Though John Krasinski rose to popularity by starring as hilarious prankster Jim Halpert on NBC’s The Office, the actor has made a successful transition from the sitcom to leading man status in Hollywood as well as becoming a blockbuster director himself.
Rotten Tomatoes creates an average score from critics to paint a clearer picture of the response to each individual release and Krasinski already has quite a few darlings under his belt already. Though he has mostly found work as a supporting actor rather than a leading actor throughout most of his career so far, his roles have brought him to a wide variety of beloved titles. Some of which Krasinski was not even credited for, such as David Mamet’s highly-rated film State and Main.
Animal Crackers (2017) - 64%
● Available on Netflix
One of the most successful areas of John Krasinski’s career so far–in the eyes of critics, at least–has been his voice-over work, particularly in children’s animation. Krasinski has many highly-rated documentaries in his filmography also but, in terms of narrative films that feature him as a character, the Netflix animated movie Animal Crackers sits very highly in the actor’s rankings.
The story follows the saga of a family of circus owners and a magical box of animal crackers that can transform whoever eats them into the animal that the cracker is shaped as. Krasinski plays the main character, the prodigal son of the circus who must fight to save his family’s legacy, and it’s all-around a light and entertaining experience thanks to supporting talents like Danny DeVito cracking wise and some Disney-esque musical numbers from Ian McKellen. Krasinski’s real-life wife–and frequent collaborator–Emily Blunt also lends her voice to Krasinski’s character’s wife.
Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet (2014) - 66%
● Available for purchase on Prime Video
This animated drama film, adapted from Kahlil Gibran’s book of the same name, tells of a widowed mother, Kamila, who tends the home of a man under house arrest, Mustafa, in Lebanon during the Ottoman Empire. While Mustafa harbors secret feelings for Kamila, she is busy dealing with her daughter who constantly gets into trouble as a result of missing her dead father.
Krasinski voices Halim, the soldier that at first guards Mustafa and later helps him escape and the role further shows how Krasinski’s choices in his roles have taken him to some of the most interesting and unique movies from the past several decades.
Away We Go (2009) - 66%
● Available on Peacock
Krasinski and comedy legend Maya Rudolph teamed up to play a young couple who travel across America to find where they want to start a family in this 2009 drama. With a baby on the way, their time is limited. As they reconnect with family and friends from their past, they start to uncover the things in life that matter most to them.
Though the film failed to recover its $17 million budget at the box office, its warmth and charm easily enchanted viewers and Krasinski showed his strengths as a leading actor are much the same as his strengths as a supporting actor. He’s a generous scene partner and he helps keep the comedy flowing even in the most emotional moments.
Smiley Face (2007) - 67%
● Available on Tubi, Vudu, and Prime Video
Krasinski takes another supporting role from this cult comedy from director Gregg Araki. The loose plot follows Anna Faris’ actor as she stumbles around in a haze of poor decisions that lead to hilarious scenarios and rambling inner monologues.
Krasinski plays a man who’s very smitten with Faris’ character and gets roped into her ever-worsening day. The role shows how one of Krasinski’s greatest strengths is his willingness to laugh at himself with his roles, playing an endearing nerd who’s much more Dwight Schrute than Jim Halpert.
Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009) - 73%
This computer-animated DreamWorks film tells of a woman named Susan who gets turned into a giant on her wedding day after getting struck by a meteor. Rather than continuing with the ceremony, Susan is locked away in a secret location alongside a series of other strange monsters. Though people might be afraid of them, they turn out to be the world’s only hope after an extraterrestrial robot begins wreaking havoc on the earth.
Krasinski plays a human named Cuthbert, whose date with his girlfriend Katie gets interrupted by the robot’s landing and it’s one of a number of Krasinski’s smaller roles that sometimes even go uncredited, but he’s nonetheless another great addition to an immense cast of hilarious comedians who lent their voices to the movie.
Big Miracle (2012) - 75%
● Available on Netflix and Prime Video
Based on Tom Rose’s 1989 book Freeing the Whales, this 2012 family drama sees a news reporter, played by Krasinski, and an activist, played by Drew Barrymore, teaming up to save a group of gray whales who are about to be harmed by ice that is forming in the Arctic Circle.
Though Krasinski’s Adam is at first tired of reporting in a small Alaskan town, he is soon given the big story he wants after learning of the whales’ crisis. Supporting roles from great actors like fellow modern TV comedy icons Ted Danson and Kristen Bell made it a winning formula for critics and audiences.
Dreamgirls (2006) - 78%
● Available on HBO Max
During Krasinski’s early film career he took on a minor role in Dreamgirls, a romantic comedy-drama adapted from the Broadway musical of the same name. It tells of a talented trio of singers who become support for a big star in the R&B music industry. Though life in the spotlight could be sweet, fame and pressure from their manager soon threaten the performers’ futures.
Krasinski plays a screenwriter and director who hopes to cast one of the main characters. He’s just one of a number of stars who appeared in the movie, including Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson, who were both Oscar-nominated for their performances with Hudson taking home the award.
Monsters University (2013) - 80%
● Available on Disney+
The prequel to Monsters Inc. zoomed in on Mike and Sulley’s college years. While Mike hopes to become the best scarer at his university, his success is threatened by Sulley, who possesses the natural talent and a family legacy to prove it. After the pair’s rivalry leads them to be released from the top scare program, it’s up to the two (and a few friends) to team together and get back where they belong.
Krasinski plays the monster who inspired Mike to pursue his dreams in the first place, Frank McCay, and the role is another example of how much of a mainstay Krasinski has been in modern animated kid’s movies.
Detroit (2017) - 82%
● Available on Fubo TV
This 2017 crime drama tells the story of the racially charged Algiers Motel incident, which occurred in Detroit in 1967.
Krasinski plays lawyer Norman Lippitt, who heads the legal defense of a group of white police officers who murdered three black teenagers. Playing a character with such a dark agenda was a noticeable shift for Krasinski, who in the past had taken on more lighthearted roles. However, his versatility as an actor allows him to perfectly blend into the talented ensemble.
Next Gen (2018) - 83%
Adapted from the online comic 7723, Next Gen is an action-packed animated movie about a young girl who befriends a powerful robot with a heart of gold. The story is reminiscent of Disney’s movie Big Hero 6 in many ways but carves out its own identity with impressively explosive fight scenes between the various robots of the futuristic world.
Krasinski adds a lot of humanity to the machine, helping to make the potentially over-familiar story a memorably emotional experience that critics responded well to.
The Wind Rises (2013) - 88%
This Japanese historical drama fictionalizes the life of Jiro Horikoshi, who is famous for designing fighter aircraft used by his country during World War II.
Though the film was first released in Japan, it was later dubbed in English and brought to North America. Though Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the lead character, both John Krasinski and wife Emily Blunt back him up as Naoko Satomi and Kiro Honjo respectively. Krasinski’s Honjo is friends with Jiro, becoming employed at the same aircraft manufacturer early on and the role further shows how Krasinski’s successful choices for movies give so much variation to his image as an actor.
Kinsey (2004) - 90%
Just before starring in The Office, John Krasinski took on a minor role in a biographical drama called Kinsey. The story revolves around the life of Alfred Charles Kinsey, who is known for his work in sexology. He most famously wrote the Kinsey Reports in 1948 and 1953, which tried to scientifically understand human sexual behavior during a time in which it was rarely discussed.
Though Liam Neeson takes on the titular role, Krasinski plays a character named Ben who discusses his and his wife’s private life with Kinsey and it was an early demonstration of the dramatic skills that would take him onto leading movie roles in the future.
A Quiet Place Part 2 (2021) - 91%
● A Quiet Place Part 2 will be available to stream on Paramount+ from July 12th, 2021
After the smash-hit success of A Quiet Place, and its tantalizing final scene, a sequel to the blockbuster was all-but-guaranteed with Krasinski returning in the director’s chair alongside the surviving characters that he helped popularize.
Sure enough, A Quiet Place Part 2 quickly became one of the biggest hits of recent years after a long-delayed release thanks to the closure of theaters over late 2020 and early 2021. Krasinski also appears in front of the camera once again via flashback, but it’s his skills as a director that really stand out with the wildly popular franchise.
The Muppets (2011) - 95%
● Available on Disney+ and Netflix
A number of celebrities stepped up and answered the call when the iconic Muppets were in need of big-name cameos and Krasinski’s long history with small parts in lighthearted kid’s movies should make his appearance in this 2011 revamp of the series.
Krasinski is just playing himself but Emily Blunt also stars in the movie with a more significant role as Miss Piggy’s receptionist, though it’s also really more of a fun cameo that references her performances in The Devil Wears Prada.
A Quiet Place (2018) - 96%
John Krasinski decided to put on multiple hats in order to write, star in, and direct A Quiet Place. Thankfully, his hard work paid off.
This sci-fi horror film tells the story of a family that lives in a post-apocalyptic world in which sound-sensitive monsters roam the land. If one of these extraterrestrial creatures hears a noise, they set out to attack the person or thing it came from. It is up to Krasinski’s father and his wife Evelyn, played by Emily Blunt, to keep their children safe — especially with a baby on the way. The tension of this relatively small-scale sci-fi blockbuster made it one of the best thriller movies of 2018 and as much of a success with critics as it was with audiences.
