Best of Jake Gyllenhaal Movies & IMDB Scores
For such a relatively young actor, Jake Gyllenhaal has an impressive resume. With over 100 films to his name, including some of the biggest blockbusters of the last few years, he’s a prolific and highly accomplished actor with a broad range.
Never afraid to take on demanding and sometimes controversial subjects, Jake Gyllenhaal has proven time and again his dedication to his craft and an unnerving ability to ‘pick a winner’, regardless of initial impressions.
Let’s look at Jake Gyllenhaal's best movies ranked by IMDb score, with classics like Donnie Darko ###/i
From Drama to Thriller: Jake Gyllenhaal's Best Movies
Prisoners – 2013 – IMDb score 8.2
One of the best Jake Gyllenhaal movies to watch, it casts him in a supporting role alongside A-lister Hugh Jackman. Keller Dover (Jackman) faces every parent’s worst nightmare: a missing child. His daughter, along with her friend, has vanished, and the only lead Detective Loki (Gyllenhaal) has is the driver of a battered RV. With no evidence, he has to let the man go, so Dover takes the law into his own hands. Dark and tense, this critically acclaimed film is one of Jake Gyllenhaal's top-rated movies you should watch.
Donnie Darko - 2001 – IMDb score 8.0
Donnie Darko is the film that really put Gyllenhaal on the map. A strange, disturbing supernatural thriller, it follows a young man who struggles with social interaction and has an ally in the form of a giant rabbit only he can see. It’s one of Jake Gyllenhaal's highest-rated movies on IMDb, and while it may not be the easiest film to watch, its uniqueness and the sheer acting talent make it well worth the effort.
Nightcrawler – 2014 – IMDb score 7.8
A darkly disturbing film, Nightcrawler follows Jake Gyllenhaal as Lou Bloom, a reporter who latches onto the bloody, ghoulish world of LA crime journalism. Here, film crews turn ordinary people's suffering into money-making reports for the nightly news. The trouble is that constant exposure to this digital blood sport turns Bloom into a victim of his own success. Also starring Rene Russo and Bill Paxton.
Zodiac – 2007 – IMDb score 7.7
Based on a true story, Zodiac reveals the events of the reign of terror imposed on the residents of northern California by the Zodiac Killer in the late 1960s and early ‘70s. Rather than focusing on the gruesome acts themselves, this highly acclaimed film examines the actions of a San Francisco cartoonist who shifts from light-hearted artist to focused amateur detective as he tries to unravel the killer’s identity. Also starring Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo.
Brokeback Mountain – 2005 – IMDb score 7.7
Winning the Oscar for Best Motion Picture of 2006 and earning Gyllenhaal a nomination for Best Supporting Actor, this bittersweet tale of complex relationships set against the magnificent American landscape is perhaps one of Jake Gyllenhaal's most acclaimed movies. Ranked highly by critics and audiences alike, it once again tackles challenging issues and social taboos, but in a way that enhances understanding rather than turning them into sensational elements of the story. Also starring Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, and Randy Quaid.
Southpaw – 2015 – IMDb score 7.3
Undisputed boxing champion of the world Bill Hope (Gyllenhaal) has a seemingly perfect life that is torn apart in a moment of anger after a rival shoots his wife dead. The event sends Hope spiralling downwards until he loses everything, including his home, his career, and his daughter. He has to start from the bottom, with help from trainer Tick Wills. Also starring Forest Whitaker, Rachel McAdams, and Oona Laurence.
Spider-Man: Far From Home – 2019 – IMDb score 7.3
Spider-Man Peter Parker is recruited by S.H.I.E.L.D.’s head Nick Fury to tackle yet another threat to the planet, this time in the form of rogue Elementals intent on destroying humanity. Along the way, he receives help from characters including Quentin Beck, played by Gyllenhaal in one of his lighter roles. The slick graphics and strong storyline make this one of the better Spider-Man outings. Also starring Tom Holland, Samuel L. Jackson, and Marisa Tomei.
Demolition – 2015 – IMDb score 7.0
Jake Gyllenhaal never shies away from playing emotionally draining roles, and he does so again in this powerful tale of loss and redemption. Davis (Gyllenhaal) is a career equity fund partner who struggles to hold it together after losing his wife. The story unfolds through a seemingly innocuous series of complaint letters to a vending machine that eventually leads Davis to rebuild his life. Also starring Naomi Watts and Chris Cooper, this is one of Jake Gyllenhaal's best top-rated movies, and it shows the range this talented actor brings to the table.
Enemy – 2013 – IMDb score 6.8
The thought of a doppelganger wearing the same face as you and living a completely different life is intriguing. In this highly acclaimed film, Toronto history professor Adam Bell discovers an actor who looks exactly like him after watching a movie. He becomes obsessed with finding out more about his double, to the detriment of his long-term relationships and even his career. Also starring Mélanie Laurent, Sarah Gadon, and Isabella Rossellini.
The Day After Tomorrow – 2004 – IMDb score – 6.5
As disaster movies go, The Day After Tomorrow takes a different approach, with a strong message about the dangers of climate change and how sudden, devastating climate events can change everything. Against the backdrop of planetary destruction, the film looks at the micro level and how events affect the relationship between a father and his son. Jack Hall has to fight his way back to New York from Antarctica to rescue his son from the after-effects of weather-related disasters that have left the city in ruins. Exciting and dramatic, it’s a blockbuster of a film in the truest sense of the word, and one of the best Jake Gyllenhaal movies to watch if you want good, old-fashioned entertainment but with a more subtle message as a subtext. Starring Dennis Quaid as Jack Hall, Jake Gyllenhaal as Sam Hall, and Emmy Rossum as Laura Chapman.
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