The Best Mickey Rourke Movies

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 4.0K votes 737 voters 61.9K views
Over 700 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Mickey Rourke Movies
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Vote for your favorite Mickey Rourke movies, regardless of critic reviews or how big the role was.

Thought he may not look it anymore, Mickey Rourke was once a heartthrob that every studio wanted to star in their pictures. This is a list of the best Mickey Rourke movies, ranked from best to worst. In the 1980s, he put his name on the map as the star of Diner, Rumble Fish, and the erotic drama 9½ Weeks. After a career as a boxer, he returned to Hollywood with roles in Sin City and Iron Man 2 and as the The Wrestler, for which he was nominated for an Oscar and won a Golden Globe. Mickey Rourke'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 Mickey Rourke movies is decided by how many votes they receive, so only highly rated Mickey Rourke movies will be at the top of the list. Mickey Rourke has been in a lot of films, so people often debate each other over what the greatest Mickey Rourke movie of all time is. If you and a friend are arguing about this then use this list of the most entertaining Mickey Rourke films to end the squabble once and for all.

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

These films, like Buffalo '66 and Barfly include images when available.

"This list answers the questions, "What are the best Mickey Rourke movies?" and "What are the greatest Mickey Rourke roles of all time?"

Mickey Rourke is no stranger to working with popular directors, including Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino and Tony Scott. Mickey Rourke has been in some really popular films, and is right up there with stars like Hulk Hogan and Russell Crowe in terms of fame and success.

Most divisive: Fall Time
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  • The Wrestler
    1

    The Wrestler

    Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood
    266 votes
    • Released: 2008
    • Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
    Aging wrestler Randy "The Ram" Robinson (Mickey Rourke) is long past his prime but still ready and rarin' to go on the pro-wrestling circuit. After a particularly brutal beating, however, Randy hangs up his tights, pursues a serious relationship with a long-in-the-tooth stripper (Marisa Tomei), and tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter (Evan Rachel Wood). But he can't resist the lure of the ring and readies himself for a comeback.

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  • Angel Heart
    2

    Angel Heart

    Mickey Rourke, Robert De Niro, Lisa Bonet
    227 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: Alan Parker
    Robert De Niro, Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet
    In the chilling, noir-tinged mystery Angel Heart, Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke), a low-rent private investigator in 1950s New York, is assigned to locate a missing crooner, Johnny Favorite (Robert De Niro). The search leads him into a world of voodoo and murder. As he delves deeper, Angel finds himself embroiled in strange occurrences that blur the line between reality and the supernatural. With each revelation, he becomes further entangled in a web of deception and darkness. This film masterfully intertwines elements of horror and detective genres, keeping viewers on their toes until its shocking climax.

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  • The Pope of Greenwich Village
    3

    The Pope of Greenwich Village

    Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Daryl Hannah
    178 votes
    • Released: 1984
    • Directed by: Stuart Rosenberg
    Cousins Paulie (Eric Roberts) and Charlie (Mickey Rourke) plan to rob a merchant in the New York City neighborhood that's home to the restaurant where they work. When their scheme results in the death of a police officer and draws the ire of the Mafia-linked businessman who was ripped off, Charlie's girlfriend (Daryl Hannah) bolts, and mob henchmen exact a brutal price from Paulie. With the mob threatening to kill them, the thieves must think fast if they intend to survive.

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  • Barfly
    4

    Barfly

    Mickey Rourke, Faye Dunaway, Alice Krige
    182 votes
    • Released: 1987
    • Directed by: Barbet Schroeder
    Down-and-out writer Henry Chinaski (Mickey Rourke) spends his nights drinking and picking brawls at a dingy Los Angeles watering hole. One night Henry spies a kindred spirit in pretty barfly Wanda (Faye Dunaway) and, despite warning signs that she may be unfaithful, shacks up with the woman. When Henry's fears are confirmed by Wanda's infidelity with bartender Eddie (Frank Stallone), he begins an affair of his own with wealthy publisher Tully Sorenson (Alice Krige).
  • Rumble Fish
    5

    Rumble Fish

    Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane
    148 votes
    • Released: 1983
    • Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
    Disaffected and restless, Rusty James (Matt Dillon) is spoiling for a fight. Abandoned by his mother and living with his alcoholic father (Dennis Hopper), he hangs out with his girlfriend, Patty (Diane Lane), and his similarly aimless friends Midget (Larry Fishburne), Smokey (Nicolas Cage) and B.J. Jackson (Christopher Penn). When his brother, the Motorcycle Boy (Mickey Rourke), returns to town, Rusty hopes to gain guidance and wisdom from someone most people think is crazy.

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  • Diner
    6

    Diner

    Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon
    143 votes
    • Released: 1982
    • Directed by: Barry Levinson
    Billy (Timothy Daly) returns home to Baltimore to serve as the best man at his upcoming wedding of his childhood buddy Eddie (Steve Guttenberg). In the meantime, he and Eddie get together with their friends at the local diner, where they trade stories about their lives. All they really want to do is go back to being the carefree boys they once were, but they know it cannot be. Their funny and at times revealing exchanges help each other face the mounting responsibility of adulthood.

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