10 Best Ryan Reynolds Performances
2. Curtis Vaughn - Mississippi Grind (2015)
In all of the great performances Ryan Reynolds has delivered over the years, his dramatic turn in Mississippi Grind is the most overlooked. The film, too, is an underrated masterpiece that follows a gambling addict called Gerry (an amazing Ben Mendelsohn) as he goes on a road trip with Reynolds' Curtis Vaughn, a young gambler trying to make it big. Together, the unlikely duo form a strong bond and head to New Orleans for a high-stakes poker game.
A road movie about addiction and catching a break, Mississippi Grind sees Reynolds at his most striking, hypnotising and thoughtful. Curtis is charming and smarmy, but with Reynolds playing him he's also endearing and easy to root for.
As with all great American road movies, the true power of the performances lies in the interactions between the key players, as both Mendelsohn and Reynolds work off each other to create a beautiful and gritty character study about two strikingly different men. Reynolds is a revelation in the role, and offers up one of his greatest performances.