Let’s be real for a second. If you search for "ryan reynolds criminal movie," you’re probably looking for one of two very different things. Either you’re trying to remember that weirdly intense 2016 sci-fi thriller literally titled Criminal, or you’re hunting for one of his many high-octane "bad boy" roles where he plays a professional thief, a hitman, or a rogue agent.
It’s kinda funny how Ryan Reynolds has carved out this specific niche. He’s the guy who can play a CIA agent one minute and a world-class art thief the next, all while keeping that same "I’m-exhausted-by-this-plot" energy we love.
But there’s a lot of confusion out there. People mix up his roles constantly because, honestly, the man has been in about a dozen movies involving international heists, memory transplants, and massive explosions.
The 2016 "Criminal" Movie: Ryan Reynolds as the Ghost in the Machine
First, let’s talk about the actual movie called Criminal. It came out in 2016, and if you missed it, you aren't alone. It’s one of those films that felt like it had every ingredient for a massive hit but somehow just simmered under the radar.
The premise is basically "what if we put a dead hero's brain into a psychopath?" Reynolds plays Bill Pope, a CIA operative who gets killed while trying to track down a shadowy hacker known as The Dutchman. The CIA—led by a very grumpy Gary Oldman—decides the only way to save the world is to take Bill’s memories and shove them into the brain of a dangerous, unempathetic death-row inmate named Jerico Stewart (played by Kevin Costner).
Here’s the thing that trips people up: Ryan Reynolds is barely in this movie.
He’s the catalyst. He’s the face on the poster. But he dies in the first ten minutes. The rest of the film is really a Kevin Costner vehicle where Costner has to act like he’s slowly "becoming" Ryan Reynolds. It’s a bizarre, gritty, and surprisingly emotional flick, but if you went in expecting 113 minutes of Ryan’s trademark snark, you probably walked away disappointed.
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Why We Associate Ryan Reynolds With the "Criminal" Aesthetic
If you weren't looking for the 2016 movie, you were probably thinking of his "Red Notice" era. That’s the version of the criminal movie ryan reynolds fans usually have in mind—the slick, fast-talking guy who’s always two steps ahead of the law.
Think about it. In Red Notice, he plays Nolan Booth, the second-greatest art thief in the world. He’s literally a criminal, but he’s so charming you’re basically rooting for him to steal Cleopatra's eggs. Then you’ve got 6 Underground, where he plays a billionaire who fakes his own death to lead a squad of ghosts on a bloody, unsanctioned coup.
Technically, they’re all "criminals" under international law, right?
Then there's Safe House. This one is a bit more grounded. He plays Matt Weston, a "housekeeper" for a CIA safe house in South Africa. He’s the law, but he’s stuck babysitting Denzel Washington’s Tobin Frost—a man who is basically the ultimate criminal mastermind. The dynamic shifts, lines get blurred, and by the end, you’re not even sure who the "good" guys are anymore.
A Quick Breakdown of the Reynolds "Rap Sheet"
Instead of a boring list, let's just look at how his roles usually shake out. You’ve got:
- The Reluctant Lawman: Smokin' Aces (2006) and R.I.P.D. (2013). In both, he’s trying to do the right thing in a world full of absolute chaos. In Smokin' Aces, he’s an FBI agent caught in a hotel-sized bloodbath. In R.I.P.D., he’s a murdered cop catching "deados."
- The High-End Heist Guy: Red Notice. This is peak Reynolds.
- The Vigilante: 6 Underground. This is Michael Bay on steroids. It's loud, it's messy, and Reynolds spends half the time making fun of how ridiculous the situation is.
The "Mind-Swap" Obsession
Did you notice a pattern? The 2016 Criminal movie wasn't the only time Ryan Reynolds dealt with "swapping" lives or bodies.
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In Self/less (2015), he plays the "vessel" for a dying billionaire’s consciousness. In R.I.P.D., his soul is in one body while the living world sees him as an old man. It’s like Hollywood decided for a few years that Ryan Reynolds had the perfect face for someone else to inhabit.
It’s a weirdly specific trope. It makes you wonder if there’s something about his screen presence that feels both "everyman" and "superhuman" at the same time.
What Most People Get Wrong About These Films
The biggest misconception? That these movies are all comedies.
Sure, Red Notice is a romp. But the 2016 Criminal movie is dark. It’s violent. It’s got a scene where a man’s memories are literally being "downloaded" through a needle in the eye. It’s not a "grab the popcorn and laugh" kind of experience.
Even Safe House is remarkably grim. It’s got that shaky-cam, Bourne-style intensity that doesn't leave much room for the Deadpool-style quips we’ve grown used to.
If you're diving into his filmography, you have to know which "version" of Ryan you’re getting.
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How to Actually Watch These Movies Today
If you’re trying to track down the criminal movie ryan reynolds starred in, here is the most efficient way to do it without wasting a Saturday night on the wrong film.
- If you want the literal title: Look for Criminal (2016) on VOD platforms like Amazon or Apple. It’s often on Tubi or other free-with-ads services too.
- If you want the heist vibe: Head to Netflix for Red Notice. It’s their most-watched movie for a reason—it’s pure, unadulterated entertainment.
- If you want the "spy vs spy" grit: Watch Safe House. It’s arguably his best "serious" performance in the action genre.
Don't go into the 2016 film expecting a buddy-cop comedy. It’s a sci-fi noir. It’s about grief, the ethics of science, and whether a monster can be taught to love through someone else’s memories of their wife. Gal Gadot is also in it, playing Bill Pope’s widow, which makes it a weird "pre-Red Notice" reunion that most people totally forget about.
Practical Next Steps for the Reynolds Fan
Stop scrolling through Netflix's "Because you watched..." list. If you really want to appreciate the range he has in the "crime" genre, watch Smokin' Aces followed immediately by Red Notice.
You’ll see the evolution from a young, intense actor trying to find his footing to a global superstar who has mastered the art of the meta-commentary.
Check your local streaming availability for Criminal (2016) first, though. It’s a polarizing movie—critics mostly hated it, but audiences usually find it much more engaging than the 30% Rotten Tomatoes score suggests. It’s worth a watch just to see Kevin Costner try to channel a little bit of that Reynolds energy.