When it comes to variety in films, few actors manage to break the mould quite as well as Clive Owen. We’ve compiled a list of the best films starring Clive Owen over the last few years, showing his skill as an actor and the excitement of the movies. We’ve rated them from the top to the worst, but the truth is even the last ones are still not to be missed!
Top 17 Clive Owen Movies
- The Bourne Identity
- Croupier
- I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead
- Children of Men
- Inside Man
- Shoot’em Up
- Elizabeth: The Golden Age
- Trust
- Duplicity
- The International
- King Arthur
- Bent
- Derailed
- Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
- Killer Elite
- Closer
- Sin City
#1 The Bourne Identity (2002)
Clive Owen comes to you as The Professor in the film alongside Matt Damon, who portrays the role of Jason Bourne. In the movie, a man is rescued at sea and has no idea who he is. Soon he starts remembering small details about his life. The man, Bourne, realizes he is on the run. It’s not the best bourne film, but it has an intriguing plot and is made better by starring Owen as the professor.
#2 Croupier (1998)
Croupier is an award-winning film in which an aspiring writer is hired as a croupier at a casino. Here, he realized that his life as a croupier is the perfect inspiration for a possible novel. Owen plays the aspiring writer Jack Manfred.
Anything goes when it comes to movies, but there’s nothing that gets the adrenaline rushing quite as much as a good casino-themed film. You will find that over the past few years, there have been several high-quality casino-themed films, including Croupier. For more top-ranking casino-themed films, you can find a list of the top 10 recommended casino-themed films.
#3 I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (2003)
This film tells the tale of a former gangster that re-enters the criminal underworld after his brother’s suspicious suicide. Owen plays Will Graham, the gangster who comes out of hiding to investigate his brother’s death and find those responsible. It’s a mysterious crime thriller with a good plot that’s worth checking out. We highly recommend it.
#4 Children of Men (2006)
The film tells the story of the world in 2027, where chaos ensues. In this world, women have now been infertile for 18 years for no clear reason. Britain is also the only civilized area on the planet and has turned into a police state managing immigrant entry. Owen plays Theo Faron, who is a low-ranking government official tasked by his ex-wife to lead an immigrant woman and her baby to solace before anyone finds out.
#5 Inside Man (2006)
The film, directed by Spike Lee, starts with high-stakes negotiations between a police officer and a bank robber. Clive Owen plays the expert bank robber and Denzel Washington, the hostage negotiator. It’s a spectacular cat and mouse tale that always leaves Dalton Russell (Owen) one step behind. If you enjoy action-packed crime films, this is considered one of the all-time best heist movies. Check it out!
#6 Shoot’em Up (2007)
In this film, Clive Owen plays a man named Smith who goes from minding his own business to suddenly needing to save a woman from an evil gunman. It’s an action-packed film where he needs to assist with the birth of the baby and find out more about the gunmen as well as why they want the baby dead. It’s a good film with a mystery-filled plot that builds intrigue, and no wonder it’s in the top 6.
#7 Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
A star-studded biography based on Queen Elizabeth. The film focuses on the queen’s royal reign, an assassination plot, the Spanish armada, and romance. In the film, Owen plays the overconfident yet charming Sir Walter Raleigh. It’s one of those stories that you enjoy at times, but the script can falter at times. If you enjoy Cate Blanchett’s films, this is one of her best roles.
#8 Trust (2010)
The film, directed by David Schwimmer (known for his role in Friends), is heavy. This is a great option if you’re in the mood for a movie that deals with reality. Clive Owen plays Will, a father whose 14-year-old daughter is sexually assaulted by her first online boyfriend. He is on a mission to find the man who did this to his daughter while trying to fix his family. It’s a heavy film but a great watch, nonetheless.
#9 Duplicity (2009)
A good film brings you a mix of comedic relief, crime, and romance. And where Clive Owen is, there is always a high-stakes chase involved. In this film, two ex-government agents turned rivals meet after five years. Now they have to choose whether they can trust each other or if the rivalry from the past will get in their way. A fun film where romance blooms as two spies try to outwit, outsmart and outplay each other.
#10 The International (2009)
This is an action-packed drama film directed by Tom Tykwer. It tells the tale of an Interpol agent, Louis Salinger (Clive Owen), on a mission to expose a high-profile financial institution’s part in international arms dealing ring. The film has received 1 award and 1 nomination. This is a must-watch if you enjoy a high-stakes chase and crime theme film.
#11 King Arthur (2004)
In this 2004 release directed by Antoine Fuqua, you get to see Clive Owen take on the role of Arthur. The film takes you back to 400 AD when the Roman Empire extends to Britain, and the Romans found pleasure in the fighting skills of Sarmatian warriors.
#12 Bent (1997)
The 1997 drama is directed by Sean Mathias and focuses on Berlin in 1930. It tells the tale of a gay Jewish man sent to a concentration camp during the Nazi rule. Owen plays Max, who is sent to the Dachau concentration camp and then gets a yellow label for Jews instead of pink for gays.
#13 Derailed (2005)
Mikael Håfström directs the 2005 crime thriller. It tells the tale of two married business executives caught having an affair. A rather violent criminal then extorts them, and to save their families, they are forced to turn the tables on him.
#14 Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017)
The fantasy film directed by Luc Besson is about a dark force threatening the vast metropolis, Alpha. It is home to species from a thousand planets. Special operatives Valerian and Laureline are brought in to identify the menace and find a way to save Alpha and the future of the universe.
#15 Killer Elite (2011)
The 2011 release is a crime thriller directed by Gary McKendry. It is about a killer for hire who is forced to take action after his mentor is taken captive by a disgraced Arab Sheik. His objective is to take down three members of Britain’s elite Special Air Service who are responsible for his sons’ deaths.
#16 Closer (2004)
If a combination of drama and romance is what you’re after, this award-winning film is a must. It features A-listers Natalie Portman, Julia Roberts, Jude Law, and Clive Owen. The film tells the tale of infidelity linking two couples, Anna and Larry and Dan and Alice. Dan and Larry’s affairs lead to broken relations. This film is a must-watch with several awards and nominations, including various Golden Globe wins.
#17 Sin City (2005)
Sin City is a film directed by Quentin Tarantino and Frank Miller. It’s based on a comic book and has a crime thriller feel. Prepare to enter the dark and dreary town of Basin City. Here, you learn more about three different people and their tragic tales. It’s a visual delight with its epic noir crime story style cinematics, and Owen gives a great performance.
Some other popular movie titles starring Clive Owen include Beyond Borders, The Hire: Beat the Devil, Close My Eyes, The Boys are Back, Green Fingers and Gemini Man. You can also give them a chance if you’ve already seen all of the 17 movies, starring Clive Owen.
Sin City was directed by Robert Rodriguez, not Quentin Tarantino.