Chris Pratt’s Hollywood story is a tale of two careers. For the first half of his career, Pratt predominantly appeared in bit roles and supporting parts. He typically played the best friend or the sidekick who provided comedic relief. Considering where his career is now, it’s easy to forget that Pratt was originally known for his comedy.
Then, Pratt got in shape, broke through as a movie star, and has been a reliable leading man for the past 12 years. Pratt is back on television this month with the return of “The Terminal List,” a Prime Video action series about a former U.S. Navy SEAL searching for meaning after completing his revenge mission.
In honor of the show's recent return, here’s a ranking of Pratt’s five best movies and shows.
5. ‘Zero Dark Thirty’
The hunt for Osama bin Laden is dramatized in “Zero Dark Thirty.” Beginning in 2003, Maya (Jessica Chastain), an intelligence officer, is one of the key figures leading the charge to find bin Laden. Over the rest of the decade, Maya witnesses brutal torture methods and deadly terrorist attacks as the road to capturing bin Laden becomes a perilous journey. It all leads to a covert mission at a compound in Pakistan where bin Laden may be hiding.
Pratt plays Justin Lenihan, a member of SEAL Team 6 who participates in the stealth mission at the compound. It’s a riveting action sequence that ends an effective thriller, though the film takes significant liberties with historical events. “Zero Dark Thirty” is Pratt’s first real taste of playing an action hero. He certainly had the size and physicality to play a SEAL, which helped pave the way for many of his future roles, including James Reece in “The Terminal List.”
Watch on Netflix and Paramount+.
4. ‘The Lego Movie’
An entire generation might only know Pratt from his voice. He’s voiced iconic animated characters, including Garfield in “Garfield” and Mario in Illumination’s “The Super Mario” franchise. Yet his role in “The Lego Movie” remains his best voice work to date.
In the Lego world of Bricksburg, Emmet Brickowski (Pratt) is a simple construction worker who stumbles upon the Piece of Resistance, an item that can stop a superweapon known as the Kragle. With this item, Emmet is mistakenly identified as “the Special,” the figure destined to fight for the common people and defeat the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell). As the song goes, everything is awesome in “The Lego Movie,” a perfect celebration of animation as well as a poignant comedy that can be enjoyed by all ages.
Watch on Paramount+.
3. ‘Moneyball’
“Moneyball” is the best movie on this list — and it isn’t even close. However, it feels disingenuous to rank it as Pratt’s best movie when he’s fifth on the call sheet. “Moneyball” is the magnum opus for Brad Pitt, who stars as Billy Beane, the Oakland Athletics’ general manager looking to field a championship-level team in 2002 despite a low payroll.
Billy embraces sabermetrics and fields a team of undervalued players with the help of his right-hand man and analytical adviser, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). One of those underestimated players is Scott Hatteberg (Pratt), a catcher who must learn to play first base. “Moneyball” romanticizes baseball and makes numbers sexy. Pitt delivers an elite movie-star performance that should have earned him an Oscar. Pratt has the most climactic hit of the movie, but I prefer the softer, quieter moment with his family after receiving a life-changing contract.
2. ‘Parks and Recreation’
It’s still hard to believe that Chris Pratt, who played the goofy Andy Dwyer on "Parks and Recreation," became an international action star. That’s a testament to Pratt’s comedic talent, which he displayed in the NBC mockumentary sitcom. In the town of Pawnee, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is an official for the Parks and Recreation Department who dreams of climbing the political ladder.
Before that happens, Leslie must conquer the mundane activities and trivial problems of small-town government. Pratt plays Andy, a lovable goof who wants to be a rock musician but winds up working at City Hall. Pratt was only supposed to be a guest star, but his charisma and comedic timing made him indispensable, and the writers elevated him to the main cast in Season 2. Andy’s bloopers are Pratt’s crowning achievement.
Watch on Peacock.
1. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy'
If you watched “Parks and Recreation” and thought Pratt would one day lead a Marvel franchise, you’re lying. That’s how shocking it was to learn that Pratt won the highly coveted role of Peter Quill in 2014’s “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Written and directed by James Gunn, the MCU movie brings together a ragtag bunch of outcasts — including Quill, Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), Drax (Dave Bautista), Groot (Vin Diesel), and Rocket (Bradley Cooper) — who eventually form the titular superhero team.
Pratt plays another lovable loser in Quill. He’s not the sharpest mind in the MCU. In fact, Quill is extremely immature. But when push comes to shove, Quill has the charisma and the heart to be a hero. It’s the perfect role for Pratt, combining his physical prowess with his comedic instincts. Now let’s see if Pratt shows up in one of the next two “Avengers” movies…
Watch on Disney+.