In Hollywood, only a number of leading men can truly say that they are successful. Among them is Mark Wahlberg, a veteran actor who readily explored every film genre available to showcase his acting range. He also happens to be an Oscar nominee.
In the beginning, Wahlberg was more a poster boy than an actor. He broke out into the music scene as rapper Marky Mark. At the same time, he made a name for himself as a Calvin Klein model. Sure, he could have easily been successful had he stayed in the fashion industry. But fortunately for us, Wahlberg decided to venture into films.
And just because it’s fun, let’s check out 10 of Wahlberg’s best films, along with five that we would rather forget about:
15 Forget: Ted Is Funny, But The Plot Is Too Familiar
In the ‘Ted’ films, Wahlberg plays a man who ends up having a teddy bear for a buddy. And apparently, when that happens, teddy bears go from cute and cuddly to opinionated and clingy. Overall, it’s a pretty predictable film about bromance and how that can sometimes interfere with your romantic life.
14 Remember: He Was Inspiring To Watch In Invincible
The film is based on the true story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender who became an NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles in 1976. While speaking about Papale at a DVD release party, Wahlberg remarked, “This guy is a hero. He's what every person who ever aspired to play in the NFL or professional sports wants to be.”
13 Remember: He Shared Great Chemistry With Charlize Theron In The Italian Job Remake
While discussing the film and his character, Wahlberg told Black Film, “I loved the role and I loved the other characters. The fact that it was a character driven piece and Gary wasn’t going to turn it into some special effects bonanza, it was great.” Aside from Wahlberg and Theron, the cast also includes Donald Sutherland and Jason Statham.
12 Forget: Daddy’s Home Suffers From Weak Story Development And Lack Of Depth
For the record, Wahlberg and actor Will Ferrell have always had incredible chemistry. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to make the ‘Daddy’s Home’ films more bearable. It also doesn’t help that the film’s plot is quite predictable. Nonetheless, we’re pretty sure these two guys enjoyed making the movies. For the second film, they were joined by Mel Gibson and John Lithgow.
11 Remember: He Effortlessly Parodied A Cop Opposite Will Ferrell In The Other Guys
Talking about their approach to making the film, director Adam McKay told Den of Geek, “We said, ‘All right. It’s going to be a cop buddy film. Let’s do our darnedest to make it as original and funny as we can. Probably we’ll fail in some cases, and then it’ll be a spoof.’ That’s how we got into it.”
10 Remember: His Portrayal Of U.S. Navy Seal Marcus Luttrell Is Outstanding In Lone Survivor
While speaking about making the film, Wahlberg told Collider, “The SEALS were there so you had this immense pressure to stand up and be a man because everybody was overly pumped. But, you know, we just did what was required. There were bumps and bruises but we wanted it to feel real.”
9 Forget: Mile 22 Has Great Action, But Not Much Else
In this 2018 film, Wahlberg plays a CIA operative tasked with retrieving and transporting an asset with critical information before the enemy catches them. As interesting as it may sound, the film was dull on-screen. Critics consensus noted that it’s a “thrill-deficient action thriller whose title proves sadly fitting for a film that feels close to a marathon endurance test.”
8 Remember: He Held His Own Opposite Christopher Plummer In All The Money In The World
The 2017 film focuses on the events surrounding the kidnapping of John Paul Getty III when he was just a young teen and his mother’s attempts to convince his billionaire grandfather to pay his ransom. Wahlberg became involved in the film after Kevin Spacey’s role had to be recast following sexual misconduct allegations against him.
7 Remember: He Captivated Audiences With His Role As Mike Williams In Deepwater Horizon
The film tells the story of the offshore drilling rig disaster that occurred in 2010. During an interview, Wahlberg paid tribute to the person behind his character, saying, “I play a guy who worked on a rig, who was an ordinary guy who had to do extraordinary things - not only to survive but to help others.”
6 Forget: Transformers: The Last Knight Is Arguably The Worst Film In The Autobot-Led Franchise
Sadly, there aren’t really any nice things that can be said about the most recent ‘Transformers’ film. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the critics consensus has noted, “Cacophonous, thinly plotted, and boasting state-of-the-art special effects, The Last Knight is pretty much what you'd expect from the fifth installment of the Transformers franchise.”
