Leonardo DiCaprio movies ranked: His 10 greatest films

by

Leonardo DiCaprio is undoubtedly a massive movie star, and his body of work is among the best of any actor working today.

He first became famous as a teen idol in the 1990s, and since then has collaborated with some of the most acclaimed directors in the industry, including James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino, and Paul Thomas Anderson.

Although he hasn’t appeared in as many movies lately – just four since winning his Oscar for The Revenant in 2015 – his involvement in a film generally means it’s a well-made project.

This year, “One Battle After Another” earned the director his third Academy Award for Best Picture. He’s now working with Martin Scorsese on their seventh film together – a spooky horror movie called “What Happens At Night” that promises to be another great success.

Considering all of that, we decided to update our list of Leonardo DiCaprio’s best movies. Here’s TopMob’s top 10 – check it out below!

Want to see this content?

This page uses a security feature called Google reCAPTCHA. Before it loads, we need your permission because reCAPTCHA might use cookies and similar technologies. If you want to see the content, please select ‘Accept and continue’ to enable reCAPTCHA.

10. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Even with his youthful looks, Leonardo DiCaprio showed he could handle Shakespeare’s complex language in Baz Luhrmann’s flashy version of Romeo and Juliet, where he acted alongside Claire Danes.

Everyone knows the story, but Luhrmann updated it by setting it in modern-day America and replacing swords with guns, all while still using Shakespeare’s original language.

RT Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Baz Luhrmann’s vibrant and contemporary take on Romeo and Juliet stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the iconic lovers. Instead of taking place in Italy during the 15th century, the story is set in a modern, flashy world inspired by the MTV era, complete with gang rivalries, parties, motorcycles, and a fast-paced lifestyle.

The movie’s lines stay true to the original story, but the characters speak in a contemporary way. The music, which blends alternative rock, dance beats, and orchestral scores, keeps the story moving at a fast pace. It feels more like a modern update of West Side Story than the traditional 1968 film adaptation, making it very appealing to younger viewers. Plus, the performances from seasoned actors like Pete Postlethwaite, Paul Sorvino, and Miriam Margoyles add a lot of depth and weight to the film.

This fresh and energetic take on Shakespeare – while understandably shortened and updated – launched Leonardo DiCaprio to teen idol status and established Baz Luhrmann as a dazzling and innovative filmmaker. – Andrew Collins

9. The Departed (2006)

One of three Martin Scorsese films on this list, The Departed won Best Picture and features Leonardo DiCaprio as an undercover cop infiltrating a Boston crime ring. He faces off against Matt Damon, who plays a spy working within the police, and both actors work to conceal their real allegiances.

This film is a reimagining of the 2002 Hong Kong movie Infernal Affairs, and features a well-known cast including Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, and Alec Baldwin.

RT Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Following a series of ambitious but somewhat disappointing films like Gangs of New York and The Aviator, director Martin Scorsese returned to his strengths with a compelling crime story set in Boston. Inspired by the Hong Kong film Infernal Affairs, it proved to be a critical success, finally earning Scorsese his long-deserved Academy Award for Best Director.

New police officer Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) is tasked with infiltrating the Mafia to bring down powerful boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson). At the same time, Costello has been raising Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) since childhood to be his informant within the police department.

This gripping movie, skillfully written by William Monahan, centers on two undercover agents who spend most of the film circling each other before finally connecting in the last act. It’s thoroughly entertaining, with brilliant performances from the leads – particularly Jack Nicholson, who delivers one of his best performances in years. The supporting cast, including Mark Wahlberg, Alec Baldwin, and Ray Winstone, also shine and frequently steal the show. – Leslie Felperin

8. Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Leonardo DiCaprio plays a famous fraudster constantly evading an FBI agent, portrayed by Tom Hanks, in Steven Spielberg’s captivating thriller. The film is loosely based on the somewhat questionable, but fascinating, life story of Frank Abagnale Jr.

For years, Frank participates in increasingly complex cons, but the determined agent Carl Hanratty consistently pursues him, though he has difficulty gathering enough evidence to arrest him.

RT Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Following his sci-fi thrillers AI: Artificial Intelligence and Minority Report, director Steven Spielberg shifts gears with this fun and visually appealing film set in the 1960s. Leonardo DiCaprio shines as Frank Abagnale Jr., a charismatic teenager who successfully conned his way across the United States, pretending to be a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash fraudulent checks.

Tom Hanks gives a strong and understated performance as Carl Hanratty, the determined FBI agent relentlessly chasing the young con artist. While the film occasionally leans into emotional moments when showing Frank Abagnale Jr.’s family, this doesn’t extend to Christopher Walken’s excellent portrayal of his father.

Even with a few brief lulls, this film remains one of Spielberg’s most purely entertaining thanks to its skillful combination of humor and suspense, impressive historical accuracy, and overall excellent direction. – Ian Freer

7. Django Unchained (2012)

This was the first of two films Leonardo DiCaprio made with director Quentin Tarantino. In it, DiCaprio played a truly hateful character – Calvin Candie, a brutal slave owner. The film centers on Django (Jamie Foxx) and his fight to rescue his wife from Candie’s clutches.

A memorable moment involves Calvin hitting a table and breaking a small glass, accidentally cutting Leonardo DiCaprio. Despite the injury, DiCaprio stayed in character and continued filming.

RT Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Quentin Tarantino, the director of the acclaimed film Inglourious Basterds, delivers another bold and energetic movie with this one. It playfully blends elements of classic Westerns, German myths, 1970s action films, and a fresh take on American history. The film is a thrilling ride through the harsh realities of slavery, starring Jamie Foxx as a former slave who becomes a bounty hunter, determined to save his wife from a cruel plantation owner (played with chilling intensity by Leonardo DiCaprio).

The film is classic Tarantino – wildly over-the-top, but in a way that works because he expertly borrows from and pays homage to beloved genre movies like Blazing Saddles and Mandingo. It features captivating dialogue, unexpected plot turns, a fantastic ensemble cast, and a soundtrack that feels like a loving nod to Ennio Morricone’s iconic work.

Christoph Waltz, rightfully an Academy Award winner, is brilliant as the charming but ruthless mentor to Django. However, Samuel L. Jackson truly stands out with his unsettling and captivating performance as the manipulative head servant of DiCaprio’s character. – Alan Jones

6. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Martin Scorsese’s latest grand film, The Wolf of Wall Street, features Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker whose incredible success and dramatic downfall are depicted in a wildly over-the-top and energetic way.

Despite some believing it glorifies Belfot’s self-indulgent life, the story is actually a warning about the consequences of his unpleasant and deserving downfall.

RT Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Before this film, Martin Scorsese hadn’t quite matched the success he’d had with Robert De Niro, but his fifth movie with Leonardo DiCaprio came the closest. It was his most successful work since their long and celebrated partnership.

This film tells the incredible story of Jordan Belfort, a New York financier who made a fortune in the 1990s through dishonest stock trading. It’s a wild ride of excess and wild behavior, and Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a captivating and energetic performance as the man at the center of it all.

Scorsese has gathered a fantastic cast to fuel the film’s wild energy, with Jonah Hill standing out as Belfort’s over-the-top partner, Donnie. DiCaprio and Hill together create a chaotic duo that’s reminiscent of the fast-paced, drug-fueled scenes in GoodFellas, but with less emphasis on constant danger and violence.

Unlike most Martin Scorsese films, this one is a straight-up black comedy, filled with outrageous and often explicit humor. Much of the laughter comes from the protagonist’s wild lifestyle of sex and drugs, which brilliantly complements the sharp, witty, and darkly funny dialogue reminiscent of The Sopranos. – Damon Wise

5. Titanic (1997)

The movie that launched Leonardo DiCaprio to international stardom remains a standout performance, largely thanks to his incredible connection with Kate Winslet. Their portrayal of Jack and Rose, the ill-fated lovers in James Cameron’s blockbuster film, is truly unforgettable.

Everyone knows the story: Jack, a struggling artist, wins a ticket to sail on the ill-fated ship and quickly falls in love with Rose, a woman from a wealthy family. Their beautiful, but brief, romance ends in tragedy.

RT Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

As a movie fan, I always say James Cameron is in love with that ship in ‘Titanic’ – it’s obvious! But beyond that, the real heart of the film is the romance between Kate Winslet’s character and Leonardo DiCaprio’s. Honestly, the script itself feels like something from the golden age of Hollywood – it wouldn’t have carried legends like Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh for even a short movie. But Cameron, with his incredible cast, somehow brings back that classic, glamorous feel and keeps you hooked for a full three hours. It’s really something special.

Titanic is a powerfully emotional film, especially in its final hour, which vividly portrays the terror and bone-chilling fear of the disaster. There are moments, like a stunning aerial shot of the ship, where you can feel director James Cameron’s own excitement and joy in filmmaking.

Costing over $200 million to produce, this film is among the most expensive ever made. It went on to earn almost $2 billion in theaters, breaking box office records. It also won 11 Academy Awards, tying with Ben-Hur and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King for the most Oscars ever received. – Adrian Turner

4. Inception (2010)

Leonardo DiCaprio and Christopher Nolan created this incredibly complex and thrilling film, which remains one of the best big-budget movies of the 21st century – and is often considered Nolan’s masterpiece.

He plays Dom Cobb, a skilled thief who breaks into people’s dreams. His latest job is incredibly difficult: he needs to plant an idea in the mind of the heir to a powerful energy company.

RT Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

In this mind-bending thriller from director Christopher Nolan (known for Dunkirk), Leonardo DiCaprio plays Cobb, a skilled thief who extracts valuable secrets from people’s dreams. However, he faces his greatest challenge yet when a powerful client (Ken Watanabe) hires him to do the impossible: plant an idea into the mind of a business rival’s son (Cillian Murphy), threatening to unravel Cobb’s own sanity in the process.

The characters’ internal struggles create breathtaking, dreamlike action sequences reminiscent of The Matrix. While skilled teammates, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Tom Hardy, assist Cobb, he’s also battling his own inner demons and ghostly appearances of his wife (Marion Cotillard). These personal conflicts add a powerful and immediate sense of danger to the film.

The film struggles with emotional connection; some characters feel like plot devices used to unravel a complex story. However, director Christopher Nolan (known for similarly puzzling films like Memento) clearly excels at creating captivating and intellectually stimulating puzzles.

3. One Battle After Another (2025)

Leonardo DiCaprio and acclaimed filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson first worked together on this outstanding comedy thriller. It was inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s novel Vineland and went on to win multiple Academy Awards, including Best Picture – marking the third time a DiCaprio film had earned that honor.

He stars as Bob Ferguson, a man who used to be a radical activist but now drifts through life. He’s pulled back into action when his teenage daughter is kidnapped by a dangerous enemy from his past – brilliantly and frighteningly played by Oscar winner Sean Penn.

RT Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s excellent film draws inspiration from Thomas Pynchon’s novel, Vineland. It’s not a direct copy, but instead skillfully uses ideas and themes from the book to create something new, while still capturing the original’s rebellious energy, quirky humor, and serious underlying messages.

Okay, so I just saw this movie, and Leonardo DiCaprio is fantastic as Bob Ferguson – a guy who used to be a real firebrand with this resistance group, the French 75, but now he’s totally lost his spark. But get this – his old enemy, played by Sean Penn who is amazing at being a total villain, comes back into the picture. Suddenly, Bob has to find that fighting spirit again, especially when it comes to protecting his teenage daughter, played by Chase Infiniti, who is a total standout. The whole thing then turns into this incredibly exciting, funny, and perfectly timed chase. DiCaprio really nails the role of a guy who’s just trying to live a quiet life but gets dragged back into the action.

Anderson directs the film’s action sequences, like a thrilling car chase, in surprisingly creative ways, perfectly matched by Jonny Greenwood’s energetic, piano-driven music. The film feels both immediate and relevant, addressing current issues like the harsh treatment of immigrants in the US and the rise of extremism among powerful people, while still offering moments of hope and emotional resonance.

Patrick Cremona notes that Anderson’s film is particularly powerful because it balances exciting action with a genuinely moving story about a father and daughter.

2. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)

Leonardo DiCaprio gives a fantastic performance as Rick Dalton, a fading Western star, in Quentin Tarantino’s nostalgic film set in 1969. The story mainly takes place over one day, culminating in a thrilling and dramatic ending several months later.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt have fantastic on-screen chemistry in what many consider to be Quentin Tarantino’s best films. They both portray characters navigating a Hollywood that’s rapidly changing, with Pitt playing Rick Dalton’s longtime stunt double and close friend, Cliff Booth.

RT Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Quentin Tarantino revisits the Los Angeles he depicted in films like Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction with a fast-paced and clever story that celebrates and examines a Hollywood in the midst of a major transformation.

In 1969, over a few key days – a February weekend and a fateful night in August – aging TV cowboy Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) grapples with his declining career. This downturn also impacts his longtime stuntman and helper, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt). Meanwhile, actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) is optimistic about her rising career and happy marriage to director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha).

The film’s title might lead you to expect a story focused on the Manson family, and they do appear, but they’re just one piece of a bold, unexpected, and captivating plot. Tarantino truly excels here, with standout performances from the three main actors and memorable appearances by Al Pacino and Bruce Dern. – Terry Staunton

1. Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

It might be because it’s fresh in my mind, but Leonardo DiCaprio’s newest movie with Martin Scorsese is possibly his best yet – a long, gripping story that unfolds slowly and carefully over three and a half hours.

Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Ernest Burkhart, a man who marries an Osage woman and is then manipulated by his uncle, a local rancher, into participating in a series of horrific crimes. This period became known to the Osage people as the “Reign of Terror.”

RT Review

A star rating of 5 out of 5.

Martin Scorsese’s latest film, based on David Grann’s popular book, recounts a disturbing true story from American history. It centers on the murders of numerous Osage Nation members in 1920s Oklahoma, which occurred after oil was discovered on their land and brought them great wealth.

The film centers on Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), a First World War veteran, his powerful uncle William Hale (Robert De Niro), and Ernest’s Osage wife, Mollie (Lily Gladstone). It realistically portrays the ruthless and calculated cruelty of those behind a sinister plot.

Clocking in at three and a half hours, this film is a genuine epic. It’s a detailed and carefully paced story that builds gradually to a powerful climax. Lily Gladstone gives a flawless performance, and Robbie Robertson’s intense musical score adds a real sense of urgency.

Patrick Cremona praises Scorsese’s surprising ending as a brilliant decision that significantly enhances the film’s impact.

Authors

Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer

Patrick Cremona writes about movies for TopMob, covering both theatrical releases and streaming titles. He’s been with the site since October 2019, and during that time has interviewed many famous actors and reviewed a wide variety of films.

  • Visit us on Twitter

Read More

2026-04-16 10:15