Jude Law has been putting out charismatic, interesting, and entertaining performances for years now. With good looks and a charming persona, he could have been a typical leading man, but Law took a more interesting career path mixing big-budget films with small indies and noble characters with despicable ones.
He surely has plenty more great film roles to comes but has already given so many acclaimed projects we can look back on. But which of his films rank highest among critics? Here are Jude Law’s best movies according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Captain Marvel (78%)
Law joined the ever-growing list of actors who are part of the massive MCU family with his role in Captain Marvel. Brie Larson stars as the titular cosmic hero, a Kree warrior who tries to uncover her forgotten former life on Earth. Law plays her Kree mentor, Yon Rogg.
The movie was another hit for Marvel both financially and critically. Larson made for an exciting new hero and her origin story was a fun, funny, and action-packed adventure fans have come to expect from the MCU.
Black Sea (80%)
Law tends to shake things up by appearing in huge budget films, or smaller films that tend to fly under the radar. Black Sea fits into the latter category. This small but effective thriller stars Law as a rogue submarine captain who leads a misfit crew to a sunken ship to recover lost treasure.
The fun premise becomes a claustrophobic thriller with plenty of backstabbing and high tension. Law gives a gripping performance in the lead role while the simple story holds together thanks to the stellar direction.
Road To Perdition (81%)
Road to Perdition is a gripping gangster film from Sam Mendes starring Tom Hanks as a hitman for the mob who must go on the run with his son when his family is targeted by his former allies. Law is unsettling as a sadistic killer hunting them down.
The film is a somber and beautiful looking affair, which fits very nicely among the best films in the gangster genre. The moving father and son story is as effective as the crime elements and there are fantastic performances from the amazing cast, especially Paul Newman in one of his final roles.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (83%)
Law had his breakout role in the Oscar-nominated drama, The Talented Mr. Ripley. Set in the 1950s, Matt Damon stars as a sociopath with a skill for impersonating others. He is drawn into the world of a rich heir named Dickie (Law) and becomes obsessed with his life.
The movie’s glossy and beautiful look is perfectly set against the dark and creepy story at its center. Damon gives a truly unsettling performance and Law is charismatic yet hateful as the spoiled brat. It makes for a fascinating character study with unbearable suspense throughout.
Side Effects (83%)
Law seems drawn to the thriller genre yet always seems to find new approaches to it. Side Effects comes from director Steven Soderberg and stars Rooney Mara as a young woman whose life is thrown upside down when the new drug her psychiatrist (Law) prescribes has unexpected side effects.
The film is another well-crafted work from the veteran director who allows the film twisty and unsettling story to unfold gradually. The cast, which also includes Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta-Jones, are all solid as well.
Gattaca (83%)
Law caught a lot of people’s attention with this early role in the sci-fi film Gattaca. The story is set in a future in which society favors “perfect” beings over those with perceived flaws. Ethan Hawke stars as a man who switches places with one of the upper-class people (Law) to achieve his dreams.
The film was praised for being an intelligent story with interesting science fiction elements. It makes for an absorbing drama with plenty of thought-provoking questions, like all good sci-fi classics.
Contagion (84%)
Contagion is another Steven Soderberg film and one that has had renewed attention thanks to recent events. The film tells the story of a new deadly virus that begins to rapidly spread around the world, creating chaos and changing the way society functions. Law plays a blogger who profits from the hysteria.
The film’s all-star cast includes Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, and Laurence Fishburne, who help to tell this grounded look at an epidemic. It is a tense and well-crafted thriller that is terrifying without going for easy scares.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (91%)
Law joined the magical world of Wes Anderson for the delightful adventure The Grand Budapest Hotel. Law plays a young author staying in the titular European hotel who is recounted with an amazing story about the hotel in its heyday and one eccentric and devoted concierge named M. Gustave (Ralph Fiennes).
Anderson’s trademark wit and whimsy are on full display here. It is a stylish and well-acted ride with a hilarious lead performance from Fiennes as well as some unexpectedly moving moments.
Hugo (93%)
Martin Scorsese making a kids film might seem like a strange idea but perhaps it’s no surprise it turned out so wonderfully. The film follows an orphaned boy living in a train station and trying to solve a mystery left behind by his late father (Law).
Scorsese masters modern filmmaking techniques while also telling a classic and fantastic children’s tale. It is enchanting and heartwarming with a moving message about the power of movies and those who share that passion.
Spy (95%)
Law rarely gets to show off how funny he is, but Paul Feig’s Spy gave him a solid opportunity. Melissa McCarthy stars as a desk support person for a world-class spy (Law). When he goes missing, she goes into the field to track him down and save the day.
McCarthy is reliably hilarious in the lead role while also showing off some impressive action movies. It is a fun send-up to the spy thriller genre with great performances from the entire cast, especially Jason Statham as the total opposite of most of his characters.
