Amy Adams has made her name prominent among Hollywood elite stars making her way to the top of the ladder. The actor made her film debut with Michael Patrick Jann’s 1999 comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous. Adams has been unstoppable since with several prolific roles to her credit. The two-time Golden Globes winner has six Oscar nods to her name to complement her prowess as an actor. While Lois Lane was not as critically acclaimed as her other roles, Adams has proved multiple times that she has done wonders in several movies other than Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Here are the 10 best movies of Amy Adams you need to watch.
10. Nocturnal Animals
Nocturnal Animals deserves attention as it has been one of the underrated crime thrillers that have a roster of stars including Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, and Armie Hammer alongside Adams. The Tom Ford-directed movie is based on Austin Wright’s 1993 novel Tony and Susan.
Nocturnal Animals follows Adams’ character Susan Morrow, a wealthy art gallery owner who is haunted by her ex-husband’s novel, a violent thriller she believes is a symbolic act of revenge against her.
With a positive 74% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Nocturnal Animals carries the subtle essence of a splendid neo-noir psychological thriller.
Rent Nocturnal Animals on Apple TV.
9. The Muppets
James Bobin’s 2011 comedy The Muppets starring Adams and Jason Segel alongside several stars including Emily Blunt’s cameo and Jim Parsons is another fine watch for a decent comedic chuckle.
The Muppets follows a Muppet enthusiast, along with two human friends, who must reunite the Muppet gang to prevent a greedy oil tycoon from destroying one of their most cherished treasures. The movie has a solid 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stream The Muppets on Disney+.
8. Big Eyes
Adams also joined Tim Burton in his 2014 cime-comedy Big Eyes. Adams played real-life artist Margaret Keane who is quite a reluctant artist. She found that her painted subjects with large eyes proved to be very popular in the 1950s. However, the narrative takes a sudden turn when her husband Walter played by Christoph Waltz takes all the credit from her works. Big Eyes is another acclaimed movie of Adams for which she won her second Golden Globe Award.
7. Doubt
If you are in the mood for a mystery thriller, John Patrick Shanley’s Doubt should be on your watchlist. The movie has several astounding stars including Hollywood veteran, Meryl Streep; the late Philip Seymour Hoffman; Oscar winner Viola Davis, and Adams. Legendary DOP Roger Deakins’ cinematography in the movie is the cherry on top that enhances the intensity of the narrative and viewing experience even more engrossing.
Based on John Patrick Shanley’s 2005 play, Doubt: A Parable, and a screenplay from the same author, the movie chronicles the tale of “a Catholic school principal questions a priest’s ambiguous relationship with a troubled young student.” Adams plays Sister James who is a history teacher at the school.
Stream Doubt on Hoopla Digital.
6. Junebug
Phil Morrison’s comedy-drama Junebug is fun and one of the most important films of Adams in shaping her career. The movie has brought an Oscar nod for the actor for her astounding portrayal of Ashley Johnsten. The movie follows “a dealer in ‘outsider’ art travels from Chicago to North Carolina to meet her new in-laws, challenging the equilibrium of this middle class Southern home.”
Junebug is a funny yet thought-provoking movie with brilliant performances from the stars of the movie which also includes Embeth Davidtz, Ben McKenzie, Celia Weston, Alessandro Nivola, and Scott Wilson. Junebug has a stunning 86% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rent Junebug on Amazon.
5. Enchanted
Adams played Giselle in the Kevin Lima-directed live-action musical fantasy romantic comedy, Enchanted. The critically acclaimed movie has a positive 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 193 reviews.
Enchanted follows a “young maiden in a land called Andalasia, who is prepared to be wed, is sent away to New York City by an evil Queen, where she falls in love with a lawyer.”
The movie was also a box office magnet which claimed $340.5 million worldwide against the production budget of $85 million. Additionally, Adams earned her first Golden Globe nomination for playing the Disney princess.
Enchanted is available to stream on Disney+.
4. The Fighter
David O. Russell’s The Fighter is one of the highly acclaimed and most recognized movies of all time which stars Adams alongside Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. Of course, Bale went on to win an Oscar for his immaculate and astonishing performance in the film but Adams and Wahlberg have also stunned the audience.
Adams played Charlene Fleming, Micky Ward’s (Mark Wahlberg) real-life girlfriend and wife. The actor also earned an Oscar nod for her portrayal of the character in the movie. The Fighter is undoubtedly a masterpiece and a must-watch which claimed a stunning 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Fighter can be streamed on Peacock and Paramount+.
3. The Master
Written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, The Master starring Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and co, has to be one of the most fascinating psychological thrillers with a stunning 85% Rotten Tomatoes score. Adams played Peggy Dodd and the movie marked her second collaboration with her co-star Hoffman playing his onscreen wife.
Adams claimed her fourth Oscar nomination and her fourth Golden Globe nod for her performance in the movie.
Stream The Master on Fubo TV, The Criterion Channel, and Hoopla
2. American Hustle
David O. Russell’s American Hustle is undoubtedly one of the most highly entertaining and critically acclaimed crime comedies with a stellar cast including Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, and Michael Peña. Also, Adams collaborated with her The Fighter co-star Christian Bale.
Adams played a con artist, Sydney Prosser. She is partnered in crime with her love, Irving Rosenfeld played by Bale. Adams was stunning in her role in the film claiming her her first Golden Globe Award. She also won her first Screen Actors Guild Award while receiving her fifth Oscar nod.
American Hustle is available to stream on Netflix
1. Arrival
If Arrival is Denis Villeneuve’s one of the highly acclaimed films, the movie is certainly one of the most important works of Adams as a lead. The actor played Dr. Louise Banks, a linguistics expert who leads her team to interpret the language of aliens who have come to Earth in a mysterious spaceship.
The movie is stunning coming from the mind of the director who gave us the Dune franchise. Arrival is not just a language interpretation film, it connects Adams’ character with the audience on a deeper level. Adams claimed her seventh Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nomination for her role in the sci-fi drama.
Stream Arrival on Paramount+
Dentist by day, cinephile by night. Part-time entertainment writer with a love for cinema and I intend to bring my passion visible with captivating articles writing on pop culture, or anything that is mildly relating to movies or shows would grab my attention.
