Our team compiled the best Denzel Washington movies and here is what they came up with
Denzel Washington is one of the most respected and celebrated actors in Hollywood, known for his powerful performances in a wide range of films. With a career spanning over four decades, Washington has proven himself to be a versatile and talented performer who can tackle any role with ease. In this article, we will take a look at some of the best Denzel Washington movies and explore why the actor was so appreciated in each of these roles.
Here are the 25 best Denzel Washington movies to check out on the streaming service.
1. Malcolm X (1992)
In this biographical drama, Washington plays the role of Malcolm X, a controversial civil rights leader who fought for the rights of African Americans during the 1960s. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $48 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Malcolm X earned him widespread acclaim and a Best Actor Academy Award nomination.
2. Training Day (2001)
In this crime-thriller, Washington plays the role of Alonzo Harris, a corrupt LAPD detective who takes a young officer played by Ethan Hawke under his wing. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $104 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Harris earned him widespread acclaim and a Best actor Academy Award for his role.
3. Fences (2016)
In this drama, Washington both stars in and directs the film, playing the role of Troy Maxson, a former baseball player who is struggling to come to terms with his past and provide for his family. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $64 million at the box office and earning four Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Maxson earned him widespread acclaim and a Best actor Academy Award nomination.
4. The Equalizer (2014)
In this action-thriller, Washington plays the role of Robert McCall, a former special forces operative who comes out of retirement to help a young woman in trouble. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $192 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as McCall earned him widespread acclaim.
5. Philadelphia (1993)
In this drama, Washington plays the role of Joe Miller, a lawyer who defends a gay man played by Tom Hanks who has been fired from his job because of his HIV status. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $206 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award wins. Washington’s performance as Miller earned him widespread acclaim and a Best supporting actor Academy Award.
6. The Hurricane (1999)
In this biographical sports drama, Washington plays the role of Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, a boxer who was wrongfully imprisoned for murder and fought for his freedom. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $50 million at the box office and earning three Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Carter earned him widespread acclaim and a Best actor Academy Award nomination.
7. He Got Game (1998)
In this sports drama, Washington plays the role of Jake Shuttlesworth, a prisoner who is offered a chance at parole if he can convince his estranged son, a top high school basketball player, to attend the governor’s alma mater. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $21 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Shuttlesworth earned him widespread acclaim.
8. The Book of Eli (2010)
In this post-apocalyptic action-thriller, Washington plays the role of Eli, a solitary traveler who is on a mission to protect a sacred book that could save humanity. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $157 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Eli earned him widespread acclaim.
9. Remember the Titans (2000)
In this sports drama, Washington plays the role of Herman Boone, a high school football coach who must lead his team to success while also dealing with the challenges of integration in the 1970s. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $115 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Boone earned him widespread acclaim and a Best actor Academy Award nomination.
10. Flight (2012)
In this drama, Washington plays the role of Whip Whitaker, an airline pilot who becomes a hero after successfully landing his damaged plane, but is then faced with the consequences of his personal demons. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $161 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Whitaker earned him widespread acclaim and a Best actor Academy Award nomination.
11. American Gangster (2007)
In this crime-thriller, Washington plays the role of Frank Lucas, a real-life gangster who becomes a major drug lord in the 1970s. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $266 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Lucas earned him widespread acclaim.
12. The Great Debaters (2007)
In this drama, Washington both stars in and directs the film, playing the role of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor who coaches a small college debate team to success in the 1930s. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $30 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Tolson earned him widespread acclaim.
13. A Soldier’s Story (1984)
In this drama, Washington plays the role of Private First Class Melvin Peterson, a soldier who is sent to investigate the murder of a black sergeant in the 1940s. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $14 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Peterson earned him widespread acclaim.
14. John Q (2002)
In this drama, Washington plays the role of John Quincy Archibald, a man who takes a hospital emergency room hostage in order to get treatment for his seriously ill son. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $102 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Archibald earned him widespread acclaim.
15. Inside Man (2006)
In this crime-thriller, Washington plays the role of Detective Keith Frazier, a police officer tasked with negotiating with a group of bank robbers. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $184 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Frazier earned him widespread acclaim.
16. Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
In this mystery-thriller, Washington plays the role of Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins, a World War II veteran who becomes a private investigator in the 1940s. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $34 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Rawlins earned him widespread acclaim.
17. The Preacher’s Wife (1996)
In this fantasy-drama, Washington plays the role of the angel Dudley, who is sent to help a minister and his wife played by Courtney B. Vance and Whitney Houston. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $48 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Dudley earned him widespread acclaim.
18. The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
In this political thriller, Washington plays the role of Bennett Marco, a Gulf War veteran who becomes suspicious of the true circumstances surrounding his unit’s mission and the involvement of a high-ranking political figure played by Meryl Streep. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $96 million at the box office and earning three Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Marco earned him widespread acclaim.
19. Glory (1989)
In this historical drama, Washington plays the role of Private Trip, a runaway slave who joins the Union Army during the Civil War and fights for his freedom. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $26 million at the box office and earning three Academy Award wins. Washington’s performance as Trip earned him widespread acclaim and a Best supporting actor Academy Award.
20. The Mighty Quinn (1989)
In this crime-thriller, Washington plays the role of Xavier Quinn, a Caribbean detective who investigates the murder of a wealthy tourist on his island. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $17 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Quinn earned him widespread acclaim.
21. Out of Time (2003)
In this crime-thriller, Washington plays the role of Chief Matt Lee Whitlock, a police officer who becomes a suspect in a double murder investigation. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $60 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Whitlock earned him widespread acclaim.
22. Courage Under Fire (1996)
In this war drama, Washington plays the role of Lt. Colonel Nathaniel Serling, a military officer who is tasked with investigating the actions of a female pilot played by Meg Ryan during the Gulf War. The film was a commercial and critical success, grossing over $60 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Serling earned him widespread acclaim.
23. The Pelican Brief (1993)
In this legal thriller, Washington plays the role of Gray Grantham, a journalist who helps a law student played by Julia Roberts uncover a conspiracy that threatens the lives of two Supreme Court justices. The film was a commercial and critical success, gross to over $195 million at the box office and earning two Academy Award nominations. Washington’s performance as Grantham earned him widespread acclaim.
24. Ricochet (1991)
In this action-thriller, Washington plays the role of Nick Styles, a police detective who must confront a criminal he helped put behind bars, played by John Lithgow, who has vowed to get revenge. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $42 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as Styles earned him widespread acclaim.
25. The George McKenna Story (1986)
In this drama, Washington plays the role of George McKenna, a high school principal who turns a struggling school into a successful learning institution. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $6 million at the box office, and Washington’s performance as McKenna earned him widespread acclaim.
Denzel Washington is a skilled and talented actor who has consistently delivered powerful and memorable performances in a wide range of films. From historical dramas to action thrillers and comedies, Washington has proven himself to be a versatile performer who can tackle any role with ease. Whether he is playing a heroic military officer, a corrupt detective, or a struggling father, Washington always manages to bring a unique and compelling presence to the screen.