13 Best Tom Hanks Movies from the 80s

With films grossing over $4.9 billion in just North America and almost $10 billion worldwide, Tom Hanks is an American cultural icon and the fourth highest-grossing actor in North America. Most widely known for his main roles in drama and comedy roles, he’s considered one of the most recognizable film stars worldwide.

His first biggest hits were in the 80s, with lead roles in Splash (1984) and Big (1988). He also won two Academy Awards for Best Actor in his role as a gay lawyer suffering from AIDS in Philadelphia (1993) and a young man with a low IQ in Forrest Gump (1994). Of course, he has many awards, but here I wanted to focus on his biggest films at the beginning of his career. Here are Tom Hanks best movies from the 80s that launched him into Hollywood stardom, ranked lowest to highest on IMDb.

13. He Knows You’re Alone (1980) – 5.1 / 10

Did you know that Tom Hank’s would ever have a role in a slasher movie? It’s hard to believe, but he did play a minor role as Elliot in He Knows You’re Alone, a psychology student, who questioned Amy Jensen’s (Caitlin O’Heaney) claims that a man had been stalking her. The film is about a young bride-to-be, Amy, who is followed by a killer the weekend before her wedding. She and her friends must find a way to stop him before it’s too late. It’s your typical horror slasher movie, but you’ll get to see young Tom in his 20s!

The film was considered a commercial success, raising $5 million at the box office, although it had only had 5.1 stars from IMDb.

12. Volunteers (1985) – 5.6 / 10

Volunteers is Tom Hank’s first major role in a movie! He plays Lawrence Bourne III, a spoiled graduate from Yale’s Class of 1962 with $28,000 in debt from gambling. While his father refuses to pay his son’s debt, Lawrence flees from the collectors by trading places with his old college roommate Kent (Xander Berkeley) and hopping on a Peace Corps flight to Thailand. There, he must survive 2 years of volunteering to help build a bridge for the local villagers. Although things don’t turn out so bad when he meets the beautiful Beth Wexler (Rita Wilson).

While it wasn’t Hank’s best movie, it wasn’t bad for a first, debuting No. 2 at the box office and earning over $5 million during the opening weekend.

11. The Man With One Red Shoe (1985) – 5.7 / 10

The Man with One Red Shoe is actually a remake of the 1972 French film Le Grand Blond Avec one chaussure noire. The movie is about a CIA agent who is arrested for smuggling drugs, but the actual man responsible is CIA deputy director Burton Cooper (Dabney Coleman), who is actually cheating his way to the top. When the CIA Director finds out and plans to trap Cooper and reveal his atrocious plans, they mistake the concert violinist Richard Drew (Tom Hanks) as a mole as he remains completely oblivious to everything going on.

10. Nothing in Common (1986) – 5.9 / 10

While Nothing in Common wasn’t exactly considered a big commercial success, it made back over 2.5 times its original budget, particularly because it was Jackie Gleason’s last film role as he suffered from terminal cancer. It was also the film that led Tom Hanks from less developed comedic roles into bigger films.

This film is about a young, successful man, Hanks David (Tom Hanks), who is enjoying his career in advertising when he learns of his aging, bitter father’s need for care after his parents separated. This is actually one of Hank’s more serious roles, even though it’s a comedic film.

9. Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986) – 5.9 / 10

For all of you with rom-com addictions, Every Time We Say Goodbye is about a young couple who come from different backgrounds and cultures, fighting a forbidden love while making sacrifices to stay together. Lt. David Bradley (Tom Hanks) is an American pilot in the Royal Air Force (RAF) before the United States entered World War II, who meets and falls in love with a girl from a Sephardic Jewish family. You can only imagine the challenges they face as such cultural diversity was never accepted at that time.

While it does sound like an amazing story for all us hopeless romantics, it was the most expensive Israeli film and was considered a box office bomb, with only $278,623 made. Tom Hanks considered it to be a “low budget” film as it was one of his lowest grossing movies in history.

8. Punchline (1988) – 5.9 / 10

Punchline known as a comedy-drama film where a young, successful comedian, Steven, does his best to help a housewife, Lilah, fulfill her dream of being a stand-up comedian. Later, Steven develops a romantic attraction for Lilah, much to her dismay as she tries to remain loyal to her family.

The film grossed $21 million in the United States and Canada with a budget of $15 million, receiving mixed reviews from film critics.

7. Dragnet (1987) – 6 / 10

Based on the radio and television crime drama of the same name, Dragnet is a buddy cop comedy film that stars Tom Hanks and Dan Aykroyd, where the partners must work together to solve a partner. The movie is both a parody and homage to the old TV series where Joe Friday (Aykroyd), who is the prude nephew of the original series protagonist, must work with his more relaxed partner to solve a major mystery.

6. Turner and Hooch (1989) – 6.2 / 10

Turner and Hooch is another buddy cop comedy film for dog lovers starring Tom Hanks and Beasley the Dog, Police Investigator Scott Turner relocates to Sacramento, CA from Cypress Beach in search of a more active career. The perfect case comes up as $8,000 is found at the local beach and Amos, Turner’s best friend, is murdered. Turner has no choice but to take in the only witness, Hooch, a French Mastiff, who at first destroys his home, but eventually grows fond of Hooch after quality bonding time. The pair then work together in solving the mystery and putting the perpetrator and murderer behind bars.

Despite attracting dog lovers to the box office on opening night, the film received mixed reviews making $71.1 million with a budget of $13 million.

5. Splash (1984) – 6.3 / 10

Another movie for rom-com fanatics, Splash is a fantasy romantic comedy that follows a young man who falls in love with a mysterious woman, who is secretly a mermaid. Despite the strange storyline, this movie was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

It’s also the first major film that was released by Touchstone Pictures, which was a label developed by Walt Disney Studios to target adult audiences with more mature content.

With a budget of just $11 million, the film made $69.8 million at the box office and won a National Society of Film Critics award for Best Screenplay as well as a Saturn Award for Best Actress.

4. Bachelor Party (1984) – 6.3 / 10

Known as a sex comedy film about a group of men who throw a bachelor party for their friend Rick Gassko (Hanks) on the day before his wedding where he is tempted to cheat on his fiancée Debbie (Tawny Kitaen). While Gassko is a party animal, he works as a bus driver for a Catholic school. And on the night of his bachelor party, Debbie’s ex-fiance uses the event as the perfect opportunity to destroy their marriage plans.

Despite much success at the box office ($38.4 million) with a budget of only $7 million, Bachelor Party received mixed reviews. Some critics appreciated the humor while other found it to be gratuitous and vulgar. But if you’re into that sort of thing, I’d recommend it!

3. The Money Pit (1986) – 6.4 / 10

Aside from Big, this is my favorite Tom Hanks 80s movie. The Money Pit is a comedy drama film that follows a couple who desire to get out of the city and settle down in what at first appears to be a beautiful mansion in the country. They are at first impressed by the beauty of the house, but after signing the paperwork, it falls apart as they discover what happens when using the most basic features…like using the stove. My personal favorite scene is what happens when they try to fill the bathtub with hot water!

Despite the movie being a major knee-slapper, the movie received mix review from critics.

2. The ‘Burbs (1989) – 6.9 / 10

If you live in the ‘burbs, you’ll definitely enjoy The ‘Burbs. This black comedy film makes fun of suburban dwellers and their lifestyle as Ray Peterson (Hanks) first enjoys his week-long vacation when he suspects his new neighbors, the Klopeks, to be ritualistic murderers. As he and his other neighbors, Art Weingartner and Vietnam veteran Mark Rumsfield, poke around their new neighbors yard and house in search of evidence to confirm their suspicions.

With a budget of $18 million, the film opened at No. 1 in the box office with over $36 million and $49 million in earnings worldwide. It also received mixed reviews from film critics.

1. Big (1988) – 7.3 / 10

While there are some scenes not suitable for children, this was one of my favorite movies growing up. Big is a fantasy comedy-drama with a twist of romance as it follows the life of an adult on the outside, but a kid on the inside. 13-year-old Josh Baskin makes a wish to be big at a fortune teller machine (Zoltar) after being embarrassed about not being able to ride a roller coaster at the carnival. The next day, he wakes up as a full-grown adult (Tom Hanks) and kicked out of his house, having adjust to the harsh lifestyle of being an adult, but with the maturity of a 13-year-old boy.

This film was one of Tom Hank’s most successful films as it opened at No. 2 in the box office with $8.2 million. After grossing over $151 million worldwide, it also won a Golden Globe Award for best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.

What’s Your Favorite Tom Hanks Film?

While IMDb may believe otherwise, my personal favorites are Turner & Hooch, Big, and The Money Pit. Personally, I love the movies where everything goes wrong and things fall apart, thus explaining my top picks in that order. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Tom Hanks biggest films! Were there any that you remember seeing at the movies on opening weekend?