The Roasts: Ryan Reynolds

By Raymond Morris

Ever seen an actor, actress, or even director and think to yourself "man, when will they ever do something besides their normal schtick???" Odds are your favorite people have done a wide range of films but are only known for a select few. We're here to help guide you through the wide range of many of today's A-list creators in the only way we know how: roasts. Here's a simple guide ranging from light roasts (comedies), medium roasts (action adventure, "dramedies", etc.), and dark roasts (brooding, twisted, horror, intense drama) so you can see just how much range your favorite people have.  

Up first is Deadpool himself, Ryan Reynolds. Has he done anything outside of Van Wilder and Deadpool? You might actually be surprised. 

Light Roast

Detective Pikachu (available on HBO Now)

This is an utterly delightful adventure that is surprisingly equal measures heartwarming and hilarious, much funnier than it has any right to be. I won’t dwell on this since it’s essentially Deadpool-lite, but that’s why this works. Feel good movie good for all ages, whether you grew up on Pokemon or not (and I did not. I know, surprising isn’t it?).

Detective Pikachu hints at its cousin Deadpool like a light roast that hints at the same notes of a darker blend (chocolate), but overall is a refreshingly light time (a lot like this Ethiopian light roast). 

And be honest: did you think we really wouldn't find a way to put a movie that has a scene like THIS into a list at some point? It might be a rule: we MUST include caffeinated Pikachu as much as possible.

Medium RoastThe following Medium roast films for Ryan Reynolds accomplish what a solid breakfast blend like this Stauf's Breakfast Blend does: they warm your heart, provide enough flavor to make the morning manageable but enough boldness to help strike a deeper cord to motivate you to get going. These movies have enough comedy to make you smile, but if you pay attention you’ll see the deeper moving moments that push you to take on life in a more positive direction once the credits roll.

Definitely, Maybe (available to rent on Amazon)

Let’s throw it to our resident Ryan Reynolds expert, Austin James for this one. During quarantine, he’s made great use of his time by working through Ryan’s filmography, so he knows his stuff:

Look, I get it: on the surface this is going to sound like a normal pre-Deadpool Ryan Reynolds outing (romantic comedy territory, so just another Just Friends, The Proposal, or less crass Van Wilder). But what sounds like a typical movie ends up providing an opportunity for Reynolds to infuse some heart and sentimentality that could be seen as uncommon for him, and is a compliment to his acting.

He stars as a recently divorced dad retelling the story to his daughter of how he met her mother (no Barney or Robin though, so don’t worry). Even though Ryan’ voice doesn’t turn into Bob Saget’s voice when he is retelling the story, it’s still both enjoyable and touching. He perfectly portrays the earnest go getter that has everything figured out in life—at age 22—but soon learns that life has a funny way of slapping you around, a lesson he teaches his daughter throughout the story.

Mississippi Grind (available on Netflix)

This is my favorite film on the list. Why? This is a wonderfully full flavored medium roast of a film: enough comedy and fun characters to give you the flavor you need, and the undercurrent of darkness from deeply flawed and broken characters to help teach you about yourself and help you be a better person.

In what’s a recurring theme, Reynolds’s introduction in this hints at yet another brazen, hilarious, street wise role for him. But, once he and Ben Mendelssohn hit the road it becomes clear that this is not just another role. The carefree exterior shields a vulnerable hurt side that causes him to try and help Ben through his issues through a trip down the Mississippi.

On the surface, this is a really entertaining buddy roadtrip movie with Ryan playing a streetwise caring man who is going to help this gambling addict fix his life. But the further we go the clearer it becomes that Reynolds's character is far from perfect, and maybe his own gambling addiction pertains to something deeper than a game? I won't go further for fear of spoiling, but trust me: this movie is one that's beautiful, entertaining, and strikes deep chords with anyone willing to give it a shot.

Standout performances, a wonderful soundtrack, and the kind of character growth that helps provide the warmth and good feels a great medium roast can provide: Mississippi Grind is a can’t miss performance from Ryan Reynolds.

Dark Roast
There are three choices for dark roast Ryan Reynolds movies, the category least associated with the actor. These are dramatic performances, ones that come in films that are not known for humor but rather drama, suspense (even horror?). While the films vary in quality, the consistent thread connecting them is Ryan’s fantastic performances in each.

The Captive (available on Netflix)

Remember Taken? Liam Neeson kills it as a dad who stops at nothing to get his child back, and packs a potent punch time and again and never leaves you bored, not even for a second. 

Remember Prisoners? Similar to Taken in that it has Huge Jackedman Hugh Jackman stopping at nothing to save his kidnapped child, it’s an expertly crafted slow burn that features high tension throughout (there’s a hammer scene I’m thinking of specifically) throughout.

The Captive…tries to be that. This A24 film (yep, they’re EVERYWHERE) doesn’t have much action, but instead of tension there’s a lot of waiting for tension: moments where you’re pretty sure it’s meant to be tense, but you just aren’t feeling it.

Ryan Reynolds is good in this, especially since this is one of the rare times he takes a role where he isn’t funny at any point (not a bad thing!). Even in Buried he has moments to flex the comedy chops he’s best known for, but not here. He’s a dad that will stop at nothing to find his child. You can see that this is going to be a great performance from Ryan from the beginning scene in the police station.

Much like this movie, the best coffee descriptor is Caribou’s Obsidian: a darker than dark roast that isn’t necessarily bad, but its best quality is to remind you of other dark roasts that do it better. The Captive is a movie that’s worth checking out for him and the concept (instead of following directly after the abduction, this picks up 8 years after she goes missing and is presumed dead), but just do yourself a favor and watch Prisoners or Taken instead.

Buried (available to rent on Amazon, VUDU, Redbox, Apple, and YouTube)

Lets start with a coffee connector: this film is a great dark espresso (might I suggest One Line Coffee's Method Espresso?). Short (just at 90 minutes), potent, simple. Here’s our resident Ryan Reynolds Expert Austin James to describe why:

You have to really, and I mean really enjoy Ryan Reynolds to watch this movie. Why? He’s literally the only person in the movie. Ryan brings what I think is an Oscar type performance almost by necessity: the entire weight of the film rests on his shoulders, and he nails it.

The movie is about a truck driver who wakes up buried in a coffin after a terrorist ambush, leaving him with only a lighter, a cell phone, and the will to live. This movie definitely showcases Reynolds’ full abilities as an actor, from his biting sarcasm to dramatic abilities, he commands the screen.

This came out the same year as 127 Hours which got James Franco a (well deserved) Oscar nomination for what could only be described as an eerily similar type of survival role. Ryan Reynolds is every bit as good if not better than Franco in this, and should have definitely garnered him more praise by the general public.

The Voices (available on VUDU for free with ads)

Our final film is one part Looney Tunes, one part Joker origin, and one part horror movie.

The beginning looks like a normal “innocent manchild” character from Ryan (think Chris Brander or a tame Van Wilder), but as the film progresses, it becomes abundantly clear that something is off. Maybe it’s when the car starts talking or the dog replies? Maybe it’s when the head in the refrigerator starts talking? Why not both?

But for a slasher horror comedy, this is a surprising show of range. One scene in particular Ryan flips from endearing to horrifying because, for the first time, we see him yelling at the voices in his head but from an outsider perspective. This moment solidifies both his acting prowess and the horror of the film.

This is much like a sumatra from Magic Beans (Harimau Tiger). The low acidity and chocolate body makes you think it’s a sweet drink, but the dark roast ensures that the boldness is indeed there: if you don’t taste it yet, just wait.
It’s a dark and twisted movie with flashes of humor that keep it from being a straightforward horror movie (there’s a scene where he watches nature documentaries with his pets in particular). Believe me when I say that this is the unsung performance of Ryan’s you need to see.

The ending is super dark, but then the end credits? Just the levity you need lift your spirits.

Which of these will you check out this weekend? Have a suggestion on who we should cover next?