100 Robert De Niro Movies & TV Shows, Ranked Best to Worst

Both a prequel and a sequel to the widely acclaimed crime film The Godfather, it continues the story of Michael Corleone as he survives several misfortunes while expanding the family business, and puts it in contrast to the early struggles of his father, Vito Corleone, recording his introduction into a life of crime.

Deemed ‘one of the greatest films ever made’ and winner of numerous awards, Goodfellas is a crime movie adapted from the 1985 non-fiction book Wiseguy by crime reporter Nicholas Pileggi. The film follows the rise and fall of the real life American mobster Henry Hill who eventually became an informant. 

Based on Nicholas Pileggi’s book Casino: Love and Honor in Las Vegas, the movie follows the rise of mobster Sam “Ace” Rothstein after he takes charge of Las Vegas’ Tangiers Casino. Complicated personal relationships, corrupt politicians and the ever-changing Las Vegas eventually leads to his fall. 

Depressed and insomniac ex-Marine Travis Bickle drives taxi in New York City at night. He ruins his budding romance with Betsy, beautiful presidential campaign volunteer, by taking her to the adult theaters he frequents during the day. After he witnesses an adolescent prostitute being forced by her pimp, he is determined to rid mankind of the engulfing decadence.

Backdraft is an American action thriller which tells the story of two brothers who work as firefighters, but don’t get along with each other. However, when they discover that a dangerous arsonist is on the loose, they work together to bring him down. 

One of the greatest movies ever made, the tragic story revolves around the three friends Mike Vronsky, Steven Pushkov, and Nick Chevotarevich from Pennsylvania. Once they join the war in Vietnam, the movie exposes the senseless horrors of the war. It also reveals the trauma and PTSD that the war left behind for the surviving soldiers. 

Based on the real story of Jake LaMotta, a middleweight boxer, the film details how his paranoia, jealousy and sexual insecurity drive his rage on the ring as he eyes the middleweight championship. However, the same rage burns his relationships with his wife and his brother cum manager, destroying his career and his personal life.

When bounty hunter, Jack Walsh, is hired by bail bondsman Eddie to bring back mob accountant Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas to Los Angeles, he is told that the job will be as easy as a midnight run. No doubt, he captures Duke in New York City; but by then both FBI and the mob are anxious to have him in their hand first. 

A thief pulling off one last heist, and a cop hell-bent on catching him; Heat has all the elements of a successful crime drama, complete with an all-star cast. How this game of cat and mouse plays out forms the crux of the movie, with plenty of action and drama to satisfy every viewer.

In The Bronx of 1960s, 9-year-old Calogero has a conflicted upbringing torn between his honest father, bus driver Lorenzo, and local mob boss Sonny, who he is fascinated with. Despite Sonny's warnings about the dangers of gangster life, Calogero grows up to be a part of an Italian-American boy-gang, but again becomes conflicted after falling for an African-American girl.

Max Cady, who served 14 years in jail for raping and brutalizing a young woman, believes that his defense attorney Sam Bowden deliberately withheld crucial evidence that would have lightened his sentence. He studied law and sculpted his body while in jail, and is now hell-bent on taking revenge by terrorizing the Bowden family.

The Prohibition era Chicago is replete with corruption and the gangland kingpin Al Capone has the city under his control. When Federal Agent Eliot Ness is assigned to put an end to Capone’s illegal activities, he forms a team of uncorrupted men and soon finds a way to bring the gangster down.

Through flashbacks, the film chronicles four decades of the life of David 'Noodles' Aaronson, who survived growing up in a rough Jewish neighborhood in New York with his partners Max, Cockeye and Patsy, became a feared mafia during the Prohibition era, and finally returned years later from self-imposed exile to learn a vital truth about his past.

Irish woman Deirdre puts together a 'Ronin' team, comprised of outcast specialists working as mercenaries, to steal a large briefcase from a man before he sells it to the Russians. However, after the mission is successfully completed, one team member steals the case to sell it for his own profit, starting a wild goose chase among his teammates.

Based on the famous DC comics supervillain, this Oscar-winning psychological thriller crime drama film revolves around Arthur Fleck, who works as a party clown, but aspires to be a stand-up comedian. Although he is going through mental trauma, and living an impoverished life with his mother, he is mistreated by society. Eventually, he decides to accept a life of crime and chaos, and takes on a new persona.  

The Irishman is a crime drama film which revolves around a truck driver named Frank Sheeran, who becomes part of the Bufalino crime family. Over time, he climbs the ranks to become a top hitman.

The Score centres around an expert thief who is about to hang up his boots when his aide offers him a job with a huge payout that he must accomplish with the help of a young thief. Robert DeNiro, Marlon Brando and Edward Norton star in this film that offers many thrilling moments as the two thieves attempt to steal a French sceptre. 

Ben Sobel is a psychiatrist about to get remarried whose wish to get a challenging patient is granted when mob boss Paul Vitti visits him after having frequent emotional breakdowns. Ben is soon contacted by the FBI and gets his wedding ceremony interrupted by his new patient, who needs to fix his problem within two weeks.

Based on an eponymous book, Awakenings is the story of Dr. Malcolm Sayer and his miraculous discovery of a drug that seems to awaken patients from their catatonic state, including Leonard Lowe. But in a twist of fate, the effects of the drug are temporary leading to an altercation between Sayer, played by Robin Williams, and Lowe, portrayed by Robert De Niro.

First of the Meet the Parents trilogy, this comedy film revolves around Greg Focker, a male nurse, who decides to first meet girlfriend Pam’s parents before asking her to marry. However, Pam’s ex-CIA father makes no attempt to hide his dislike for Focker. His futile endeavors to impress only end up in disasters, reducing his chances of winning over the family.  

Inspired by true events, the film chronicles the journey of Carl Brashear, the son of a sharecropper, who joins the recently desegregated US Navy to become the first African American master diver. However, he has to overcome his lack of education and battle against his embittered trainer, Billy Sunday, who has been ordered to ensure that Brashear fails.

The Mission is a 1986 British period drama which revolves around a Jesuit missionary in 18th century South America, who attempts to protect a remote South American tribe in danger of falling under the rule of pro-slavery Portugal.

To make ends meet, a flight attendant working for a Mexican airline smuggles money into the United States for a weapons dealer and soon finds herself on the wrong side of the law. This crime film by Quentin Tarantino is adapted from the 1992 novel Rum Punch.

Gil Renard, a salesman of hunting knives and passionate fan of baseball star Bobby Rayburn, is happy when Rayburn joins his city’s team, San Francisco Giants. When Renard loses his job and consequently his family, he becomes even more obsessed with Rayburn. As Rayburn’s game performance declines, a restless Renard decides to help him, but ends up taking things to the extreme. 

Corrupt NYPD police officers under Lt. Ray Donlan are running free in Garrison, New Jersey when Internal Affairs investigator, Lt. Moe Tilden, arrives to investigate. He approaches local sheriff, Freddy Heflin,who is reluctant to help. But Heflin is forced to go up against Donlan’s team when Donlan’s nephew, Officer Babitch, kills two African-American teenagers. 

70 years old Ben Whittaker becomes an intern in the fast-growing fashion company. While initially skeptical about him, the company’s young CEO Jules Ostin is won over by his charm and dedication along with her co-workers. Ben not only becomes her friend but his wisdom helps her deal with her personal issues. 

NYPD detectives, David Fisk and Thomas Cowan, partners for 30 years, are investigating murders of suspected criminals who escaped sentence. A pair of young detectives being assigned to the same case creates tensions between the two teams. As the serial killer is doing what the police can’t do within the law-boundaries, Fisk and Cowan wonder whether the killer is one amongst them? 

Falling in Love is an American romantic drama film which tells the story of Frank and Molly, who get close to each other, after meeting each other during Christmas. Although they are both married, they feel a strange connection to one another.

Young Italian-American, Charlie Cappa, is torn between his devout Catholicism and his illegal work for his Mafioso uncle Giovanni, in Little Italy, New York. When his young friend, Johnny Boy, ends up in trouble with loan sharks, Charlie, Johnny, and Charlie’s girlfriend, Teresa, try to leave the town but Johnny’s enemies catch up with them. 

After making a deal under the FBI witness protection program to snitch on his old mafia associates, mobster Giovanni Manzoni is relocated to a quiet town of France with his wife Maggie, daughter Belle and son Warren. However, they do a poor job of masking their former "family" ways and draw the attention of vengeful mafia bosses.

This Boy’s Life is an American coming-of-age drama film, which takes us  to the 1950s. It tells the story of a rebellious teenager Toby and his abusive stepfather Dwight. Dwight believes that the best way to discipline his troubled stepson is violence. However, as his abuse intensifies, Toby plans an escape. 

A sequel to Meet the Parents, the movie sets up the meeting between the Byrnes family and Greg Focker’s parents, Bernie and Roz Focker. The polar opposite lifestyle of the parents almost tears the happy couple of Greg and Pam apart until they find their way back to each other through humorous situations. 

Friends, Lorenzo ‘Shakes’ Carcaterra, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan, and John Reilly are sentenced to Wilkinson Home for Boys. There they are systematically abused by the prison guards. On release, John and Tommy, become career criminals and kill one of the guards. Michael and Shakes conspire to bring all the abusers to justice and free their friends.  

Private investigator, Harry Angel, is hired by Louis Cyphre to track down a crooner professionally known as Johnny Favorite. Eventually his enquiries lead him to New Orleans, where he learns that Favorite was involved in black magic. But surprisingly everybody he meets in the course of the investigation encounters a tragic death.

Henry Wiggen and Bruce Pearson are playing for the New York Mammoths Major League Baseball team. During the off-season, Bruce gets diagnosed with a terminal case of Hodgkin’s disease. The only teammate who knows about it is Author, and he is not willing to tell anyone. Meanwhile, Bruce also has to deal with his opportunistic girlfriend Katie.

Walt is a former security guard, who must begin physical therapy after his hospital stay. His recovery program also includes speech therapy, by taking singing lessons, and he is paired with Rusty, a vocal instructor, who is also his neighbor. But Rusty is gay and since Walt is extremely conservative, their relationship becomes uneasy.

Pat Solitano is now living with his parents after spending eight months in a mental hospital to treat bipolar disorder for beating his wife's lover. As he attempts to get his wife back, he meets his friend's widowed sister-in-law Tiffany, a mysterious woman with her own problems, who offers to help him for a favor.

Eddie Morra, a struggling writer rejected by his girlfriend, is introduced to an experimental drug that enhances mental capacity greatly. He is able to write again and makes a large profit with successful investments. He is hired by a powerful tycoon aiming to profit off his skills, but experiences side-effects of withdrawal as supply of the pill dwindles.

Rupert Pupkin, an aspiring comedian who has never performed for a real audience, is obsessed with the idea of being a celebrity like his idol, talk-show host Jerry Langford. After a brief exchange with Langford, Rupert assumes that now he’ll get his big chance. When he fails to reach Langford, Rupert decides to kidnap him to gain a break in his show.

Vincent Lamarca is a respected New York homicide detective whose son becomes the prime suspect in a murder case. During the course of his investigation, he realizes that his failure as a father has influenced his son’s life negatively.

A fictionalized retelling of the birth of the CIA, the movie revolves around the life of CIA officer Edward Wilson.  While his methods become popular in the CIA, he has to contend with KGB agents and double-agents. Unfortunately, his dedication to duty will test his dedication to his family. 

Retired mercenary Danny Bryce is forced to complete a failed mission of his mentor, Hunter, after the latter is taken captive by his employer, an ailing sheikh. Along with his former associates, he must take out three former SAS troopers, who killed three eldest sons of the sheikh, while recording their confessions and making their deaths look like accident.

Jim and Ned are two convicts who manage to escape from prison along with a killer. They decide to head north towards the Canadian border, but they are soon mistaken for priests. They play along and take up residency at a monastery, but things get complicated when Ned falls for Molly, a local girl.  

Rev. Desmond Spellacy is a young and ambitious Roman Catholic clergyman in Los Angeles, whose older brother Tom is a homicide detective working with the Los Angeles Police Department. Although they are fond of one another, they hardly spend any time together. They are brought together after many years, when a young prostitute gets murdered. 

Two eastern European ex convicts arrive in New York City to collect their share of spoils from a past heist. On being refused, one of them kills their old partner, while the other shoots the whole incident with a stolen video camera.  Before any step can be taken, an escort is murdered in the same manner.  Will the assigning officers be able to solve the case? 

During a hunting trip in the Appalachians, two Bosnian war veterans, NATO operative Benjamin Ford and Serbian soldier Emil Kovac, meet and befriend each other. Then Kovac reveals his identity, the reason for seeking out Ford and his intensions of avenging the executions by American troops during the Bosnian war. What ensues is a cat-and-mouse game between the two amidst the wilderness.

Two men attempt to rob a gangster’s casino, as one of them is in urgent need of money to pay for his daughter’s medical bills. However, their plan fails and they are forced to hijack a city bus in order to escape the police.

A recently widowed father is disappointed that each of his four adult children has canceled their plan to visit him at the last moment. To make it up, he goes on a cross country trip, visiting each of them. But at each place, he finds something is amiss and they are not telling him the truth.  

A sex scandal that is about to expose the president at an inopportune time of pre-election period jeopardizes the president’s chances of being re-elected. Political consultant, Conrad Brean, and Hollywood producer, Stanley Motss, are appointed to contrive a war in Albania to divert the media attention away from the scandal and towards the fake war that projects the president as a hero. 

Fearful of the mental condition of the mobster Paul Vitti, incarcerated at Sing Song Prison, the authorities decide to release him in the custody of his psychiatrist Ben Sobel. Although initially reluctant to take up the responsibility, Sobel finally takes him home and on his advice Paul finds a series of regular jobs, none of which lasts long. His old gang is also after him.  

Nick Flynn is an aspiring writer who works at a homeless shelter. He soon learns that his estranged father, with whom he doesn’t share a good relationship with, is staying at the shelter. His father had left his mother earlier, which led to her suicide, for which Nick still hasn’t forgiven him. His father causes trouble at the shelter, and also gets into an argument with him, and Nick eventually thinks of getting him thrown out.

When Marvin suffers a stroke, one of his daughters Bessie, starts caring for him, while the other daughter Lee, moves away to Ohio with her husband. However, twenty years later, when Bessie learns that she is suffering from leukemia and requires a bone marrow transplant, Lee decides to travel back home.

Aging friends Billy, Paddy, Archie, and Sam decide to go to Las Vegas for Billy’s bachelor party, who is marrying someone much younger. But Paddy and Billy have unresolved issues over Sophie, Paddy’s recently departed wife. The four friends soon realize that the years have not only changed Las Vegas but also their friendship. 

An aspiring young saxophonist falls for a singer and the two start a relationship. However, it becomes difficult for them to try to excel in their careers, and maintain their relationship at the same time.

Guilty by Suspicion is a drama film which tells the story of film director David Merrill, a film director, who faces various struggles in his life, after he is forbidden from Hollywood, due to his alleged involvement with communists.

This biographical film depicts the story of brilliant inventor, Joy Mangano, who is financially struggling as a divorced mother of two children with a huge family to support. She designs an innovative self-wringing mop and manages to get a sponsor, but has an excruciating journey through betrayals before she can establish herself as a successful independent businesswoman.

Psychologist Margaret Matheson and her assistant Tom Buckley, a physicist, are devoted to the study of paranormal activities and ruthlessly oppose Simon Silver, a world renowned psychic. Shortly Matheson dies from a chronic vascular condition. Around the same time, Silver resurfaces in public and begins to perform.  

In this last film in the Meet the Parents series, Greg and Pam are leading a contented life with their twins when Jack Byrnes shows up and appoints his son in law as the successor of the Byrnes family. However, despite his move, Jack is still doubtful of Greg. His suspicion is enhanced when he sees Greg with the beautiful Andi Garcia.

Tristan Thorn is in love with Victoria and in order to marry her promises to bring a fallen star. In the magical kingdom of Stormhold, he discovers that the star is actually a woman named Yvaine and three evil witches and the king’s son are also after her. As he tries to protect her on his way back, he unravels his own true identity.

A friendship blooms between a cook working in a cafeteria, who has been never been able to find love, and a widow who has vowed never to love again. She begins to teach him how to read and write, and in the process, she is able to heal her own broken heart.

Dr. David Callaway decides to move with his 9-year-old daughter, Emily, to a new house after discovering his wife’s dead body in the bathtub from an apparent suicide. But he becomes worried when Emily and her new imaginary friend Charlie, start causing problems. When Charlie murders a local woman, sinister secrets are revealed. 

Night and the City is a crime drama film which tells the story of Harry Fabian, an incompetent lawyer in New York City, who gets obsessed with the idea of becoming a boxing promoter.  

A Mexican Federal, Machete Cortez, tries to rescue a girl from drug lord Torrez but is betrayed and his family is killed. Three years later, he is employed to kill Texas Senator, John McLaughlin who is against Mexican immigration. This again turns out to be a setup with the culprit having connection with his old enemy. Machete, now decides to get his revenge on those who wronged him.

Roberto Duran is an exceptional boxer, who is being coached by Ray Arcel. However, problems arise between them after Duran insults a well-known boxer named Sugar Ray Leonard.

Based on an unfinished novel of the same name by F Scott Fitzgerald, this drama film tells the story of a movie producer, who works tirelessly in a time of turmoil. However, problems arise because he neglects and disrespects the other studio executives, and they feel like they would be better off without him.

The film depicts several intertwined stories involving varied incidents and emotions experienced by different individuals on the night of the New Year’s Eve and highlights different human elements such as love, hope, and forgiveness, second chance and promise. Second of the three romantic comedy films directed by Garry Marshall, it was a huge box office success.

The Comeback Trail is a crime comedy film which tells the story of Max, a movie producer who is going through financial issues, and also owes a huge amount of money to a gangster. Therefore, along with his nephew, he comes up with a plan involving an insurance scam. They decide to make a movie with an ageing actor, and get him killed on the sets, making it look like an accident, so that they can claim the insurance money.  

A modern adaption of Charles Dickens’ eponymous classic, the film centers on Finn, an orphan raised by his sister’s boyfriend. Much later, he becomes a painter and is invited to hold an exhibition at a New York gallery. Although perplexed, he moves to the city, where he once again meets his childhood love. But who is really is benefactor? 

The Big Wedding is a romantic comedy drama film, which tells the story of a long-divorced couple who must now pretend to be married as their family unites for a wedding.  

Dragna is a crime lord who hires a professional killer to complete few tasks for him. After the job is done, the killer is asked to wait at a motel. He soon feels that it might be a trap.

Sam Lowry often daydreams of being a winged superhero saving a woman in distress. When Archibald Buttle is killed mistakenly instead of revolutionary Archibald Tuttle, Sam encounters Jill, the woman from his dreams who is trying to help Mrs. Buttle. Sam ends up being caught in a web of lies and government bureaucracy with disastrous consequences.  

Back in 1980s, boxers Henry "Razor" Sharp and Billy "The Kid" McDonnen were fierce rivals until Razor suddenly announced his retirement, leaving a three match series unresolved, thus effectively ending their career. 30 years later, a boxing promoter approaches him to face Kid in one last bout and he grudgingly accepts the challenge. 

Dr Victor Frankenstein, a brilliant but unorthodox scientist tries to destroy the monster that he created, but it manages to escape. Later, it returns and asks for one out of two things: A bride or revenge. 

Paul and Jessie Duncan, the inconsolable parents of 8-year-old Adam, who is killed in a traffic accident, are approached by an enigmatic geneticist Prof. Richard Wells, who offers to bring Adam back through experimental, illegal cloning. The couple is happy with their ‘Adam’ for 8 years, but then Adam is plagued with nightmares; he begins to change and an ominous persona starts emerging.

Jason Kelly is an uptight lawyer set to marry his controlling fiancée Meredith. He is tricked by his foul-mouthed grandfather Lt. Colonel Dick Kelly, to take him to Daytona Beach. In the process, Jason falls in love with his old friend, Shadia, and Dick ends up marrying Shadia’s friend Lenore.  

Wayne is a shy detective living in Chicago who saves the life of Frank Milo, a gangster. As a token of thanks, Milo offers Wayne the services of a woman named Glory for one week. However, things take an interesting turn when Wayne falls in love with Glory, and thinks of freeing her.  

Charlie and Josephine are to be married but Charlie starts having doubts as the wedding day comes closer. Desperate to stop the wedding after being convinced by his groomsmen, Charlie adopts several schemes to sabotage the wedding including rekindling a relationship between his fiancée and her ex. 

What Just Happened is a comedy drama film which tells the story of Ben, a veteran Hollywood producer, who is going through a tough time, but struggles to finish his new film, while also dealing with his personal problems. Meanwhile, he is also trying to maintain a relationship with his young daughter.

The bereaved son of an NYPD officer joins in with his father's friends, who happen to be rogue cops, and trains under them to become a rogue himself. But the truth about his father's murder causes him to take vengeance until he reaches the point of no return.

A convicted arsonist, Stone, attempts to convince his parole officer, Jack, for an early release. Although the officer is not convinced, things take an interesting turn, when Stone’s wife Luceta begins to seduce Jack.  

Two childhood friends in Northern Italy during the early years of the 20th century, find themselves on different sides when a huge conflict arises in their country.

The story focuses on two LAPD cops, a no-nonsense detective and a frustrated actor-turned-patrolman. Forced to star in a reality-based television show, they soon find their lives being turned upside down. They notice an illegally made semi automatic firearms and start investigating into them. 

In The Bronx of 1960s, 9-year-old Calogero has a conflicted upbringing torn between his honest father, bus driver Lorenzo, and local mob boss Sonny, who he is fascinated with. Despite Sonny's warnings about the dangers of gangster life, Calogero grows up to be a part of an Italian-American boy-gang, but again becomes conflicted after falling for an African-American girl.

A fictionalized retelling of the birth of the CIA, the movie revolves around the life of CIA officer Edward Wilson.  While his methods become popular in the CIA, he has to contend with KGB agents and double-agents. Unfortunately, his dedication to duty will test his dedication to his family. 

Violent shark Frankie is accidentally killed while trying to convince his vegetarian brother Lenny to become a killer like the rest of the family by eating the small fish Oscar. Oscar exploits the situation by claiming to have killed the shark himself, only to find out that he was the son of fearsome crime lord Don Edward Lino.

Ten-year-old Arthur finds his family’s home in danger of being demolished by a real estate developer. He goes looking for help in the land of Minimoys, a group of tiny fairy-like creatures, who live in harmony with nature.

The fictional character Fearless Leader, Boris Badenov, and Natasha Fatale, manage to escape into the real world. In order to stop them, Karen, an FBI agent, asks Rocky and Bullwinkle for their help.

FBI agent Richie DiMaso catches two con artists and lovers—Irving and Sydney—in a loan scam and compels them to set up detailed sting operations to nab corrupt politicians and mafia including the Mayor, Carmine Polito. Meanwhile Rosalyn, Irving’s unpredictable wife, has her own interests and can ruin the entire operation.

This drama film tells the story of a young French actor, who move to New York to work for a television company, after his wife leaves him. Things take a turn when one evening, he meets an attractive woman in a bar.