Mark Wahlberg first broke out in the early ’90s as a rapper and member of the hip hop groupMarky Mark and the Funky Bunch, before foraying into Hollywood and earning fame as a consistently versatile actor. Over nearly three decades in the business, Wahlberg has tapped almost every genre and subgenre; he has played a brash action hero and a thoughtful family man to entertain audiences around the world.
More recently, the actor has also transitioned to streaming content. Projects like Spenser Confidential and The Union prove that the actor is capable of anchoring movies aimed at a new generation of viewers as well. That said, Wahlberg’s filmography is filled with movies that have become classics in their own right. Like Boogie Nights and Ted, which are movies we keep returning to over and over again.
Whether you are looking for a lighthearted comedy to lift your mood or an intense war drama to get that adrenaline pumping, Wahlberg most likely has a role for you to get to. This is why his movies are endlessly rewatchable. This list is a countdown of 10 of Mark Wahlberg’s most rewatchable movies.
10 The Fighter (2010)
In The Fighter, Mark Wahlberg plays Mickey Ward, a talented but struggling boxer, who is trying to step out of the shadow of older brother, Dicky Eklund, who happens to be a former boxer and his current coach. Dicky, who has plunged into a life of addiction and crime, along with their mother, manages Mickey’s career. When things don’t go as planned, Mickey cuts ties with his family and accepts a challenging opportunity, which eventually leads to the family redeeming itself.
Rewatchable for its Flawless Acting
All the performances alone make this movie eminently rewatchable. To elaborate, Christian Bale disappears fully into the role of the unhinged Dicky, Melissa Leo offers her career-best turn as the aggressive matriarch, and Amy Adams steals scenes by breaking from type as Ward’s girlfriend. They all won nods from the Academy for their roles.
And while Wahlberg didn’t get the award-season spotlight, his understated, yet emotionally impactful turn as Mickey anchored the piece until the very end, where his outburst about not being as important offered an authentic look at the pressure and dysfunction that comes with his title.
9 Ted (2012)
Seth MacFarlane’s feature-length directorial debut, Ted, is a bizarre and hilarious fantasy comedy that follows John Bennett, a Boston native who got his dearest wish fulfilled when he was a young boy – his teddy bear, Ted, magically came to life. Now grown, the immature but kind-natured Ted still lives with John and they share a good time. However, when Lori, a potential love interest of John’s, hints that she wants a future with him, John must make a tough choice.
The Funniest Buddy-Comedy of the Decade
MacFarlane is known for his work in the comedy genre on television just as Wahlberg is beloved for bringing the most heartwarming characters to life with his innate ability to surround himself with an atmosphere of comfort and joy. Though raunchy and R-rated, Ted gives off the same vibe by mining the best out of the duo.
Wahlberg is perfectly cast as the exasperated guy next to a scene-stealing Ted, whose crass one-liners and pop culture references are quotable to this day. Rewatching just to catch up on the jokes is worth it.
8 Instant Family (2018)
A family comedy drama, Instant Family revolves around Pete and Ellie, a married couple that decides to add to their family by becoming foster parents. Eager to embark on this new phase in life, they join a network of foster care and end up raising three children, a teenager named Lizzie, and her two younger siblings, 11-year-old Juan and 6-year-old Lita. As they struggle to gain the kids’ trust, they learn as much from the experience as the children learn from them.
A Feel-Good Story Filled with Surprises
Sometimes, all you need is a feel-good story with a little bit of drama and a happy ending to finish your day. Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne are brilliant as Pete and Ellie; they deliver genuinely moving performances as the overwhelmed but devoted foster parents. The movie also tackles themes of trauma and loss, and it does so through a poignant and relatable lens. Directed by Sean Anders, Instant Family creates an effortless balance between comedy and emotion.
7 Pain & Gain (2013)
Directed by Michael Bay and also starring Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie, Pain & Gain is a dark comedy crime thriller that tells the story of ex-con and bodybuilder Daniel Lugo, who is so unsatisfied with his life and obsessed with the American Dream that he recruits his colleagues, Adrian and Paul, and decides to kidnap a wealthy Miami client with hopes of extorting money from him. But the trio’s sloppy and foolish plan goes awry and things spiral out of control.
Over-the-Top Characters and Disturbing Humor
Absurd, funny, and slightly inappropriate, Pain & Gain is loosely based on the real-life activities of the Sun Gym gang, which was involved in a series of crimes and kidnappings in Miami during the late 1990s.
Wahlberg, known for his incredible comedic talent, commits fully to his unhinged role as Daniel. From the moment he bursts onto the screen with the words, “My name is Daniel Lugo and I believe in fitness,” to when his epic get-rich-quick scheme goes on a downward spiral, the movie, in classic Bay fashion, is entertaining, stylized, over-the-top, and endlessly rewatchable.
6 Four Brothers (2005)
Four Brothers is John Singleton’s action-packed crime drama. Wahlberg leads an ensemble as the hot-tempered Bobby, who, following the mother of their adoptive mother, reunites with his three brothers – construction worker Jeremiah, former US Marine, Angel, and aspiring rock musician Jack. Back in Detroit and dealing with their own demons, the siblings hatch a plan to hunt down their mother’s killer while evading the police.
An Urban Crime Classic
Singleton inspires career-best work from a star-studded cast that includes Tyrese Gibson, André Benjamin, and Garrett Hedlund. Each of their characters have a painful backstory and complex motivations that hit home. Wahlberg anchors as the edgy lifelong criminal. For fans of the action genre, there are plenty of high-octane action scenes, and for fans of drama, the movie explores raw family dynamics between the brothers.
5 I Heart Huckabees (2004)
It’s not very often that a supporting character steals enough spotlight to make the movie their own by delivering an unforgettable performance. In I Heart Huckabees, an existential comedy starring Jason Schwartzman, Dustin Hoffman, Naomi Watts, and Jude Law, Wahlberg plays the role of a conspiracy theorist. The premise centers around an environmentalist named Albert who wants to understand how coincidences work so he hires two “existential detectives.”
Dramatic Enough to Give Fans an Existential Crisis
Co-written and directed by David O. Russell, I Heart Huckabees is an indie black comedy that explores series themes of existentialism and the absurdity of modern life through a silly lens. Every rewatch reveals new meaning and provokes thought. Even though the stars of the movie are Hoffman and Schwartzman, Wahlberg’s character allows fans to look at his many layers of comedy and meaning when it comes to playing quirky side characters.
4 Lone Survivor (2013)
Mark Wahlberg has starred in a bunch of true-life-inspired projects, but none of them are as glorious, authentic, and intense as Lone Survivor. The war drama starts off as an ensemble piece, but the focus soon shifts upon Wahlberg’s character, Marcus Luttrell, who is leading a team of three Navy SEALs on a counterinsurgency assignment in Afghanistan.
After the group’s location is compromised, they find themselves stranded and heavily outnumbered by Taliban, and the firefight results in Luttrell being the only survivor.
Wahlberg’s Emotionally Grounded Military Man Role
For a movie as action-packed, you’d think the rewatch value would be relatively low. But under the direction of Peter Berg, Lone Survivor becomes a cinematic lore that’s hard to forget. The practical effects and tense atmosphere raise the stakes and viewers are immediately transported into a chaotic and ferocious battle.
With Wahlberg in the lead, Berg also manages to find tender moments where you root for his character to make it out. Wahlberg won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor in an Action Movie for Lone Survivor.
3 Boogie Nights (1997)
A seminal period drama from Paul Thomas Anderson, who wrote, directed, and co-produced the movie, Boogie Nights follows teenager Eddie Adams, who works at a nightclub as a dishwasher but dreams of stardom. A chance encounter with port director Jack Horner leads him to San Fernando Valley, where Eddie takes the screen name Dirk Diggler and quickly rises to fame as a porn star. But his new lifestyle threatens his well-being, and he gets addicted to drugs.
Mark Wahlberg’s Career-Defining Performance
In one of his earliest and most compelling roles, Wahlberg shocked audiences with his fully committed transformation. His charm and vulnerability were on point as he anchored PTA’s drama and explored an industry during a time of radical change. The expert direction added depth to the story, which took hilarious turns when needed, and eventually made comments on the American Dream.
Boogie Nights also stars Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds, Don Cheadle, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy, and Heather Graham.
2 The Departed (2006)
Martin Scorsese’s crime thriller is set in Boston. It depicts two individuals, Colin Sullivan and Billy Costigan, who are both tasked with infiltrating the opposite sides of the law.
Sullivan is a spy within the Massachusetts State Police, working under Irish Mob boss Frank Costello, and Costigan is a state trooper assigned by the police to go undercover as a member of Costello’s mob crew and attempt to take it down from within. As allegiances shift and secrets are revealed, the tension escalates towards an explosive finale.
Scorsese’s Direction Adds to the Rewatch Value
As usual, Scorsese’s remarkable direction had audiences on the edge of their seats right from the opening scene to the shocking finale. The intricacies of the plot and gripping surprises feel fresh even upon rewatching because new details come to light with every viewing.
The Departed features a stellar ensemble led by Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson. What’s interesting is neither of the three got as much recognition at the Academy Awards as Mark Wahlberg (nominated for Best Supporting Actor), who played a supporting character, Sergeant Dignam, responsible for executing Damon’s Sullivan in the climax. His subtle yet duplicitous performance was integral to the plot.
1 The Other Guys (2010)
In The Other Guys, we follow Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz, both officers at the New York City Police Department, who are simply not… badass. Allen is a mild-mannered man who’s happy to have a job, while Terry is a hot-tempered detective who ended up as a partner to Allen after making a mistake on the job. When they are forced to take down the city’s biggest and shadiest drug lord, they must use their wit and finally prove their worth.
Ferrell and Wahlberg Are a Dynamic Duo
When it comes to the buddy cop genre, few actors simply stand out. Directed by Adam McKay in his fifth collaboration with Will Ferrell, the movie is brilliant, hilarious, and improvised in several places.
While Ferrell is accustomed to showcasing his knack for satire, it is Wahlberg who surprises all by standing his own against Ferrell as a detective equipped with sharp one-liners, incredible comedic chops, and a bunch of really well-orchestrated action scenes. A rewatch is simply mandatory.
