10 Movies That Prove Ryan Gosling Can Do Any Genre (2024)

Ryan Gosling is having his moment in Hollywood right now. Although he first made his name as an indie sad boy, the world fell in love with his comedic abilities and charm in the early 2010s. His himbo energy as Ken in 2023's Barbie conquered audiences, and he brought the charm again in this year's The Fall Guy. While the roles share similarities, with their subversion of male character tropes and fun, happy-go-lucky energies, they exist within two distinct genres and play different roles in their respective stories.

Beyond these two recent successes, Gosling's past filmography reflects this same pattern of translating his inherent persona into a wide spectrum of genres. He has a nonchalant yet earnest attitude that can adapt into a passionate love interest, a moody anti-hero, or a morally questionable executive as it suits him. Gosling knows what he's working with as an actor and molds his real-life personality to fit the demands of and lend a sense of authenticity to the genre he is working in. Because of this, Gosling has had success in many genres over his career, and these diverse movies prove his versatility.

10 'Remember the Titans' (2000)

Genre: Sports

While Gosling is now mainly known as a leading man, in one of his first-ever films, Remember The Titans, he makes his mark in a minor role. This movie is one of his only ventures into the sports genre and a breakout project for him. He plays Alan Bosely, one of the younger students on the all-white, small-town high school football team that must come to terms with the desegregation of schools in the 1970s and the incorporation of Black students onto the team. One might expect Gosling to be overshadowed by acting giants like Denzel Washington in this film, but he definitely holds his own.

Alan Bosely is a fully fleshed character out and contributes meaningfully to the film. Like many of the other white students, Alan is initially skeptical of his new teammates but doesn't give in to his prejudice, ultimately bonding with the Black students. Gosling's best moments in this movie, when he uses light-hearted dancing to break the tension and forge friendships between teammates, foreshadow his future success in the musical and comedy genres. Alan is also not that good at football, a characteristic that Gosling pulls off well, but it may also contribute to why he's not cast as an athlete much after this movie.

Remember The Titans

PG

Biography

Sports

Drama

Comedy

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Release Date

September 29, 2000

Director

Boaz Yakin

Cast

Denzel Washington , Will Patton , Donald Faison , Nicole Ari Parker , Ethan Suplee , Wood Harris , Hayden Panettiere

Runtime

113

9 'The Notebook' (2004)

Genre: Romantic Drama

Although many of Gosling's most well-loved roles are comedic, one of his most renowned films, The Notebook, is an infamous tearjerker. His character, Noah Calhoun, has a decades-long love story that's as tragic as Romeo and Juliet's, also ending with the lovers dying in each other's arms. Noah is passionate and guided by his love for Allie (Rachel McAdams) but is frustrated by the conditions of their society that prevent them from being together. Gosling embodies this internal struggle by masking the emotion in his eyes before letting go and stressing his earnestness, creating a catharsis that emphasizes the strength of his love.

The scene where Gosling delivers his iconic line, "What do you want?" is one of his best acting moments in the film, conveying the character's conflicting emotions in his voice and expressions. The tension between Gosling and McAdams clearly made its way into the film. Gosling personifies tragedy, longing, and frustration, with each action demonstrating his character's emotional conflict. He also infuses authenticity into the character with his soft accent and relaxed posture, making the melodrama feel grounded yet no less tragic. Thanks, Ryan.

The Notebook (2004)

PG-13

Romance

Drama

Release Date

June 25, 2004

Director

Nick Cassavetes

Cast

Ryan Gosling , Rachel McAdams , James Garner , Gena Rowlands , James Marsden , Kevin Connolly , Sam Shepard , Joan Allen

Runtime

123 minutes

Writers

Jeremy Leven

8 'Crazy, Stupid Love' (2011)

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Ryan Gosling's character in Crazy, Stupid, Love, Jacob Palmer, is a foil to the movie's protagonist, Cal Weaver (Steve Carell). While Cal is recently divorced, depressed, socially awkward, and unfashionable, Jacob is dripping in coolness, young, stylish, and smooth with the ladies; in short, he's everything Cal wants to be. Gosling creates ramps up his nonchalant attitude with knowing smirks and assured dialogue, showing Cal how he picks up women with carefully calculated confidence. Jacob's depth is revealed when his facade of perfect coolness is broken, and he realizes that the one woman he truly has feelings for, Hannah (Emma Stone), won't fall for his games.

According to the rules of the rom-com, Gosling balances his performance with moments of passion and levity; his most iconic scene, where he and Stone recreate the famous lift from Dirty Dancing, is a great example. Throughout the scene, Jacob talks to Hannah with a deliberate romantic over-seriousness, but there is irony behind it and the feeling that he is barely suppressing laughter. This fits with Jacob's character, as he is afraid of being vulnerable with someone he genuinely likes. Gosling is an expert at creating complex characters using the conventions of genre.

Crazy, Stupid, Love(2011)

PG-13

Romance

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

July 29, 2011

Director

Glenn Ficarra , John Requa

Cast

Steve Carell , Ryan Gosling , Julianne Moore , Emma Stone , Analeigh Tipton , Jonah Bobo

Writers

Dan Fogelman

7 'Drive' (2011)

Genre: Action Thriller

Drive is one of Gosling's darker roles and one that stands out from his previous performances. Gosling's character is simply billed as "The Driver," has minimal dialogue, often pauses pensively, and gives the audience little insight into his emotions, often through facial expressions. In this film, Gosling tells the story of his character not through exposition or dialogue but through behavior. There are no flashbacks of his backstory, but the haunted look in the Driver's eyes is enough to communicate he has endured something that made him who he is.

The Driver is among the most violent and ruthless characters Gosling has played, murdering multiple people, some in extremely brutal and graphic ways. The Driver has no hesitancy about committing acts that many consider immoral, and the cold, emotionless expression he maintains throughout increases the feeling of danger. Nonetheless, Gosling is a charismatic actor, and he forces viewers to care about, or even sympathize with, The Driver, even if they are still scared of him. Drive's memorable and open ending leaves viewers wanting more, a choice that only enhances the unsettling figure of The Driver.

Drive

R

Crime

Action

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

August 6, 2011

Director

Nicolas Winding Refn

Cast

Ryan Gosling , Carey Mulligan , Bryan Cranston , Albert Brooks , Oscar Isaac , Christina Hendricks

Runtime

100

Writers

Hossein Amini , James Sallis

6 'The Big Short' (2015)

Genre: Biographical Comedy

The Big Short is about a very specific event from a very specific time not too long ago. The film had to reframe the public's preconceived notions of these events to tell a refreshing story, a task that fell mainly on the back of Gosling's character, Jared Vennett. In his fourth-wall-breaking narration, Gosling describes the complicated causes of the 2007-2008 housing crisis in an easily understandable way to the casual viewer, incorporating his comedic sensibilities to make this devastating situation approachable and entertaining. Jared feels like the audience's friend because of Gosling's inherent likableness and the sarcastic humor he brings to the table.

Steve Carell's character, Mark Baum, illustrates why Gosling's portrayal is so compelling when he says that Jared is "so transparent in his self-interest, I can’t help but trust him." Jared Vennett is not a great guy. One could argue that he is simply doing his job in a corrupt system — after all, Jared used the market crash for his benefit, being one of the few characters to make a profit from the financial fallout. Still, Gosling plays Jared with a smirking shrewdness and a genuineness that makes it difficult not to like him. This is yet another instance of Gosling using his charm to make audiences root for a character of questionable morals.

The Big Short

R

Drama

Crime

Biography

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Release Date

December 23, 2015

Director

Adam McKay

Cast

Brad Pitt , Melissa Leo , Ryan Gosling , Marisa Tomei , Steve Carell , Christian Bale

Runtime

130 minutes

Writers

Adam McKay , Charles Randolph

5 'The Nice Guys' (2016)

Genre: Crime Comedy

The Nice Guys is a film that will have viewers laughing and on the edge of their seats. Fans love the film for its vibrant 70s setting and elaborate action set pieces, but it would be far less memorable without the dynamic duo of Holland March (Gosling) and Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) driving the plot. These two bounce off each other so well with their reluctant cooperation turning into real friendship. Their chemistry remains exciting and entertaining throughout their wild goose chase through Los Angeles.

Gosling has a lot of fun in this role. He puts his whole heart into each of Holland March's quirky misadventures, whether that's tracking down a mysterious adult film star, falling down a hill and losing his gun, or taking his daughter to a bowling alley birthday party. This movie's script is great, further improved by Gosling's enthusiastic delivery. Action comedy is a genre that Gosling excels at due to his energetic and likable persona enhanced by hilarious physical acting. His mustache is pretty amazing, too.

The Nice Guys

R

Crime

Action

Comedy

Drama

Mystery

Thriller

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Release Date

May 15, 2016

Director

Shane Black

Cast

Russell Crowe , Ryan Gosling , Angourie Rice , Matthew Bomer , Margaret Qualley , Yaya DaCosta

Runtime

116

Writers

Shane Black , Anthony Bagarozzi

4 'La La Land' (2016)

Genre: Musical

When Gosling donned his tap shoes for a musical role in La La Land, he took the world by surprise and surpassed expectations. He adopts the passion of a character like Sebastian with ease, his nonchalant everyman persona translating easily into the driven jazz fanatic. Gosling plays the movie's central musical motif, "Mia and Sebastian's Theme," on the piano with a pensive longing, capturing the film's emotional core. In every action, Gosling embodies the struggle between career ambitions and true love that plagues Sebastian and is the defining conflict of La La Land.

Gosling smoothly navigates the movie musical. He walks the line between theatricality and realism that many fail to balance, infusing his musical numbers with grounded emotions that make them feel natural but suitably enchanting. Gosling uses his vocals and dancing to communicate the character's mindset and move the story forward, such as when he dances with a bit more looseness at the beginning of the song "A Lovely Night." There is also a unique energy between Gosling and Emma Stone that is effortlessly charismatic, making their on-screen chemistry electrifying to watch. Who knew Ryan Gosling was a triple threat?

La La Land

PG-13

Musical

Drama

Romance

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Release Date

November 29, 2016

Director

Damien Chazelle

Cast

Ryan Gosling , Emma Stone , Amiée Conn , Terry Walters , Thom Shelton , Cinda Adams

Runtime

126 minutes

Writers

Damien Chazelle

3 Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Genre: Science Fiction

Blade Runner 2049 is one of Gosling's only roles in the sci-fi genre, yet it is one of his most compelling performances. As Officer K, Gosling portrays a man on a mission tasked with hunting down and "retiring" rogue bioengineered humans called replicants. As a replicant enslaved to a corrupt authority himself, K must control the way he shows emotion, a constraint that Gosling nails in his performance. It's also refreshing to see Gosling in a post-apocalyptic film, which is not as representative of the real world and includes cool sci-fi tech like a holographic A.I. girlfriend (Ana de Armas) and DNA replication.

Gosling is definitely drawn to the quiet loner type, no matter the genre. His portrayal of K is reminiscent of a Clint Eastwood cowboy — he's not very expressive but the emotions are always simmering under the surface. This approach ties in well with the movie's theme, as the one time K snaps and yells in anger is when he thinks he may not be a replicant and may have been born. This minimalistic acting style is typical of the films of Blade Runner 2049's director, Denis Villeneuve, who loves a sci-fi flick with a stoic protagonist like Dune.

Blade Runner 2049

R

Sci-Fi

Action

Drama

Mystery

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Release Date

October 6, 2017

Director

Denis Villeneuve

Cast

Ryan Gosling , Ana De Armas , Dave Bautista , Harrison Ford , Robin Wright , Sylvia Hoeks

Runtime

164 minutes

2 'Barbie' (2023)

Genre: Fantasy Comedy

Gosling's role in Barbie is one of his most beloved and will probably be what he's remembered for many years from now. Although he's a supporting character, Gosling's Ken steals the spotlight, with the actor turning the character's doll-like traits into hilarious personality quirks. Ken's job being simply "beach," his love for horses, and his elaborate catalog of outfits contribute to the character's meticulously crafted, slightly off-putting lovableness. Gosling perfectly portrays the shiny plastic doll who has to come to terms with the real world, adding his signature comedic spin along the way.

With Ken, Gosling contributes an infectious light-heartedness to the movie. He breaks out his movie musical skills for "I'm Just Ken," which is an extremely welcome musical break in an otherwise non-musical movie. Watching the Kens engage in an epic battle using weapons like beach balls and tennis rackets is deliciously campy and one of the most fun sequences in the movie. Still, there is depth behind Ken's goofiness, and he inspired many fans to remind themselves that they are "Kenough," providing a subversive and complex portrayal of masculinity. Gosling effectively blends fantasy with reality to create a larger-than-life, endlessly watchable character.

Barbie

PG-13

Comedy

Adventure

Fantasy

Where to Watch

*Availability in US

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Not available

Release Date

July 21, 2023

Director

Greta Gerwig

Cast

Margot Robbie , Simu Liu , Ryan Gosling , Helen Mirren , Ariana Greenblatt , America Ferrera

Runtime

114 minutes

Writers

Noah Baumbach , Greta Gerwig

1 'The Fall Guy' (2024)

Genre: Action Romance

The Fall Guy combines many of the genres that Gosling has previously succeeded at. While it is an action movie through and through, with some epic fight scenes and stunts peppered throughout its runtime, the film also indulges in the conventions of comedies, romances, and crime dramas. The movie is about stunts, and these take center stage, but it has several underrated moments, including Jody (Emily Blunt) catching Colt listening to Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" in his car after their relationship ends or when Colt gets drugged while talking to a drug dealer and keeps hallucinating unicorns. Incorporating these other genres makes the action feel real and important.

Colt Seavers is cool in a very Ryan-Gosling-esque way. He can be sarcastic but is earnest in his pursuit of love, success, and making sure the bad guys get what they deserve. He's also so supportive of his girlfriend, Jody, and cares about her desire to make her dream movie just as much as he cares about clearing his name when he's framed by egotistical actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). Gosling turns the charm way up to eleven in this role, and it pays off. The Fall Guy is an amazing action movie, and its light-hearted, fast-paced plot makes it an extremely enjoyable watch and a great opportunity for Gosling to shine.

The Fall Guy

PG-13

Action

Drama

Thriller

Release Date

May 3, 2024

Director

David Leitch

Cast

Emily Blunt , Hannah Waddingham , Ryan Gosling , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Stephanie Hsu , Teresa Palmer

Runtime

114 minutes

Writers

Drew Pearce , Glen A. Larson

NEXT: 10 Movies To Watch if You Like 'The Fall Guy'