The best Paul Rudd movie doesn’t feature any ants

From Shakespeare and Marvel to the dumbest of dumb comedies, Paul Rudd has straddled genres for nearly 30 years, without appearing to age. So, to celebrate his birthday today, these are the 10 best Paul Rudd movies.

Paul Rudd’s early screen performances saw him pinball from horror (Halloween 6) to rom-com (The Object of My Affection) to drama (The Cider House Rules). Then a couple of goofy comedies established the actor as a screen presence as funny as he is likeable, and Rudd has never looked back.

His career then took an unexpected turn a decade ago when Marvel came calling, and turned Rudd into the MCU’s goofiest superhero, Ant-Man. He even became an Avenger in one of the most successful films of all time. But comedy is in his bones, and the genre to which he always returns.

The following is therefore our ranking of the 10 best Paul Rudd movies, listed from worst to best. It should be noted that some of these titles would be higher if the actor was in them more — because there’s no such thing as too much Paul Rudd.

10. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Paul Rudd only briefly appears as ‘Dave Paris’ in Romeo + Juliet, which is why the film is so low on this list. But Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation of William Shakespeare remains a wonder; an exhilarating assault on the senses that gives this ancient tale a very modern spin. 

Audiences fell in love with Claire Danes’ Juliet, while fresh off the Titanic, Leo’s Romeo was to die for. Electric action and quick-fire visuals made this Shakespeare for the MTV generation, as did the none-more-90s soundtrack, which featured bangers from the likes of Garbage, The Wannadies, and most memorably, Des’ree’s beautiful love theme.

Where to watch: Hulu.

9. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)

Focus Features

A bit like Baz’s bonkers R+J, Wet Hot American Summer shouldn’t work, but does. The brainchild of David Wain and Michael Showalter — based on their own summer camp experiences — the movie is set in 1981, and spoofs the teen movies and sex comedies of that era.

The likes of Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Meloni, Molly Shannon, Amy Poehler, and Bradley Cooper star. But it’s Rudd who steals the movie as the lazy, conceited, obnoxious, incompetent, self-centered Andy, who is Camp Firewood’s very worst counselor, and the funniest character in the film. 

Where to watch: Prime Video

8. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)

Having first collaborated with Judd Apatow on Anchorman — which can be found much further down this list — Paul Rudd soon carved out a niche for himself playing the funny best friend in movies by the writer-director. Starting with high-concept comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

The set-up is in the title, with Steve Carell delivering a star-making turn as Andy, the aging virgin whose efforts to change that invariably end up in embarrassment and disaster. Once again, Rudd is in scene-stealing form, alongside Romany Malco and Seth Rogen as Andy’s best friends. The sarcastic trio serve as something of a Greek chorus in the movie, while repeatedly building their virginal friend up and knocking him down in hilarious fashion.

Where to watch: Hulu

7. Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)

Eyebrows were raised when Paul Rudd was cast in the MCU, as Brian Fantana seemed an unlikely superhero. But Ant-Man is an offbeat character with very silly superpowers, so it kind-of made sense. Then Rudd got the six-pack, his jaw became more defined, and it all fell into place.

The first Ant-Man introduced Scott Lang as the title character and proved to be a fun heist movie. The third Ant-Man was a crushing disappointment. So we’re going with the second installment — Ant-Man and the Wasp — as it’s the most emotionally charged of these movies, dealing as it does with the search for Hope’s mother Janet van Dyne. 

Where to watch: Disney+

6. Knocked Up (2007)

Slacker Seth Rogen gets high-achiever Katherine Heigel pregnant during a one-night stand, they decide to have the baby, and hilarity ensues, to the tune of more than $200 million at the global box office. In the process changing the face of American comedy.

Knocked Up turned Rogen into an A-lister, and helped launch the celluloid careers of the likes of Jason Segel and Jonah Hill. While it gave Rudd a juicy role as a man-child married to Heigel’s sister — played by Leslie Mann — and struggling with parenthood himself. Another Apatow production, the writer-director liked Rudd’s character so much he made This is 40 about his troubled marriage a decade later.

Where to watch: Apple TV

5. Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Civil War concerns a difference of opinion resulting in battle of wills between Captain America and Iron Man, one that sees the Avengers and their superpowered buddies having to pick sides. Scott Lang ends up with Steve Rogers, and although Ant-Man isn’t in the movie much, he provides the biggest moment in the most memorable scene.

Said sequence is the airport battle, during which beloved heroes kick the crap out of each other in spectacular fashion. It’s also where we first meet Giant-Man, a dangerous transformation that could tear Scott Lang in two, but which he bravely executes to help save the day.

Where to watch: Disney+

4. Role Models (2008)

Through his career, Paul Rudd has cultivated a unique celluloid image. Everyone likes him, meaning his characters can get away with saying and doing awful stuff onscreen, while still seeming sympathetic. He previously played lovable a-holes in the Apatow movies, and here he re-teams with Wet Hot American Summer collaborator David Wain to play the most lovable a-hole of them all.

Danny sells energy drinks with best friend Wheeler (Seann William Scott), a job that makes him depressed, which leads to bad decisions, that result in this idiot pair being forced to mentor troubled kids as part of a ‘Big Brother’ program. But this generic sitcom plot results in big laughs as Danny tries to bond with his LARP-loving mentee Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse). While somehow, this deeply crude comedy manages to tug on the heartstrings in the final few reels.

Where to watch: Prime Video

3. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

Scott Lang sat out Avengers: Infinity War due to Quantum Realm shenanigans, but he’s back for the big finale. And Ant-Man isn’t just a bit player in the $400 million movie — rather he comes up with the time-travel theory, and is part of the team that journeys back to collect the Infinity Stones.

Scott tries to retrieve the Space Stone during 2012’s Battle of New York. And while that mission doesn’t go entirely according to plan, Ant-Man then has a major part to play in the final conflict, with Giant-Man doing much damage during the most spectacular sequence in the history of superhero cinema.

Where to watch: Disney+

2. Clueless (1995)

Although Paul Rudd shot Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers first, the horror film was delayed due to disastrous test screenings, meaning his movie debut was as Josh in Clueless. Which is pretty much a perfect comedy, making it the perfect way to kick-off his esteemed career.

Written and directed by Amy Heckerling, Clueless is a very loose adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, with Alicia Silverstone perfectly cast as meddling matchmaker Cher. But good as she is, you also can’t take your eyes off her funny, handsome, and adorable best friend throughout the movie. Cher takes 90-minutes to realise she’s in love with Josh. But realise she does, resulting in their iconic first kiss, which rounds out a truly great romantic-comedy.

Where to watch: Paramount

1. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

Anchorman is one of the dumbest comedies of all time. But this tale of a monumentally stupid news team is also up there with the funniest, thanks to an incredible rate of jokes-per-minute, and inspired casting of the film’s ridiculous central characters.

Will Ferrell is the egotistical anchorman of the title, Ron Burgundy. David Koechner is testosterone-fuelled sportscaster Champ Kind. Steve Carell is dumb as a box of frogs weatherman Brick Tamland. While Paul Rudd rounds out the dopey quartet as Brian Fantana, the ladies’ man, especially when wearing trademark cologne Sex Panther. 

The film works as a spoof; the heir apparent to classics like Airplane and Naked Gun. But it also functions as biting satire, with the central story concerning the Anchormen unable to cope with women entering the workplace. 

And while a belated sequel failed to hit the same comedic highs, the original’s reputation has only grown in the intervening years, and Anchorman now regularly tops lists of the funniest movies of all time.

Where to watch: Paramount

So there it is, our list of the 10 best Paul Rudd movies is complete. If you need more from Rudd, he’s currently starring in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and you can read his thoughts on joining that team here. You can also check out our list of the best movies of 2024, and see whether we’ll be spotting Ant-Man again in Avengers 5.

Please note that if you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.