Alright, alright, alright: The best Matthew McConaughey roles

This was Jennifer Lopez's movie, but McConaughey is serviceable. Notably, because he doesn't draw too much attention to himself in this 2001 picture. Steve Edison is a rather mild-mannered San Francisco pediatrician who saves Mary (Lopez) from being hit by a cab, and eventually falls for her. The problem is that Mary is planning his wedding to the wealthy Fran (Bridgette Wilson). It's a typical romantic comedy, but we like McConaughey enough to show him some love here.

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days did relatively well at the box office ($177.5 million), but he best thing about this 2003 rom-com effort is the screen chemistry between McConaughey and co-star Kate Hudson. The plot is about a female journalist writing a first-person piece on how a woman can drive a guy away from a relationship in 10 days, while her eventual love interest, Ben, is an ad exec who wagers he can have a woman fall in love with him within a 10-day span, is entirely predictable for the genre. But, McConaughey is more than serviceable for his part. 

The real-life coach Jack Lengyel has his moments of quirkiness, but McConaughey really took that characteristic to the next level while playing the lead role in this 2006 film. He's ever optimistic while trying to rebuild the Marshall University football program in the aftermath of the 1970 airplane crash that killed 37 players of the team, plus coaches, staff, administrators, and boosters. McConaughey's performance is certainly over the top, but Lengyel's hopeful screen persona makes for the most endearing moments of this underrated film. 

The first mention of McConaughey's work with director and fellow Texan Richard Linklater, from 2011. Told in somewhat of a mockumentary form, Bernie received rave reviews with Jack Black in the lead role as a nice-guy mortician who befriends a hated local widow (Shirley MacLaine), who eventually dies. Meanwhile, McConaughey's Danny Buck Davidson, a cowboy-hat-wearing district attorney, sees something sinister in Bernie and charges him with the widow's murder. McConaughey's antics are brilliantly displayed, playing to the whole over-the-top nature of the film. 

This 2019 comedy was a box-office dud and received lukewarm reviews -- even with Snoop Dogg on board. However, the film's funniest, and most notable moments, usually belonged to McConaughey. As aging stoner Moondog, a past-his-prime poet still living on his glory days and sleeping around with most of the women in the greater Florida Keys area, McConaughey really is the only reason to watch this picture. It's a shame, because the cast, which includes Jonah Hill and Jimmy Buffett, playing himself, opened the door for potential success.

McConaughey also had a producer credit on this 2016 crime drama directed by Stephen Gaghan. Instead, it is loosely based on the 1993 Bre-X gold-mining scandal in Indonesia. Wells is a fictional character from Bre-X CEO David Walsh, and sporting an awfully coiffed receding hairline, McConaughey is exuberant as an early 1980s prospector who eventually makes his way to Indonesia in search of gold to replenish his wealth. McConaughey was highly praised for his performance, but like other films on this list, it tends to be the best part of the movie.

McConaughey stars alongside Jodie Foster in this science fiction drama from 1997. Based on Carl Sagan's 1985 book, Contact made more than $170 million, and McConaughey had a significant hand in the movie's commercial success, though some critics had issues with the overall story. As the Christian philosopher Palmer Joss, there are times that we can't quite figure out his character. Notably, his history with Foster's Dr. Ellie Arroway is remarkable.

Sticking with the space/out-this-world theme, McConaughey drew top billing for this 2014 sci-fi picture written by Jonathan and Christopher Nolan, the latter of which directed the popular film. Joseph Cooper is a widowed NASA pilot-turned-former living in a rather dystopian world. Coop is trying his best to be a good father to his young daughter, but is also smart enough to know something is going on to threaten mankind. So, when you're looking for someone to head down a "wormhole" and save the world, Coop is your man.

Yes, there are some who forget McConaughey was in this hilariously underrated 2008 Ben Stiller film that starred Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. Sporting an almost perm-like hair-do, "The Pecker" is flailing action star Tugg Speedman's quirky agent. He offers some questionable tough-love advice while amid a heated match of Wii tennis, to his client. Peck thinks TiVo is all the rage and is apparently not happy with his son's appearance. A bit part, but actually quite memorable.

In what was the late Bill Paxton's directorial debut from 2001. McConaughey takes on the presume role of adult brothers, who grew up under the guidance of a mentally disturbed father (Paxton), who claims to see a vision from an angel that tells him to kill demons posing as humans on earth. It's one of McConaughey's more underrated roles, and this psychological thriller is quite unheralded. For those casual McConaughey fans unfamiliar with this movie, it's worth the time.

For those who are fans of McConaughey's physical assets, Magic Mike is the film to watch. Of course, his performance as a former male stripper and club owner, Dallas, is pretty good, too. It seems McConaughey is at his best when hamming it up on screen, playing a confident, yet shady, character that drives many emotions from the viewer. Especially when he is not in the lead and takes pride in stealing a scene here or there.

When it comes to playing a lawyer (as we'll see more of on this list), Haller seems pretty comfortable in these fictional shoes. Mickey Haller is a Los Angeles County defense attorney who likes to work out of the back of his Lincoln Town Car in this 2011 legal thriller. The movie was quite popular, and McConaughey is truly a joy to watch, perhaps more than has been celebrated over the years. Mickey has his flaws, but is also pretty easy to root for throughout the film.

The 2000s dawned with McConaughey still among the most popular leading men in film. He was versatile enough to play just about any type of role. U-571 is a war movie, but it wouldn't be a stretch to call it an action thriller, as well. Put aside the historical controversy regarding the accuracy of this World War II submarine movie, but McConaughey gives an engaging and impactful performance that the project made nearly $130 million and remains one of his most popular efforts.

Part of an ensemble cast, McConaughey certainly stood up among the likes of Sandra Bullock and Samuel L. Jackson in the 1996 film adaptation of this John Grisham legal drama. Jake Brigance is a determined but realistic white lawyer defending a black man (Jackson) who killed his young daughter's rapist. The film was a commercial success, and McConaughey received praise for what was his breakthrough leading man performance. In fact, he won Best Breakthrough Performance at the MTV Movie Awards.

A detective who is also a contract killer. Well that seems like a character McConaughey from would shine while playing. He certainly did just that in this black comedy from 2011. "Killer Joe" just might be McConaughey's most intriguing character. It's corrupt, creepy, but so entertaining that we have a hard time taking our eyes off him. McConaughey won various international awards for his performance, which is an example of the great range he's built over the years.

Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street was lauded for its ensemble cast, and McConaughey is undoubtedly a big reason for that success. If anything, for one particular scene, where boss Hanna has lunch with his new employee -- Leonardo DiCaprio's Jordan Belfort. There are many great moments in this movie, but Hanna's crowning jewel is this scene where he snorts cocaine out in the open and delivers his key to success as a Wall Street power broker while also showing off his musical talent -- just for fun. 

McConaughey's acting talent is not limited to the big screen. He starred, alongside Woody Harrelson, during the 2014 first season of HBO's True Detective crime drama. Cohle is a veteran detective dealing with a questionable past while revisiting the case of a murdered prostitute from the 1990s. McConaughey was nominated for a Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe Award Award, and won the Critics Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series.

Sure, young Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland drew plenty of raves for this 2012 coming-of-age picture directed by Jeff Nichols. However, McConaughey more than holds his own in the lead role as a fugitive hiding out on an island on the Mississippi River. In fact, McConaughey might be at his Southern best while grateful for the boy's unintentional friendship and waiting for the love of his life (Reese Witherspoon). The film was originally offered in limited release, and causal McConaughey fans might not know about it. In that case, this might be appointment viewing.  

McConaughey's breakthrough role from 1993 was reportedly a matter of fate. He was cast in this Richard Linklater gem after a hotel encounter with Don Phillips, the movie's casting director, and a small part grew larger. With his lines mostly improvised, Wooderson is the older, creepy guy who still hangs out at high school parties. It's a somewhat stereotypical role, but McConaughey tuned Wooderson into a film icon. In a way, he's like a bridge from teenage innocence to adult responsibility. All while trying to find a place in society. "Alright, alright, alright."

In telling the story of Ron Woodroof, an AIDS patient who set up group to buy smuggled, unapproved drugs to treat symptoms, McConaughey lost roughly 50 pounds for this 2013 drama. It's perhaps the most jarring and in-depth performance of anything he's done as an actor. There was a renegade nature to Woodroof's persona that appealed to McConaughey, who won an Academy Award, Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award -- among other accolades -- for what remains the signature performance of his career.