The Best Judd Nelson Movies

Ranker Film
Updated June 23, 2023 895 votes 215 voters
Over 200 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Judd Nelson Movies
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List of the best Judd Nelson movies, ranked best to worst with movie trailers when available. Judd Nelson's highest grossing movies have received a lot of accolades over the years, earning millions upon millions around the world. The order of these top Judd Nelson movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Judd Nelson movies will be at the top of the list. Judd Nelson has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Judd Nelson movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Judd Nelson films to end the squabble once and for all.

If you think the best Judd Nelson role isn't at the top, then upvote it so it has the chance to become number one. The greatest Judd Nelson performances didn't necessarily come from the best movies, but in most cases they go hand in hand.

Examples of films on this list include The Day the Earth Stopped and Lost Voyage.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Judd Nelson movies?" and "What are the greatest Judd Nelson roles of all time?"
Most divisive: A Single Woman
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  • The Breakfast Club
    1

    The Breakfast Club

    Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson
    91 votes
    • Released: 1985
    • Directed by: John Hughes
    In the film The Breakfast Club, five high school students, each representing a different stereotype, meet in detention. There's the brainy Brian Johnson (Anthony Michael Hall), the athletic Andrew Clark (Emilio Estevez), the rebel John Bender (Judd Nelson), the princess Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald), and the outcast Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy). As they spend a Saturday together under supervision of the strict assistant principal Richard Vernon (Paul Gleason), they gradually open up to one another, revealing their deeper selves beneath their public personas. This 1985 coming-of-age comedy-drama directed by John Hughes explores themes of identity, peer pressure, and adolescence within its 97-minute runtime. To this day, it remains a classic in teen cinema.

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  • Making the Grade
    2

    Making the Grade

    Judd Nelson, Andrew Dice Clay, Gordon Jump
    27 votes
    • Released: 1984
    • Directed by: Dorian Walker
    Making the Grade is an American film which was released in 1984. It was directed by Dorian Walker and written by Charles Gale and Gene Quintano. It was filmed at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
  • St. Elmo's Fire
    3

    St. Elmo's Fire

    Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Andrew McCarthy
    56 votes
    • Released: 1985
    • Directed by: Joel Schumacher
    In St. Elmo's Fire, seven Georgetown graduates, portrayed by notable '80s talents such as Emilio Estevez (Kirby), Demi Moore (Jules), and Rob Lowe (Billy), face the harsh realities of adulthood post-college. Their intertwined lives are a complicated mix of love, friendship, and career struggles. The drama genre is well-served as each character navigates their personal trials and tribulations within the backdrop of Washington D.C.'s St. Elmo's Bar - a symbolic beacon in their tumultuous journey. Directed by Joel Schumacher, the film captures the essence of youthful angst transitioning into mature responsibilities, without giving in to heavy-handed melodrama or clichés.

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  • New Jack City
    4

    New Jack City

    Wesley Snipes, Ice-T, Judd Nelson
    25 votes
    • Released: 1991
    • Directed by: Mario Van Peebles
    New Jack City, a gritty crime drama, takes us to the heart of Harlem in the 1980s. Nino Brown (Wesley Snipes), an ambitious drug lord, establishes a complex empire known as the Cash Money Brothers. Scotty Appleton (Ice-T), an undercover detective, and Nick Peretti (Judd Nelson), his partner, are tasked with infiltrating and dismantling this ruthless operation. This film is marked by its blend of action and social commentary, alongside gripping performances from its lead actors. A box office success, New Jack City also won the ASCAP Award for Top Box Office Films.

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  • From the Hip
    5

    From the Hip

    Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, John Hurt
    35 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: Bob Clark
    Attorney Robin "Stormy" Weathers (Judd Nelson) engages in some outrageous courtroom antics in order to get a bank president acquitted of assault charges. Stormy's performance is so impressive that he's then promoted to partner in his firm. But his next case is defending Douglas Benoit (John Hurt), a professor who is accused of killing a prostitute with a hammer. Stormy struggles with the case and his belief that Benoit is a raving lunatic, a danger to society and guilty of the murder.

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  • Cabin by the Lake
    6

    Cabin by the Lake

    Judd Nelson, Hedy Burress
    22 votes
    • Released: 2000
    • Directed by: Po-Chih Leong
    Cabin by the Lake is a horror TV movie released in 2000. It tells the story of Stanley, played by Judd Nelson, a script writer who begins killing girls for research for a movie he is writing, where the villain does the same thing. A 2001 sequel entitled Return to Cabin by the Lake was filmed and follows Stanley's attempts to direct a film based on his previous murders by posing as the film's director.