Michael Showalter built his name in sketch comedy with The State before he ever sat in a director’s chair, and that background still shows in how he handles actors and tone. Over the past two decades, he has moved from scrappy indie comedies to studio rom-coms to prestige biopics, often putting a comedic spin on stories that could easily have played as straight drama. His resume includes an Oscar-nominated screenplay, two Academy Award wins for a film he directed, and a string of streaming hits that turned him into one of the most reliable names in modern romantic comedy.
As expected, not every project of his has had the same level of critical and commercial success. Michael Showalter’s filmography swings from a rough directorial debut that critics largely dismissed to a script so sharp it earned him and his co-writer an Academy Award nomination. With his new psychological erotic thriller Verity released in October 2026, here’s every Michael Showalter feature film, ranked from his weakest outing to his strongest, and based on critical reception, box office performance, and lasting cultural impact.
8. The Baxter (2005)
Michael Showalter’s directorial debut also put him in front of the camera as Elliot Sherman, a hapless nice guy who keeps losing women to more exciting rivals right before the altar. The premise flips the typical rom-com structure by centering on the man who never gets the girl, and the idea had real promise on paper. Michelle Williams, Elizabeth Banks, and Justin Theroux also appear in the cast.
The Baxter has the basic ingredients of the romantic comedies Showalter would become known for, but the execution feels less polished than his later work. Its central idea is clever, and Showalter clearly understands the conventions he is playing with. Still, the film lacks the emotional and comedic balance that would make his later movies much stronger. Rotten Tomatoes currently gives The Baxter a 32% critics’ score, making it his lowest-rated feature film.
7. Oh. What. Fun. (2025)
Michelle Pfeiffer leads Oh. What. Fun. as Claire Clauster, a mother who spends Christmas making sure her family has a perfect holiday. When her family takes her efforts for granted, Claire decides to leave and pursue her own holiday adventure. The film gives Showalter another opportunity to mix broad comedy with a story about family relationships.
Pfeiffer gives the movie plenty of personality, and the premise has obvious appeal for viewers who have ever felt overlooked during the holidays. However, the film does not consistently match the strengths of Showalter’s better work. Its comedy can be uneven, and some of the family dynamics feel more exaggerated than convincing. The movie works best when it lets Pfeiffer carry the story rather than relying on broader antics.
6. The Lovebirds (2020)
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani star as a couple who stumble into a murder conspiracy the same night they plan to break up. This forces them to work together while running from both the police and the real killers. The action-comedy hybrid leans hard on the chemistry between its two leads, and that pairing carries most of the film’s best moments.
The movie benefits greatly from its two leads. Rae and Nanjiani have an easy chemistry, and their arguments give the story some of its funniest moments. The problem is that the increasingly wild plot sometimes becomes more important than the relationship at its center. It remains an entertaining watch, but it does not have the same emotional precision as Michael Showalter’s strongest movies.
5. The Idea of You (2024)
The Idea of You gave Michael Showalter the chance to direct a polished romantic drama built around Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galitzine. Hathaway plays Solène, a divorced mother who begins an unexpected relationship with Hayes, the much younger lead singer of a popular boy band. Their relationship quickly attracts public attention and forces Solène to reconsider what she wants from her life.
Hathaway brings considerable warmth to the role, while Galitzine gives Hayes enough charm to make the romance believable. Showalter also understands when to let the relationship breathe instead of turning every scene into a joke. The movie is more conventional than some of his earlier work, but it demonstrates his ability to handle a large-scale romance without losing sight of the characters. Its 80% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes also places it among his better-reviewed movies.
4. Spoiler Alert (2022)
Spoiler Alert shows a more dramatic side of Michael Showalter’s directing. Based on Michael Ausiello‘s memoir, the movie follows Michael and Kit as their relationship changes after Kit receives a cancer diagnosis. Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge star as the couple at the center of the story.
Showalter handles the difficult material with a combination of humor and sadness. The movie never completely abandons its romantic-comedy roots, even when the story becomes painful. Parsons and Aldridge also give the film a strong emotional center. With an 87% critics’ score and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, Spoiler Alert has earned some of the strongest overall audience support of Showalter’s film career.
3. The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye marked another significant change of direction for Michael Showalter. Instead of making a romantic comedy, he tackled the rise and fall of televangelists Tammy Faye and Jim Bakker. Jessica Chastain stars as Tammy Faye, while Andrew Garfield portrays Jim Bakker.
The movie works because it does not treat Tammy Faye as a simple villain or saint. Chastain’s performance gives the character warmth, ambition, and vulnerability, while Showalter keeps the story focused on the people behind the public images. His direction also shows he could move into biographical drama without completely losing the human focus in his comedies. Chastain won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance, giving the movie an important place in Showalter’s career.
2. Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)
Hello, My Name Is Doris is one of Michael Showalter’s most charming movies. Sally Field plays Doris Miller, a socially awkward woman who develops a crush on a much younger coworker named John (Max Greenfield). Rather than treating Doris as a punchline, the movie gives her genuine emotional stakes.
Field’s performance makes the movie work. Doris can be embarrassing, stubborn, and occasionally misguided, but Showalter never loses sight of her humanity. The film also shows his ability to find humor in uncomfortable situations without making the characters themselves feel disposable. With an 86% critics’ score and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, it remains one of his most consistently well-received films.
1. The Big Sick (2017)
The Big Sick is Michael Showalter’s best movie and the clearest example of what makes his directing style work. Written by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the film draws from their real-life relationship. Its story follows Kumail as his relationship with Emily becomes complicated after she falls seriously ill. Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan star, with Holly Hunter and Ray Romano playing Emily’s parents. What makes the movie special is how it balances comedy and serious subject matter without allowing either side to overwhelm the other.
The characters feel specific, flawed, and believable, but the story has enough humor to remain entertaining even during its most difficult moments. Showalter gives the cast room to create natural chemistry instead of forcing every scene toward a joke. The Big Sick earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay and established Showalter as a director capable of turning an unusual personal story into a widely accessible movie. For all the different genres Michael Showalter has explored, The Big Sick remains the strongest combination of everything he does well.
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