Ranking the Best Performances So Far from Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey took a bit to really establish himself as a respected actor, to be fair, but he’s been a movie star since almost his debut. You truly can watch him in Dazed and Confused and see that he’s going to be a leading man in Hollywood. So, to eventually be an Academy Award winner certainly speaks to just how big the so-called McConaissance really was. With his latest performance in The Rivals of Amziah King now in theaters, a ranking of his best work to date is certainly in order today.

In my review of The Rivals of Amziah King (here), I said the following about McConaughey’s work:

Matthew McConaughey leads an eclectic and impressive cast, with Angelina LookingGlass making quite the theatrical debut, while Kurt Russell adds some unexpected layers to his supporting role. McConaughey is equally at home in the musical sequences as he is dispensing wisdom on the truth and lies of potluck dinner selections. You can easily see him in a Coen Brothers movie, he’s so well cast here. Considering that this was the project to bring him back to acting after a break, you really understand how he connected so deeply to the material. 

Below, you can see how my McConaughey ranking looks. Interestingly, my favorite performances of his tend to be scene stealing supporting turns. So, Magic Mike and The Wolf of Wall Street are up there with a leading role in Interstellar for me. His Oscar winning work in Dallas Buyers Club also cracks the top five, as you might expect. Where does some of his earlier turns in things like Dazed and Confused or A Time to Kill fall, if anywhere? What about his newest performance with The Rivals of Amziah King? Well, strap in, as you’re about to find out…

Here now is my ranking of the best performances to date from Matthew McConaughey. Behold:

Special Citation: True Detective

Honorable Mention: Contact, Dazed and Confused, Failure to Launch, A Time to Kill, Tropic Thunder, and White Boy Rick

10. Frailty

9. Killer Joe

8. Bernie

7. The Rivals of Amziah King

6. Mud

5. The Lost Bus

4. Dallas Buyers Club

3. The Wolf of Wall Street

2. Interstellar

1. Magic Mike

What is your favorite performance from Matthew McConaughey? Let us know!