Steve Carell is mostly known for his hilarious roles in the movies and television, with his sarcasm able to tickle the viewers. Although his role, Michael Scott, in the series The Office made him quite recognizable, he has an amazing filmography. TechTrends made a list of the best Steve Carell movies of all time that you do not want to miss.
Despite being mostly recognized for his role in the sitcom The Office, Steve Carell has a lot of other iconic movies, even outside of the comedy genre. His talent in acting has helped him deliver memorable performances in almost all the films he has featured in, notwithstanding the quality of the film itself. He is recognized as a charismatic and likable actor, with his famous role Michael Scott still showing in his public life when it comes to comedic timing and dry wit. He has proven many times that he can be unexpectedly good at drama as well, showing that he can get very serious when he has to. TechTrends put together a list of the best must-see Steve Carell performances, ranked based on their ratings on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes. Let’s jump into it.
Best Steve Carell Movies of All Time
Actors like Steve Carell only come once every few decades. He is extremely talented in acting not only in comedy films but also drama. Carell made a name for himself as an actor who is able to take up new challenges. Here are the best Steve Carell movies of all time. Let’s get to it without further ado.
12. Date Night 2010
- Genre: Comedy/Romance
- Director: Shawn Levy
- Stars: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg, Leighton Meester, James Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Gal Gadot
- Rating: IMDb 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes 66%
Romantic comedy Date Night is definitely worth your time. It happens in New York City, where a married couple, played by Steve Carell and Tina Fey, realize that they are in the middle of a mistaken identity crisis, with their romantic evening getting filled with danger and crime. The addition of actors like Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg, Taraji P. Henson, James Franco, and Kristen Wiig make the movie all the more entertaining and outrageous. Date Night is one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
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11. Café Society 2016
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Director: Woody Allen
- Stars: Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, Blake Lively, Parker Posey, Corey Stoll
- Rating: IMDb 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes 71%
Jesse Eisenberg shows an unexpectedly skillful touch for this genre of movie in Woody Allen’s Café Society in 2016, which is set in 1930s Hollywood. Eisenberg plays alongside her Adventureland co-star Kristen Stewart as Bobby. He is a Jewish nerd who goes to Hollywood, and with his uncle’s help, he tries to work his way up in the movie industry. Steve Carell plays the role of Bobby’s uncle Phil Stern, who is a great agent. He falls in love with Stewart’s character Vonnie, who is his Uncle Phil’s secretary. She has a secret affair with her boss. This is indeed one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
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10. Battle of the Sexes 2017
- Genre: Sport/Drama
- Directors: Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton
- Stars: Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Andrea Riseborough, Sarah Silverman
- Rating: IMDb 6.7, Rotten Tomatoes 84%
Battle of the Sexes is yet another one of the best Steve Carell films ever. The movie is inspired by Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs’ sporting rivalry and their infamous match in 1973. Stone plays the role of tennis legend King. However, the story is so bizarre that it could only be based on a true life experience. King started the Women’s Tennis Association in the 1970s, trying to prove that women deserved equal pay and respect in the sport. Bobby Riggs, played by Steve Carell, the self-proclaimed loudmouth chauvinist, challenged King to say that males have the dominant.
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9. Bruce Almighty 2003
- Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
- Director: Tom Shadyac
- Stars: Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman, Jennifer Aniston, Catherine Bell
- Rating: IMDb 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes 48%
Bruce Almighty is a great comedy as it has everything you can ask for. Not only does it have many hilarious jokes, but it also stars amazing actors Steve Carell and Jim Carrey as well as Morgan Freeman, who plays the role of God. The story is uniquely bizarre that makes this film iconic in a way that it stands the test of time. although Carell does not get a lot of screentime, his character received a lot of acclaims and even got a sequel named Evan Almighty. Bruce Almighty is one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
8. Foxcatcher 2014
- Genre: Drama/Sport
- Director: Bennett Miller
- Stars: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller
- Rating: IMDb 7, Rotten Tomatoes 87%
Bennet Miller directed this biographical sports movie named Foxcatcher, in which Steve Carrell plays the role of John du Pont. In 1988, he recruited Mark and Dave Schultz, portrayed by Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo, who were gold medalists to make a wrestling team that would compete in the Olympic. The film is quite intense and the lead roles of the movie received a lot of critical acclaims for their portrayals of the characters, especially Carrell. The movie got five Oscar nominations. Foxcatcher is known as one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
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7. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy 2004
- Genre: Comedy
- Director: Adam McKay
- Stars: Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner
- Rating: IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 66%
The most memorable character Will Ferrell most likely portrayed has to be the arrogant, dumb, misogynistic, yet really charming Ron Burgundy. Anchorman set the gold standard for Ferrell comedies. This next one on the list of the Steve Carell movies of all time is jam-packed with hilarious humor and one of the funniest films of 2004. The main character was not the only one to have a landmark since the whole Frat pack, including Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, and David Koechner got to shine. The story starts when Burgundy welcomes new reporter Veronica Corningstone into the broadcast news. Then, when she starts to outshine him, his jealousy ruins his career. Following that, he has to find a chance to redeem himself.
6. The 40-Year-Old Virgin 2005
- Genre: Comedy/Romance
- Director: Judd Apatow
- Stars: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Catherine Keener, Leslie Mann, Elizabeth Banks
- Rating: IMDb 7.1, Rotten Tomatoes 85%
Another one of the best Steve Carell movies ever is the 40-Year-Old Virgin. Before Steve Carell became the star of the show The Office, he played the role of a middle-aged virgin who was desperate to get rid of his slump. The director changed the landscape of comedy in the mid-2000s. Moreover, he even allowed his cast to improvise in the movie, which led to a more relaxed genre. The story is about a 40-year-old man, who is as the title indicates, a virgin. Catherine Keener plays the role of his love interest and Paul Rudd shows off an impressive and hilarious performance. Although the premise might be a little crude, it was one of the top 10 best 2005 films named by the American Film Institute. That turned out to be a surprise for many, as not only was there humor but there was also cleverness behind it.
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5. Beautiful Boy 2018
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Felix Van Groeningen
- Stars: Timothee Chalamet, Steve Carell
- Rating: IMDb 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes 67%,
Beautiful Boy is a heartbreaking story of a father and son. It tells a brutal yet honest story of how drug addiction can affect people’s lives. In this film, Chalamet plays the Nic Sheff quite masterfully, showing the torments of using drugs. The story depicts the relationship between Nic and David, his father (Steve Carell), who is doing his best to save his son. This is one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time. Despite some scenes being hard to watch, everyone should watch this. Not only is this a tale of love and fatherhood, but it is also a story of desperately trying to overcome personal demons.
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4. Crazy Stupid Love 2011
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
- Stars: Steve Carell, Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, Lio Tipton, Julianne Moore
- Rating: IMDb 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes 79%
This amazing comedy movie got elevated by Ryan Gosling’s effortless charm and his chemistry with Emma Stone. The story is about a middle-aged man named Cal Weaver, played by Steve Carell, who recently got separated. His new friend Jacob, portrayed by Gosling, shows him how to pick up women at bars. Emma Stone shines bright in Crazy Stupid Love as a young attorney who is stuck with the wrong guy and his crazy family. However, when her character decides to have a one-night stand with Gosling’s, things take a turn. A lot of the movie’s comedy come from Carell and Goslings’ characters, making this one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
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3. Despicable Me 2010
- Genre: Family/Comedy
- Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud
- Stars: Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Kristen Wiig, Miranda Cosgrove, Dana Gaier
- Rating: IMDb 7.6, Rotten Tomatoes 80%
Minions came to life in the 2010 Despicable Me movie, which is considered one of the funniest. Gru is a supervillain who finds out that he has a soft side after he adopts three young daughters. The voice behind Gru is Steve Carell and he was able to make the movie so funny and iconic. He made the character one of the most likable villains in an animated film with his charm and charisma. Moreover, the main character is taught a powerful lesson that says “You don’t know what you have until it is gone”. There were also some sequels and prequels following the release of this movie. Despicable Me is one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
2. The Big Short 2015
- Genre: Drama/Comedy drama
- Director: Adam McKay
- Stars: Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, Margot Robbie
- Rating: IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 89%
The Big Short is a comedic examination of the housing bubble of the U.S. that resulted in the economic crash that occurred in 2008. Wall Street guru Michael Burry finds out that some of subprime home loans might get default. Betting again the housing market, Burry puts more than $1 billion of his investors’ money in that. Jared Vennet, played by Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell’s Mark Baum, who is a hedge-fund specialist, pay attention to him for his actions. The trio make a lot of money in this situation. They all perform amazingly well, especially Carell, who made this one of the best Steve Carell films of all time.
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1. Little Miss Sunshine 2006
- Genre: Comedy/Drama
- Directors: Valerie Faris, Jonathan Dayton
- Stars: Steve Carell, Abigail Breslin, Paul Dano, Toni Collette, Alan Arkin
- Rating: IMDb 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes 91%
In this movie, Steve Carell was able to showcase his talents in playing emotional and mature roles. He has the role of the suicidal uncle of a family that is dysfunctional, with all of the members going on a road trip in California. Paul Dano and Abigail Breslin also had breakout roles in this film, considering their ages. This movie also won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. Although the film will take the audience through an intense journey, the outlook it gives you at the end is quite optimistic. Little Miss Sunshine is one of the best Steve Carell movies of all time.
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