Dreamworks courtesy Everett Collection

(Photo by Dreamworks courtesy Everett Collection)

All Don Cheadle Movies Ranked

After 20 years of steady character work, Don Cheadle become a near-household name with his dynamic portrayal of everyman-turned-hero Paul Rusesabagina in 2005’s Hotel Rwanda, which earned him a Best Actor Oscar nom, and shed new light on genocide the world over. Before that, Cheadle appeared in everything from Vietnam War drama Hamburger Hill to hard-boiled Devil in a Blue Dress to appearances in films by Steven Soderbergh (Ocean’s Eleven, Out of Sight) and P.T. Anderson (Boogie Nights).

In 2010, starting with Iron Man 2, Cheadle joined the MCU, taking over the James Rhodes role (a.k.a. War Machine). Though he has the coolest superhero name, Rhodes is the least flashy among all the Avengers, perfectly in tune with Cheadle’s unassuming yet commanding acting style and presence. Now we’re ranking all of Don Cheadle’s movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo

#1

Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#1
Adjusted Score: 123951%
Critics Consensus: Exciting, entertaining, and emotionally impactful, Avengers: Endgame does whatever it takes to deliver a satisfying finale to Marvel's epic Infinity Saga.
Synopsis: The fourth installment in the Avengers saga is the culmination of 22 interconnected Marvel films and the climax of a... [More]

#2

The Guard (2011)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#2
Adjusted Score: 99132%
Critics Consensus: A violent, crackerjack comedy with a strong Irish flavor and an eminently likable Brendan Gleeson in the main role.
Synopsis: A vulgar Irish cop (Brendan Gleeson) and a straight-laced American FBI agent (Don Cheadle) uncover police corruption among the former's... [More]

#3

Out of Sight (1998)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#3
Adjusted Score: 100414%
Critics Consensus: Steven Soderbergh's intelligently crafted adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel is witty, sexy, thoroughly entertaining, and a star-making turn for George Clooney.
Synopsis: Meet Jack Foley (George Clooney), the most successful bank robber in the country. On the day he busts out of... [More]

#4

Boogie Nights (1997)
Tomatometer icon 94%

#4
Adjusted Score: 98933%
Critics Consensus: Grounded in strong characters, bold themes, and subtle storytelling, Boogie Nights is a groundbreaking film both for director P.T. Anderson and star Mark Wahlberg.
Synopsis: In the San Fernando Valley in 1977, teenage busboy Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg) gets discovered by porn director Jack Horner... [More]

#5

Traffic (2000)
Tomatometer icon 93%

#5
Adjusted Score: 102211%
Critics Consensus: Soderbergh successfully pulls off the highly ambitious Traffic, a movie with three different stories and a very large cast. The issues of ethics are gray rather than black-and-white, with no clear-cut good guys. Terrific acting all around.
Synopsis: A contemporary thriller set in the world of drug trafficking. Traffic evokes the high stakes and high risks of the... [More]

#6

No Sudden Move (2021)
Tomatometer icon 92%

#6
Adjusted Score: 98655%
Critics Consensus: While it may not be on par with his best crime capers, No Sudden Move finds Soderbergh on entertainingly familiar ground -- and making the most of an excellent cast.
Synopsis: Set in 1954 Detroit, NO SUDDEN MOVE centers on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what... [More]

#7
#7
Adjusted Score: 101287%
Critics Consensus: Humor, interesting characters, and attention to details make the stylish Devil in a Blue Dress an above average noir.
Synopsis: In late 1940s Los Angeles, Easy Rawlins (Denzel Washington) is an unemployed black World War II veteran with few job... [More]

#8

Hotel Rwanda (2004)
Tomatometer icon 91%

#8
Adjusted Score: 97277%
Critics Consensus: A sobering and heartfelt tale about massacre that took place in Rwanda while most of the world looked away.
Synopsis: Hutu Paul Rusesabagina manages the Hôtel des Mille Collines and lives a happy life with his Tutsi wife and their... [More]

#9
#9
Adjusted Score: 111097%
Critics Consensus: Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes.
Synopsis: Political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability when the actions of the Avengers lead to collateral damage. The... [More]

#10

Rosewood (1997)
Tomatometer icon 87%

#10
Adjusted Score: 90238%
Critics Consensus: In some respects, Rosewood struggles to present a full picture of the real-life tragedy it dramatizes, but it remains a harrowing depiction of racial violence.
Synopsis: Rosewood, Florida, is a small, peaceful town with an almost entirely African-American population of middle-class homeowners, until New Year's Day... [More]

#11
#11
Adjusted Score: 112691%
Critics Consensus: Avengers: Infinity War ably juggles a dizzying array of MCU heroes in the fight against their gravest threat yet, and the result is a thrilling, emotionally resonant blockbuster that (mostly) realizes its gargantuan ambitions.
Synopsis: Iron Man, Thor, the Hulk and the rest of the Avengers unite to battle their most powerful enemy yet --... [More]

#12

Ocean's Eleven (2001)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#12
Adjusted Score: 89805%
Critics Consensus: As fast-paced, witty, and entertaining as it is star-studded and coolly stylish, Ocean's Eleven offers a well-seasoned serving of popcorn entertainment.
Synopsis: Dapper Danny Ocean (George Clooney) is a man of action. Less than 24 hours into his parole from a New... [More]

#13

Talk to Me (2007)
Tomatometer icon 83%

#13
Adjusted Score: 87884%
Critics Consensus: A riveting look at the life of legendary DJ "Petey" Greene, Talk to Me goes beyond the typical biopic with explosive performances from Don Cheadle and Chiwetal Ejiofor.
Synopsis: Outspoken ex-convict Ralph "Petey" Greene (Don Cheadle) talks his way onto the air at a white-owned radio station in 1960s... [More]

#14

Iron Man 3 (2013)
Tomatometer icon 79%

#14
Adjusted Score: 94709%
Critics Consensus: With the help of its charismatic lead, some impressive action sequences, and even a few surprises, Iron Man 3 is a witty, entertaining adventure and a strong addition to the Marvel canon.
Synopsis: Plagued with worry and insomnia since saving New York from destruction, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), now, is more dependent... [More]

#15

Flight (2012)
Tomatometer icon 77%

#15
Adjusted Score: 88468%
Critics Consensus: Robert Zemeckis makes a triumphant return to live-action cinema with Flight, a thoughtful and provocative character study propelled by a compelling performance from Denzel Washington.
Synopsis: Commercial airline pilot Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington) has a problem with drugs and alcohol, though so far he's managed to... [More]

#16
#16
Adjusted Score: 94760%
Critics Consensus: Exuberant and eye-popping, Avengers: Age of Ultron serves as an overstuffed but mostly satisfying sequel, reuniting its predecessor's unwieldy cast with a few new additions and a worthy foe.
Synopsis: When Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) jump-starts a dormant peacekeeping program, things go terribly awry, forcing him, Thor (Chris Hemsworth),... [More]

#17

Bulworth (1998)
Tomatometer icon 76%

#17
Adjusted Score: 79756%
Critics Consensus: Star and director Beatty's ambitious take on race and politics in 20th-century America isn't perfect, but manages to provide more than its share of thought-provoking laughs.
Synopsis: Jay Bulworth (Warren Beatty), a financially ruined senator, is now disillusioned with politics. The forlorn statesman orders a contract killing... [More]

#18

Crash (2004)
Tomatometer icon 74%

#18
Adjusted Score: 82172%
Critics Consensus: A raw and unsettling morality piece on modern angst and urban disconnect, Crash examines the dangers of bigotry and xenophobia in the lives of interconnected Angelenos.
Synopsis: Writer-director Paul Haggis interweaves several connected stories about race, class, family and gender in Los Angeles in the aftermath of... [More]

#19

Iron Man 2 (2010)
Tomatometer icon 72%

#19
Adjusted Score: 84694%
Critics Consensus: It isn't quite the breath of fresh air that Iron Man was, but this sequel comes close with solid performances and an action-packed plot.
Synopsis: With the world now aware that he is Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces pressure from... [More]

#20

Things Behind the Sun (2001)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#20
Adjusted Score: 49817%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A rock journalist (Gabriel Mann) arranges a meeting between a traumatized singer (Kim Dickens) and the sleazy man who raped... [More]

#21

Fail Safe (2000)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#21
Adjusted Score: 22989%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: During the 1960s, a computer error in Nebraska unwittingly sets off a perilous chain of events leading to a Cold... [More]

#22

Hamburger Hill (1987)
Tomatometer icon 100%

#22
Adjusted Score: 100253%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Over the course of 10 days in May 1969, an infantry squad led by Lt. Frantz (Dylan McDermott) and composed... [More]

#23
#23
Adjusted Score: 22861%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Grant Wiggins (Don Cheadle) is an African-American schoolteacher in the pre-Civil Rights Movement South who feels conflicted about his status... [More]

#24

Miles Ahead (2016)
Tomatometer icon 74%

#24
Adjusted Score: 82514%
Critics Consensus: Miles Ahead is worth watching for Don Cheadle's strong work on both sides of the camera, even if this unconventional biopic doesn't quite capture its subject's timeless appeal.
Synopsis: In the 1970s, down-and-out jazz trumpeter Miles Davis (Don Cheadle) tries to recover his new session tape from music producers.... [More]

#25

Colors (1988)
Tomatometer icon 77%

#25
Adjusted Score: 79912%
Critics Consensus: Colors takes a hard-hitting yet nuanced look at urban gang violence, further elevated by strong performances from a pair of well-matched leads.
Synopsis: In this gritty police drama from director Dennis Hopper, street-wise cop Bob Hodges (Robert Duvall) and hotheaded rookie Danny McGavin... [More]

#26

Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
Tomatometer icon 70%

#26
Adjusted Score: 78004%
Critics Consensus: Ocean's Thirteen reverts to the formula of the first installment, and the result is another slick and entertaining heist film.
Synopsis: Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his gang hatch an ambitious plot for revenge after ruthless casino owner Willy Bank (Al... [More]

#27
#27
Adjusted Score: 71965%
Critics Consensus: The Assassination of Richard Nixon struggles to convey deeper meaning, but a fascinating true story and compelling Sean Penn performance are worthy compensations.
Synopsis: Samuel Bicke (Sean Penn) is a disillusioned salesman whose elaborate views of honesty and morality alienate him from society. He... [More]

#28

Manic (2001)
Tomatometer icon 68%

#28
Adjusted Score: 69574%
Critics Consensus: A grim drama about emotionally damaged teens, Manic's solid cast helps to elevate the material above cliche.
Synopsis: Follows the fate of Lyle (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a violent adolescent who, in lieu of prison, is placed in a juvenile... [More]

#29

Traitor (2008)
Tomatometer icon 65%

#29
Adjusted Score: 71633%
Critics Consensus: Despite another reliable performance from Don Cheadle, Traitor suffers from too many cliches and an unfocused narrative.
Synopsis: When straight-arrow agent Roy Clayton (Guy Pearce) assumes command of a special FBI task force, he becomes entangled in a... [More]

#30

Reign Over Me (2007)
Tomatometer icon 64%

#30
Adjusted Score: 69819%
Critics Consensus: Reign Over Me is a charming, affecting tale of friendship and loss, with solid performances from Adam Sandler as a broken, grief-stricken man and Don Cheadle as his old friend and savior.
Synopsis: Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler), who lost his family in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, still grieves over their deaths.... [More]

#31

The Rat Pack (1998)
Tomatometer icon 57%

#31
Adjusted Score: 58098%
Critics Consensus: While it evokes its time period with a keen sense of swagger, The Rat Pack is troubled by uneven lead performances and fairly routine biopic trappings.
Synopsis: The public and private lives of Frank Sinatra (Ray Liotta), Dean Martin (Joe Mantegna), Sammy Davis Jr. (Don Cheadle) and... [More]

#32

Ocean's Twelve (2004)
Tomatometer icon 55%

#32
Adjusted Score: 61163%
Critics Consensus: While some have found the latest star-studded heist flick to be a fun, glossy star vehicle, others declare it's lazy, self-satisfied and illogical.
Synopsis: After successfully robbing five casinos in one night, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his crew of thieves have big problems.... [More]

#33

The Family Man (2000)
Tomatometer icon 53%

#33
Adjusted Score: 57980%
Critics Consensus: The Family Man's earnest attempt to remind audiences that it's a wonderful life too often steers into schmaltz, although Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni's romantic rapport adds a dash of sincere sweetness.
Synopsis: Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman.... [More]

#34

Volcano (1997)
Tomatometer icon 50%

#34
Adjusted Score: 52698%
Critics Consensus: Volcano's prodigious pyrotechnics and Tommy Lee Jones' crotchety sneers at lava aren't quite enough to save this routine disaster film.
Synopsis: When a massive earthquake rocks the city of Los Angeles, Emergency Management department head Mike Roark (Tommy Lee Jones) returns... [More]

#35

Hotel for Dogs (2009)
Tomatometer icon 46%

#35
Adjusted Score: 50544%
Critics Consensus: Hotel for Dogs may appeal to children and dog lovers, but it's ultimately contrived, predictable, and simplistic.
Synopsis: After moving into a foster home that forbids pets, siblings Andi (Emma Roberts) and Bruce (Jake T. Austin) must quickly... [More]

#36

Brooklyn's Finest (2009)
Tomatometer icon 44%

#36
Adjusted Score: 49842%
Critics Consensus: It's appropriately gritty, and soaked in the kind of palpable tension Antoine Fuqua delivers so well, but Brooklyn's Finest suffers from the comparisons its cliched script provokes.
Synopsis: A massive drug operation changes the lives of three conflicted New York cops. Burned-out vet Eddie Dugan (Richard Gere) is... [More]

#37
#37
Adjusted Score: 36697%
Critics Consensus: The United States of Leland has its moments, but they're undermined by a muddled plot, unsympathetic characters, and frustratingly uneven performances.
Synopsis: A withdrawn young man, Leland Fitzgerald (Ryan Gosling) is imprisoned for the murder of a mentally disabled boy, who also... [More]

#38
#38
Adjusted Score: 38530%
Critics Consensus: Just watch a Tarantino movie instead -- and buy a Warren Zevon record while you're at it.
Synopsis: Ex-crook Jimmy "The Saint" Tosnia (Andy Garcia) is trying his best to go legitimate until he's dragged back into the... [More]

#39
#39
Adjusted Score: 37407%
Critics Consensus: Despite LeBron James' best efforts to make a winning team out of the Tune Squad, Space Jam: A New Legacy trades the zany, meta humor of its predecessor for a shameless, tired exercise in IP-driven branding.
Synopsis: When LeBron James and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must... [More]

#40

Swordfish (2001)
Tomatometer icon 26%

#40
Adjusted Score: 30770%
Critics Consensus: Swordfish is big on explosions, but critics dislike how it skimps on plot and logic. Also, the sight of a person typing at a computer just isn't that interesting.
Synopsis: There exists a world within our world. A world beneath what we call cyberspace. A world protected by firewalls, passwords... [More]

#41

The Meteor Man (1993)
Tomatometer icon 25%

#41
Adjusted Score: 25733%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: An unassuming teacher, Jefferson Reed (Robert Townsend) lives and works in an urban area plagued by a tough gang. When... [More]

#42

Mission to Mars (2000)
Tomatometer icon 24%

#42
Adjusted Score: 28289%
Critics Consensus: Beauty only goes skin deep in this shallow but visually stunning film.
Synopsis: The first manned mission to Mars in 2020 ends in disaster when three of the crew are seemingly killed and... [More]

#43

After the Sunset (2004)
Tomatometer icon 18%

#43
Adjusted Score: 22193%
Critics Consensus: A slick but bland thriller.
Synopsis: Having already stolen two from the set of three priceless Napoleon Diamonds, expert jewel thief Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) decides... [More]

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