Bradley Cooper has long shown that his career can be so much more than the typical rom-coms and adult comedy flicks. While these makeup most of the best Bradley Cooper movies, they are far from the complete tale.
Cooper has an impressive range, able to star in high-quality action thrillers, crime dramas, superhero blockbusters, and even an emotionally musically-charged feature film. These are the 22 best Bradley Cooper movies ranked and where to watch them.
1. A Star Is Born (2018)
Where to Watch: Max
This remake of the classic musical love story is how you do a recreation in the modern age. Cooper and Lady Gaga have a chemistry that is unlike anything else in his career, leading to an award-winning and astonishingly powerful film that goes far beyond a simple tale of a musician discovering a fresh face with unknown talent.
2. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
Where to Watch: Disney+
The first in the galactic superhero trilogy sees a bunch of misfits and people who don’t go together becoming an unlikely team. By far the funniest Marvel movie and one of the most visually impressive, characters like Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon and Bautista’s Drax are instant fan favorites.
3. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Where to Watch: Disney+ (Date TBD)
The final in the James Gunn trilogy smartly put Rocket Raccoon and his backstory at the center stage of this harrowing and powerful entry in the franchise. While it retains some of the laughs from before, Cooper’s parts are unforgettable and push the boundaries of a Marvel family movie.
4. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
Cooper’s Pat finds himself at the bottom of his life, losing everything from his job to his wife and ending up with his parents after being in a mental institution for a time. This dark premise leads to a wonderful connection with Jennifer Lawrence’s Tiffany, and the two command the silver screen as dynamic stars in this award-winning film.
5. The Hangover (2009)
Where to Watch: Max
Revered as one of the classic comedies of the 21st century, this movie is about a groom that goes missing after everyone wakes up from a bachelor party and the three stars, including Cooper, trying to find him. It is utterly ridiculous, impressively funny, and one of the best Cooper comedies to watch.
6. Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Where to Watch: Disney+
This unique second part of the Infinity War story is surprisingly dark and depressing. Bradley Cooper, as Rocket Raccoon, is one of the only superhero survivors of the Thanos Snap.
While this movie is an absolute masterpiece, Rocket Raccoon doesn’t get quite utilized as well as he could have been in this harrowing adventure.
7. American Hustle (2013)
Where to Watch: Netflix
Based on a real crime case from the 1970s, this all-star cast is all about the con artist Christian Bale and the people he comes across in his attempts to take down a mayor after being caught by Cooper’s agent role. It is over-the-top, surprisingly funny, and the acting is top-notch.
8. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)
Where to Watch: Disney+
The second movie in the comedy galaxy-spanning adventure of this ragtag group may not be as good as the other two in the series, but it doesn’t lack in the heart department. The story is far more personal and emotionally effective, even if it might not be as thrilling as other Marvel films.
9. Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
Where to Watch: Disney+
This massive ensemble of superheroes from across the Marvel pantheon is full of action, thrills, and nonstop blockbuster moments from start to finish. While Cooper as Rocket Raccoon doesn’t have a lot to do in this movie, there’s no doubting how vital it is to the MCU.
10. Licorice Pizza (2021)
Where to Watch: Paramount+
Cooper and the rest of the known stars take a backseat to the young ones to star in this romantic comedy. It holds nothing back in its exploration of the first love between two teens in the 1970s. Its script and cast push forward to sell this otherwise standard teen rom-com.
11. Nightmare Alley (2021)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
Cooper thrills the screen as a con man trying to swindle and get away with riches, using the people around him he has gathered. The cast is fantastic, but Cooper shines as the true star here. Though the film is a bit too slow sometimes, it continuously builds to an excellent payoff.
12. The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
Where to Watch: Peacock
It’s best to go into this movie without knowing most of what goes on within it. To this point, all you need to know is that Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper star as fathers who have to deal with the choices they’ve made in life. Both are undeniable in their roles in this surprising drama.
13. War Dogs (2016)
Where to Watch: Hulu
Jonah Hill and Miles Teller are unforgettable in this odd war film that balances drama and comedy quite well. Cooper plays a more side role in this flick that adds to the strangeness of this movie about arms dealers in the war in Iraq, that somehow works surprisingly well.
14. American Sniper (2014)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
One of the most harrowing and disturbing tales that Cooper has done, this war movie shows that sometimes real life and history are by far more engrossing and terrifying than fiction. It’s best to go into this traumatic Navy Seal sniper film simply knowing that Cooper unbelievably commits to this role, and that’s all you need to know.
15. The Mule (2018)
Where to Watch: Max
One of the late-career movies for the legendary Clint Eastwood, Cooper gives him a necessary foil as an agent coming after the rather old Eastwood for his job working for the cartel. While it certainly lacks the consistency of some of Eastwood’s best movies, it still remains a great watch.
16. Limitless (2011)
Where to Watch: Max
By far one of the more underrated films in Cooper’s career, he commands the screen as a writer who uses substances to get himself to overwhelming success. While its pacing and writing are sometimes messy, Cooper is a consistent star.
17. The A Team (2010)
Where to Watch: Prime Video, Apple TV+
This is one of the first movies to go for the classic action thriller ensemble cast of all-star A-List actors like Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, and Jessica Biel. While it has the acting chops to make for a fantastic film, the underwhelming script leads to a fairly typical experience.
18. The Hangover Part II (2011)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
The boys are back for a weirder and wilder movie, but one that is immensely darker at times without some of the over-the-top comedy that anchored the first movie so well. It is still a fun watch, but only if you know it is not nearly as impactful as the first in the series.
19. Yes Man (2008)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
This is the age-old mantra that too much of a good thing can become something bad. Jim Carrey’s Carl tries to turn his life around only to find that even positive aspects can become negative. Though it is a bit too predictable at times, actors like Carrey and Cooper in a supporting roles keep it together.
20. Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
One of the several ensemble movies that Cooper has been in, this one follows various camp counselors on the final day of camp and everything they want to finish. Full of pent-up energy, hot and heavy moments, and plenty of laughs, it is a cult classic for a reason, even if it is a bit too ridiculous at times.
21. The Hangover Part III (2013)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
There is always a point in a franchise’s lifetime, especially those that didn’t start on the cleanest foundations, where it goes off the deep end. That is the case with this third entry, which loses its comedic stylings and what made it so popular, even if the guys still have fantastic chemistry.
22. Valentine’s Day (2010)
Where to Watch: Vudu, Prime Video, Apple TV+
When it comes to ensemble love stories revolving around a single Valentine’s Day and various stories happening throughout it, this is one of the better examples. While not all of the stories and characters fully hit, there’s no denying this unbelievable cast of actors.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.