| Year | Work | Award | Result |
| 2005 | Brick | Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision | Won |
| Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize | Nominated |
| 2006 | Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Overlooked Film | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Director | Won |
| Citizen Kane Award for Best Directorial Revelation | Won |
| Deauville Film Festival Grand Special Prize | Won |
| San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Breakthrough Filmmaker | Nominated |
| Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best First Feature | Nominated |
| Independent Spirit John Cassavetes Award | Nominated |
| 2007 | Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best First Film | Won |
| Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer | Nominated |
| 2008 | The Brothers Bloom | Stockholm International Film Festival Bronze Horse | Nominated |
| 2012 | Looper | Austin Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) | Nominated |
| Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Screenplay | Won |
| National Board of Review Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Utah Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| 2013 | Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| North Carolina Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| North Carolina Film Critics Association Award for Best Director | Nominated |
| Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation | Nominated |
| Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Saturn Award for Best Director | Nominated |
| Breaking Bad | Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing – Drama Series(Episode: "Fifty-One") | Won |
| 2018 | Star Wars: The Last Jedi | Empire Award for Best Director | Won |
| Saturn Award for Best Director | Nominated |
| Saturn Award for Best Writing | Won |
| Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (Long Form) | Nominated |
| Circuit Community Awards for Honorable Mentions | Won |
| Denver Film Critics Society for Best Adapted Screenplay | Nominated |
| Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation | Nominated |
| 2019 | Knives Out | Fantastic Fest Audience Award | Nominated |
| Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film | Won |
| Philadelphia Film Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay | Won |
| Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Original Screenplay | Nominated |
| Dublin Film Critics' Circle Award for Best Screenplay | Nominated |
| Phoenix Critics Circle Award for Best Screenplay | Won |
| Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |
| Oklahoma Film Critics Circle Award for Best Original Screenplay | Won |