Ever since his breakthrough performance in Whiplash, Miles Teller has boasted a prominent presence on the big screen. From joining the Divergent and Top Gun franchises to starring in the Footloose remake, Teller has been entrusted with some of the most beloved franchises and classics in Hollywood.
His career continues to expand as he’s next set to star in the fantasy rom-com Eternity with Elizabeth Olsen and Callum Turner. He will also star as lawyer John Branca in the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic, Michael. Viewers interested in more of his work can use our guide to find the best Miles Teller movies on platforms like Apple TV+, Paramount+, and more.
10. Rabbit Hole (2010)
Rabbit Hole is one of Teller’s more emotionally complex roles as he portrays Jason, a teenager grappling with the guilt of being involved in a car accident that led to a four-year-old boy losing his life. Rabbit Hole is actually Teller’s first film role, but it’s hard to tell as he poignantly portrays the introspective, guilt-ridden teen, who still puts up a valiant effort to move forward and connect with the boy’s parents. His role is a vital piece of the puzzle in a story about multiple lives connected by grief.
It’s a heavy but powerful film reminiscent of other profound works on loss, such as Tuesday and Ordinary People. The only issue is that the film sometimes seems a bit restrained in its exploration of grief, delving only into the expected marital struggles of Jason’s parents, whose poor choices and behaviors make it difficult to stir sympathy for them. Rabbit Hole does its best, but it doesn’t quite delve into the complexity and psyche of its characters as well as Whiplash or even Divergent do, which is why it takes last on this list.
9. Footloose (2011)
Footloose is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name and sees Teller take on the role of Willard, who Chris Penn portrayed in the original. Teller’s role as Willard is small but impactful, as he plays the friendly and fun-loving high school boy who overcomes his shyness and learns to dance.
His character arc aligns well with the movie’s mission to highlight the joy that music and dancing bring to young people. Footloose will appeal to fans of the original movie, especially those eager to share their love of the film with modern audiences. However, it does struggle a bit in the shadow of its hit predecessor and may feel like an unnecessary remake to some of the original's stronger fans.
8. Divergent (2014)
Shortly after portraying lovers in The Spectacular Now, Teller and Woodley portrayed rivals Peter and Tris in Divergent. Teller tackles one of the heaviest roles of the story, as a young man who can’t suppress his violent, sadistic, and cruel side. His performance drives home the fierceness and brutality of the environment, providing the perfect backdrop to Tris’s story.
Divergent is an intriguing, sci-fi dystopian that serves as a worthy adaptation of Veronica Roth’s book and will appeal to fans of other dystopian stories like The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner. However, it leans a little more into the YA genre and may come across as slightly shallow to those some.
7. The Gorge (2025)
Teller earned his first executive producer credit for Apple TV+’s The Gorge, which he also stars in alongside Anya Taylor-Joy. In the film, he portrays Levi Kane, an elite sniper sent on a top-secret mission to guard a mysterious gorge.
Part of the story is about him discovering the truth about the gorge, but a bigger part is the heartfelt tale of Kane learning to cope with his PTSD through his connection with Drasa (Taylor-Joy). Teller and Taylor-Joy’s performance and chemistry elevate The Gorge from an action-packed thriller to an enchanting and highly creative love story. For fans of both sci-fi and romance, you can’t do much better than this.
6. Bleed for This (2016)
Bleed for This sees Teller transform into former world champion boxer Vinny Pazienza, as the film tells the incredible true story of his return to the ring 13 months after a severe spinal injury. Teller’s performance in Bleed for This parallels his performance in Whiplash, as he captures the sheer grit, determination, and passion of Panzienza.
It boasts an excellent performance from Teller, who beautifully cycles through all the stages of vulnerability, resilience, and triumph as Panzienza. Bleed for This is a very inspiring, feel-good sports biopic that will appeal to fans of both fictional and real-life story boxing movies, ranging from the Rocky series to The Fire Inside. Although Teller delivers a phenomenal performance, the film feels somewhat contrived and fails to delve deeper than the typical inspirational comeback movie. It’s a little less thought-provoking than films like Thank You for Your Service and Whiplash that delve into grief, PTSD, the cost of greatness, and abuse with a nuanced lens, preventing it from ranking higher on this list.
5. Thank You for Your Service (2017)
Teller stars in Thank You for Your Service as one of several Iraq War veterans returning home and attempting to adjust to civilian life. He gives a powerful and empathy-evoking performance as a veteran struggling with PTSD. His performance doesn’t just capture the mental toll of war, but also the lack of help and resources for veterans.
Thank You for Your Service is a sobering yet eye-opening film that exposes the flawed system veterans are placed in after service, evoking empathy and outrage for the situation. Viewers who enjoyed American Sniper will also be interested in this essential but complex watch.
4. Only the Brave (2017)
Only the Brave tells the heroic and tragic true story of the Prescott Fire Department’s Granite Mountain Hotshots—elite firefighters dedicated to fighting wildfires. On June 30th, 2013, 19 of the Granite Mountain Hotshots lost their lives while responding to the Yarnell Hill Fire.
Teller stars in the film as survivor Brendan McDonough, adding another emotional layer to the movie as he heartbreakingly depicts McDonough’s substance abuse and survivor’s guilt trials, capturing both his bravery and humanity. Like Black Hawk Down and Lone Survivor, it’s an action film that honors real-life human courage and sacrifice.
3. The Spectacular Now (2013)
The Spectacular Now is a coming-of-age romance starring Shailene Woodley and Teller. However, it’s not your typical romance movie, as the series delves into a budding romance between Sutter (Teller) and Aimee (Woodley), challenged by Sutter’s substance abuse struggles and inability to settle down.
The Spectacular Now subverts typical romance clichés and realistically portrays its 18-year-old protagonists, their struggles, and the highs and lows of their relationship. In the vein of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, it’s a film that doesn’t shy away from real problems teenagers face, but instead seeks to be faithfully representative of them.
2. Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Teller boasts a starring role in Top Gun: Maverick, the long-awaited Top Gun sequel and one of the biggest films of 2022. He boasts one of the most critical roles in the movie as Rooster Bradshaw, the son of Maverick Mitchell’s (Tom Cruise) late best friend, Goose (Anthony Edwards). Much of the film revolves around these two men letting go of the past and accepting their connection as part of Goose’s legacy.
Top Gun: Maverick is a worthy successor to Top Gun, capturing Maverick’s evolution and surpassing the original in breathtaking visuals and stunts. It’s a must-see for aviation enthusiasts and fans of Cruise’s stunt-laden Top Gun and Mission: Impossible franchises.
1. Whiplash (2014)
Whiplash marked Teller’s breakthrough in Hollywood and the best movie of his career thus far. He caught critics' and audiences’ attention with his emotional, convincing performance as Andrew, a passionate jazz drummer pushed to his limit by his abusive instructor Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons).
Whiplash is a powerful film for music lovers or really anyone who understands the pressure of trying to achieve their dreams. It’s also for lovers of intense movies, as the film plays out almost like a psychological thriller with the intensity and suspense that arise from Simmons’s volatile and psychologically manipulative performance. Whiplash is excellent for fans of Tár, Black Swan, and other films that turn prodigy clichés on their head. Meanwhile, Teller’s relatable, moving performance and the powerful exploration of the high-pressure world of the music industry make it decisively Teller’s best film.
