The 10 best Luke Wilson movies

Although some consider him to be in the shadow of his more famous brother Owen, Luke Wilson has had a career that would make the vast majority of actors seethe with jealousy. He’s worked with some incredible names, mostly in comedic circles, although he’s certainly shown a range that belies his reputation as solely a funny man. While he’s had some notable television performances (including a six-episode arc on That 70s Show, and his current voice role on HBO’s Fired on Mars), generally his best roles have come on the big screen – and there are plenty of great movies of his to watch. If you want to know where to begin with the younger Wilson brother, then read ahead for our guide to the 10 best Luke Wilson movies!

10. Idiocracy

This Mike Judge and Etan Coen sci-fi comedy has been talked about a lot in recent years, thanks to its allegedly prescient nature. The plot follows Joe Bauers (Wilson), a distinctly average member of the U.S. armed forces, who is forced into hibernation as part of a military experiment before waking up 500 years in the future. In this future, the world has been dumbed down so much that Wilson is now one of the smartest men on Earth, leading to plenty of hijinks, including Bauers becomng Secretary of the Interior for the hilarious President Camacho (brilliantly portrayed by Terry Crews).

Leaving aside the fact the film kind of promotes eugenics (the premise is that only dumb people populate the Earth, leading to an inevitable slide in intellectual standards, which simply isn’t how genetics works, no matter how many conservatives and royalists try to tell you otherwise) it’s a pretty funny — albeit uneven — flick. Wilson is especially believable as the everyman thrust into a situation he simply doesn’t have the tools to handle, and manages to make what could be a frustrating character into one that’s altogether more sympathetic.

9. Rushmore

Although Wilson only has a small part to play in this iconic Wes Anderson coming-of-age comedy, he definitely steals the limelight in his scenes with his deadpan deliveries and physical acting. Rushmore is about an energetic, talented, but ultimately academically lazy middle-class student in a fancy prep school, and his ongoing attempts to woo a teacher but also to find himself. Wilson plays Dr. Peter Flynn, a friend of the main character’s love interest, and does brilliantly. It was his second time working with Anderson, and the screenplay was co-written by his older brother, Owen.

8. Blue Streak

While this crime comedy might not have the critical acclaim of other films on this list, it definitely has a standout performance from Wilson, and is well worth watching considering the compact 93-minute run time. The film follows Miles (Martin Lawrence), a former diamond thief who was arrested for a heist. Upon his release, he attempts to collect the diamonds he hid at a building site, only to discover that the hiding spot has become a police station. Undeterred, he disguises himself as a detective and ends up investigating thefts with his new partner, Detective Carlson (Wilson).

The plot of this film does get a bit convoluted at points, and there are a few reliances on clichés for humor, but the chemistry between Lawrence and Wilson is undeniable, as is the sheer hilarity that the pair produce on screen. Add in a surprisingly sweet ending, and you have yourself a great watch, and another great Wilson performance. 

7. My Super Ex-Girlfriend

My Super Ex-Girlfriend was another Wilson film that received a mixed reaction from critics and audiences, but one of the few reasons some still rated it was his performance as the (comparatively) hapless ex of G-Girl (Hollywood royalty Uma Thurman). The plot follows Matthew (Wilson), who stops a man from robbing a woman of her purse on the subway, leading to the romantic entanglement of the thief-stopper and the saved potential victim. However, it soon transpires that the woman is a superhero, and an incredibly jealous and insecure partner. After Matthew breaks up with her and falls for his co-worker (Anna Faris), G-Girl decides to make his life a living hell.

Look — we’re not going to pretend this film doesn’t play on slightly sexist stereotypes, nor will we tell you it’s a must-watch, or classic of the spoof genre. However, it is full of big laughs, and Wilson plays the charming everyman fantastically, dragging this film from mediocrity into a decent watch.

6. Bottle Rocket

An acting debut for Wilson and his older brother Owen, and a directorial debut for Wes Anderson, Bottle Rocket is a cult classic of the best kind. The film follows a group of outsiders who decide to embark on a life of crime. It begins with Anthony (Luke Wilson) being released from a mental hospital and meeting his friend Dignan (Owen Wilson), who is determined to go on a crime spree with their hapless neighbor Bob (Robert Musgrave). However, the more they try to force themselves into the lifestyle, the more they realize just how bad they are at being criminals.

The younger Wilson (and his brother, to be fair) are both brilliant in these zany roles, and captivate with their natural interactions and brilliant dialogue. Luke plays it a little more straight, but he’s the perfect foil to the more outlandish characters he shares the screen with.

5. Anchorman

Iconic, quotable, and full of big names: Anchorman is a film that captured the public imagination like no other, and plenty of similar movies have been trying to bottle the same magic ever since, with mixed results. The hilarious Adam McKay comedy follows Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell), the most famous news announcer in San Diego, as he falls in love, loses his job, and eventually has a triumphant return.

Wilson plays one of Burgundy’s competitors, an anchorman for Channel 2 named Frank Vitchard. Although his screen time isn’t massive, the actor is an engaging and funny presence, and plays a key role in the newscaster battle that forms a vital scene in the film. He also has his arm chopped off in a brilliant and hilarious moment.

4. Old School

Nostalgia plays a big part in a lot of Wilson’s best films, and 2003’s Old School is no different. He plays Mitch, the lead character who finds out his wife is cheating on him and tries to recapture his youth by starting a fraternity, with predictably funny (if slightly pathetic) results. Although the film itself is a little inconsistent and veers into cliché, it has its moments, most of which are thanks to Wilson’s acting. And, while the writing can be a bit dumb, his performance also gives the film some much needed heart, elevating it from a comedic romp into something worth watching.

3. Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde created a generation of people who learned the best way to win their crush over was to “bend and snap,” and also saw a fantastic and surprisingly mature performance from the usually-slapstick Wilson. The film follows Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) as she gets into Harvard Law School in an attempt to win back her high-flying boyfriend, only to show she was the one who belonged there all along.

Wilson plays Emmett, the good guy foil to the (mostly) gross male characters, and eventual love interest of Elle. He’s both funny and charming, while also being an uplifting presence to Elle in the film, making him a firm fan favorite of lovers of this iconic movie. An excellent performance, and one that shows he can be more than just a comedic actor, even in a comedy. 

2. The Royal Tenanbaums

When you think of classic Wes Anderson films, nothing quite underlines his aesthetic like The Royal Tenanbaums. The absurdist story about a disfunctional family of high achievers turned massive failures has won tonnes of praise for its originality and clear vision, and a big part of that is Luke Wilson’s stunning performance as Richie, a tennis prodigy who ends up being near-homeless. Although the film is quirky and humorous, it also has plenty of darker elements, with Wilson’s character even attempting suicide at one point. Vanity Fair even called one of Wilson’s scenes, where Richie has a massive meltdown, one of the best tennis scenes in cinema history — high praise indeed.

1. Meadowland

Considering his stellar comedic record, it might seem strange that this intense, harrowing drama is Luke Wilson’s best film, but it just goes to show that behind all the slapstick, he’s a phenomenal actor. Wilson stars alongside Olivia Wilde as the father to a missing child, and the film expertly shows their descent into complete and utter despair. Wilson’s character is a cop, and his story arc is truly haunting — a plot made even more emotionally gut-wrenching by a powerhouse performance. The class clown can really act, it seems, and if this part had been played half as well by a more established dramatic actor, we have no doubt it would have garnered some more nominations.