Alexander Payne - All His Films Ranked

Short Biography:

Alexander Payne (born February 10, 1961) is an American film director, screenwriter and producer.

He is best known for the films Citizen Ruth (1996), Election (1999), About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011), Nebraska (2013) and Downsizing (2017). He is noted for his dark humor and satirical depictions of contemporary American society.

Payne is a two-time winner of the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and a three-time nominee of the Academy Award for Best Director. In 2017, Metacritic ranked Payne 2nd on its list of the 25 best film directors of the 21st century.

Here is a rundown of his movies, with the score based on the average from IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes (public votes only) and Letterboxd, from lowest ranked to highest:

Number of Qualifying Films:

Career Average Rating:

7.39

Total Career Box Office:

Total Combined Budgets:

Total Career Profit or [Loss]:

Average Career Return on Every $1 Spent:

8 – Downsizing (2017)

IMDb:

5.7

RT Users:

2.3

Letterboxd:

4.74

4.25

Comedy, Drama, Science Fiction

Top Billed Cast:

Matt Damon, Hong Chau, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig, Rolf Lassgård

SYNOPSIS:

Mild-mannered therapist Paul Safranek and his wife, Audrey, decide to undergo a process in which scientists shrink people down to miniature size to live in small communities. The irreversible procedure allows the people to gain wealth and a life of leisure while helping to cut down on the consumption of natural resources. As Paul gets to know his new neighbors and surroundings, he soon learns that living in a tiny suburb comes with its own set of huge problems.

7 – The Passion of Martin (1991)

IMDb:

6.5

RT Users:

4.0

Letterboxd:

6.46

5.65

Comedy

Top Billed Cast:

Charley Hayward, Holgie Forrester, Lauren Tuerk, Lisa Zane

SYNOPSIS:

A lonely photographer gradually develops a rather unhealthy obsession with a young woman he once met by sheer chance. A lonely photographer gradually develops a rather unhealthy obsession with a young woman he once met by sheer chance.

6 – Citizen Ruth (1996)

IMDb:

7.0

RT Users:

7.3

Letterboxd:

7.22

7.17

Comedy, Drama

Top Billed Cast:

Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Kurtwood Smith, Mary Kay Place, Kelly Preston

SYNOPSIS:

“Citizen Ruth” is the story of Ruth Stoops (Laura Dern), a woman who nobody even noticed — until she got pregnant. Now, everyone wants a piece of her. The film is a comedy about one woman caught in the ultimate tug-of-war: a clash of wild, noisy, ridiculous people that rapidly dissolves into a media circus.

5 – About Schmidt (2002)

IMDb:

7.2

RT Users:

7.4

Letterboxd:

7.50

7.37

Comedy, Drama

Top Billed Cast:

Jack Nicholson, Kathy Bates, Hope Davis, Dermot Mulroney, June Squibb

SYNOPSIS:

Warren Schmidt, a quiet ex-insurance actuary, is unhappily married to Helen and brooding over the forthcoming wedding of his daughter Jeannie to Randall Hertzel. When Helen suddenly dies and he finds love letters to her from his best friend, he is inspired to try and stop the wedding, but standing in his way is Randall’s feisty mother, and slowly, he realises he must make the most of his remaining life.

4 – The Descendants (2011)

IMDb:

7.3

RT Users:

7.9

Letterboxd:

7.02

7.41

Comedy, Drama

Top Billed Cast:

George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Beau Bridges, Robert Forster, Judy Greer, Matthew Lillard

SYNOPSIS:

Native islander Matt King (George Clooney) lives with his family in Hawaii. Their world shatters when a tragic accident leaves his wife in a coma. Not only must Matt struggle with the stipulation in his wife’s will that she be allowed to die with dignity, but he also faces pressure from relatives to sell their family’s enormous land trust. Angry and terrified at the same time, Matt tries to be a good father to his young daughters, as they too try to cope with their mother’s possible death.

3 – Election (1999)

IMDb:

7.3

RT Users:

7.9

Letterboxd:

7.52

7.57

Comedy, Romance

Top Billed Cast:

Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark Harelik, Phil Reeves

SYNOPSIS:

Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), a well-liked high school government teacher, can’t help but notice that successful student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) uses less than ethical tactics to get what she wants. When Tracy runs for school president, Jim feels that she will be a poor influence on the student body and convinces Paul, a dim-witted but popular student athlete, to run against Tracy. When she becomes aware of Jim’s secret involvement in the race, a bitter feud is sparked.

2 – Sideways (2004)

IMDb:

7.5

RT Users:

7.9

Letterboxd:

7.34

7.58

Comedy, Drama, Romance

Top Billed Cast:

Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh, Marylouise Burke,

SYNOPSIS:

Struggling writer and wine enthusiast Miles (Paul Giamatti) takes his engaged friend, Jack (Thomas Haden Church), on a trip to wine country for a last single-guy bonding experience. While Miles wants to relax and enjoy the wine, Jack is in search of a fling before his wedding. Soon Jack is sleeping with Stephanie (Sandra Oh), while her friend Maya (Virginia Madsen) connects with Miles. When Miles lets slip that Jack is getting married, both women are furious, sending the trip into disarray.

1 – Nebraska (2013)

IMDb:

7.7

RT Users:

8.3

Letterboxd:

7.66

7.89

Adventure, Drama

Top Billed Cast:

Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk, Stacy Keach, Mary Louise Wilson

SYNOPSIS:

Cantankerous old buzzard Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) can barely walk down the street of his home in Billings, Mont., without stopping for a drink. So when Woody receives receives a sweepstakes notice in the mail and insists on making a 750-mile trip to Lincoln, Neb., to collect his prize, it falls to baffled son David (Will Forte) to accompany him. During a stop in their Nebraska hometown, word gets out about Woody’s fortune, first making him a hero, then later, the target of predatory people.

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Alexander Payne - All His Films Ranked

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