A distinct, highly recognizable, and prolific actor, Vince Vaughn has more than 70 acting credits for his parts in television and feature-length films. The actor is commonly seen in comedic roles; his cadence, line execution, and general way of carrying himself make for great comedic relief, and works well when performing across from a more serious character. Although many of his films are comedic in nature, Vaughn does have range in his performances; he can be loud, proud, funny, short, and intimidating.
Vaughn began his acting career in the late ’80s, first acting in commercials and then moving to Los Angeles. From there, he acted in a few television series and landed his first feature role in the 1993 film Rudy. On set, he met Jon Favreau, and later starred in his 1996 film Swingers. The film was a small success, and helped to land him roles in Steven Spielberg’s 1997 film The Lost World: Jurassic Park as well asClay Pigeons (1998), The Cell (2001), and Made (2001). His real launch into fame came in 2003, with his role in Old School, where he solidified his presence in the “Frat Pack.” A term dubbed for a group of actors that includes Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, and Paul Rudd, who often appear in films together. Vince Vaughn has been a part of many great movies, but here are his very best, ranked.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000-Present)
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, HBO Enterprises
An interesting and hilarious show starring and created by Larry David, who was also behind the successful sitcom Seinfeld. The show follows Larry in his post-Seinfeld career, and life in Los Angeles. The show separates itself from others with its improvisational style, which allows for the actors to have a lot of control over how their characters are portrayed. Unlike many of the other actors in this series, Vince Vaughn does not play himself, but rather a character named Freddy Funkhouser, a friend who is there to help Larry when he is in need — which seems to be quite a bit. Vaughn brings humility and realism to this character and is a great addition to the series.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
20th Century Fox
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story is a 2004 comedy that was both written and directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber. The film stars Ben Stiller, Christine Taylor, and Vince Vaughn, and tells the story of a local gym owner who joins a dodgeball tournament with friends in hopes of claiming a cash reward and saving his gym from closure. The film is a unique take on the sports underdog genre and adds a healthy dose of comedy. Vaughn does a tremendous job portraying a gym owner and training his team of outcasts to compete in dodgeball at a professional level. Seeing him act across from Ben Stiller is both beautiful and hilarious.
6 Freaky (2020)
Blumhouse
Freaky is a 2020 horror comedy directed by Christopher Landon. The movie follows a high school girl who switches bodies with a serial killer, who is played by Vince Vaughn. Although the body-switching premise may seem tiresome, it really is a fun film. Vaughn acting as though he is a high school girl, works well, and we get a good bit of range from the actor as he also has to portray an unhinged serial murderer. The film is filled with plenty of action and horror elements and keeps the viewer engaged with its comedic tone.
5 Swingers (1996)
Miramax
Swingers is a 1996 comedy directed by Doug Liman and written by Jon Favreau. Starring alongside Vaughn are Jon Favreau and Heather Graham. The film tells the story of a down-on-his-luck actor who seeks out help from his friends to get over a recent break-up. The young Vaughn does a great job in the role, and it’s obvious that his character’s personality here is seminal to the more contemporary and well-known Vaughn characters.
4 Into the Wild (2007)
Paramount Vantage
This 2007 film is a true story and follows Chris McCandless on his journey following his graduation from Emory University. Chris chooses to abandon all his possessions and hitchhike his way to Alaska, where he lives in the wilderness. The film was nominated for two Oscars for its film editing and the performance of Hal Holbrook in a supporting role. Starring in the film are Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, and Catherine Keener. Vaughn plays a character named Wayne Westerberg, who employs Chris to work for his harvesting company. The character is similar to other Vaughn characters but is interesting to see in this particular setting and is integral to the narrative of McCandless.
3 True Detective (2014-2019)
HBO Entertainment
True Detective is a crime drama that originally aired in 2014. The series has three seasons with a fourth on the way; each season of this series centers around a different set of characters with different actors. Season one is regarded as the best of the three, with the second season, which stars Vince Vaughn, falling a bit short. The second season does have some redeeming qualities, but it is hard to follow the stellar performances of Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey in season one. Vaughn plays the antagonist in season two, who goes by the name of Frank Semyon. His performance here is one of the best of season two; Vaughn doesn’t often play the bad guy, so seeing him in a serious role makes for quite the engaging performance.
2 Old School (2003)
DreamWorks Pictures
Old School is a classic film for the comedy genre and was released in 2003. The film is directed by Todd Phillips and stars Vaughn, Luke Wilson, and Will Ferrell as they piece together an unsanctioned fraternity in an attempt to relive their past collegiate glory. Vaughn plays a father, who is seemingly using the excuse of a fraternity to escape his commitments at home. The character he plays is hilarious and quick-witted. He fits perfectly into this raunchy college-themed party film.
1 Brawl in Cell Block 99 (2017)
RLJE Films
Brawl in Cell Block 99 is a crime drama film that was written and directed by S. Craig Zahler. The film stars Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Carpenter, and Don Johnson. It tells the story of a drug runner who finds himself in prison and is being forced to carry out a murder under the threat of his wife and their unborn child. Vaughn’s performance here is a departure from most of his past work; he speaks with a slightly southern drawl, is powerful, and intimidating. Vaughn sells the character well and the film received positive reviews. The movie is an interesting and engaging perspective of one of the most popular comedic actors in Hollywood.
