8 Best Movies by Ivan Reitman, Ranked

If we are describing various directorial styles through facial expressions, then Steven Spielberg’s would be a wide-eyed wonder, Martin Scorsese’s would be an intense, furrowed scowl, Federico Fellini’s would be a dreamy, dazed grin, and Ivan Reitman’s would be a deadpan poker face.

Why? Simply because he takes a wild, bonkers premise and treats it like it’s completely normal. That directorial attitude is where the Reitman magic comes from. The situations and premises are funny, but the laugh riot comes from how his characters react to them.

He engineered the modern comedy blockbuster formula: Take a high-concept (almost absurd) premise, ground it through relatable (but cynical) characters, bypass complexity, move fast, stay clear, and let the characters do the heavy lifting. That’s why the comedy in his films has distinct faces; you remember not only the jokes but also who delivered them.

Over the years, his approach—balancing studio needs with a distinct, playful creative voice—has squeezed out many blockbusters and cultural touchstones, especially from the ‘80s and the ‘90s. Today, he boasts a significant influence on how we consume genre-bending entertainment.

These eight films should give you a sneak peek into how Reitman’s direction feels sharp, controlled, and genuinely entertaining.

Top 8 Ivan Reitman Movies

8. Kindergarten Cop (1990)

Written by: Murray Salem, Herschel Weingrod, Timothy Harris | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

An LAPD narcotics detective, John Kimble (Arnold Schwarzenegger), goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher to find a drug dealer’s ex-wife. Since the film has two contrasting premises—the gritty world of the criminals and police procedural vs. the chaotic “kiddie” energy of the classroom—Reitman accentuates that contrast through a bright, high-key lighting palette. These tonal shifts work in the film’s favor, giving this action movie some heart. Also, the tight pacing ensures the fish-out-of-water trope comes off as fresh and genuinely funny.

7. Draft Day (2014)

Written by: Rajiv Joseph, Scott Rothman | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

The movie follows Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner), the general manager of the Cleveland Browns, as he tackles the high-stakes pressure of the NFL Draft. The film is dialogue-heavy—the sharp, rapid-fire kind—and to maintain momentum during scenes featuring intense phone conversations, Reitman makes creative use of split-screen. This stylistic choice gives the sports drama a much-needed modern and tech-savvy layer. The genre is not Reitman’s usual playground, and yet, his measured editorial rhythm proves that he can handle serious, long-winded tension without losing his signature style.

6. Twins (1988)

Written by: William Davies, William Osborne, Timothy Harris, Herschel Weingrod | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

Two unlikely (and separately raised) fraternal twins, Julius (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and Vincent (Danny DeVito), the product of a botched genetic experiment, eventually reunite and set out to find their mother. This is a typical Reitman premise: wildly mismatched protagonists going after their objectives like there is nothing strange about it. Reitman uses the spectacular height and body difference between the leads and focuses on the physical comedy it creates. Despite the irony-rich premise, the movie prioritizes earnestness; it may sound casual, but for a comedy movie in the ‘80s, it was a bold move. All in all, the humor feels natural as it grows from the inherent contrast between Schwarzenegger and DeVito.

5. Meatballs (1979)

Written by: Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, Harold Ramis | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

Meatballs tells the story of Tripper Harrison (Bill Murray), the head counselor at a low-budget summer camp, who competes against a rival site. This movie is proof that Reitman can handle a large ensemble cast while maintaining the focus on a single, charismatic protagonist. The film is noted for its loose, improvisational feel, which Reitman achieved by letting his directorial style relax and encouraging naturalism. He also balances the loose structure with a tightly controlled tone.

4. Ghostbusters II (1989)

Written by: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

In this second entry in the Ghostbusters franchise, we see the iconic team reuniting to save New York City from a supernatural slime and a 16th-century tyrant. The phenomenal success of the first film prompted Reitman to step up the visual effects and to use more complex matte paintings and animatronics. Here, he sets Peter Venkman’s witty sarcasm against a larger-than-life spectacle. While it lacks the freshness of the first film, the movie earns this spot purely for its technical ambition and for expanding the lore of the franchise.

3. Stripes (1981)

Written by: Len Blum, Dan Goldberg, Harold Ramis | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

After an irreverent cab driver, John Winger (Bill Murray), loses everything, he and his friend, Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis), join the Army out of boredom and cause unexpected military mishaps. Reitman repeats the realism-grounded improvisational style he used in Meatballs. It gives the film’s depiction of Army boot camp a documentary-like feel. As always, Reitman pushes his actors to improvise and push boundaries. This is one of the must-watch military comedies.

2. Dave (1993)

Written by: Gary Ross | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

The U.S. President goes into a coma, and the Secret Service recruits Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), who bears a striking resemblance to the POTUS, to impersonate him. However, Dave ends up doing a better job leading the country than the real president. Keeping up with the subject line and the White House setting, Reitman employs a sophisticated style and “stately” camera movements. This may be a political “comedy,” but it still treats its humor with intelligence and warmth. Since the script quality and performance, not gimmicks, make up the foundation of the film, it holds up as a cohesive and mature entry in Reitman’s filmography.

1. Ghostbusters (1984)

Written by: Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis | Directed by: Ivan Reitman

Three eccentric parapsychologists, Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis), after losing their university funding, set up a ghost-catching business in NYC and find out that a Sumerian god is planning to destroy the world. A definitive centerpiece in the Reitman filmography, Ghostbusters perfectly merges horror with dry humor through masterful pacing and blocking. The film used several special effects that were groundbreaking at the time and yet didn’t overshadow the narrative and characters. The film set a unique tone—epic yet intimate—that gave way to many sequels over the years.