Matthew Perry is best known as the lovable Chandler Bing from the hit sitcom, Friends. It’s a role that has defined his entire career and what he will always be best known for. That certainly isn’t a bad thing, due to how popular the show was, but that doesn’t mean it’s the only role Perry has had.
Perry has been involved in many projects throughout his career, and even though his main passions have been television and theater, he has starred in movies as well.
Unfortunately, Perry hasn’t had the same levels of success within his film career. But even though he didn’t quite take off in the movie world, he has still been involved in some truly fun piece of cinema, as we will reveal in this list. Here are the 10 Best Matthew Perry Movies (According To Rotten Tomatoes).
The Whole Ten Yards (2004) - 4%
The Whole Ten Yards was a sequel to The Whole Nine Yards, that saw the former hitman, Jimmy (Bruce Willis), now retired. Enjoying a quiet life, he is stuck as his wife wants to remain in the business and he quickly ends up being dragged back into the criminal world once again. Perry reprises his role as Jimmy’s former neighbor, Oz.
You would think with that level of star power, this movie would at least be passable, but it wasn’t. Critics slammed this film for being “predictable” and “inconsistent,” proving that star power isn’t everything in the movie business.
Serving Sara (2002) - 4%
This romantic comedy sees Matthew Perry play Joe Tyler, who is a former attorney that went bust as some of his clients ended up working with the Mafia. Behind the scenes, Perry had to leave the production part-way through, entering a rehabilitation clinic in order to fight his addiction to painkillers.
Despite the tough road to the big screen, things were even harder for Serving Sara when it got there. Critics agreed the film was “not funny or romantic” and “forgettable.”
Almost Heroes (1998) - 8%
Almost Heroes has a talented cast of actors from Eugene Levy and Chris Farley to Matthew Perry himself. The plot centers around a group of explorers who go on an ill-fated expedition to try and reach the Pacific Ocean before Lewis and Clark. Ultimately, Almost Heroes severely lacked in the comedic department.
The low rating that this movie got isn’t a surprise, although it is a shame as this was actually Farley’s final role before his death. Critics labelled the script “lame” and the plot “heartless,” with the film simply trying far too hard to be funny.
She’s Out Of Control (1989) - 11%
She’s Out Of Control is a comedy movie that focuses on a family, specifically a father who has to come to terms with the fact his daughter is growing up and starting to date. Having to fend off different young men while teaching his daughter morals, the plot had potential (even if it’s very dated by today’s standards).
However, the film certainly didn’t live up to any of that potential. Critics agreed that this movie felt like a long, drawn-out episode of a sitcom, which doesn’t really make for a great viewing experience. Matthew Perry doesn’t actually feature too much in the movie in comparison to others on this list, though, so his impact isn’t felt as much.
Three To Tango (1999) - 28%
Released back in 1999, Three To Tango is a movie about a couple of architects (Perry and Oliver Platt) being given a huge opportunity for work with a rich tycoon. Things get complicated when Perry’s character starts to fall for his boss’s girlfriend.
The film is a classic romantic comedy in that sense, but it doesn’t really live up to others in the genre. Critics slammed this movie for being “predictable” and “unfunny,” with some going as far as to say that it feels simply like a “mediocre episode of Friends.”
Fools Rush In (1997) - 32%
Fools Rush In is yet another romantic comedy that Matthew Perry has starred in. Working alongside Salma Hayek, the duo attempt to turn a one night stand into a full-on marriage, which of course, is something that only makes sense in the movie world.
This was Perry’s first big-screen role following Friends, and therefore there was a lot of expectation to see what he could do. The movie gained mixed reviews from critics, with some finding it “sweet” and “fun.” Yet on the other end of the spectrum, some critics claimed it was “completely bland.”
A Night In The Life Of Jimmy Reardon (1988) - 33%
Long before the fame of Friends came into his life, Matthew Perry starred in A Night In The Life Of Jimmy Reardon. A classic teenage comedy movie where the main character, played by River Phoenix, is bemoaning over hi high school years being over.
The film gained mixed reviews from critics at the time of its release. Some felt that the movie was bringing “fresh twists” to the genre, spicing things up. Yet, on the other hand, others felt that the pacing was “off,” and that the film wasn’t funny often enough to be a success.
Misery Loves Comedy (2014) - 36%
This was an interesting concept as the movie put together over 60 famous funny popular people, from Ton Hanks, Jimmy Fallon, Judd Apatow, Perry and more. It sees people give interviews to reveal their personal stories of their journey to making people laugh for a living.
The main issue with this film from the critics’ perspective was the fact that none of them are miserable throughout. They’re trying to explain that you have to be that way to be funny, yet that isn’t actually conveyed in the work, which led to the film being labelled “all over the place.”
The Whole Nine Yards (2000) - 45%
While the sequel to this movie was quite poor, The Whole Nine Yards was a very fun movie that has ended up remaining incredibly popular. Seeing a criminal come out of prison and try to blend in and live within a suburban area was a good idea for a dark comedy, and for the most part it worked.
The general feeling with this film was that it didn’t keep up to the same standard throughout. Some found that it started funny, but didn’t maintain that level until the very end, which stopped it from being labelled as a great comedy.
17 Again (2009) - 56%
17 Again sees a former basketball star gain a second shot at life when he is transformed into a teenager again. Being sent back in time (turning into Zac Efron), the main character gets the opportunity to make different life decisions to alter how things ended up for him as an adult.
With a 67% rating from the audience and a box office of $64.1 million, it was clearly enjoyed by a lot of people. Critics were incredibly mixed on this, with some finding it wasn’t “inventive.” For the most part, critics did enjoy this film, with some claiming it was “endearingly funny.”
