Robert Downey Jr. synonymously known as Tony Stark has given memorable and award-winning performances in the span of his career. From a geeky guy to a superhero, Downey has played everything that won him awards like the British Academy Film Awards and the Gloden Globe Awards Award. In 2019 the secondary personality of Downey came to an end with a snap of his fingers, in ‘Avengers:Eendgame‘.
Widely popular for his role as Iron Man, many forget about Robert’s outstanding performance in other films as well, although it is difficult to even think of him in any other role that does not incorporate armor or Jarvis. Let’s take a look back at his career and achievements.
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Robert Downey Jr. Best Films
1. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
A faux investigator and a real investigator join hands in this 2005 neo-noir mystery meets black comedy thriller film, written and directed by Shane Black. As the creator of the ‘Lethal Weapon‘ franchise, Black surely knows how to portray two divergent characters teaming up for adventures that are hilarious and surprisingly emotional. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ is a cinematic tribute to the detective novel ‘Bodies where you find them‘ written by Brett Halliday.
Robert Downey Jr. stars as Harry Lockhart, a thief who has to pretend to be an actor to avoid the authorities in pursuit. Harry ends up nailing a screen test and is called to come back for another audition in Los Angeles to learn from Perry van Shrike (Val Kilmer), a real detective. However, things turn around when Harry becomes intertwined in a real crime.
Downey Jr. hilariously shows the performance within a performance that Harry has to give since he’s neither an actor nor a detective. This makes all of his reactions to the details of the case even funnier. Downey Jr. is unique as he gets to be sarcastic, introspective, surprisingly relatable, and empowering all at once.
2. Chaplin (1992)
‘Chaplin‘ is a biographical comedy-drama film about the life of English comedian Charlie Chaplin. Despite all the hard work and effort, the film was a flop and grossed only $9.5 million at the box office. Even the reviews weren’t in its favor, but ‘Chaplin‘ did get nominated for three Oscars which included Best Actor for Robert Downey Jr., but sadly won none.
It’s challenging for any actor to play an icon as beloved as Charlie Chaplin because he is so essential to cinema’s history. Chaplin’s films are enjoyed in the present day because they remain as funny and influential as they were during their release. Not only did Robert Downey Jr. have to capture the exact mannerisms of one of the most iconic film stars of all time, but he had to look at the man beneath “The Tramp.”
Chaplin’s personal life had no shortage of controversies and scandals. Downey Jr. shows how Chaplin crafts his personality over time, and how his youthful experiences in London’s variety scene shape him into the actor that he would become. Although the film has sympathy for Chaplin due to his poor upbringing, it does not completely idolize him. Downey Jr. bravely explored the court cases and affairs that threatened to derail Chaplin’s career.
3. Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Apart from the MCU franchise, Robert Downey Jr appeared in Guy Ritchie’s action-centric version of the Sherlock Holmes” stories created by Arthur Conan Doyle. In the history of cinema, there are many duos of Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson but none of them matches the energy of Downey and Jude Law. Their chemistry and comic timing were the magic that the movie needed.
Downey Jr. explored Holmes’ freakish personality with a quirky sense of humor. Holmes is exacting in how he solves problems, with Ritchie finding an interesting way of showing his inner thoughts by using freeze frames, slow motion, and voiceovers, something all the versions of Sherlock movies missed.
It helped retain the period setting while giving the film a contemporary look and feel. Downey Jr. performs some truly incredible feats of physical comedy in the chaotic action sequences, almost as if he was using some of the same skills he picked up from his performance as Charlie Chaplin.
4. Iron Man (2008)
‘Iron Man‘ is an obvious movie choice that comes up in this list, but there’s something unique about it as the movie openly deals with serious issues such as alcoholism, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, global terrorism, and American militarism.
This movie marks the beginning of a successful franchise and Robert Downey Jr. is the anchor that helps balance the film’s tone. It truly is a story of a man who recognizes his faults, realizes what he can do, and gives everything he has to make the world a better place. Something that seems personally attached to the life of Downey.
5. Zodiac (2007)
‘Zodiac‘ is still one of the most pitch-perfect crime thrillers ever made, based on ‘Zodiac‘ and ‘Zodiac Unmarked’ written by Robert Graysmith. Rather than focusing on the shock of a serial killer’s crimes, David Fincher focused on the meticulous efforts that law enforcement and members of the media took to search for the infamous “Zodiac killer.”
The film succeeds as a deconstruction of journalistic practices and a terrifying paranoia thriller. ‘Zodiac‘ does a great job of exploring the perspectives of various characters involved in the case, particularly Robert Downey Jr.’s role as the true crime reporter Paul Avery.
The majority of the murders happen in the first act of the movie. The rest of the runtime is more about obsession, and how it can destroy your life. The three protagonists are ultimately undone in some way – Avery gets fired for becoming an alcoholic; Toschi gets suspended after he’s accused of police misconduct, and Graysmith ends up divorcing his wife. Before marking their debut as Hulk, Mysterio, and Iron Man in the MCU franchise the trio worked together in this movie
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