7 Matthew Perry Movies That Prove He Was More Than Just Chandler From ‘Friends’

The entertainment world is still reeling from the shocking news of Matthew Perry’s tragic death. The Friends actor, who was 54 years old, was found unresponsive in his hot tub on Saturday night. An official cause of death has not yet been released, and will likely take a few weeks, as officials wait on toxicology reporters.

Though most people still know him best as Chandler Bing, it’s hard to understate just how big of a star Perry—and all the Friends actors—were in the ’90s and early 2000s. While he was busy filming one of the most successful sitcoms of all time, Perry was also filming a number of leading roles in feature films, from romantic comedy classics like Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek, to beloved crime comedies like The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis.

Perry may not have gone on to become the same level of movie star as his Friends coworkers like Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox, but he still has an impressive filmography. If you’re still processing the loss, here are seven Matthew Perry movies to watch in honor of the late, great comedy actor.

1. ‘A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon’ (1988)

   Before Friends, Perry made his feature film debut when he was just 18 years old, starring opposite River Phoenix in this little-known coming-of-age drama. (Sometimes also listed as Aren’t You Even Gonna Kiss Me Goodbye?) Perry played a wealthy teen named Fred Roberts, Phoenix’s on-screen best friend. In his 2022 memoir, Perry recalled working on the film, writing, “River was a better actor than me; I was funnier.” You can rent the film on Amazon for $1.99 or buy a digital copy for $7.99.

   WHERE TO WATCH A NIGHT IN THE LIFE OF JIMMY REARDON

2. ‘Fools Rush In’ (1997)

   After he became a star with the 1994 premiere of Friends, Perry’s first post-Chandler movie role was this romantic comedy with Salma Hayek. Perry stars as a buttoned-up New York City businessman who falls into bed with a free-spirited photographer (Hayek), and three months later, finds out she’s pregnant with his child. Even though critics weren’t impressed by the film at the time, upon rewatch it’s a perfect role for Perry’s sweet and romantic disposition. Plus, it’s streaming for free on Tubi, or free on Prime with a subscription.

   WHERE TO WATCH FOOLS RUSH IN

4. ‘Almost Heroes’ (1998)

   Even though the film was a notorious flop, it would feel wrong not to include this Christopher Guest comedy starring Perry and Chris Farley, which was released after Farley’s death in 1997. It’s a silly, Monty Python-esque parody of the legend of Lewis & Clark, starring Perry as the uptight straight man to Farley’s chaotic goblin. Almost everyone agreed that the film sucked—producer Denise Di Novi once wrote, “I have the distinction of making the only unsuccessful Christopher Guest movie,”—but it’s still a fascinating entry in Perry’s filmography. And it’s streaming free, with ads, on Tubi.

   WHERE TO WATCH ALMOST HEROES

5. ‘Three to Tango’ (1999)

   If you think the gay jokes about Chandler on Friends are bad, just wait until you watch this romantic comedy in which Perry plays a straight man who is mistaken for a gay man, and is tasked with babysitting his boss’s mistress (played by Scream queen Neve Campbell). Perry quickly falls in love with Campbell, but there’s just one problem—she thinks he’s gay! What a mix-up! Hey, at least the movie also stars Oliver Platt as a character who really is gay. It’s dated, to be sure, but it’s also a fascinating time capsule, and you can watch the movie for free on Tubi.

   WHERE TO WATCH THREE TO TANGO

6. ‘The Whole Nine Yards’ (2000)

   Who could forget this Matthew Perry and Bruce Willis team-up, starring Perry as an affable dentist from Chicago who gets mixed up in the mob when he realizes his new neighbor (Willis) is an assassin? Also starring Amanda Peet, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Natasha Henstridge, the film was a hit and even earned itself a sequel, The Whole Ten Yards. Nowadays, it’s a fun, comforting cable rewatch—and you can buy or rent the film on digital platforms like Amazon Prime.

   WHERE TO WATCH THE WHOLE NINE YARDS

7. ‘Numb’ (2007)

   After Friends ended in 2004, Perry starred in this little festival indie drama from writer/director Harris Goldberg, who based the film on his own experience with depersonalization disorder and clinical depression. Perry stars as a screenwriter who dissociates from the world until he’s rescued by a beautiful woman who reminds him how to be human. It’s one of Perry’s few dramatic roles, and definitely worth a watch. Unfortunately, the title is not currently available to buy or rent online, but you can snag a hard copy of the DVD on Amazon for fairly cheap.

8. ’17 Again’ (2009)

   The last time Perry was on the big screen in a feature film was 14 years ago, starring opposite Zac Efron in the de-aging comedy 17 Again. This was a moment for millennials: Efron was fresh off the High School Musical franchise, and we all knew and loved Chandler from Friends re-runs on TBS. Perry plays a middle-aged man mourning his lost youth, who gets a second chance at being 17… and looking like Zac Efron. Maybe it wasn’t quite as iconic as Big or 13 Going on 30, but it’s a fun watch, even if Perry didn’t get much screen time. You can stream the movie online on TNT or TBS with a cable login, or you can buy or rent the film on digital platforms like Prime Video.

   WHERE TO WATCH 17 AGAIN