15 Will Smith Movies Widely Considered His Best
Few film careers have moved as smoothly between crowd-pleasing entertainment and serious dramatic work.
Will Smith built a reputation on charisma first, then gradually expanded into roles that demanded emotional weight, restraint, and risk.
Blockbusters made him a global name, but longevity came from choosing projects that challenged expectations rather than simply repeating a winning formula.
Some titles became instant classics through box office success and repeat airings. Others gained respect over time as performances aged well and themes resonated more deeply.
Comedy, action, drama, and science fiction all sit comfortably in his filmography, connected by a screen presence that remains immediately recognizable.
Disclaimer: This list reflects editorial opinion and a particular view of legacy, not definitive fact or universal consensus about Will Smith’s best films.
1. The Pursuit of Happyness
Homelessness and hope collide in this tear-jerking true story that showcases Smith at his most vulnerable.
Playing Chris Gardner, a salesman struggling to keep his son safe while chasing an unpaid internship, Smith strips away his usual swagger for something raw and real.
The bathroom scene alone could win awards. Every parent watching felt that desperation, that fierce protective love that makes you fight even when you’re running on empty.
Smith earned his first Oscar nomination here, proving he could carry dramatic weight without losing his natural warmth.
2. Men in Black
Aliens walk among us, and only a wisecracking rookie agent can save Earth with style.
Agent J became an instant icon because Smith brought that perfect mix of street-smart humor and genuine heroism that made saving the world look effortlessly cool.
Tommy Lee Jones played the straight man brilliantly, but Smith’s energy drove this sci-fi comedy into the stratosphere.
The film grossed nearly $600 million worldwide and launched a franchise that defined late-90s blockbuster entertainment.
Those neuralyzer flashes? Still referenced in memes today.
3. Ali
Transforming into Muhammad Ali required more than muscles and a Louisville accent.
Smith trained like an actual boxer for over a year, gaining thirty pounds of muscle and learning to move with the grace that made Ali legendary both inside and outside the ring.
He captured Ali’s complexity, his poetry, his pain, and his unshakeable conviction.
Critics who doubted whether a blockbuster star could handle serious drama got their answer when Smith earned his second Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
4. I Am Legend
Carrying an entire film mostly solo takes serious screen presence, and Smith delivers that haunting isolation perfectly.
As the last human in New York City, Dr. Robert Neville talks to mannequins, holds onto routines, and fights mutant creatures while searching desperately for other survivors.
That scene with his dog? Absolutely devastating. Smith makes you feel every flicker of hope and every crushing disappointment.
5. Bad Boys
Before Smith became a global superstar, he was Detective Mike Lowrey, living large in Miami and cracking wise while cracking cases.
Partnered with Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett, the chemistry exploded off screen in ways that made audiences forget this was essentially a buddy cop formula we’d seen before.
The film announced Smith as an action hero who could handle guns and one-liners with equal skill.
Director Michael Bay brought his signature explosions and fast cuts, but Smith’s charisma made everything pop.
6. Independence Day
Captain Steven Hiller punched an alien in the face and became a legend.
This role catapulted Smith from TV star to genuine movie star, proving he could lead a summer blockbuster that grossed over $800 million worldwide and dominated pop culture conversations.
The Fourth of July will forever belong partly to this film.
Smith brought swagger, humor, and heroism to a role that could have been generic military guy, instead creating a character audiences cheered for from his first grin to his final victorious return.
7. Enemy of the State
Surveillance technology becomes terrifying when a regular lawyer accidentally receives evidence of a political crime.
Robert Clayton Dean’s life unravels in real-time as Smith portrays escalating panic with precision, showing us exactly how it feels when powerful forces turn their attention toward destroying you.
Gene Hackman steals some scenes as the paranoid ex-NSA agent, but Smith grounds the thriller in relatable fear.
8. I, Robot
Detective Del Spooner doesn’t trust robots, and in 2035 Chicago, that makes him either paranoid or prescient.
Smith plays skepticism perfectly, questioning artificial intelligence while everyone else blindly accepts their mechanical servants, until a murder investigation proves his instincts might save humanity.
The action sequences blend seamlessly with philosophical questions about consciousness and control.
Smith balances humor with genuine suspense, making us question our own relationship with technology while delivering the blockbuster thrills audiences expected from his name above the title.
9. Hitch
Alex “Hitch” Hitchens makes his living teaching awkward men how to win women’s hearts, but his own romantic life? Complete disaster.
Smith’s comedic timing shines brightest here, turning what could have been a shallow rom-com into something genuinely charming and surprisingly wise about relationships.
The dance scene became instantly iconic for all the right reasons.
Eva Mendes matches his energy perfectly, creating chemistry that makes their inevitable happy ending feel earned.
10. The Legend of Bagger Vance
Mystical caddy meets struggling golfer in depression-era Georgia, and somehow it works.
Bagger Vance appears like magic to help Rannulph Junuh find his swing and his purpose, with Smith playing the role with gentle wisdom that contrasts beautifully with his usual high-energy performances.
Matt Damon and Charlize Theron provide the romantic drama, but Smith’s philosophical presence grounds everything.
11. Concussion
Dr. Bennet Omalu discovered something the NFL didn’t want anyone to know: football destroys brains.
Smith portrays the Nigerian forensic pathologist with quiet dignity and fierce determination, using a precise accent and measured performance that lets the horrifying science speak louder than any dramatics could.
This isn’t flashy Smith; it’s serious actor Smith, challenging a multibillion-dollar industry with nothing but research and moral conviction.
12. Seven Pounds
Guilt drives every decision when you’re carrying secrets that heavy.
Ben Thomas moves through life with a mysterious mission, helping strangers in specific ways while Smith plays the entire film with restrained sorrow that builds toward a devastating revelation about sacrifice and redemption.
Rosario Dawson provides the emotional counterweight as a woman with a failing heart who might represent Ben’s last chance at something resembling peace.
The twist hits hard because Smith never telegraphs it, maintaining that careful control until the final heartbreaking moments.
13. King Richard
Richard Williams had a plan before his daughters were born: Venus and Serena would become tennis champions.
Smith inhabits this determined father with controlled intensity, showing both the visionary genius and the stubborn flaws that made Richard simultaneously inspiring and infuriating to everyone around him.
This performance earned Smith his first Oscar win for Best Actor, and deservedly so.
He captures Richard’s unwavering belief in his daughters without making him a saint, showing the complexity of a man who changed sports history through sheer force of will.
14. Hancock
This alcoholic, grumpy, property-destroying hero saves people while making them absolutely furious about the collateral damage, with Smith playing against type as someone powerful but completely lacking in traditional heroic qualities.
Charlize Theron’s character adds unexpected depth to what starts as a comedy.
The film stumbles in its second half when mythology gets complicated, but Smith’s commitment to playing an unlikeable protagonist who slowly earns redemption makes the journey compelling despite its flaws.
15. Six Degrees of Separation
Long before blockbusters, Smith took a risk playing Paul, a charming con artist who infiltrates Manhattan high society by pretending to be Sidney Poitier’s son.
This early dramatic role showed glimpses of the serious actor Smith would become, even as audiences still knew him primarily as the Fresh Prince.
The film explores class, race, and identity with sharp intelligence.
Critics noticed, even if mainstream audiences hadn’t yet discovered this side of his talent.
