My favourite clowns are the really funny types who also make you care, have you rooting for them and wishing them well. Ben Stiller’s performances touch me like this each and every time. Sure the characters he plays – the hapless, can’t get it right boyfriend in Meet the Fockers, the laughing stock model down on his luck (Zoolander) and so on are drawn to draw out our empathy . But, there truly is something about Stiller, his sincerity and sweetness and his amazingly versatile, expressive face that makes us genuinely care. Even when he’s the vain and silly Zoolander!
Anyway, to my mind. he is the perfect clown and I really don’t think I have watched a movie yet that he has been in that hasn’t warmed my heart and made me laugh till my sides ached.
Here are 10 of my favourite Stiller movies that I recommended again and again ( in no particular order – except the first.)
Something about Mary
This movie has it all, stalker, slapstick, friendship and love. It’s hilarious and has a hair gel scene you will never forget. One of my absolute favourites.
Meet the Fockers 1 2 and 3
Oh there are some great actors in this series Robert de Niro, Owen Wilson, Dustin Hoffman and Barbara Streisand (as a sex therapist!) plus a signing baby! It All of them are fabulous and you root for Stiller to win over his father in law but time and again he gets it so wrong!
Night at the Museum 1 2 and 3
Starring Stiller as a museum night security guard these 3 films also feature the late great Robin Williams along with Owen Wilson, R Ricky Gervais , Steve Coogan and Mickey Rooney. It is action packed and so well shot that you genuinely care for these long dead museum pieces and want them to find the love and life they long for! lots of slapstick and stellar performances all round especially in the third by Rebel Wilson who falls in love with a caveman!
Zoolander 1 and 2
Stiller stars alongside Owen Wilson as male models battling to save the day. They are ridiculous and hilarious and comedy magic happens when they work together. Immensely likeable characters and a funny, funny movies
Tower Heist
This movie is a must-see if you want a good giggle. Stiller plays an apartment block manager determined to win back the money stolen from his employs under a Ponzi scheme. What ensues is full on slapstick and oh do you want him to succeed! Also stars Eddie Murphy.
There are many more Stiller movies I have yet to watch but here is a full list in case you want to check them out too. including the characters he plays.
- Hot Pursuit (1987) – Jerry
- Empire of the Sun (1987) – Dainty
- Fresh Horses (1988) – Tipton
- Next of Kin (1989) – Lawrence
- The Nutt House (1992) – Sid
- Reality Bites (1994) – Michael Grates
- Heavyweights (1995) – Tony Perkis
- If Lucy Fell (1996) – Bwick Elias
- Flirting with Disaster (1996) – Mel Coplin
- The Cable Guy (1996) – Sam Sweet/Stan Sweet (cameo)
- Permanent Midnight (1998) – Jerry Stahl
- Your Friends & Neighbors (1998) – Jerry
- Zero Effect (1998) – Steve Arlo
- There’s Something About Mary (1998) – Ted Stroehmann
- Mystery Men (1999) – Mr. Furious
- Keeping the Faith (2000) – Rabbi Jake Schram
- Meet the Parents (2000) – Greg Focker
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) – Chas Tenenbaum
- Zoolander (2001) – Derek Zoolander
- Duplex (2003) – Alex Rose
- Starsky & Hutch (2004) – David Starsky
- Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) – White Goodman
- Envy (2004) – Tim Dingman
- Along Came Polly (2004) – Reuben Feffer
- Meet the Fockers (2004) – Greg Focker
- Madagascar (2005) – Alex the Lion (voice)
- Night at the Museum (2006) – Larry Daley
- Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006) – Guitar Store Guy
- The Heartbreak Kid (2007) – Eddie Cantrow
- Tropic Thunder (2008) – Tugg Speedman
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) – Alex the Lion (voice)
- Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) – Larry Daley
- Greenberg (2010) – Roger Greenberg
- Megamind (2010) – Bernard (voice, cameo)
- Little Fockers (2010) – Greg Focker
- Tower Heist (2011) – Josh Kovaks
- Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted (2012) – Alex the Lion (voice)
- The Watch (2012) – Evan Trautwig
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) – Walter Mitty
- Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014) – Larry Daley
- Zoolander 2 (2016) – Derek Zoolander
- Brad’s Status (2017) – Brad Sloan
- The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) (2017) – Matthew Meyerowitz