multiple others including the Best Screenplay – Based on Material Previously Produced or Published at the Writers Guild of America Awards.

4 ‘High Fidelity’ (2000)

John Cusack stars in this romantic, coming-of-(middle?)-age comedy, focused on his life as a record store owner as he looks back at his top five break-ups (including one in progress). Considered to be an extremely realistic portrayal of work life at a record store amongst those who’ve had the job, the movie managed to achieve widespread critical acclaim and a strong cult following.

The Supporting Cast Shine

High Fidelity is arguably the movie that provided Jack Black with his breakthrough role. Yes, he’d been in many films beforehand, and, yes, it’s John Cusack playing the lead role of Rob, but this was the first time the world was really treated to the Black we’ve come to know and love. Elsewhere, Tim Robbins delivers a hilariously insufferable portrayal of Ian, the new-age boyfriend to Rob’s friend Laura.

3 ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (1990)

Tim Robbins plays war veteran Jacob Singer as he finds himself struggling with terrifying hallucinations. As the visions get worse, he begins to lose his grip on reality. His world unravels in front of his eyes, and he’s forced to confront buried trauma.

‘Jacob’s Ladder’ Is a Tough Watch at Times and Not For Everyone

The viewing experience can be disorientating, unsettling, and some of the imagery is downright grotesque. And while this can make for a tough watch for many, it also magnificently captures the horrors and psychological toll of trauma. Robbins is fully committed in his portrayal of Jacob in this emotionally poignant, psychological horror classic, that is well worth a watch, if you can stomach it.

2 ‘Mystic River’ (2003)

Directed by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood,Mystic River sees three childhood friends; Jimmy, Sean, and Dave, reunited under unfavorable circumstances. Sean Penn plays Jimmy; an ex-con whose daughter has been murdered. Sean, played by Kevin Bacon, is now the detective working the case, and Tim Robbins’ Dave is the prime suspect. The reunion sees loyalties being tested, secrets being uncovered and past traumas being brought to the surface.

Mystic River Was Met With Universal Acclaim

A dark and somber affair, there are a few moments of light in this twisting masterpiece, but Clint Eastwood’s taut direction and the powerhouse performances create a haunting and emotionally charged experience that was met with widespread critical acclaim. It was a huge hit during awards season giving Tim Robbins his first and only Oscar, which was for Best Supporting Actor.

1 ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)

Tim Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a banker wrongly convicted of murder, who is sentenced to life in Shawshank Prison. During his time behind bars, he develops an unlikely but deeply personal bond with fellow inmate Red, played by Morgan Freeman. Together they help each other navigate prison life and ultimately orchestrate a perilous escape.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ Is Widely Considered Among the Greatest Movies of all Time

The chemistry between the two leads is about as compelling and authentic as anything you’ll see in cinema and the story is a poignant and touching exploration of human resilience. The movie often finds itself in greatest movies lists and appreciation for the film has only grown over the decades since its release.