Denzel Washington's best movies
The top 3 according to 325 votes from people: Glory (1989) · Training Day (2001) · Inside Man (2006). (Updated Aug 20, 2025.)
Two Oscars and barely a dud: Denzel's best films, ordered from Looper, Gold Derby and Metacritic, from Glory to The Tragedy of Macbeth.
Top 15
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1
Glory (1989)
A Black Union regiment in the Civil War; his first Oscar.
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2
Training Day (2001)
Corrupt detective Alonzo Harris; Best Actor Oscar.
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3
Inside Man (2006)
A bank hostage standoff, from Spike Lee.
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4
Philadelphia (1993)
The lawyer who takes Tom Hanks's case.
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5
Malcolm X (1992)
Spike Lee's biopic.
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6
Fences (2016)
August Wilson's play, also directed by Denzel.
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7
American Gangster (2007)
Harlem drug lord Frank Lucas.
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8
Remember the Titans (2000)
A desegregated high-school football team.
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9
Devil in a Blue Dress (1995)
Easy Rawlins in 1940s Los Angeles.
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10
Courage Under Fire (1996)
An officer investigates a Gulf War medal case.
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11
Flight (2012)
A pilot hiding his addiction.
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12
The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)
Joel Coen's black-and-white Shakespeare.
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13
The Hurricane (1999)
Boxer Rubin Carter.
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14
Crimson Tide (1995)
A nuclear-submarine standoff with Gene Hackman.
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15
Man on Fire (2004)
His best pure action film.
How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.
Is something missing?
Comments (1)
Training Day is the one, Denzel playing a villain was a revelation.