The 14 Best Chris Tucker Movies and Shows, Ranked By a Super Fan

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A

While Tucker has made some guest appearances on television shows through the years, his appearance on Def Comedy Jam is one that stands out because it was what initially introduced him to the world. The television series ran on HBO from 1992 to 1997, and was produced and developed by Russell Simons. In addition to Tucker, you can also find other comedic legends like Martin Lawrence on the show as well. Unfortunately we don’t have great footage from the show (hopefully one day that changes), but you can check out Tucker’s part in the video above. 

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 67%

Before films like Money Talks and Friday catapulted Tucker into being a major movie star, the actor was paying his dues making smaller appearances in films. Released in 1994, House Party 3 starred Kid ‘n Play, Bernie Mac, Tisha Campbell, and TLC in what was the third installment of the film series where Tucker starred as Johnny Booze. As you can imagine, someone that goes by the name Johnny Booze is probably an individual that’s up to no good, and Mr. Booze definitely had some unique business deals and activities going on, but we’re not going to talk about that. 

Sidenote: You should probably watch the House Party series if you haven’t already. 

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 43%

Prior to Air, the last time we saw Tucker in a feature film was in 2016’s Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, where he took on the role of film producer Albert Brown. The movie centered around a nineteen-year-old private named Billy Lynn (Joe Alwin), who along with his fellow soldiers in Bravo Squad after a battle with Iraq. Upon returning home, Billy and the rest of the soldiers are treated like heroes, but in the midst of the celebration, Billy begins to experience flashbacks about what really happened to the squad while in combat. 

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 17%

Rotten Tomatoes was kind of trippin with this score. Anyway, Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan were reunited once again as Carter and Lee for the third installment of what we hope is out of four films (fingers crossed that we get Rush Hour 4). Released in 2007, the duo linked up again for another East versus West battle in Paris after the assassination of Ambassador Han. While in Paris, Carter and Lee are doing the usual—kicking butt, watching their backs, solving crimes, and being funny while at it (Carter dancing while directing traffic and the karate scene are ones that immediately come to mind). A nice little blast from the past that we can’t believe is turning sixteen this year.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 92%

An ensemble cast that also featured Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, and Julia Stiles, Silver Linings Playbook is about a man named Patrick (Cooper) who ends up in a mental institution after losing both his job and wife. Eager to put the pieces of his life back together and get his wife back, he meets a woman by the name of Tiffany (Lawrence) who is willing to help him win back his wife, but with a condition. Tucker starred as Danny McDaniels, somebody from the mental facility that winds up becoming a good friend of Pat’s along the way, and his performance was praised by both fans and critics.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

Rush Hour 2 will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the very first movie that I ever saw at the theater (and I remember it too). For some reason, my parents skipped over every animated/kids film that had come out in my life up to that point, and decided to make Rush Hour 2 my first movie theater experience. For that, I am grateful. It’s always hard for a sequel to live up to expectations when the first film is so wildly successful, but Rush Hour 2 did just that and more. 

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 49%

Back in 1995, Tucker starred as Skip in the war drama film Dead Presidents alongside Larenz Tate and Keith David. The movie was about a soldier (Tate) returning to the Bronx after a nightmarish stint in Vietnam. The nightmare continues for him and friends even after the war stint as they struggle to find steady work due to the economy. Desperate for funds, he decides to team up with Skip (Tucker), a drug addict, and a crook named Kirby (David) to pull off the ultimate bank heist.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: N/A

We’re going to break away from the films for a second to give you a throwback to Tucker’s 2015 Netflix Special, which was filmed in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia. In it, the actor shared different childhood experiences such as his mother making him walk to church, hilarious impressions of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and cool stories such as being able to sing with Michael Jackson and Barry Gibb. Definitely check it out if you haven’t already done so.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%

Starring alongside Bruce Willis, Mila Jovovich, and Gary Oldman, The Fifth Element is about a New York Century Cabbie in the 23rd century (Willis) who ends up with the fate of the world in his hands when Leeloo (Jovovich) enters into his cab. Leeloo, who is the fifth element, needs to combine with the other four elements to save the world from the Great Evil. One of those elements is the amusing Ruby Rhod (Tucker), who is…amusing to say the least.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%

How can we put a movie that hasn’t come out yet on the list? The answer is…we just did. The reviews are already in, and sources say that not only is the movie great, but so is Chris Tucker’s performance in the film. Also, from what we have seen so far, it looks like this role as Howard White is one that we haven’t quite exactly seen from Tucker so far in his filmography, which is super exciting. So yes, we have Air already included on this roundup.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%

No, Jackie Brown isn’t the sequel to Pulp Fiction. It doesn’t seem like it’s the sequel to Pulp Fiction either as Pam Grier is actually kind of the perpetrator in this film as opposed to the other way around. Either way, Jackie Brown is a classic movie about a flight attendant (Brown) who’s busted for smuggling money for her dealer Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson). If Ms. Brown doesn’t cooperate with detectives in order to bust Robbie, she’ll face jail time. So what does she do? She fools both parties and makes off with the money. While Tucker’s role as Beaumont Livingston was a smaller one compared to his other films, his scenes with Samuel L. Jackson in particular really helped make the movie what it is (if you know you know).

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

Ah. The first Rush Hour. The one that started it all off. The movie that introduced us to one of the best detective pairing in history with Carter and Lee. The beginning of the East meeting the West. The origins of the snake dance and Carter basically threatening to kill Lee because he touched his radio with the old school Jay-Z playing in the background. With the first film being released in 1998, that means this franchise will be celebrating its first birthday this year. Of course we’ll have more on that when that date rolls around, but for now, the first Rush Hour earns our number three spot.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

We’re making the controversial decision to put Friday at number two (you’ll see what our number one is a second). Honestly, if there was such a thing as a tie for these types of roundups we would have Friday as a tie for the number one because it quite literally changed the culture. From the storyline, to the quotables (“Bye Felicia”), to even the clothes they were wearing, Friday changed the game, and still has an impact on entertainment nearly thirty years after its release—especially with the presence and influence of TikTok in today’s culture.

And the best thing about it—Friday still feels fresh in the sense that it could be released today and still be a major hit. One of the all-time great cult-classics for sure.

• Rotten Tomatoes Score: 16%

And despite everything we just said about Friday (and obviously ignoring the Rotten Tomatoes score), we’re still going with Money Talks as our number one Chris Tucker movie. Now if you had asked me the question of what the best Chris Tucker movie of all time is before 2020/2021, I would have said Friday without any hesitation, but upon rewatching Money Talks my answer changed. This just might be the funniest Tucker has ever been (the singing bus scene comes to mind), the overall plot of the movie as a whole, it’s just…you have to watch this movie and really pay attention to everything. That’s all we’re going to say.