Swoon over these movies with heartthrob Ryan Gosling

Drooling over Ryan Gosling has been a pop culture tradition since he starred alongside Rachel McAdams in 2004’s The Notebook. The film’s steamy romance captivated audiences almost as much as their heartbreaking love for each other.

Allie & Noah’s soulmate bond had audiences blotting their eyes and trying not to cry too loudly in the theater when the film debuted. But Gosling’s emergence as a romantic lead made filmgoers take notice of the indie movie darling.

Maybe it was his rippling abs? Maybe it was his ability to quickly drop dry stoicism and give impassioned speeches about his feelings? Whatever Gosling did, his role in The Notebook rocketed him to heartthrob status. 

So, are you in a swooning kind of mood? Put a little more heart in your eyes so you can sigh over this list of movies with Ryan Gosling!

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Nick Cassavetes’s The Notebook gave us Gosling the romantic in 2004. Then in 2011, Crazy, Stupid, Love blessed us with Gosling the body-ody-ody. He plays Jacob Palmer, a well-dressed pick-up artist helping suddenly single Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) get back in the love game.

For some reason, Palmer ends up taking off his shirt to the delight of Hannah (Emma Stone) and, like, everyone in the theater. Well, actually we do know the reason – she literally tells him to and then accuses him of being photoshopped.

Crazy, Stupid, Love is perfect for the lonely viewer looking for a slightly unbelievable romance movie. The story just so happens to be between someone almost too gorgeous to exist and a quirky spitfire they meet at a bar.

Drive

Audiences watch movies with Ryan Gosling for a lot of reasons – including his body. However, Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive gave fans a new reason to pay attention when the film dropped in 2011. Drive was Gosling’s first mainstream run at being a full-fledged action star.

Gosling plays a nameless Hollywood stunt driver secretly working as a getaway driver. He ends up falling for his neighbor, Irene (Carrey Mulligan). Yet, soon he runs into trouble when her ne’er-do-well husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) returns from prison.

Drive is perfect for the action lover with an appreciation for gorgeous actors like Gosling and the equally swoon-worthy Isaac. Gosling’s dry stoicism is never too dry and there’s always a peek of the genuinely good person underneath the sarcasm.

The Place Beyond the Pines

Derek Cianfrance’s The Place Beyond the Pines is a perfect marriage between action, romance, and dramatic acting. Luckily for Gosling, the actor has extensive experience with all three.

The movie is an ambitious tale presenting Luke (Gosling) and Avery (Bradley Cooper) trying to do the right thing. The film also explores the impact of their stories on two at-risk youths who are also Luke’s & Avery’s sons.

The Place Beyond the Pines is perfect for anyone looking for a more serious, but still shirtless, Gosling. It’s also ideal for anyone interested in the movie where Gosling first met his wife, actress Eva Mendes.

La La Land

La La Land is arguably one of the most controversial movies with Ryan Gosling. Blue Valentine was surrounded by controversy when the film dropped because of the movie’s unapologetic oral sex scene with Michelle Williams’s character as the lucky recipient.

La La Land, on the other hand, had been accused of appropriating jazz culture after the film was released in 2016. In the movie, Mia Dolan (Emma Stone) is an aspiring actress who has a set of chance encounters with jazz pianist Sebastian “Seb” Wilder (Gosling). Some argue Wilder becomes a white savior figure for jazz as he becomes the only one who can save it.

Despite these challenges, Damien Chazelle’s La La Land is an excellent choice for anyone looking to satisfy their inner theater kid. It’s got extravagant dance performances mixed with intimate duets between the reunited Stone & Gosling. It’s an entertaining movie for a Friday night.

But we can’t forget the iconic moment La La Land had at the 89th Academy Awards. In 2017, La La Land was nominated for Best Picture. According to presenters Warren Beatty & Faye Dunaway, La La Land won. According to the card, however, the honor went to Moonlight. Awkward!

Blade Runner 2049

Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 is definitely Gosling’s most action-packed movie. With deafening explosions, the movie is fast-paced and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats for reasons different from The Notebook.

This sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1982 original follows the story of Officer K (Gosling). Officer K uncovers old secrets and decides finding former blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is the best way to deal with them.

Blade Runner 2049 is perfect for lovers of well-constructed CGI and running scenes. The movie is a great follow-up to the 80s classic original. Did we mention there’s a shirtless Gosling, too?

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Are you a fan of movies with Ryan Gosling? Which one is your favorite? What’s your favorite Gosling moment? Let us know in the comments below!