Since transitioning from TV to movies, Will Smith has become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, with the catalog to back up his status. Smith first rose to prominence as the star ofThe Fresh Prince of Bel Air.Not many TV actors can move on to films so easily, but Smith clearly had the talent, the charisma and the pure intangible star power. Throughout the 1990s, he starred in a string of huge box office hits.
Although Smith was initially seen as a comedic actor, with movies likeBad BoysandMen in Black, he has shown a more impressive range. With three Oscar nominations to his name, Smith has proven his chops in biopics, action movies and traditional dramas. This means that his best movies show many sides to his acting talents, and they span from the early 1990s to the here and now.
The 8 Movies That Defined Will Smith’s Career
Will Smith has been at the top of the Hollywood A-List for decades, but the movies that got him there were varied as his career progressed.
Hitchis very much a product of its time, fitting neatly alongside other New York-based romcoms of the 2000s likeHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,27 DressesandThe Proposal.In this way, it may seem a little formulaic, but the formula works well, and it allows its actors to shine. InHitch’s case, these stars are Will Smith, Kevin James and Eva Mendes. Smith’s dynamic with Mendes provides the romantic drama, whilehis chemistry with James delivers many of the movie’s funniest moments.
Like all 2000s romcoms with a quirky conceit,Hitchuses its unusual premise to look at love and relationships from a different angle. It manages to carve out some surprisingly heartwarming moments as it does so. The main romantic relationship hits all the beats that a romcom should, butHitchis even better when it focuses on the unlikely friendship between Smith’s suave love doctor and James’ hopeless, hapless romantic.Hitchis fluff, but it’s the best kind of fluff.
Stepping into the shoes of Robin Williams would be a daunting task for any comedian, especially for one of Williams’ most iconic roles. Will Smith is one of very few actors with the charisma and the general appeal to pull it off, as he does in the live-action remake ofAladdin.Smith makes the character his own, although he has the same sense of freewheeling creativity with a dash of mischief.
Disney’s live-action remakeshave been a decidedly mixed bag so far. The very idea of reaching back and reviving the studio’s most popular classics has been seen as a cash grab by many, but movies likeThe Jungle BookandCruellaprove that it can be done tactfully.Aladdinisn’t among the very best remakes, but its musical numbers are gloriously creative, and it updates the story in a few important ways.
TheBad Boysfranchise has produced some ofWill Smith’s best sequels, butthere’s still an undeniable charm to the original. While Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah have done a great job restarting the franchise with the same humor and gun-toting action, Michael Bay’s mastery of chaotic action means thatBad Boysis still considered the franchise’s best effort by many. It certainly isn’t as popular among critics asBad Boys For LifeorRide or Die, but this hardly matters.
Bad Boysis a fairly typical buddy cop comedy in many ways. While it doesn’t do much to push beyond the boundaries of the genre, it shows an awareness that these types of movies live and die by the chemistry between their two stars. In this regard,Bad Boysis impeccable, as Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are the perfect on-screen odd couple.With Michael Bay’s dizzying assault of explosive action and some perfectly-placed one-liners,Bad Boysticks all the boxes.
Enemy of the Stateis a political thriller about a lawyer who inadvertently comes into possession of a tape which links a murder to a group of corrupt NSA agents. Will Smith stars as the lawyer, injecting some humorous quips into proceedings wheneverEnemy of the Statethreatens to get too technical and complex.He’s also a great dramatic lead, as his character is hounded by the full force of the United States government.
A lot of the action inEnemy of the Stateis seen through surveillance footage, satellite imagery and anything else the NSA can use to track the movements of their target. While some of these specific technologies haven’t aged well, especially when they look like a sci-fi fantasy, the idea of government surveillance is as prevalent as ever.Enemy of the Statehas elements of horror mixed in with the action, as the ever-watchful eye of the state hovers over proceedings.
The Pursuit of Happynessstars Will Smith alongside his son Jaden, although it fared much better with critics thanAfter Earth.Smith stars as a father struggling to provide for his child. It’s a simple premise, but the script is so strong that it remains compelling throughout. Of course,the other great strength is Smith’s emotionally raw performance. He shows the desperate vulnerability of love and parenthood, as well as the sheer human joy of it all.
Critics ofThe Pursuit of Happynesshave often pointed to a perceived saccharine quality, butit takes a hard heart indeed to brush aside the relatable nature of the story.Mixed in with the story of triumphing against the odds, there are some devastating subtextual lamentations about the rank inequality of the system. Smith’s Oscar-nominated performance adds this anger to the sadness, desperation and exuberance of love.
Will Smith captures shades of Tom Ripley inSix Degrees of Separation,as he plays a charming young con man who gradually attaches himself to a wealthy family and starts bleeding them dry.Six Degrees of Separationwas one of Smith’s earliest movies, and his first starring role. It offered him the chance to put a wry spin on his character fromThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,as an outsider who shakes up the dynamic of a well-off family.
Six Degrees of Separationis both funny and intriguing, as the mystery of Paul’s identity is gradually fitted together like a puzzle. Amazingly,most of the story is based on a real-life case, down to the detail that the young man claimed to be the son of Sidney Poitier. This strange criminal case could be much more dramatic, butSix Degrees of Separationalways maintains its sense of humor. The culture clash angle is a rich vein of comedy.
Will Smith’s first Oscar nomination was a product of his collaboration with Michael Mann.Aliis a powerful biopic that tells the story of Muhammad Ali’s blistering career alongside the backdrop of American societal upheaval in the 1960s and 1970s. Ali was always more than just an athlete, especially as he spoke out against the Vietnam War and advocated for civil rights in the United States. A suitable biopic could only work by focusing on what he represented outside the ring too.
Aliis aclassic boxing movie, partly because the true story of Ali’s life has provided the framework for so many other sports dramas. Smith captures the essence of Ali as a public figure and a wonderful entertainer playing it up for the cameras, but Mann also investigates the man behind the myth in his private moments.The boxing scenes are remarkable, as Mann brings the audience inside the ring to experience the atmosphere.
Will Smith experienced an uneven decade in the 2010s, but he put that behind him withKing Richard, andit finally scored him his long-awaited first Oscar winwith his third nomination. Any discussion of this award will likely be tainted by the infamous slapping incident at the ceremony, but Smith’s performance certainly shouldn’t be overlooked. After years of struggling to transition from younger roles,King Richardcould announce the next chapter of Smith’s career.
Smith plays Richard Williams, the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena. However, they are yet to be legends inKing Richard.The story focuses on their childhood, and the lengths their father goes to in order to assure they have the access and opportunities they need in a historically white sport.King Richardsticks to the true storyfor the most part, from the excessive training regime to Richard’s rough background.
Independence Dayis a near-perfect summer blockbuster, providing jaw-dropping action, crowdpleasing humor and a sense of the spectacular. Will Smith solidified his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars with his performance as a Marine pilot who fights off an alien invasion, and he’s surrounded by a brilliant ensemble cast which includes Jeff Goldblum and Bill Pullman. It’s sheer popcorn entertainment from start to finish, and it’s no surprise that it was a box office smash.
Some people may get cynical over the state of big-budget blockbusters, but original movies likeIndependence Dayprove that they can be an art. Anchored by a simple premise that can indulge a human need for togetherness and triumph,Independence Dayleads its audience into battle. Some critics have taken issue with the thin characterizations and the simplistic plot. Indeed,it’s easy to criticizeIndependence Day,but it will never be referred to as boring.
Will Smith’s early career was defined by his comedies, andMen in Blackstands out as the most original, the funniest and the most emotionally resonant. Although he and Tommy Lee Jones play two government agents who keep New York City’s extraterrestrials in line,Men in Blackis essentially a buddy cop movie. The mismatched dynamic of the grizzled veteran and the cocky rookie is textbook for the genre, but rarely has it been done with such tenderness.
Smith helps himself to most ofMen in Black’s funniest quotes, with Jones content to raise the occasional eyebrow as his more stoic partner. For all the giant bugs, miniature galaxies and invading warships, the relationship between the two main characters is what really givesMen in Blackits momentum. The bittersweet ending has been tainted somewhat by the sequels, but the originalMen in Blackremains a beautiful sci-fi comedy worth rewatching over and over again.
