29 Mike Nichols Movies, Ranked Best to Worst

Over the course of a distressing night, a bitter aging couple, with the help of alcohol, use their young guests to fuel anguish and emotional pain towards each other. 

The Graduate, which won an Academy Award for Best director, revolves around the life of fresh college graduate Benjamin Braddock who is seduced into having an affair by Mrs. Robinson, the wife of his father’s partner. He is persuaded by his family to go out with Elaine, Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, but things get complicated when Benjamin falls in love with Elaine.  

In pre-WWII Britain, James Stevens is a rigidly duty-bound head butler at Lord Darlington’s mansion. Hired as a housekeeper, efficient Miss Kenton tries to challenge his façade, but their developing feelings get buried under wall of Stevens’ strict decorum. As the self-sacrificing butler realizes his master’s pro-Nazi inclinations his unequivocal loyalty is shaken, which he admits to Kenton when they re-unite years later.

Captain John Yossarian is a pilot serving during the World War II, stationed in the Mediterranean. Being fed up of the madness of the ongoing war, he tries to be certified insane, so that he wouldn’t have to fight anymore.  

Silkwood is a biographical suspense drama film which tells the story of Karen, who works at a nuclear plant. She decides to raise her voice when she finds out that the working conditions do not meet safety standards. However, this leads to her facing psychological trauma, as well as her death.  

In this one-woman performance, Comedian Gilda Radner does her Broadway performance for  Saturday Night Live, where she plays the characters that she is best known for .

Carnal Knowledge is a comedy drama film which revolves around two college roommates named Sandy and Jonathan, who becomes good friends. However, their personalities are quite different. While Sandy is gentle and passive, and idolizes women, Jonathan is tough and aggressive, and objectifies them. But what they have in common is that neither of them are able to sustain a relationship with a woman.

In this movie which is adapted from Patrick Marber’s award-winning 1997 play, Dan Woolf is a struggling writer who saves Alice, a newcomer in London, and later falls for her. A year later, he persuades Anna to have an affair with him but is rejected. Anna marries dermatologist Larry Gray, but also begins an affair with Dan. A lot of complications and emotional stress for all four ensues.

In the 1980s Congressman Charlie Wilson forms an unlikely partnership with American socialite and friend Joanne Herring and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos to bring an end to the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. His efforts also lead to the formation of the Regan Doctrine which supported anti-communist resistance all over the world. 

Armand Goldman and his long-term partner Albert own the popular drag-club, ‘The Birdcage’, in Miami’s South Beach where Albert, a.k.a. drag-queen Starina is the main attraction. Armand’s son Val declares his intentions of marrying Barbara, daughter of conservative right-wing senator, John Keeley. When the Keeleys arrive to meet Val’s ‘family,’ the Goldmans pretend to be ‘straight,’ and end up creating chaos.

Hard working secretary Tess McGill gets upset as she discovers that boss Katherine Parker is about to pinch her idea. When Katherine suffers a broken leg, Tess poses as Katherine and uses her own idea to close a deal with help of investment-broker Jack Trainer. Both grow closer, but Tess is unaware that Jack is Katherine’s boyfriend. Soon, Katherine finds out everything.

Suzanne is an actress who is a recovering drug addict. Her production company says that she has to stay with her mother, if she wants to continue working. However, the problem is that her mother, who is a former actress, still treats her like a child. In addition, she is manipulative and self-absorbed.  

Regarding Henry is a romantic drama film, which tells the story of a successful lawyer who starts to suffer from amnesia after he is shot. With the help of his loving wife and daughter, he tries to rediscover his identity and his career.

This critically acclaimed film was based on former US President Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign in 1992. The film tells the story of Henry Burton who joins the presidential campaign of Jack Stanton, Governor of Arkansas, who is running for President.

Biloxi Blues is a comedy drama film which tells the story of a teenager named Eugene, who is drafted into the United States Army during the Second World War. He is sent to Camp Shelby, near Biloxi, Mississippi, and he sets few goals for his life and starts maintaining a journal.

This romantic horror film tells us the story of Will Randall who becomes a werewolf, and finds himself full of vigor and youth. He fights to regain his job and to woo his former boss’s daughter Laura. 

Friends with Kids is a romantic comedy drama film, which tells the story of Julie and Jason, who are best friends, but decide to have a baby together while keeping their relationship platonic. 

Heartburn is a comedy drama film which tells the story of a magazine writer named Rachel who decides to give up her career after she falls in love with a man named Mark Forman, a newspaper columnist who is a playboy. They try to build a life together, but Mark just can’t seem to give up his old tricks.

This science fiction comedy film tells the story of Harold, an extraterrestrial, whose planet plans to take over Earth. He is sent on a mission to earth as a human clone, with the goal to impregnate a human being and take the child back to his planet. However, things get complicated when Harold ends up falling in love.