The 20 best Bradley Cooper movies

Cooper has famously acted alongside Jennifer Lawrence quite a few times, the first being in 2012’s Silver Linings Playbook. Cooper plays Pat, who has just been released from a mental institution. As he tries to win back his ex-wife, he meets Tiffany, who has depression. The pair share a unique journey through their struggles, and the film offers a confronting and realistic look at living with a mental illness. The pairing of Cooper and Lawrence is one for the ages.

Cooper blew everybody away with A Star Is Born  — his directorial debut and modern take on the classic story. Cooper plays Jackson Maine, a struggling country star and alcoholic who falls in love with up-and-coming musician Ally. The chemistry between Cooper and Lady Gaga, who plays Ally, is palpable and oozes off the screen. Alongside starring and directing, Cooper also sings in the film, proving how multi-talented he is and that he is just as great a filmmaker as an actor.

In 2023, Cooper released his long-time passion project Maestro, a biopic chronicling the life of renowned conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. In his directorial follow-up to A Star Is Born , Cooper also stars as Bernstein himself, alongside Carey Mulligan as his wife, Felicia Montealegre. Cooper gives everything he has to this role, physically transforming and spending six years learning how to conduct. Cooper further proves himself as a uniquely gifted filmmaker. 

Only Cooper’s vocal talents could bring such charm, depth, and character to a talking raccoon. The actor first voiced Rocket Raccoon in 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which follows the titular group of galactic space criminals who must save the galaxy from destruction. Thanks to his animated and snarky delivery, Cooper is perfectly cast as Rocket. The gun-toting, bounty-hunting raccoon has become a fan favorite and one of the most beloved MCU characters.

American Sniper tells the true story of Navy S.E.A.L. sniper Chris Kyle, who served in Iraq for several years. While he does his country proud and becomes a national hero, he also has blood on his hands and suffers from P.T.S.D. upon returning home to his family. Directed by the legendary Clint Eastwood, the film is a disturbing and immersive depiction of the traumatic effects of war, and Cooper completely sells it. It’s both a testament to Kyle’s bravery and the horrors and loss that come with war.

Cooper has worked with many notable directors throughout his career, including Guillermo del Toro on Nightmare Alley . Cooper plays Stanton Carlisle, who works at a traveling carnival. He works his way up to become a psychic medium who swindles the wealthy. Del Toro explores the concept of humans being more monstrous than any beast with a film-noir aesthetic that is stylish and mysterious. Cooper is compelling alongside Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and more.

Cooper’s star-making turn was as Phil in the classic 2009 comedy The Hangover  alongside Zach Galifianakis and Ed Helms. The film follows three friends who wake up from a bachelor party in Vegas without recollection of the previous night and the groom missing. The Hangover put Cooper on the map as one of Hollywood’s go-to leading men, showcasing his comedic chops before he took a deep dive into the dramatic world. It remains his funniest movie to date.

Cooper starred in the trippy sci-fi thriller Limitless in 2011 alongside Robert De Niro. Cooper plays Eddie, a writer who uses a mysterious new pill to access one hundred percent of his brain capacity and abilities. He becomes a business tycoon, and trouble follows him as people take notice of his changes. The film is memorable for its unique and thought-provoking sci-fi concept, as well as Cooper’s charisma. It was later turned into a TV series, but Cooper wasn’t involved.

Rocket Raccoon has appeared in other Marvel movies besides the Guardians of the Galaxy series, one of those being the epic Avengers: Infinity War. In the film, the Avengers must stop Thanos from finding the Infinity Stones. The story sees Rocket team up with Thor as they travel to find a dwarf to help create the battle axe Stormbreaker. The pair have great chemistry and a fun dynamic, and Rocket’s involvement in the battle in Wakanda against Thanos’s army is highly entertaining.

Cooper starred alongside real-life couple Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes in 2012’s The Place Beyond the Pines. The film follows a motorcycle stunt rider who turns to robbing banks to provide for his ex-partner and their child. Cooper plays Avery, a police officer whose attention is caught by the couple and determined to confront his own corrupt department. Each character and their families must deal with the heartbreaking consequences that follow.

Cooper reunited with Jennifer Lawrence in 2013’s American Hustle.  The starry cast included Amy Adams, Christian Bale, and Jeremy Renner. The comedy-crime caper sees two con artists forced to work for an eccentric F.B.I agent, played by Cooper. Aside from Renner, each of the main ensemble cast was nominated for an Oscar for their performances. These brilliant actors feed off each other spectacularly, and Cooper shines in one of his craziest roles.

In Burnt, Cooper plays Adam Jones, a talented chef who destroyed his career thanks to drugs and arrogance. Determined to redeem himself and resurrect his career, he cleans up his act, moves to London, and starts working at a top-end restaurant. The film is full of mouth-watering cuisine and plenty of heat and tension in the kitchen. While Burnt received average reviews from critics and audiences, Cooper reliably carries the film and reunites with American Sniper co-star Sienna Miller. 

Joy marks the fourth collaboration between Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence after Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle, and Serena. Based on a true story, the film follows Joy Mangano, who, after a divorce, creates a family business dynasty after inventing the famed "Miracle Mop." Cooper plays Neil Walker, an executive at QVC who agrees to sell her mops on TV. This is Lawrence's film, but she is supported by Cooper and their Silver Linings Playbook co-star Robert De Niro.

Paul Thomas Anderson's  Licorice Pizza is a coming-of-age film that follows Alana and Gary as they fall in love and navigate the San Fernando Valley in California during the 1970s. Cooper plays a small but memorable role as Jon Peters, based on a real-life Hollywood producer of the same name. Cooper is totally wild and unhinged as the erratic Peters, who is not portrayed in a favorable light. The actor is the spitting image of Peters in his over-the-top '70s get-up.

Cooper reunited with American Sniper director Clint Eastwood in 2018's The Mule, which stars Eastwood in the leading role. The film follows Earl Stone, a ninety-year-old war veteran who works as a drug mule for a Mexican cartel due to financial issues. Cooper plays DEA agent Colin Bates, who is on Stone's trail. Dianne West, Michael Peña, and Laurence Fishburne also star and the film proves that Eastwood is just as good a director in his nineties as he was back in his heyday. 

Based on the hugely popular role-playing game, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves sees a group of unlikely adventurers go on an epic and fantastical quest. The film was a surprise hit, acclaimed by critics and audiences alike. In the movie, Cooper has a fun little cameo as Marlamin, a halfling who stands roughly three feet tall. He only appears in one scene, with the cameo previously unannounced and a surprise for first-time viewers.

Cooper said farewell to Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3., a highly emotional send-off that features a devastating backstory for the beloved character. In the film, the Guardians must save Rocket from the hands of the evil High Evolutionary. We learn of how Rocket was experimented on, along with other animals, and see him go through a heartbreaking loss that shapes his character. Rocket's story is the heart of this film, as he is the heart of the Guardians. 

The Words is one of Cooper's most divisive films, slammed by critics but praised by audiences. In the film, Cooper plays a writer who finds an old manuscript and publishes the work as his own until he is confronted by the original author. He discovers the price there is to pay, among other mysterious plotlines. The Words also features Jeremy Irons and Dennis Quaid and Cooper's Guardians of the Galaxy co-star Zoe Saldana. It is certainly underrated within the actor's filmography.

Before Cooper became one of Hollywood's best dramatic actors, he made a name for himself in rom-coms like He's Just Not That Into You . Set in Baltimore, the ensemble flick follows several interconnecting story arcs revolving around relationships and heartbreak. Cooper is supported by a stacked A-lister cast, with big names including Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Justin Long. 

Wedding Crashers is one of the most beloved rom-coms and buddy comedies of the last twenty years. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn team up to play John and Jeremy, who crash weddings to hook up with women until John meets and falls in love with Claire. Cooper plays Sack Lodge, Claire’s arrogant fiancé. The film was Cooper’s first major supporting role in a film and his breakout, catapulting him into the world of comedy and, eventually, films like The Hangover.