Ranking All 23 Adam Driver Movies

We watched every single film Adam Driver appears in to see if Marriage Story is his best one yet.

Since his breakout role in HBO’s Girls in 2012, Adam Driver has quickly risen in the ranks to become one of the most revered actors in Hollywood. Standing over six feet tall with a large, broad body, patchy facial hair, and features that meet at the intersection of goofy and handsome, Driver is a kind of Tinseltown anomaly.

He’s avoided being pigeonholed into one type of role and has instead played characters across all types of genres — from a zombie-killing cop to a poetry-writing bus driver to the villain that lured Luke Skywalker out of hiding in the continuation of one of the most popular franchises of all time.

And now, Driver is garnering Oscar buzz for his fantastic performance in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story — a film about the unintentional dissolution of a marriage, which hits Netflix this Friday. Including Marriage Story but ahead of Driver’s third appearance as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker later this month, we’re ranking every Adam Driver film so far, taking into consideration both Driver’s performance and the film’s overall quality to order the list.

23. J. Edgar (2011)

Adam Driver’s film debut is also one of the least watchable films on this list. Driver plays a gas station attendant in a scene less than a minute long. Skip it if you’re watching for Adam Driver but watch it if you’re into that whole Clint Eastwood broody old man kind of thing.

22. Lincoln (2012)

Much like J. Edgar, Lincoln is a chore to get through that features minimal Adam Driver. Skip it unless you’re looking for something to help you fall asleep tonight.

21. Not Waving But Drowning (2012)

The sort of stylish indie film that would be much more memorable if it actually had a compelling script or even one idea of what it wanted to say. Driver is great with what he’s given, which is more than the previous two films but not much.

20. Gayby (2012)

A gay comedy that could most likely be found buried deep in the LGBT section of Netflix where Adam Driver plays a (straight) comic book store clerk in a couple of brief scenes. It’s worth watching if you’ve exhausted pretty much all similar options.

19. What If? (2013)

A reasonably charming romantic comedy that features a hefty amount of Adam Driver also being reasonably charming. It’s not original by any means but it’s lighthearted enough for a night in with some takeout.

18. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

This film took director Terry Gilliam more than twenty years to make, and unfortunately it shows. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is admirable in its vision and scope but the finished product is disorganized and confusing. Adam Driver has some fun with his role as a burned-out ad exec but not enough to make this required viewing for even a casual fan.

17. Tracks (2013)

This is a film adapted from the true story of a woman’s journey across the Australian desert by camel, so it’s not surprising that the film is a bit slow. Still, its gorgeous landscapes and an expectedly great performance from Mia Wasikowska make it worth the watch. Also, Adam Driver plays a sincere, down to earth National Geographic photographer who wears cute wire-rimmed glasses. Does a film really need more than that?

16. The Dead Don’t Die (2019)

If a zombie apocalypse starring Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Tilda Swinton, and Selena Gomez sounds like a delirious fever dream then you’re in luck because that’s exactly what this feels like! It’s fun, albeit disjointed and a little too self-aware. Worth the price of admission to see Driver whack some zombies and Tilda Swinton wield a sword.

15. Midnight Special (2016)

This film is Stranger Things meets The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Throw in Adam Driver as an employee of the NSA and Kirsten Dunst and you definitely have enough to justify two hours, though viewers will definitely be left with more questions than answers in this supernatural cult tale.

14. This Is Where I Leave You (2014)

An ensemble cast of big names gathers at their childhood home when their father dies. Think August: Osage County but less Tennessee Williams. Driver’s least compelling roles are ones where he plays the charming playboy, but this film remains a solid family dramedy nonetheless.

13. Silence (2016)

One would hope a film about religion directed by Martin Scorsese wouldn’t be such a slog, but it is. However, Adam Driver’s stellar performance and the film’s fantastic cinematography elevate it on this list.

12. The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)

Adam Driver is only in the film for one scene and while it isn’t Noah Baumbach’s best film, it’s still a formidable entry into this ranking and worth checking out.

11. Hungry Hearts (2014)

A kind of cold, less supernatural Rosemary’s Baby, Hungry Hearts isn’t incredibly good or logical but Alba Rohrwacher and Adam Driver give outstanding performances as a couple strained by their different parenting techniques (to say the least).

10. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

As a folk singer, Adam Driver steals the couple of brief scenes he’s in — a difficult task to accomplish when you consider the film stars Oscar Isaac and is directed by The Coen Brothers. Inside Llewyn Davis is a melancholy, quiet film that sinks into your heart like a dense fog and stays with you long after it’s over.

9. Logan Lucky (2017)

An insanely inventive and fun heist film from the king of heist films, Steven Soderbergh. Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Riley Keough, and Daniel Craig are all equally riotous as a team of not-so-wise southerners trying to pull off a NASCAR robbery.

8. BlacKkKlansman (2018)

A deftly-directed film from Spike Lee that is culturally significant even if the message is somewhat spoon-fed at times. Driver plays the role of an undercover cop infiltrating the KKK with great nuance. It’s not an easy film to watch, but it’s certainly important.

7. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

The film that shot new life into the Star Wars franchise did so with a great new hero and villain. Like any Star Wars antagonist, Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is sinister and egotistical, but unlike bad guys of galaxies far far away past, Driver plays Kylo Ren with the necessary emotion that may convey his character might just have a heart buried somewhere beneath his space armor.

6. Paterson (2016)

As a bus-driving poet named Paterson, Adam Driver gives a quiet, hopeful performance that applauds artists and begs the audience to appreciate the beauty in the mundanity of everyday life and small things that taking place around them.

5. While We’re Young (2014)

Ben Stiller and Naomi Watts play a husband and wife fascinated by a young, charismatic couple played by Adam Driver and Amanda Seyfried. An outright hilarious adventure through midlife crises, manipulation, and imposter syndrome, While We’re Young is the third-best Noach Baumbach/Adam Driver collaboration on this list.

4. The Report (2019)

An enthralling film about the investigation into the CIA’s post-9/11 detention program and internal efforts to cover up the results. Driver plays Daniel Jones, the lead investigator, with staunch determination. It’s a fascinating glimpse into recent American politics and the perfect film for anyone interested in political thrillers.

3. Frances Ha (2012)

An absolutely impeccable film that should be seen by everyone. Frances Ha is an incredibly funny, heartwarming, and achingly real film about what it’s like to be lost in your 20s. Adam Driver’s character Lev may be another rich kid playboy, but his role here is more kind and real than any of his similar ones on this list.

2. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Though it proved extremely divisive among hardcore fans, Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi gave a long-winded franchise a much-needed change of pace. What’s more, Driver’s Kylo Ren became an even more well-rounded character, diverting from the typical villain to something much more captivating. Also, his high pants and bulking chest became the meme the world needed.

1 . Marriage Story

It may be his most recent work, but Marriage Story is simply Adam Driver’s finest film yet. The fourth Noah Baumbach for Driver finds him in top billing alongside Scarlett Johansson as a New York couple that suddenly realizes their marriage isn’t working. What transpires over the next two hours is a glaringly real and honest portrait of love, matrimony, and how to move forward when the dissolution is no one person’s fault. It’s extremely funny, heartbreaking, and life-affirming. There’s incredible cast of supporting performances from Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda and a knockout score by Randy Newman. Both Driver and Johansson deliver career-best performances. Marriage Story will have audiences laughing through their tears and walking away feeling like they’ve just witnessed one of the best films 2019 has to offer.

[Originally published by Taste on December 5, 2019]