Every Justin Timberlake Movie Ranked

A multitalented star the likes of which Hollywood rarely sees, Justin Timberlake is a singer and songwriter first. Coming up in the '90s as a member of the pop boy band NSNYC, he was a former Disney Mouseketeer who once dated Britney Spears and seemed to be destined for obscurity like so many other teeny-bopper superstars before him. But just as the bloom on the boy band rose was fading, Timberlake proved he was more than just a pretty face that could sing and dance.

From his fan-favorite appearances on "Saturday Night Live" to his big-screen outings, Timberlake has done it all, with a movie career that's delivered both hits and misses. He got a bumpy start with a few major clunkers but recovered with some well-received dramas that got the most out of his acting talent, and we even recently got another solid effort of his on Netflix. Well, from losers to all-time classics, we've tallied up Timberlake's filmography and ranked his movies from worst to best.

A notoriously awful black comedy, 2006's "Southland Tales" brings together a cast of mid-2000s stars including Justin Timberlake, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Seann William Scott, Mandy Moore, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. It's set in a bizarre version of Los Angeles in the not-too-distant future in the aftermath of WWIII. Johnson plays a movie star who's lost his memory, Gellar is an adult film star with psychic powers, and Scott plays a pair of twin brothers.

Timberlake, meanwhile, is a military veteran named Pilot Abilene, who fought in the Iraq War and who also serves as the film's narrator. The strange story is loaded with stinging social satire, commenting on everything from climate change to government corruption. The problem is that the movie is needlessly complicated, leans a little too hard into farce even for a black comedy, and a late twist involving time travel is head-scratching at best. The ironic ending that's trying to serve as some kind of cautionary warning about the future winds up being laughable rather than insightful.

At the time of its release, there were surely high hopes that "Southland Tales" would be as good as director Richard Kelly's previous film, the cult classic "Donnie Darko." Unfortunately, the kinds of out-there ideas that worked in "Darko" just come across as needlessly surreal and bizarre here.

There have been plenty of TV directors who were able to parlay their success to the movies, but David J. Burke had no such luck. His 2005 film "Edison" at least had a bevy of big names, led by Morgan Freeman, LL Cool J, Kevin Spacey, and Justin Timberlake. It's a bland, run-of-the-mill thriller that Burke wrote and directed, and it wasn't good enough to get him a bigger career in Hollywood.

Timberlake stars as rookie reporter Joshua Pollack, who stumbles upon rampant police corruption. Hoping to make his name on a big story, he defies his editor, Ashford (Freeman), and decides to investigate further. When he ferrets out new evidence, Ashford has a change of heart, but getting to the truth isn't going to be easy when they're up against a group of veteran cops willing to kill to keep their dirty deeds under wraps.

"Edison" is nearly Timberlake's worst film, but what "Edison" has going for it that helps it edge out "Southland Tales" is a more straightforward story. If you like schlocky crime dramas, you might find this reasonably inoffensive, but it's really no better than a shrug-worthy episode of "Law & Order" — the franchise Burke served as producer on before "Edison" flopped.

The first of two movies in Justin Timberlake's catalog where he takes the role of a baseball player, director Michael Meredith's "The Open Road" pairs the former pop idol with Hollywood icon Jeff Bridges as father-son duo Kyle and Carlton. They're not on the best of terms, but minor leaguer Carlton (Timberlake) sets out to reunite with his father, Kyle (Bridges), after he gets word that his mother, Katherine (Mary Steenburgen), may be dying. Kyle is a former big-league superstar who hasn't seen his son in years, but together with Lucy (Kate Mara), Carlton's ex-girlfriend, the three take a road trip to visit Katherine in hospital as she awaits a life-saving surgery.

While the cast was given high marks when the film premiered in 2009, not much else impresses, from the bland story to the unmoving character drama. A story about family that feels rote and predictable, it feels like someone mashed together cliches from other better movies, hired a top-notch cast, and just assumed it would be a hit. It definitely wasn't. Believe it or not, "The Open Road" didn't even crack $20,000 at the box office.

You'll be forgiven if you've forgotten Brad Furman's 2013 crime thriller "Runner Runner," though it's somewhat incredible that it didn't get more attention. Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, it features a loaded cast that includes Ben Affleck, Gemma Arterton, and Anthony Mackie. Justin Timberlake himself pushed for the film to have an R-rating, which should have attracted some notice, but perhaps the reason it escaped most people's gaze is because it's simply not very good.

The film stars Timberlake as Richie Furst, an online gambler who loses everything in a high-stakes poker game. Unable to accept the loss, Richie flies to Costa Rica to confront Ivan (Affleck), the man behind the online operation, determined to prove he's been cheated. Impressed with his skills, Ivan hires Richie to work for him, promising him an endless flow of money, women, and power. Before long, the young gambler gets what he wants, but also finds himself neck-deep in a dark underworld of corruption, backstabbing, and blackmail that he might not be able to escape.

If that all sounds like it has the trappings of a thrilling drama, well, it's certainly possible. But with a messy script and a total lack of suspense, "Runner Runner" putters along with little more than some famous pretty faces to keep audiences invested.

Both Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake were cast against type in the 2011 risque comedy "Bad Teacher." The normally wholesome "There's Something About Mary" star Diaz plays Elizabeth Halsey — a hard-drinking, crass school teacher who hates her job and is looking to meet a rich man so she never has to work again. Timberlake, meanwhile, is Scott — a nerdy, uncool, socially awkward (but exceptionally wealthy) substitute teacher whom Elizabeth sets her sights on.

To win Scott over, Elizabeth thinks she needs a new pair of fake boobs and will do whatever it takes to get the cash for an operation. This includes putting on a seductive show during a school car wash fundraiser and attempting to cheat her way to a staff bonus. Unfortunately, she has competition in the form of Amy (Lucy Punch), a fellow teacher who woos Scott the old-fashioned way.

Unapologetically crude, "Bad Teacher" isn't very good, nor is the film as clever as it clearly thinks it is. Still, with some low-brow laughs, it makes a case as a guilty pleasure comedy, which may be what helped it become a massive box office hit. Raking in more than $200 million, it remains one of Timberlake's highest-grossing films worldwide. The film was made into a short-lived TV series in 2014 with Diaz producing, but Timberlake wasn't involved.

"Wonder Wheel" was a big bomb in theaters, but wasn't really meant to be a box office smash, released on Amazon Prime around the same time it was playing theatrically. It was written and directed by Woody Allen and starred Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake, and Juno Temple. A rare period piece for Timberlake, "Wonder Wheel" takes place in New York in the 1950s, specifically at Brooklyn's iconic Coney Island amusement park and boardwalk.

Timberlake, as an aspiring playwright and local lifeguard named Mickey Rubin, narrates the story. Working the beachside attraction, Mickey meets and falls in love with the unhappily married Ginny (Winslet), who waits tables at a boardwalk restaurant. Her stepdaughter, Caroline (Temple), meanwhile, is on the run from her gangster ex-boyfriend, and her father — Ginny's husband, Humpty (Jim Belushi) — reluctantly lets her take shelter with them. But when Mickey meets Caroline, a new attraction develops, putting him in the middle of a love triangle and a mob hit at the same time.

"Wonder Wheel" is a mildly meandering movie, and its slapdash mix of styles weighs it down. However, it's buoyed by its talented cast and lush cinematography. Much of the criticism went to Oscar-winning filmmaker Allen, whose wooden dialogue and groan-worthy plot beats are only overcome by the cast's sheer force of will.

The third in the "Trolls" series, "Trolls Band Together" made its international debut in October 2023 before its U.S. release the following month. This time, the film's ensemble voice cast includes new additions Eric André, Kid Cudi, Daveed Diggs, Troye Sivan, Amy Schumer, and RuPaul. In this third film, Queen Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and misfit Troll Branch (Justin Timberlake) have accepted their feelings for one another.

Just as their romance really kicks off, though, secrets from Branch's past threaten to undo everything. It's learned that Branch was one in a boy band called BroZone — whom Poppy adored when she was young — and his four brothers have been estranged from him ever since. Now, though, a pair of villains called Velvet (Schumer) and Veneer (Andrew Rannells) have kidnapped Branch's brother, Floyd (Sivan), a founding member of BroZone, and it's once more up to Poppy and Branch to be heroes.

With clear parallels to Timberlake's real-life past as a member of NSYNC, plus the series' usual upbeat antics, there's a certain charm to the story of "Trolls Band Together" that's hard not to love. It's not the best animated movie out there, but it's good, clean fun, and it's clear Timberlake is still having a ball with the franchise.

Possibly the most iconic movie in Justin Timberlake's filmography, "Friends with Benefits," came out within weeks of "Bad Teacher," giving him two box office hits for 2011 (and a third was still to come later in the year). "Friends with Benefits" put him opposite "That '70s Show" alum Mila Kunis, while its impressive supporting cast included Patricia Clarkson, Jenna Elfman, and Woody Harrelson. 

An exploration of modern dating, "Friends with Benefits" finds Timberlake and Kunis playing Dylan and Jamie, platonic friends who decide to add sex to their friendship. When Jamie starts dating, though, it brings up all kinds of unexpected feelings, and of course, it turns out that they actually do love each other as more than friends. It's a trite story, to be sure, but it works, mostly because of the chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis. Critics and audiences agreed, giving it good reviews and calling out the two stars as a big reason why it works.

It may be full of old tropes, but "Friends with Benefits" and its commentary on 21st-century relationships touched a soft spot for millennials, who helped crown it a rom-com classic. Ironically, the similarly-themed "No Strings Attached" came out the same year, with Kunis' "70s Show" co-star Ashton Kutcher. While both were equally successful in theaters, "Friends with Benefits" is widely considered the better of the two.

The first-ever sequel for Justin Timberlake, "Trolls World Tour" surely had high expectations after the blockbuster success of the previous film. Unfortunately, fate got in the way, and with a spring 2020 release date smack dab in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, the movie didn't deliver many box office dollars, as most theaters remained closed. Instead, the studio chose to release the film as a digital download day-and-date with release in theaters, angering movie chains but setting records for a digital release. 

Back in Troll Village, though, we meet up with Poppy (Anna Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake), the two effervescent singing Trolls, as they discover that there are more of their kind across the world. There are many other kingdoms of Trolls, and each one is focused on a different style of music. But when rock star Troll Queen Barb (Rachel Bloom) seeks to wipe out every other kind of music, it's again up to Poppy and Branch to save the day. To do it, they'll have to seek out their fellow Troll kingdoms and unite them as one, which is far easier said than done.

As expected, "Trolls World Tour" delivers everything an animated movie should, while its voice cast adds Kelly Clarkson, Sam Rockwell, George Clinton, and Mary J. Blige, among others. It's bright, colorful, and plenty of fun, and while it doesn't quite match up to its predecessor, it's a good time for the whole family.

In the summer of 2011, Justin Timberlake had a pair of romantic comedies that lit up the box office, but he wasn't done yet. Just a few months later in October, he returned to theaters, but this time he switched genres with the science-fiction thriller "In Time." Directed by "Gattaca" helmer Andrew Niccol, the film reunited Timberlake with Amanda Seyfried, his co-star from 2006's "Alpha Dog" (but more on that one later) and features Cillian Murphy, Vincent Kartheiser, Olivia Wilde, Matt Bomer, and Ethan Peck.

Skirting the edges of cyberpunk, "In Time" is set in a dystopian world where citizens are implanted with a clock that counts down a set amount of time they are allowed to live. In this world, transactions among individuals that give them extra time are common, but when Will (Timberlake) receives a hundred years of life as a thank you for helping a stranger — who promptly expires — he becomes the target of the authorities who believe he may have murdered the man. On the run, Will takes a hostage (Seyfried) and gets caught up in a vast conspiracy that sits at the heart of their very society.

A fast-paced sci-fi adventure, "In Time" may not reach the heights of movies like "Blade Runner" or "The Matrix," but its social commentary and unique futuristic world are an intriguing mix worthy of the genre.

The other baseball movie for Justin Timberlake is "Trouble with the Curve," and it's the better of the two. Part of that might be attributed to the fact that it's helmed by and starring movie legend Clint Eastwood, a two-time best actor nominee, and who has taken home the trophy twice for directing. Plus, baseball plays a much bigger role in the story, with Clintwood starring as Gus Lobel, an aging, cantankerous scout for the Atlanta Braves whom nobody takes seriously anymore.

This time, Timberlake plays the role of an antagonist, a rival scout named Johnny Flanagan, whose Boston Red Sox have their eyes on a young prospect named Bo Gentry (Joe Massingill). But the Braves want him too, and Gentry is sent to evaluate the up-and-comer with the hopes of snagging him in the next draft class. With Flanagan's organization having a draft slot above them, it won't be easy. At the same time, though, Gentry's daughter, Mickey (Amy Adams), is ordered to tag along by his boss, Pete (John Goodman), who doesn't have faith that he can do the job.

An oft-overlooked baseball movie that deserves more attention than it gets, "Trouble with the Curve" works thanks to its star performances. With a spotlight on the less glamorous world of scouting, it may lack the gripping suspense of the Kevin Costner football film "Draft Day," but the focus on character drama is really where it shines.

Just dipping his toes into the world of movies in the 2000s, Justin Timberlake chose some rather interesting early projects. Around the same time he starred in a pair of dreadful flicks, "Southland Tales" and "Edison," he also starred in "Alpha Dog," which was thankfully a step up, and gave him at least one decent movie in his early career. A true ensemble picture, "Alpha Dog" follows a group of criminal kids and is surprisingly based on the true story of Jesse James Hollywood and the murder of Nick Markowitz.

Written and directed by Nick Cassavetes ("The Notebook"), "Alpha Dog" stars Timberlake as Frank Ballenbacher, best friend to Johnny Truelove (Emile Hirsch), a lowlife drug dealer who lives it up like he's a millionaire rap star. But Johnny is in over his head when Frankie — who is also his muscle in the drug-dealing game — kidnaps Zack (Anton Yelchin), the younger brother of Jake (Ben Foster), a buyer who owes them money.

The movie has a sprawling cast of future stars that also includes Olivia Wilde and Amber Heard, alongside supporting roles for heavyweights Bruce Willis and Sharon Stone, "Alpha Dog" divided critics. But it's easily Timberlake's first solid film, a strong showing for the actor looking to prove his dramatic chops.

Released as a Netflix original in 2023, "Reptile" may have flown under some people's radar if they weren't subscribed, but that's what happens in this era of streaming where audiences are flooded with new releases every week and too many streamers to keep track of. Thankfully, it made the streaming service's Top 10 in its first weeks, and that helped it get some attention. And it's a good thing, too, because "Reptile" is a movie worth watching, and not just because it stars Justin Timberlake, Alicia Silverstone, and Benicio Del Toro.

Del Toro, who also co-wrote and executive produced the film, is the movie's star, playing grizzled detective Tommy Nichols. Tom left his gig in Philadelphia after being accused of corruption. Relocated to Maine, Nichols' new crew appreciates his unwavering loyalty, and he feels right at home, no matter how unseemly they might be. Now on the hunt for a killer, though, his prime suspect is Will Grady (Timberlake), the husband of a woman (Matilda Lutz) who turned up dead, stabbed in what appears to be a fit of rage.

A nail-biting thriller, "Reptile" will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish, with an ending that may surprise you. Critics and audiences were split on it, though, with professional reviewers not convinced by what many felt was a weak story, while audiences were more than entertained with a solid, suspenseful crime story, a dark noir tone, and a mystery that's able to keep you guessing.

They may have been hottest in the '80s and early '90s, but in 2016, the colorful little Troll dolls got their own animated movie, "Trolls," from DreamWorks. An all-star voice cast led by Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick also featured Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, James Corden, and Gwen Stefani. The film is a magical family-friendly adventure, introducing audiences to the happy-go-lucky world of Troll Village whose people love to sing, dance, and be merry. But they're also being menaced by the sinister Bergen, monsters from rival Bergen Town who eat Trolls to be happy.

In Troll Village, 20 years after escaping the clutches of the Bergen, Princess Poppy (Kendrick) is proud to have kept her community hidden from sight. But when they're discovered and a group of her people is taken prisoner as the Bergens' next meal, it's up to Poppy and a shrewd survivalist Troll named Branch (Timberlake) to save them.

Though based on an old toy line, "Trolls" was a breath of fresh air, with a vibrant fairy-tale story full of adventure and whimsy. It was also a big success, critically and commercially — taking in more than $300 million — while sparking a new animated franchise that includes two animated small-screen spin-offs, two TV specials, and a pair of theatrical sequels.

A movie whose premise might raise an eyebrow for its sheer bawdiness, "Black Snake Moan" is an unapologetic homage to blaxploitation films of the 1970s. And the filmmakers got the perfect cast of stars to fill it out, led by Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Timberlake, who give pitch-perfect performances straight out of the era the film is an ode to.

Timberlake stars as Ronnie Morgan, a young man and National Guardsman who is beside himself with a mix of jealousy, rage, and despair when he learns that his girlfriend, Rae (Ricci), has become addicted to sex with big Black men. Her uncontrollable promiscuity gets her into trouble after Morgan ships off for duty and she's left for dead when she refuses a man's advances because he can't compete with the bigger men she's been carousing with. Thankfully, Rae is rescued by Lazarus Redd (Jackson), a former blues musician who vows to get her burning desires under control.

Though it may sound like little more than a cheap excuse for salaciousness (and there is that element), there's much more to "Black Snake Moan" than meets the eye. Timberlake gives it his all, and the soundtrack is a particular highlight. But the film's stylish flair and its pulse-pounding drama — which explores darker and more serious themes than you might expect — make it work.

As Apple TV+ was looking to recruit big stars for its original movies, producers settled on Justin Timberlake to lead the 2021 drama "Palmer." Directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Fisher Stevens (whom most will remember for his role in "Short Circuit"), "Palmer" was once on the Hollywood Black List, a collection of would-be movie scripts that studios often fight over. Alongside Timberlike, the film stars Juno Temple, Alisha Wainwright, and June Squibb.

In "Palmer" we meet Timberlake as Eddie, a down-on-his-luck ex-con who once was a major college football star. But after getting in trouble with the law and serving 12 years behind bars for attempted murder, Eddie is back in the world and struggling to pick up the pieces of his once-promising life. Despite the decade-plus in prison, his past continues to haunt him, but Eddie finds a new purpose when he unexpectedly becomes a surrogate father to a young boy (Ryder Allen) whose mother (Temple) abandoned him.

Praised for its poignant, moving story of a man looking for meaning, "Palmer" doesn't take many chances. But in playing with familiar themes, the film provides some real meaningful moments.

The most celebrated directing duo of all time, the Coen brothers have brought too many classics to life than we can count, from "The Big Lebowski" to "Fargo" and beyond. In 2013, they dropped "Inside Llewyn Davis," a somber character drama starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Garrett Hedlund, and Adam Driver. 

Set in 1960s Greenwich Village, the film tells the story of Llewyn Davis (Isaac), a folk singer who can't seem to get his life together. His last album was a failure, his partner is dead, and he's essentially homeless, staying with friends like Jim (Timberlake) and Jean (Mulligan) to survive. Llewyn's troubles compound when Jean tells him she may be pregnant, and it might be his — not Jim's — baby, and she wants him to help her get an abortion.

With a deft subtlety that elevates its understated tone, "Inside Llewyn Davis" is the Coen brothers at their best. And while Timberlake, Mulligan, and the rest of the cast are all in top form, it's a standout performance from Isaac that makes "Inside Llewyn Davis" a classic. Nominated for a pair of Academy Awards, it's almost the best film that Timberlake has ever appeared in, too. 

Written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher, "The Social Network" dramatizes the events that led to the creation of one of the biggest social media empires. Founded by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook wasn't exactly the product of one man, and the story of how it came to be is more sordid than you'd expect. The fact that almost everyone involved was barely old enough to buy a beer just makes it all the more fascinating. 

"The Social Network" features a cast led by Jessie Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield as Eduardo Saverin, Armie Hammer as both Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, and of course Justin Timberlake as the company's first president, Sean Parker. And it follows not just the creation of Facebook but the legal fallout that ensued too, as the various parties fight for control, credit, and financial rewards in the wake of its unparalleled success.

Beyond the sparkling script by Sorkin (which won an Oscar) and the impeccable direction by Fincher (who was nominated), what really makes "The Social Network" so good is its impressive cast, who are all at the top of their game, Timberlake included.