The 7 Best David Fincher Movies, Ranked

David Fincher may not be the first name people think of when they reflect on the contemporary film industry, but there’s little doubt he remains one of the most talented directors working in Hollywood today.

Like his creative idols in Alfred Hitchcock, Stanley Kubrick, and Orson Welles, Fincher has continuously cranked out some of the visually and narratively arresting movies of the past 30 years, rightfully leading him to obtain such well-deserved career honors as a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, and three Academy Award nominations for Best Director.

From historically accurate black-and-white biopics to plot twist-heavy psychological thrillers, here are some of our absolute favorite David Fincher movies to date, ranked in order from worst to best.

7. Mank (2020)

A long-time passion project of Fincher’s, Mank’s lengthy production history accurately displays the director’s intense attachment to the project. Written by Fincher’s father prior to his death in 2003, the younger Fincher thankfully got Mank off the ground in the late 2010s, overcoming nearly 20 years of significant creative setbacks. A rip-roaring biopic centered around Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz, Mank expertly shows off the darker side of the Golden Age of Hollywood, as well as how such unique settings formed the impetus for Mankiewicz’s single greatest achievement as a screenwriter.

6. Gone Girl (2014)

Based on Gillian Flynn’s 2013 breakout novel of the same name, Gone Girl encapsulates everything that makes a traditional David Fincher film so remarkable in the first place. An increasingly claustrophobic study of a toxic marriage pushed to its most dangerous limits, Gone Girl delivers unexpected twists around every corner, continuously upending viewers’ half-formed opinions on where the plot might be going. Punctuated by Rosamund Pike’s electric performance and Trent Reznor’s chilling score, it’s among the most unforgettable psychological thrillers of the past decade, bar none.

5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

Just as Gone Girl served as a fittingly nauseating book for Fincher to expand upon, the filmmaker found a healthy source of inspiration with Stieg Larsson’s brooding psychological thriller, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Retaining the tantalizing atmosphere of Larrson’s original book, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo succeeds as a first-rate mystery thriller worthy of Hitchcock or De Palma. Dark, disturbing, and characteristically downbeat in its setting, characters, and narrative premise, it’s a more than fitting addition to Fincher’s increasingly stylish body of work.

4. Zodiac (2007)

A creative precursor to Fincher’s later work on the Netflix series Mindhunter, Zodiac provides a haunting look at the infamous Zodiac murders of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Remaining true to many of the case’s most strange and unusual details, Fincher meticulously recreates the profound paranoia that swept through contemporary America amidst the Zodiac’s killing spree. Incorporating a talented ensemble cast and a sleek visual style, every moment of Zodiac’s runtime leaves viewers perplexed, uncomfortable, and more than a little terrified by its ambiguous tone.

3. Seven (1995)

After a shaky start with his less-than-well-received Alien 3, Fincher came into his own with his breakthrough 1995 police procedural drama, Seven. A landmark entry in the neo-noir genre, Seven established many of the foremost characteristics that came to be associated with Fincher’s name, from the muted color palette and nihilistic tone to the infamous twist ending and hard-boiled plot points. A thematic predecessor to Fincher’s work on Zodiac, Mindhunter, Gone Girl, and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Seven’s downbeat and depressing atmosphere leaves an indelible impression on first-time viewers, haunting their imaginations for years to come.

2. The Social Network (2010)

Every once in a while, a film’s production seems to align so perfectly, you’d swear it was a cinematic miracle. Such is the case with 2010’s The Social Network, a riveting biographical drama with almost no discernible flaws to speak of. Relying on a massive ensemble cast and an intelligent script from Aaron Sorkin, Fincher accurately explores the earliest days of Facebook’s foundation, as well as Mark Zuckerberg’s rapid rise from gawky Harvard outcast to controversial billionaire tech mogul. The 21st century’s answer to Citizen Kane, it’s a thought-provoking study of Zuckerberg’s ultimately hollow career victories, juxtaposing his immense wealth and notoriety with the various friendships and creative partnerships he destroyed along the way.

1. Fight Club (1999)

For all intents and purposes, it’s fair to describe Fight Club as Fincher’s most popular film. Earning as much praise as it did controversy in 1999, Fight Club also helped launch Fincher and his principal cast members to newfound levels of fame in the film industry. More than anything, though, Fight Club succeeds as a thought-provoking exploration of contemporary society, from its brutal takedown of consumerism to its nuanced portrayal of nihilism, anarchism, and modern masculinity. To this day, the film has become a rallying cry for the disenfranchised and discontent in all blocks of life, with Brad Pitt’s ultra cool Tyler Durden a personification of the cynical angst we occasionally slip into whenever we’re frustrated with everyday life.