The 10 Best Steve Carell Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes

10. "Get Smart" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%)
Remember the classic spy satire show from the '60s? Well, this is its 21st-century facelift. Maxwell Smart, played by Carell, is a pen-pusher at a secret spy agency, yearning for field action.

Enter Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), a veteran spy, who finds herself paired with our bumbling hero. They're out to stop a nuclear plot. Gadgets? Check. Shenanigans? Double check. Is this a James Bond parody? You bet your Aston Martin it is.

9. "Dan in Real Life" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%)
An idyllic family getaway to Rhode Island – but, of course, there's always a twist. Dan, a widower and advice columnist played by Carell, finds himself entangled in a delicate situation. Love at first sight, but with his brother's girlfriend. Ouch, right?

Pancake-making, bookstore-falling-in-love, and awkward family talent shows punctuate this feel-good movie. It's like walking on a comedy tightrope over a sea of drama.

8. "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%)
Welcome to the male-dominated world of 1970s newscasting! Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is the man, the myth, the legend, but Steve Carell's Brick Tamland steals the show with his endearing idiocy.

When a woman joins the news team, well, the chauvinistic fortress crumbles. Cue jazz flute solos, newsroom brawls, and a dog that can communicate using its thoughts. A comedic classic that should come with its own laugh track.

7. "Date Night" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%)
A couple goes out to dinner, but not just any dinner – this one spins out into a night of chaos and crime. Carell and Tina Fey play the Fosters, married and stuck in a romantic rut. Seeking spice, they steal a dinner reservation, only to find out that the reservation belongs to a couple hunted by mobsters.

Mistaken identities, car chases, and Mark Wahlberg shirtless – 'cause why not? This one's a laugh riot, a comedy of errors that you didn't see coming.

6. "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%)
Cue the soap opera music, and welcome to Steve Carell's foray into the battlefield of love. Cal, played by Carell, is your average joe who finds out his wife has cheated on him.

What follows? A lifestyle makeover by Jacob, a lothario incarnate, played by Ryan Gosling. Makeovers, nightclub shenanigans, and bad pick-up lines are all par for the course. But get this – Jacob falls for Hannah, Cal's daughter. It's a love hexagon that Shakespeare would tip his hat to.

5. "Despicable Me" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%)
Picture this: a moon-stealing plot by a villain with a heart of... well, maybe not gold, but at least bronze. Carell voices Gru, a mastermind whose plans are constantly foiled.

He adopts three orphan girls for his grand theft lunar, but the tables turn. Minions? They're in droves. Lasers? Oh, we've got lasers. Childish? Maybe. Heartwarming? You could say so. The line between good and evil gets adorable, and you won't even mind.

4. "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%)
Hark, the tale of Andy Stitzer, an electronics store employee with action figures and, you guessed it, a 40-year-old virginity. Cue his colleagues, who make it their life mission to get Andy laid. Speed dating disasters, hair removal calamities, and eBay stores.

This comedy's not just low-hanging fruit; it's an orchard of slapstick humor and awkwardness. It's as iconic as it is awkward, just like your teenage years.

3. "Foxcatcher" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%)
The whiff of tragedy and distorted dreams. Carell turns into John E. du Pont, a millionaire with twisted psychology and a passion for Olympic wrestling.

Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo, playing the Schultz brothers, come under du Pont's eerie mentorship. Fueled by ego, delusion, and an unhealthy dose of nationalism, this man transforms a sports dream into a twisted nightmare. The faces are familiar, but the story? You won't recognize it, I promise.

2. "The Big Short" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%)
Wall Street. Mortgages. Economic collapse. Doesn't sound like your go-to Carell flick? Think again. Michael Burry (Christian Bale) figures out that the American housing market's heading for disaster.

In comes Mark Baum, portrayed by our man Carell, the guy with a moral compass in a sea of Wall Street sharks. Together, they bet against the very market they're a part of. It's ironic, audacious, and yes, you learn about financial doom through Jenga and celebrity cameos. An Adam McKay feast for your brain, indeed.

1. "Little Miss Sunshine" (Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%)
So, we've got a family road trip in a rickety, yellow VW bus, but this isn't your regular vacation; oh no, my friend. This is a race against time to get Olive, the cute-as-a-button youngest member, to a beauty pageant.

Steve Carell plays Uncle Frank, a suicidal scholar, adding layers of dysfunction to an already quirky family. This one's got it all – van breakdowns, lewd dance moves, and a deep dive into American eccentricities. Could it BE any quirkier?