10 Best Clint Eastwood-Directed Movies, Ranked by IMDb

Clint Eastwood has just celebrated his 95th birthday, but he’s far from thinking about retirement — in fact, just the opposite.

The legendary director is already preparing things for helming yet another movie less than a year after the release of his latest legal thriller Juror #2 which also received numerous accolades.

However, even with scores as high as 93% and 91% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film just can’t be compared to Eastwood’s cult classic movies that will be brought up in mind right away when it comes to the director’s legacy. Check them out.

10. ‘A Perfect World’ (1993)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, A Perfect World holds scores of 78% and 84% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 7.5/10

Starring Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner, the movie follows the latter’s Butch, an escaped state prisoner from a Texas jail who kidnaps a kid and embarks on a cross-country journey with him.

In the meantime, Butch is pursued by Eastwood’s Texas Ranger Red Garnett who understands Butch’s motives and, despite all, considers him a good man, but still has to catch the criminal out of duty anyway.

9. ‘Richard Jewell’ (2019)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Richard Jewell keeps scores of 77% and 96% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie rates 7.5/10

Based on the real events, the movie recounts the tragic story of Richard Jewell, a security guard who discovered a suspicious bag with an incendiary device at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, saving thousands of lives.

However, as the FBI names him a primary suspect, Richard comes from a national hero to the most despised alleged criminal.

8. ‘The Bridges of Madison County’ (1995)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Bridges of Madison County has scores of 90% and 87% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 7.6/10

The movie stars Clint Eastwood as a photographer tasked to shoot the historic bridges of Madison County when he meets Meryl Streep’s housewife whose husband and children are away on a trip.

Sparks fly between the two, but the brief affair is just proof that two soulmates met each other way too late.

7. ‘Changeling’ (2008)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Changeling holds scores of 62% and 82% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 7.7/10

Set in 1928 Los Angeles, the movie stars Angelina Jolie as single mother Christine Collins who has to relive her biggest nightmare when her young son disappears.

Months later Christine’s prayers are heard and the boy is seemingly found, though the one she meets isn’t her son after all.

Soon Christine’s case becomes a top priority for a clergyman who wants to expose corruption in the Los Angeles Police Department.

6. ‘Letters from Iwo Jima’ (2006)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Letters from Iwo Jima keeps scores of 91% and 86% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie rates 7.8/10

The movie recounts the story of World War II soldiers accompanied by Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi who, despite knowing that no one of them will make it, uses his military skills to stay in the battle with Americans for as long as possible.

5. ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales’ (1976)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, The Outlaw Josey Wales has a score of 91% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 7.8/10

Also starring Clint Eastwood himself, the movie follows Josey Wales, a man joining the Confederate Army and hoping to bring vengeance on those who mercilessly killed his wife and child.

However, when peaceful times come and Josey relocates to Texas, he’s forced to flee once again when bounty hunters seek ways to kill him and his new adoptive family.

4. ‘Mystic River’ (2003)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Mystic River holds a score of 89% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie rates 7.9/10

Starring Sean Penn in the leading role, the movie follows three longtime friends who reconnect after the daughter of one of them, ex-con Jimmy Marcus, is murdered.

As the investigation is picked up by one of Jimmy’s two friends while the other one was the last one who saw the girl alive, Jimmy starts suspecting the two of being involved in the crime.

3. ‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Million Dollar Baby holds a score of 90% from both critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie’s rating is 8.1/10

This movie also stars Clint Eastwood as Frankie Dunn, a veteran Los Angeles boxing trainer who keeps everyone at distance until Hilary Swank’s Maggie Fitzgerald arrives seeking for Dunn’s expertise.

Initially reluctant to train a young woman, Dunn agrees and eventually forms a bond with Maggie that will change his life forever.

2. ‘Gran Torino’ (2008)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Gran Torino has scores of 81% and 90% from critics and audiences
• On IMDb, the movie is rated 8.1/10

Clint Eastwood stars as Walt Kowalski, a retired auto worker and Korean War vet who spends his time alone, despising many Asian and Latino neighbours that he has.

However, when he accidentally saves an Asian teen from gang bangers, Walt starts forming a bond with the boy, realising that they’ve had a lot in common all along.

1. ‘Unforgiven’ (1992)

• On Rotten Tomatoes, Unforgiven keeps scores of 96% and 93% from critics and viewers
• On IMDb, the movie rates 8.2/10

Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning movie stars its director as aging former bandit William Munny who embarks on a mission to find those who brutally killed prostitute Delilah Fitzgerald and get the reward posted by Delilah’s fellow brothel workers.