10 Best Jason Bateman Movies and TV Shows, According to Rotten Tomatoes

A child star turned acting, producing, and directing sensation, Jason Bateman is worth his weight in any genre gold. His acting career began with Little House on the Prairie, and as he got older, audiences recognized him from cult classics like Teen Wolf Too. He’s led iconic series like Arrested Development and forced gut laughter in theaters with movies like Horrible Bosses. When he’s not gracing the screen or taking a turn behind the camera, his humor is out in full force on his podcast Smartless, co-hosted with Will Arnett and Sean Hayes.

Capable of leading a cast or stealing scenes with minimal screen time, Bateman is a cinematic treasure with a fan base obsessed with his sarcasm, signature flowing hair, and quick wit. Being a multi-genre, multi-medium star has earned him considerable praise throughout his career; many of Bateman’s movies and shows received high scores on the popular review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

10 ‘Ozark’ (2017-2022)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%

Bateman is truly a triple threat when it comes to his participation in this Netflix original. He stars, directs, and serves as executive producer throughout the show’s four seasons. As the Byrde family patriarch, Marty (Bateman) and his family must hide away in the Ozarks to launder money for a dangerous Mexican cartel, all the while embedding themselves in the political culture of their new home.

Directing a total of nine episodes of the series total of 44, Bateman is genuinely a whole other persona in the realm of Ozark. Audiences who hadn’t seen his comedic performances prior to this would probably never guess his roots. Ozark is a must-see, riveting drama and one of Bateman’s finest achievements in acting, directing, and producing.

Ozark

A financial advisor drags his family from Chicago to the Missouri Ozarks, where he must launder money to appease a drug boss.

Release Date July 21, 2017

Cast Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner, Charlie Tahan, Lisa Emery, Janet McTeer, Tom Pelphrey

Main Genre Drama

Rating TV-MA

Seasons 4

Watch on Netflix

9 ‘The Family Fang’ (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

The Family Fang not only sees Bateman as its protagonist but as its director. In a movie about coming to terms with your family and childhood, Baxter (Bateman) and Annie Fang (Nicole Kidman) are two siblings trying to make sense of their unusual childhood with their infamous parents, who were known for creating public spectacles.

The film also features Christopher Walken, Kathryn Hahn, Maryann Plunkett, and Jason Butler Harner. Bateman’s second directorial feature — Bad Words was his first in 2014 — The Family Fang is explosively divisive as critics loved it and audiences disliked it at 47% rotten. However, this uncompromising nature allows it to explore fascinating issues through a decidedly strong and memorable lens.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 ‘State of Play’ (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

In this smaller role, Bateman channels his sardonic humor into a sleazy PR character with Dominic Foy. A foundational film in the investigative journalism genre, State of Play stars Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams as journalists digging into the murder investigation of a congressional aide in Washington, D.C.

State of Play received positive reviews for its tight, engrossing plot and the ensemble of actors at its center. Bateman shines in a small, reprehensible role, becoming a scene stealer throughout his screen time. Aided by intelligent directing that elevates a somewhat conventional screenplay, State of Play ranks among the 21st century’s best political thrillers.

Watch on Netflix

7 ‘Game Night’ (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%

One of Bateman’s highest-rated comedic performances, Game Night features pure, expected magic from the beloved actor. What’s a game night without staged kidnapping, dangerous gangsters, and a shrine dedicated to an ex-wife? All vying to win their regular game night, a group of friends becomes entangled in a real-life mystery where the stakes are higher than bragging rights.

The cast is led by Bateman and Rachel McAdams, playing a no-nonsense couple who take their games very seriously. Despite having a heavy-hitting comedic lead like Bateman, every character gets a chance to showcase their humor, making this film a true laugh-out-loud comedy. Game Night is a brilliant action comedy widely considered a modern comedic classic, thanks to a witty, hilarious, instantly memorable screenplay and the game performances of a truly incredible ensemble.

Game Night

Release Date February 22, 2018

Director John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein

Cast Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Kyle Chandler, Sharon Horgan, Billy Magnussen, Lamorne Morris

Rating R

Runtime 100

Rent on Apple TV+

6 ‘Up in the Air’ (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Taking his turn as a boss, Bateman’s role in Up in the Air may be more minor, but still worth the watch. Living out of his suitcase as a daily routine, Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) travels around the country, firing people on behalf of their employers. The status quo of his enjoyable lifestyle is about to change when a potential love interest enters his life. Bateman is Craig Gregory, Ryan’s boss, who forces him to take on training the new hire (Anna Kendrick).

Up in the Air is a sharp and funny exploration of human nature and connection with three stellar performances and a familiar yet thoughtful narrative despite a somewhat abrupt ending. Bateman’s role is short but pivotal, effectively kickstarting the plot; the actor delivers a cold, precise portrayal of corporate interests that forsakes his traditional funny antics for a guarded, clinical approach. Despite earning six Oscar nominations, Up in the Air failed to take home any wins.

Up In The Air

Release Date September 5, 2009

Director Jason Reitman

Cast George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Amy Morton, Melanie Lynskey

Rating R

Runtime 109

Watch on Netflix

5 ‘The Outsider’ (2020)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

In this single-season HBO series, Bateman added his name to the list of stars working on Stephen King adaptations. The Outsider is a dark thriller about a team of investigators attempting to piece together the brutal murder of a child and the man they believed did it. Co-starring alongside Ben Mendelsohn and Cynthia Erivo, Bateman is Terry Maitland, the man suspected of committing the murder.

Dark, brooding, and occasionally shocking, The Outsider is a worthy addition to the all-time best Stephen King adaptations. Of the ten episodes within the series, Terry appears in just four. Unfortunately, HBO subsequently canceled The Outsider, citing a lack of solid storytelling direction for season two.

Watch on Max

4 ‘The Gift’ (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

Yes, Jason Bateman can play a villain. The Gift was all the foreshadowing audiences needed to believe that Bateman could pull off dark roles before Ozark. In this thriller written and directed by Joel Edgerton, Simon (Bateman) runs into an old classmate, Gordo (Edgerton), who begins to drop by unannounced, always with a gift. After it’s revealed that Simon used to bully Gordo, things take a dark turn.

In a rare instance, Bateman is a character audiences are not supposed to like. The tension and friction between Simon and Gordo are palpable as Edgerton and Bateman masterfully play off each other. This is the perfect performance to break away from the comedic and rom-com genres Bateman usually finds success in, making The Gift an eerie and rewarding psychological thriller.

Watch on Amazon Prime

3 ‘Air’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

With his signature locks more tousled than usual, Bateman produces an all-star performance in the Nike story. Directed by Ben Affleck, Air tells the story of Sonny Vaccaro (Matt Damon) and his convincing pursuit with Nike to partner with relatively unknown basketball rookie Michael Jordan for the inception of the iconic Air Jordans.

Even with a strong supporting cast, Bateman’s performance is in a league of its own as Nike’s then-director of marketing, Rob Strasser. Despite being well-equipped with his signature dry, sarcastic humor, Bateman is able to reproduce his dramatic, emotional range, which may earn him critical acclaim come awards season. Air is a fun crowd-pleaser that offers a vivid, inspiring depiction of its real-life events while further cementing Affleck’s directing talents.

Air

Release Date April 5, 2023

Director Ben Affleck

Cast Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Viola Davis, Gustaf Skarsgård, Chris Messina

Rating R

Runtime 112 minutes

Watch on Amazon Prime

2 ‘Juno’ (2007)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%

This critically acclaimed feature remains one of the all-time best coming-of-age movies. High school student Juno (Elliot Page) is faced with an unplanned pregnancy and must choose whether to become a teen mother or give the baby up for adoption. Bateman stars alongside Jennifer Garner as Mark and Vanessa Loring, the couple wanting to adopt the baby after Juno gives birth. As Mark gets to know Juno, he confesses he’s not quite ready for fatherhood and appears to develop feelings for her.

Bateman’s arc in Juno is a career-best. The actor portrays an unsympathetic character earnestly, effortlessly balancing immaturity and appeal to create a complete character who is as interesting as he’s unlikable. Juno is a modern triumph, an instantly witty and iconic movie that will stand the test of time.

Watch on YouTube

1 ‘Zootopia’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%

Pure perfection, the voice and persona behind Nick Wilde is undeniably Bateman’s. Starring opposite Ginnifer Goodwin in Disney’s Oscar-winning animated feature, Zootopia is a buddy cop movie where rookie officer Judy Hopps (Goodwin) teams up with con artist Nick Wilde to solve the mystery of why predator species in Zootopia are becoming mysteriously aggressive.

Zootopia balanced social commentary with lighthearted humor and visual spectacle to create a modern animated classic. A match made in animated heaven, Nick Wilde is a performance by Bateman that the whole family can enjoy. His quick wit blended seamlessly with Disney’s intentional placement of “adult” jokes that sail over younger audiences’ heads but land perfectly in the lap of viewing adults.

Watch on Disney+

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