When thinking of the most beloved actors in Hollywood history, Robert Redford is probably a name that comes to many people’s minds. With his dashing good looks and effortless charm, there was little doubt he would become a movie star, but Redford also had the acting skills to back all that up.
Though his work with the Sundance Film Festival is incredibly influential and his directorial work has earned with awards and praise, we’ll focus on his amazing body of work as an actor. Throughout several decades, he has continued to deliver amazing performances and finds himself a part of some of the most influential films ever made. Here are Robert Redford’s best films, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
The Candidate (87%)
Films in the 1970s took more chances in displaying a cynical look at our society, especially in the political arena. In The Candidate, Redford starred as an idealistic and promising young politician who is chosen to run for U.S. Senate. With no hope of winning, he decides to push the envelope.
The movie was a peek behind the curtain of political campaigns, something that is its own genre now but was a new idea at the time. Redford makes for a stellar leading man in the complex part while the time offers a funny, absurd, and disturbing view of modern politics.
Pete’s Dragon (88%)
While it didn’t receive the same attention as some of the other Disney live-action remakes, Pete’s Dragon proved to be a charming retelling of the cult kid’s film. The movie follows a young boy who is discovered living in the woods near a small town with his best friend who happens to be a massive dragon.
The film was hailed as a visually stunning family-friendly adventure with some really heartwarming moments. Though it is a sweet film, most critics agreed it is never weighed down by sentimentality.
Our Souls At Night (90%)
After starring together in 1967’s Barefoot in the Park, Redford and Jane Fonda reteamed fifty years later for this sweet love story. The two actors star as widowed neighbors who attempt to fill the void in their lives by forming a connection with each other.
The film was praised for never trying to push the story beyond its simple and sweet premise. Though not breaking any new ground, it served as a great platform for two amazing actors to share the screen together again.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier (90%)
The MCU has already a proven success by the time Captain America: The Winter Soldier came along, but for a superhero movie to be able to get an actor like Redford was a big win. The sequel finds Steve Rogers adjusting to the new world while discovering a conspiracy within the S.H.I.E.L.D. agency. Redford plays Alexander Pierce, a government official at the center of the conspiracy.
Critics enjoyed the film’s new take on the Captain America character, transplanting him into the morally complex modern world. The paranoia thriller feel was effective as were the brutal and visceral action sequences which all added up to a smart superhero adventure.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (90%)
Few film co-stars have been as iconic as Redford and Paul Newman. Their first collaboration was this hugely entertaining Western in which they star as the titular outlaws who rob trains and banks while attempting to stay one step ahead of the lawmen chasing them.
The two leads proved to be made to share the screen with effortless chemistry that was dynamic. The sharp script was also pointed to as feeling fresh and genuinely funny for the Western genre. It was a fun ride with two characters that were impossible not to like.
The Sting (93%)
Redford reteamed with Newman for another wildly fun romp. This time around, the story was set in the world of con artists with Redford playing a young conman who teams with a seasoned pro (Newman) in order to pull a massive scam on a gangster who wronged them.
Newman and Redford showed that their first time together was no fluke as they reignited that amazing chemistry in this film. Once again, the humorous and clever script allowed their talents to shine while some great twists helped to make this an exciting and thrilling ride.
The Old Man & The Gun (93%)
When Redford announced that he would be retiring from acting, this is the film that was meant to mark his last role as a leading man, and it felt like many to be a strong send-off. Based on a true story, The Old Man & the Gun finds Redford playing a charming bank robber who can’t seem to escape his outlaw ways.
Critics praised the filmmaking for taking a laidback and charming approach to the story. It makes for an enjoyable bit of entertainment as well as a perfect way for Redford to leave the acting world behind.
All The President’s Men (93%)
Redford has always liked exploring the issues of the real world and was instrumental in telling this story of one of the most significant moments in American politics. Redford and Dustin Hoffman star as real-life Washing Post journalists, Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward, whose investigations into Watergate helped end Richard Nixon’s presidency.
Critics have acknowledged that the film has rightfully earned its reputation as one of the greatest American films ever made. Redford and Hoffman make for powerful and grounded heroes while the intense procedural feel of the film is captivating.
All Is Lost (94%)
It takes an actor of incredible skill to carry an entire movie as the only person on screen. That was the task that Redford faced in the quiet thriller, All is Lost in which he stars as a man sailing on the open ocean alone who finds himself in a perilous situation when his boat becomes severely damaged.
Redford holds the screen with such confidence and ease that it becomes mesmerizing to watch him. The movie itself is a thrilling survival story with intense and touching moments delivered by Redford.
Jeremiah Johnson (95%)
In the 1970s, the revisionist Western genre became popular in Hollywood. Redford headlined one of the most interesting films of this era. Jeremiah Johnson stars Redford in the title role as a man living an isolated life in the wilderness who unwittingly becomes the target of a revengeful tribe.
Critics admitted that the movie’s slow-burn approach might be too much for the more impatient viewers, but those who stick with it are rewarded with a solid and entertaining drama. Once again, Redford’s performance is pointed at as the main reason for checking the film out.
