Bradley Cooperhas hit the big screen for years, with about 64 different acting credits currently under his belt. His work has been widely appreciated, but, of course, there are some roles that weren’t received with the same amount of praise. Cooper has made a name for himself in this business and has dived head-first into different genres to really challenge himself as an actor. He seems to be quite a versatile actor and usually kills any role that he takes on, but some films have fans wishing he had never taken the movie in the first place.
Cooper has starred in some amazing films over the years. He has become everyone’s favorite surly mechanic inGuardians of the Galaxyas Rocket, the best dancer next to Jennifer Lawrence inSilver Linings Playbook, or a true American hero in the movieAmerican Sniper. He has really put himself out there as an actor and has shown the range that he is capable of playing. Here are five of his most likable characters, and five of his most unlikable.
10Likable: Pat — Silver Linings Playbook
Lawrence and Cooper are back together again inSilver Linings Playbook. Pat has recently moved back in with his parents after finding out that his wife had an affair, which led him to being institutionalized with bipolar disorder. Tiffany meets Pat, who has her own issues with mental health. The two make a deal to help each other out, which leads them to slowly fall for each other and work through their mental health challenges. Cooper and Lawrence kill it in this film, which collected eight Oscar nominations along the way.Varietycalls this Cooper’s transitional role from movie star to a respected actor.
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9Unlikable: Ben — He’s Just Not That Into You
He’s Just Not That Into Youis not a typical romantic comedy as it intertwines multiple storylines into one. One includes a married couple, another has three women co-workers looking for Mr. Right, and a third looks at a young couple struggling with where their relationship is going. Cooper plays the married man of the film, Ben, who is seen flirting with Scarlett Johansson’s character throughout the entirety of the film, but insists he could never cheat on his wife. His roleis extremely clichéand pokes at marriages and relationships. Fans of Cooper wish they never watched this eye-rolling character in a film that couldn’t make up for his performance even with its dynamic cast.
8Likable: Richie DiMaso — American Hustle
American Hustleis another film that has a stacked cast, including Lawrence and Cooper sharing the screen again. Christian Bale stars as a conman; he and his wife, who is played by Amy Adams, are forced to work with FBI Agent Richie DiMaso, played by Cooper. This Oscar-nominated film leads into a world of crime, power-brokers, and the mafia. There’s drama and impeccable acting that requires a watcher to be prepared for a mentally unstable and unpredictable plot.Entertainmentdescribes Cooper as crooked in the film, but oddly not the worst offender. It seems as if everyone in the cast needs to hustle if they want to survive the film.
7Unlikable: Adam Jones — Burnt
A chef who has destroyed his career with drugs and unconventional behavior is the plot toBurnt. Cooper plays the chef, Adam Jones, who goes to London to redeem himself, and that is pretty much the movie. It is honestly lacking any sort of spark and falls flat as a storyline. Obviously, Cooper’s character has quite a bit of baggage and goes through a decent internal journal, but the film never went further than that.
6Likable: Rocket Raccoon — Guardians of the Galaxy
Cooper was able to make his way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Rocket inGuardians of the Galaxymovies. He has become one of the most beloved characters in the MCU.Rocket is sneakyand snarky, but has a heart of gold that is willing to help the Avengers if he’s got nothing better to do. Adept with weaponry and tech, Rocket seems to have met his match in the MCU, however, when he runs into Thor duringAvengers: Infinity Warwho constantly calls him a rabbit instead of raccoon.
5Unlikable: Neil Walker — Joy
Another Oscar-nominated film starring Lawrence hits Cooper’s resume.Joyis a phenomenal film that shows off Lawrence’s range as an actor. The movie, however, does not show off Cooper as good a light as many fans have seen him previously play. It is a different kind of movie, which is definitely worth a watch, but don’t expect Cooper to show off his usual glamour in a patriarchal film that’s lacking a bit of grit.
Related:Best Movies Produced by Bradley Cooper, Ranked
4Likable: Jackson Maine — A Star is Born
A Star Is Bornis a very unlikely film for Cooper if fans are used to watching him in films likeThe HangoverorWedding Crashers. Needless to say, this film is nothing less than brilliant and was also Oscar-nominated. Cooper plays the lead character, Jackson Maine, who’s a famous singer, and he even gets to take a seat in the director chair as well. Lady Gaga is the lead and love interest in this drama-filled, adorable tragedy.A Star Is Bornis a tale as old as time — in fact, it isn’t a new story, but one that has many retold many times. This movie also really showcased that Cooper is able to do anything.
3Unlikable: Steve Mueller — All About Steve
Cooper is Steve Mueller in the romantic comedyAll About Steve. This movie did not do very well with critics even with Sandra Bullock attached to the film. She plays a woman who is convinced she belongs with a CNN camera operator, Steve, and decides to follow him all over the country to prove her love. The movie sounds a little disturbing and stalker-ish, and everyone who has seen it would agree. Even though Cooper and Bullock were the leads, there was no way they were going to be able to save this film.
2Likable: Phil — The Hangover
The Hangoveris not about to win any Academy Awards, but it is a comedy classic that will stand the test of time. Cooper and friends get into some trouble when they lose the groom-to-be at his bachelor party. Fans of the movie love every bit of ridiculousness that these friends get into, and everything they do to try and find their drunk friend. The immature high school teacher was the perfect part for Cooper, and is a nice break from his more serious roles.
1Unlikable: Brian Gilcrest — Aloha
Alohahad a stacked cast, with Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, and John Krasinski, which still did not help the film. Brian Gilcrest, played by Cooper, arrives in Hawaii as a military contractor who runs into his ex-girlfriend. While possibly rekindling with his ex, Brian is also falling in love with an Air Force employee. Cooper tried his best in this role to get people to love his character, but there just wasn’t a lot to love. He’s the main player in the entire operation that his new love interest is trying to protest, and he keeps it a secret. Honestly, fans would much rather forget this film even exists.
