10 best movies of Nicolas Cage, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes scores

Nicolas Cage has been a rom-com leading man, a star in heartbreaking dramas, and an applauded actor in the best action films of the 90s. He's worked with the biggest names in the filmmaking scene, from Martin Scorsese and his uncle Francis Ford Coppola to Michael Bay, Ridley Scott, and David Lynch. Those projects resulted in some of the most acclaimed movies in history.

The Longlegs actor has been making his mark in Hollywood for decades, and while he has played some not-so-spectacular movie characters, there are far more remarkable silver screen presences from Cage.

For those who enjoy the Nicolas Cage brand of movies, here is a list of the cream of the crop films from the Oscar-winner's filmography.

10 highest-rated Nicolas Cage movies on Rotten Tomatoes

1) Red Rock West (Tomatometer: 98%)

On top of Nicolas Cage's highest-rated films on Rotten Tomatoes is the 1993 crime drama Red Rock West, which John Dahl directed. In Red Rock West, Cage is the unemployed ex-marine Michael Williams, who found his way to a bar in Red Rock, Wyoming, where he was mistaken by the bar owner as a contract killer he paid $10,000 to kill his wife.

While the down-on-his-luck Williams plays along with the mistaken identity, the true killer turns up to finish the job and get his money.

2) Pig (Tomatometer: 97%)

Cage's solemn and contemplative expression, which says a lot without uttering a single word, wins critics and viewers in the 2021 mystery thriller by Michael Sarnoski. The Oscar-winning actor assumes the role of an introverted truffle hunter in Pig, who left his lonesome life in the wilderness somewhere in Oregon to return to Portland in search of the person who kidnapped his precious foraging pig.

Nicolas Cage's dialogue in the movie is oddly quiet, but his nuanced performance brought the film to the forefront of the critics' favorites in his filmography.

3) Face/Off (Tomatometer: 93%)

Moving away from being the hero in a movie, Nicolas Cage is the famed terrorist Castor Troy, whom John Travolta's FBI agent character, Sean Archer, is trying to land in jail in Face/Off. The 1997 action movie, which John Woo directed, brings fans into the cat-and-mouse between Cage and Travolta's characters, set in a backdrop of the over-the-top violence Woo is known for.

Woo also directed action movies like Bullet in the Head and Last Hurrah for Chivalry, with both having a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

4) Dream Scenario (Tomatometer: 91%)

Dream Scenario, which the Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli directed, brings another version of The Carpenter's Son actor to the silver screen. The Oscar-winning actor plays the ill-fated family man Paul Matthews, who suddenly becomes the star in millions of people's dreams (and nightmares) in the movie.

From a hapless middle-aged fellow, Matthews becomes an overnight celebrity and finally is showered with the fame and attention he has always dreamed of. While Dream Scenario has more of a comedic and fantastical backdrop, it does depict weightier themes like the ups and downs of fame and how satisfying recognition from others can sometimes come at a price.

5) Leaving Las Vegas (Tomatometer: 91%)

Leaving Las Vegas (Image via Amazon MGM Studios/ YouTube)

Directed by Mike Figgis, the man behind Stormy Monday and Timecode, Leaving Las Vegas features the depth of Cage's dramatic prowess as the alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter Ben Sanderson.

The 1995 drama, a big-screen adaptation of John O'Brien's semi-autobiographical novel, also stars Elisabeth Shue as the Las Vegas working girl Sanderson met and formed an unconventional relationship with.

6) Raising Arizona (Tomatometer: 91%)

Raising Arizona (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

The Spider-Man Noir actor adds another genre to his filmography with a 1987 crime comedy film that Joel Coen directed. In Raising Arizona, Cage brings rambunctious charm as he plays one-half of the childless, unlikely couple, an ex-cop and an ex-con, who kidnapped a baby from a set of quintuplets and tried to raise the baby in their chaotic world.

Cage, alongside Holly Hunter, stands out in this hysterically twisted tale of gunfights, car chases, and profanity.

7) Adaptation (Tomatometer: 90%)

Adaptation movie (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Directed by Spike Jonze, the 2002 comedy-drama Adaptation delivers Nicolas Cage's portrayal of both the twin brothers Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman, who couldn't be any more opposite. One is overwhelmed with the feeling of inadequacy, while the other is happily living a life of being a freeloader.

Joining Cage in the movie is Meryl Streep as Susan Orlean, whose character turns Charlie's life from "pathetic to bizarre."

8) Mandy (Tomatometer: 90%)

The Oscar-winning actor has starred in numerous mystery thrillers, but in the horror film Mandy, Cage immerses viewers in a bloody and psychological take on the revenge genre. Directed by Panos Cosmatos, Nicolas Cage plays another "loner living in the wilderness" character in the movie.

But unlike his character in Pig who simply wants to get his kidnapped pet back, Cage's character as Red Miller in Mandy embodies the man who has nothing to lose in his quest to avenge the death of his girlfriend.

The movie features a blood-drenched Cage at the forefront, along with his collection of big and fun weapons as he tries to annihilate the nightmarish hippie cult that killed his girlfriend.

9) Moonstruck (Tomatometer: 89%)

Moonstruck, which Norman Jewison directed, brings together the matching energy from Nicolas Cage and Cher as they play Ronny, who fell in love with his older brother's fiancee, and Loretta, an Italian-American widow who developed feelings for her boyfriend's younger brother.

While the plot is pretty predictable, the script of the film has gotten plenty of praise as it gives the characters a lot of great comedy moments, making the movie memorable.

10) Peggy Sue Got Married (Tomatometer: 87%)

Peggy Sue Got Married (Image via Apple TV+)

Nicolas Cage plays the cheating husband, Charlie Bodell, in Peggy Sue Got Married, a comedy-drama that also stars Kathleen Turner as the titular character.

The Francis Ford Coppola film sees the heroine traveling back to her teenage years. Now, with the chance to relive her life, Turner's character changes many things, which she later realizes comes at a cost.

From horror thrillers and action-packed films to dramatic movies and romantic comedies, these movies feature the best Nicolas Cage onscreen performances, according to movie critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Edited by Prem Deshpande