George Clooney has built one of Hollywood’s most respected careers, starring in films that range from thrilling heists to powerful dramas. Critics have had a lot to say about his work over the years, and the scores tell a fascinating story.
Some of his movies sit near the top of the charts, while others land a bit lower but still pack a punch. Here is a look at 16 of his films, ranked from highest to lowest by critic scores.
1. Gravity (2013) – 96% on Rotten Tomatoes
Few films have made audiences grip their armrests quite like Gravity. Alfonso Cuaron directed this breathtaking space thriller, and critics absolutely loved it, giving it a stunning 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Clooney plays veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski with effortless charm and calm under pressure.
Sandra Bullock leads the story, but Clooney’s steady presence grounds the emotional core of the film. The movie won seven Academy Awards, including Best Director.
Watching it feels like being launched into orbit yourself.
2. Three Kings (1999) – 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
War movies rarely blend action, dark humor, and sharp political commentary this well. Three Kings follows a group of soldiers at the end of the Gulf War who go hunting for stolen Kuwaiti gold.
Critics praised it for being bold, original, and surprisingly thought-provoking.
Clooney plays Special Forces Major Archie Gates with a confident swagger that fits the role perfectly. Director David O.
Russell crafted something genuinely unlike anything else from that era. The 94% score speaks for itself.
3. Out of Sight (1998) – 94% on Rotten Tomatoes
Chemistry between actors can make or break a film, and Out of Sight has it in abundance. Based on Elmore Leonard’s novel, this stylish crime thriller pairs Clooney’s charming bank robber Jack Foley with Jennifer Lopez’s sharp U.S.
Marshal Karen Sisco. Critics fell hard for it, awarding it a 94% score.
Director Steven Soderbergh brought a cool, jazzy energy to every scene. The film is witty, romantic, and surprisingly suspenseful all at once.
It remains one of Clooney’s most enjoyable performances.
4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) – 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Wes Anderson’s stop-motion adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved story is pure, quirky magic. Clooney voices the clever and irresistible Mr. Fox, bringing warmth and roguish energy to the animated character.
Critics rewarded the film with a 93% rating for its originality and wit.
Even kids who have never read the book find themselves charmed by the fast-talking fox and his wild schemes. The film’s handcrafted visual style is unlike any other animated movie.
Clooney sounds like he was born to play this role.
5. Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005) – 93% on Rotten Tomatoes
Clooney stepped behind the camera for this one, directing and co-writing a gripping drama about real television journalist Edward R. Murrow.
Shot entirely in black and white, the film captures the tense atmosphere of 1950s America during the McCarthy era. Critics awarded it 93% and several Oscar nominations.
He also plays CBS producer Fred Friendly on screen, holding his own beside David Strathairn’s remarkable lead performance. The film feels eerily relevant even today.
It proves Clooney is just as talented behind the camera as in front of it.
6. Up in the Air (2009) – 91% on Rotten Tomatoes
Ryan Bingham travels so much that airports feel more like home than his actual apartment. Clooney plays this corporate downsizer with a detached coolness that slowly cracks as real human connection creeps in.
Critics gave the film 91%, praising its sharp script and perfectly pitched performances.
Director Jason Reitman tapped into something real about modern loneliness and the cost of always being on the move. Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga shine alongside Clooney.
The movie is funny, melancholy, and unexpectedly moving.
7. Michael Clayton (2007) – 90% on Rotten Tomatoes
A fixer for a powerful law firm sounds glamorous until you see what the job actually costs. Clooney plays Michael Clayton, a man stuck doing the dirty work for people with too much money and too little conscience.
Critics loved the film’s slow-burn tension, giving it a 90% score.
Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for her chilling supporting performance. The screenplay is airtight, and Clooney delivers one of his most restrained and powerful acting moments in the film’s final scene.
Understated and brilliant.
8. The Descendants (2011) – 89% on Rotten Tomatoes
Hawaiian shirts and paradise settings might suggest a light, breezy film, but The Descendants is anything but. Clooney plays a father juggling a comatose wife, two complicated daughters, and a massive land inheritance decision.
Critics responded warmly with an 89% rating and the film earned Clooney a Golden Globe.
Director Alexander Payne has a gift for finding humor inside heartbreak, and this film is a perfect example. The story is deeply human and occasionally funny in the most unexpected ways.
It feels honest in a way few family dramas manage.
9. Hail, Caesar! (2016) – 86% on Rotten Tomatoes
The Coen Brothers love poking fun at Hollywood, and Hail, Caesar! is their most gleeful attempt. Clooney plays Baird Whitlock, a dim but lovable movie star who gets kidnapped by Communist screenwriters.
Critics gave the comedy-mystery an 86% score for its sharp humor and dazzling visual style.
Josh Brolin anchors the film as a studio fixer, but Clooney steals every scene he is in with gloriously clueless energy. The film is packed with loving nods to Golden Age Hollywood.
Fans of classic cinema will especially enjoy the ride.
10. The Ides of March (2011) – 84% on Rotten Tomatoes
Politics can be a dirty game, and this film does not flinch from showing exactly how dirty. Clooney directs and stars as Governor Mike Morris, an idealistic presidential candidate whose campaign hides uncomfortable secrets.
Critics scored it at 84%, praising its sharp political script and strong ensemble cast.
Ryan Gosling plays a young campaign staffer who learns fast that idealism has a price. The film builds suspense quietly, letting conversations carry the weight of the story.
For anyone interested in how power actually works, this one is required viewing.
11. Ocean’s Eleven (2001) – 83% on Rotten Tomatoes
Putting eleven of Hollywood’s biggest stars in one heist film sounds like a recipe for chaos, but Ocean’s Eleven makes it look effortlessly cool. Clooney leads the ensemble as Danny Ocean, the smooth-talking mastermind behind an audacious Las Vegas casino robbery.
Critics gave it a solid 83%.
Steven Soderbergh keeps everything slick, stylish, and surprisingly fun. Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts round out a cast that clearly enjoyed every moment of filming.
The movie launched two sequels and became a modern heist classic.
12. The Thin Red Line (1998) – Critically Acclaimed War Epic
Terrence Malick returned to filmmaking after a 20-year break with this sweeping and philosophical World War II epic. The film follows soldiers during the Battle of Guadalcanal, exploring fear, nature, and the human cost of combat with poetic intensity.
Critics praised it as one of the most visually stunning war films ever made.
Clooney appears in a smaller role, but the film’s star-studded cast includes Sean Penn and Jim Caviezel. Its meditative style sets it apart from typical war movies.
Patience rewards viewers with something genuinely profound.
13. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) – Beloved Coen Brothers Comedy
Loosely based on Homer’s Odyssey and set in 1930s Mississippi, this Coen Brothers film is one of the most original comedies of its generation. Clooney plays Ulysses Everett McGill, a smooth-talking escaped convict who drags two hapless companions on a wild road trip.
The film became a breakthrough comedy hit.
The bluegrass and folk soundtrack won a Grammy and introduced a whole new audience to American roots music. Clooney’s performance is physical, funny, and surprisingly charming.
The film has only grown in popularity over the years.
14. Burn After Reading (2008) – Dark Coen Brothers Comedy
What happens when ordinary, not-very-bright people stumble across what they think is classified government information? Pure, chaotic comedy with a very dark edge.
Burn After Reading reunited Clooney with the Coen Brothers for a sharp satire of Washington DC paranoia and human stupidity.
Clooney plays Harry Pfarrer, a paranoid and unfaithful federal marshal who manages to make every situation worse. Brad Pitt nearly steals the whole movie as a hilariously dim gym trainer.
The film is unpredictable, funny, and genuinely surprising right up to its abrupt ending.
15. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) – Clooney’s Directorial Debut
For his directorial debut, Clooney chose one of the strangest true stories in Hollywood history. The film adapts game show host Chuck Barris’s claim that he secretly worked as a CIA assassin while running The Gong Show.
Sam Rockwell plays Barris with frantic, nervous energy that keeps viewers hooked.
Clooney steps in front of the camera too, playing the mysterious CIA handler Jim Byrd with cool menace. Critics appreciated the film’s bold style and dark humor.
As a first directing effort, it showed remarkable confidence and vision.
16. Intolerable Cruelty (2003) – Metascore 71
Not every Clooney film hits the heights of Gravity or Michael Clayton, but Intolerable Cruelty still delivers plenty of laughs. Another Coen Brothers collaboration, the film is a screwball romantic comedy about a ruthless divorce lawyer who falls for a woman who may be playing him.
It earned a Metascore of 71.
Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones have genuine comedic chemistry, even when the script stretches believability. The film is lighter fare compared to other Coen Brothers work.
Sometimes a breezy, stylish comedy is exactly what the moment calls for.