With over 50 film and TV credits under his belt, Jamie Foxx has established himself as a true force in the film industry. Although he started out over 20 years ago as a sitcom and comedy star, he made his way into the film world in the early-90s with series such as Roc and In Living Color. Foxx has become the epitome of a stand-up comedian turned great actor. Since then, he has launched a lucrative career, landing roles in major films like Ali, Miami Vice, and Due Date. In the years after launching his filming career, Foxx has racked up over 30 awards from a variety of major institutions, such as the Oscars, the BET Awards, and the Golden Globes.
In the last few years, Foxx has had a busy filming schedule. His film Day Shift hit the number one spot on Netflix earlier this year, and his upcoming 2023 film They Cloned Tyrone came to a close, anticipated to be launched soon. Additionally, he’s voicing an adorable animal in Strays, a film about a dog who gets revenge on his lousy owner who ditched him, which, per Deadline, is set to debut in June 2023. With all this exciting film news, let’s check out Jamie Foxx’s best movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
9 Ray (2004) — 79%
Universal Pictures
Marked as one of the most sensational movies of the early-2000s, Ray featured a story of the 30 great years Ray Charles spent in the life of rhythm and blues. This biographical/musical film starred Foxx in the leading role of Ray Charles, and according to spectators, he fulfilled the role beautifully. Roger Ebert described the role as “Foxx so accurately reflects my own images and memories of Charles that I abandoned thoughts of how much ’like’ Charles he was and just accepted him as Charles, and got on with the story.” This role alone gathered Foxx an Academy Award for Best Actor, as well as the BAFTA, Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and Screen Actors Guild. Ray sits at a solid 79% on Rotten Tomatoes.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Dreamgirls (2006) — 79%
DreamWorks Pictures
Dreamgirls featured a whole onslaught of great performers, such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Eddie Murphy, Loretta Devine, and, of course, Foxx. In this film, Foxx is cast as Curtis Taylor Jr, a Cadillac dealer turned record executive, who founds Rainbow Records. He sets out on a quest to make Black artists known and loved among white households. The story strongly follows the evolution of American R&B music during the 60s/70s. It garnered some pretty decent reviews from Rotten Tomatoes, scoring 79%, with critics noting the films “electrifying performances and the dazzling musical numbers.”
7 The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996) — 85%
20th Century Studios
Coming in as the oldest film on our list, with an 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, The Truth About Cats & Dogs follows veterinarian Abby (Janeane Garofalo), who also hosts a radio show, where they answer questions about pets. Abby takes a phone call on her radio show from Brian (Ben Chaplin) and falls for him over the phone. Being self-conscious, Abby lies about what she looks like and describes her ultra beautiful neighbor, Noelle (Uma Thurman). When Ben and Abby decide to meet in person, Abby has Noelle stand in for her — only Ben realizes this Abby looks right, but her personality is different. Although Foxx’s role is small in this film, it’s a crucial point in his career as he started ticking upwards into fame.
6 Just Mercy (2019) — 85%
Endeavor
This powerful film is based on a true story depicting Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), a lawyer seeking justice for clients wrongfully sentenced to capital punishment by a racist system and Walter McMillian (Foxx), his first case. Just Mercy touches on powerful social injustices and provides us an inside look into a different view. Foxx plays a heartfelt role in this film, with critics citing the strong performances in this film. Just Mercy garnered an impressive Rotten Tomatoes score of 85%, with an almost-perfect user score of 99%.
5 Collateral (2004) — 86%
In Collateral, Foxx plays Max, a kidnapped taxi driver who spends the night driving a hitman (Tom Cruise) around Los Angeles with the authorities chasing after them. According to many critics, this was a wonderful performance on Foxx’s part, with them citing his perfect level of anger and character development. Foxx received a nomination at the 77th Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor for his part in Collateral. Overall, the film scored 86% on Rotten Tomatoes.
4 Django Unchained (2012) — 87%
Columbia Pictures
Django Unchained is a western film set in the 1800s, following Django (Foxx), a slave turned bounty hunter who seeks his wife’s freedom and thus kills those who Schultz (Christopher Waltz) wants dead in exchange for his freedom from slavery and a start at a new life with his wife, who has been sold off and is missing. Since this is a Quentin Tarantino film, you know it has witty banter, unlikely protagonists, and extremely unique plots. Critics titled this film “bold, bloody, and stylistically daring,” so it’s no wonder that it sits at 87% on Rotten Tomatoes.
3 Baby Driver (2017) — 92%
Working Title Films
This action film features the story of Baby (Ansel Elgort), a getaway driver seeking freedom from the crime life, along with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). Baby Driver features Foxx as an antagonist this time, in the role of Leon Jefferson III, Doc’s sadistic henchman who will mow anyone down if they are in the way. Critics were a fan of this film, whether professional or casual, for its thrills, smart writing, and acting performances. With a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s one of the highest-rated in Foxx’s filmography.
2 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — 93%
Marvel Studios
As we are all aware, Spider-Man: No Way Home is the latest installment in the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise. Foxx starred as Max Dillion/Electro, an electrical engineer from an alternate universe who gained electric powers after an accident. This is the same role he played in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Everyone seemed to love this film, garnering a ton of positive attention with a 93% rating from Rotten Tomatoes and a 98% user rating.
1 Soul (2020) — 95%
Pixar
Soul is a beautifully produced Pixar and Disney film, with Foxx cast as Joe Gardner, our main protagonist. This film speaks volumes of beautiful animation, passion, and living life to it’s fullest. It was so well-loved by critics and viewers alike that, in 2021, it won an Academy Award for the Best Animated Film. According to Pete Docter, the director, “This film started as a love letter to jazz, but we had no idea how much jazz would teach us about life. We don’t get to control what happens, but we can, like a jazz musician, turn whatever happens into something of value and something of beauty.” Topping our list, Soul scored an astonishing 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
