Adam Baldwin Movies: 10 of His Greatest Films Ranked From Best To Worst

Quick Facts

Adam Baldwin has had an interesting career in acting. He has taken up some lead roles which he has become very popular for. Most of Adam Baldwin’s Movies are action-packed and with his tall height and huge body build, Baldwin came naturally sculpted for ‘tough guy’ roles. It has been seemingly hard for him to break away from these stereotype roles. He has had lead roles in the movies Full Metal Jacket (1987), and Serenity (2005).

Another aspect of his career which has made him prominent is as a voice actor. Thanks to his deep resonating voice, Baldwin has voiced some of our most favorite animated characters both in animated films and video games.

Born in Winnetka, Illinois, the United States on the 27th of February 1962 Adam Baldwin who schooled at New Trier Township High School in East, Winnetka began his acting career back in the ’80s. His earliest roles included that of Ricky Linderman – a traumatized young man who puts up a violent façade to conceal an inner pain in My Bodyguard (1980).

Adam seems to have featured in more television series than in movies and has had more interesting roles in the television. Some of his greatest TV performances have come in shows like Firefly, Chuck (2007- 2012), and The X-Files (1993- 2018). In 2006, he won a SyFy Genre Award for Best Supporting Actor Television for his feature as Jayne Cobb in TV Series Firefly. However, fans have often wondered what some of his greatest films could be and this piece ranks some of the finest Adam Baldwin’s movies from the best to the not so great.

Top 10 Adam Baldwin Movies Ranked From Best To Worst

1. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Produced and Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Adam Baldwin features as Animal Mother in this war movie. He was a very good machine gunner who took pride in killing their enemy soldiers. The film stars Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D’Onofrio, Tim Colceri, Kevyn Major Howard, and Arliss Howard.

His performance in the film remains one of the most prominent roles in his acting career. With a budget of $30 million, the film grossed $120 million worldwide. It generally received positive reviews from critics and has a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film had eleven nominations worldwide including an Academy, Golden Globe and BAFTA Awards. It won five of the awards.

A big feature of Full Metal Jacket is the quality of the musical on offer in the movie. The single titles “Full Metal Jacket (I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor)”, was released to help promote the film.

2. Ordinary People (1980)

He featured as Kevin Stillman in this drama film. The movie follows the lives of an upper-middle-class Illinois family. It highlights their slow but painful disintegration as one of their sons accidentally dies and the other attempts suicide. Adam’s character is a schoolmate to the younger son (Conrad) that attempts suicide. They get into a fistfight which is a result of Conrad’s inability to communicate. The film was outstanding and successful all round. It earned 6 Academy Awards nominations and won 4 of them. It won 5 Golden Globe Awards. It has a 91% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was a success in the box office with a $54.8 million gross from a $6 million budget.

3. Serenity (2005)

The science fiction film is a continuation of the well-received but short-lived TV series Firefly. Adam features in his former role as Jayne Cobb in the film. The film didn’t do well in the box office despite its high anticipation and positive reviews. With an 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film barely broke even with a gross of $40.3 million against a $39 million budget. Ironically, the film went ahead to win several awards among them are the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Prometheus Special Award and the Nebula Award for Best Script to mention a few. Among its many accomplishments is that Steven Swanson (NASA astronaut) who is a lover of the series took the DVD with him to Space. It permanently resides in the International Space Station as entertainment for the station crew.

4. My Bodyguard (1980)

This has to be one of the best Adam Baldwin movies in terms of script quality and delivery. Directed by Tony Bill and Produced by Melvin Simon, My Bodyguard stars notable actors such as Chris Makepeace, Matt Dillon, Martin Mull, and Ruth Gordon.

Adam Baldwin featured as Ricky Linderman – an outcast and troubled youth whom a victimized teenager seeks protection from. He is the school bully and puts up a violent façade to conceal an inner pain. Adam’s portrayal was believable and real which paved the way for the bigger roles he got in his career. The film was a success in all ramifications. It has an 83% score on Rotten Tomatoes and was grossed $22.5 million on a budget of $3 million.

5. Independence Day (1996)

Adam features as Major Mitchell in this very successful science fiction film. The film follows the journey of a group of people who converge in the Nevada desert after an attack from an unknown extraterrestrial race attack. His character was the commanding officer who despite being aware of the aliens’ existence sided with Thomas Whitmore and William Grey. He starred alongside established actors like Jeff Goldblum, Will Smith, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch, Bill Pullman to mention a few. The film received world acclaim upon release and grossed $817.4 million against a $75 million budget. It also has a 65% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Amongst its accomplishments is an Academy Award and being the highest-grossing film in 1996.

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6. The Patriot (2000)

Adam features as Captain James Wilkins in the historical war film. It highlights the story of an American Colonist who gets entangled in the American Revolutionary War but is a loyalist to the British crown. Adam’s character is an officer in the Colonial Loyalist militia and realizes too late that he has been fighting for the wrong side. The film was a success in the box office with a gross of $215.3 million against a budget of $110 million. The reviews from critics were also favorable and it has a score of 61% on Rotten Tomatoes. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards and earned several guild awards.

7. Next of Kin

This movie is directed by John Irvin and is written by Michael Jenning. This 1989 film tells the story of a police officer Truman Gates (Patrick Swayze), who finds himself caught between loyalty to his profession and his family. His younger brother Gerald (Bill Paxton) works as a truck driver in Chicago but is killed by Joey Rosellini (Adam Baldwin) who is related to one of the city’s most notorious mobsters.

Truman brothers Briar (Liam Neeson) insists on carrying out revenge his own way. Truman fails to convince his brother to let him handle things legally and must not go after the mob and take them down before his brother further complicates matters in his quest for revenge.

Shot on a budget of $12 million, the movie made $16.9 million at the box office.

7. The Kid (2019)

Not one of the greatest Adam Baldwin Movies you’d see. Here he features in this semi-biographical action film as Bob Olinger. The movie highlights the journey of Rio Cutler who pallies with the local sheriff and an outlaw- Billy the Kid in a bid to save his sister from gang leader- Grant Cutler. The film has had positive reviews so far and has been described as well cast and framed. In terms of awards, it is difficult to conclude as it was released in 2019. The film was a flop in the box office grossing $1.55 million against a budget of $7 million.

9. D.C Cab

This story is centered around the cab business in Washington D.C and the challenges Harold Oswell (Max Gail) faces in running his cab company. Faced with stiff competition, dearth of finances for expansion, Harold must also figure out a way to inspire his cab drivers many of whom do not find any motivation in the profession.

All these changes when a young and vibrant Albert Hockenberry (Baldwin) joins the company and tries to lift the spirits and reinvigorate the place with his enthusiastic and feel-good spirit.

Directed by Joel Schumacher and produced by Topper Carew, D. C Cab was probably never meant to become a blockbuster. It was shot on a budget $7 million and managed to rake in $16 million at the box office.

10. Radio Flyer

In a chronicle of Adam Baldwin Movies, Radio Flyer might never make it to the top but nevertheless it makes for interesting viewing. Adam Baldwin stars as Jack an alcoholic stepdad who physically abuses his stepkids.

Lorraine Bracco plays Mary, Jacks wife who is focused on her job as a diner waitress and is oblivious to the fact that her two sons are traumatized by his new husband. The boys seeing that their mom seems to have found love hide their pains a device a way to live through the pain.

The movie has had not so favorable reviews may be in part because of its poor showing at the box office. It was shot on a budget of $35 million but only managed to raise  $4.7 million at the box office.

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