The Proposal to Chaos Theory; Top 7 Ryan Reynolds movies that went unnoticed

Ryan Reynolds has a slew of movies under his belt, but not all became great hits. Here are seven Ryan Reynolds movies that went unnoticed. Read to find out.

By Avnii Bagaria

Updated on Nov 06, 2023 | 09:59 PM IST | 1.2M

7 Ryan Reynolds movies that went unnoticed (IMDb)

It's not difficult to identify the best Ryan Reynolds films. It's quite simple. There's 2002's Van Wilder, the silly college-campus comedy that established him as a uniquely snarky and funny actor who also happened to be fit and handsome, and then there's last year's mega-blockbuster Deadpool, which took those same qualities and turned them up to eleven (along with some great action, one-liners, and swordplay).

But, in between, Reynolds has given several brilliant, humorous, and generally unnoticed performances, whether in a rom-com, a stoner flick, or even a B-movie action sequel. As his new movie Life opens in theaters this weekend, we wanted to use this occasion to highlight some of his previous work. And don't miss our list of the most gorgeous women aging backward for more amazing celebrity coverage.

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The Proposal

Genre: romance, comedy
Running Time: 1h 48m
Star Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Malin Åkerman, Craig T. Nelson, Mary Steenburgen, and Betty White
Release Date: June 19, 2009
Where to watch/OTT platform: Available for rent on YouTube
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

Reynolds played Andrew Paxton, an assistant, in The Proposal. His boss, publishing executive Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock, who was nominated for a Golden Globe for this performance), was about to be deported to Canada, so she forced Andrew to green-card marry her. Despite being a rather predictable rom-com, Reynolds used his now-trademark snark to enhance what could have been a complete snoozefest.

Chaos Theory

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Running Time: 1h 28m
Star Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Stuart Townsend, Emily Mortimer, Sarah Chalke, and Mike Erwin
Release Date: April 11, 2008
Where to watch/OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Chaos Theory, maybe Reynolds' most neglected and misunderstood picture, was a candid examination of how devastating life's curveballs could be. Reynolds took on the role of Frank Allen, a time management lecturer. His wife delayed his alarm clock one day so he could get some additional sleep. But, because this was a film, everything—and we mean everything—about their lives comes apart. Reynolds expertly mixed honesty and levity; this was the first film in which he truly demonstrated his dramatic abilities. But it wasn't all serious: during a bar scene, Frank disclosed that his manhood was called the truth—as in, You can't handle...

Definitely, maybe

Genre: romance, comedy, drama
Running Time: 1h 52m
Star Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, and Rachel Weisz
Release Date: February 14, 2008
Where to watch/OTT platform:
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Reynolds had been in his fair share of sappy rom-coms, which were, for the most part, a dime a dozen. Definitely, Maybe stood out due to Reynolds' appealing portrayal and the fact that the movie was a rom-com that wasn't completely predictable. In the film, he tells his daughter about three women from his past and asks her to guess which one was her mother. What would typically appear strange and sleazy—a man telling his daughter about his womanizing youth—works.

Smokin' Aces

Genre: Action, Comedy
Running Time: 1h 49m
Star Cast: Ben Affleck, Andy García, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, and Ryan Reynolds
Release Date: January 26, 2007
Where to watch/OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Men of violence. Bounty takers. Cops who are corrupt High rollers in high-rise buildings. Smokin' Aces was a boisterous, fast-paced criminal drama with a cast that included Ben Affleck, Jeremy Piven, Taraji P. Henderson, Chris Pine, and Ray Liotta. Reynolds played the good guy, so to speak—an FBI agent who, oblivious to his agency's corruption, was just attempting to do his job. He was the moral compass of the film, and this was the first time Reynolds proved he could hold his own.

Just Friends

Genre: romance, comedy
Running Time: 1h 34m
Star Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Christopher Marquette, and Chris Klein
Release Date: November 23, 2005
Where to watch/OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Reynolds' biggest hit was Just Friends. Literally. Reynolds dressed up as high schooler Chris Brander, the hot girl's obese best buddy, during the first act of the film. Of course, he was madly in love with her, and she was uninterested. After ten years, Chris had matured into an attractive, wealthy, and successful man (which relieves Reynolds of the need to overact). When he was compelled to return to his hometown, all sorts of wacky and amorous shenanigans happened. Yes, it was a terrible comedy with a thin premise, but the jokes—particularly those involving his younger brother, a crazed Anna Faris, and a douchey Chris Klein—were all spot-on. To be honest, we're not sure why this film isn't considered a Christmas classic.

Waiting...

Genre: Comedy
Running Time: 1h 34m
Star Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Anna Faris, Justin Long, David Koechner, John Francis Daley, Kaitlin Doubleday, Alanna Ubach, Chi McBride, and Luis Guzmán
Release Date: October 7, 2005
Where to watch/OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

Waiting... was a cult classic comedy about, well, waiting tables. It was crass and childish to the point of near-reprehensibility. It was necessary viewing for anyone who had worked in the service business; few things captured the day-in-and-day-out of the restaurant sector like Shenaniganz (the fictional restaurant the characters work at). Reynolds was fantastic as Monty, the coolest waiter in town—or, as the film deplorably described it, "like being the smartest kid with Down syndrome." If nothing else, waiting... will motivate you to leave a more generous tip.

Blade: Trinity

Genre: horror, action, fantasy, sci-fi
Running Time: 1h 54m
Star Cast: Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferson, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Parker Posey, Natasha Lyonne, Dominic Purcell, and Triple H
Release Date: December 8, 2004
Where to watch/OTT platform: Amazon Prime Video
IMDb Rating: 5.8/10

In the final installment of the Blade series, Reynolds played Hannibal King, a super-jacked, super-snarky vampire hunter. While the merits of Trinity are debatable, Reynolds' performance is not. In what was by far the greatest scene of the film, he handled cracking wise and kicking ass with equal ease. Furthermore, this was the first film to showcase Reynolds' godlike body.

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