(Photo by Disney/courtesy Everett Collection)
All Amy Adams Movies Ranked
Debuting in a late-’90s black comedy cult classic (Drop Dead Gorgeous). Performing opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (Catch Me If You Can). Starring in a movie with the words “cruel” and “intentions” in the title. And this is before Amy Adams big break: 2005’s Junebug, where Adams co-starred as a lightly ditzy pregnant charmer with depths of empathy and wisdom, one of her prime characteristics as a performer. Well, minus the pregnant part. Adams was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for that role, opening the floodgates for five more acting Oscar nods and, thus far, no wins: for Doubt, The Fighter, The Master, American Hustle, and Vice.
Those movies represent an impressive spread of performances, ranging from straight, hard drama to prestige-style comedies, representing how fluidly Adams moves between polarities. Her other not-nominated-but-beloved performances include those in Enchanted, starring as a Disney princess come to literal life); Arrival, the arresting sci-fi mindbender; and The Muppets, which helped revitalize the dear franchise for modern times.
Her latest movies include Joe Wright’s The Woman in the Window, Ron Howard’s Hillbilly Elegy, and, yes, the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League. Now, we’re ranking all Amy Adams movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
#1
Adjusted Score: 102912%
Critics Consensus: With help from a strong performance by Leonardo DiCaprio as real-life wunderkind con artist Frank Abagnale, Steven Spielberg crafts a film that's stylish, breezily entertaining, and surprisingly sweet.
Synopsis: Frank Abagnale, Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) worked as a doctor, a lawyer, and as a co-pilot for a major airline --...
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#2
Adjusted Score: 115709%
Critics Consensus: Arrival delivers a must-see experience for fans of thinking person's sci-fi that anchors its heady themes with genuinely affecting emotion and a terrific performance from Amy Adams.
Synopsis: Linguistics professor Louise Banks (Amy Adams) leads an elite team of investigators when gigantic spaceships touch down in 12 locations...
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#3
Adjusted Score: 104232%
Critics Consensus: Clever, charming, and heartfelt, The Muppets is a welcome big screen return for Jim Henson's lovable creations that will both win new fans and delight longtime devotees.
Synopsis: Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, is on vacation in Los Angeles with his brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary's...
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#4
Adjusted Score: 108946%
Critics Consensus: Sweet, soulful, and smart, Spike Jonze's Her uses its just-barely-sci-fi scenario to impart wryly funny wisdom about the state of modern human relationships.
Synopsis: A sensitive and soulful man earns a living by writing personal letters for other people. Left heartbroken after his marriage...
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#5
Adjusted Score: 100641%
Critics Consensus: A smart re-imagining of fairy tale tropes that's sure to delight children and adults, Enchanted features witty dialogue, sharp animation, and a star turn by Amy Adams.
Synopsis: Banished by an evil queen, Princess Giselle (Amy Adams) from a fairy-tale world lands in modern Manhattan, where music, magic...
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#6
Adjusted Score: 105946%
Critics Consensus: Riotously funny and impeccably cast, American Hustle compensates for its flaws with unbridled energy and some of David O. Russell's most irrepressibly vibrant direction.
Synopsis: Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) dabbles in forgery and loan-sharking, but when he falls for fellow grifter Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams),...
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#7
Adjusted Score: 101489%
Critics Consensus: Led by a trio of captivating performances from Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, and Amy Adams, The Fighter is a solidly entertaining, albeit predictable, entry in the boxing drama genre.
Synopsis: For Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg), boxing is a family affair. His tough-as-nails mother is his manager. His half-brother, Dicky (Christian...
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#8
Adjusted Score: 90732%
Critics Consensus: Aided and abetted by a wonderful cast, director Phil Morrison transforms familiar material into an understated and resonant comedy.
Synopsis: On the way to meet with an independent artist in the South, newlywed art dealer Madeleine (Embeth Davidtz) is convinced...
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#9
Adjusted Score: 97340%
Critics Consensus: Smart and solidly engrossing, The Master extends Paul Thomas Anderson's winning streak of challenging films for serious audiences.
Synopsis: Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix) is a troubled, boozy drifter struggling with the trauma of World War II and whatever inner...
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#10
Adjusted Score: 90181%
Critics Consensus: Charlie Wilson's War manages to entertain and inform audiences, thanks to its witty script and talented cast of power players.
Synopsis: In the 1980s U.S.Rep. Charlie Wilson (Tom Hanks), Texas socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) and CIA agent Gust Avrakotos (Philip...
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#11
Adjusted Score: 87843%
Critics Consensus: Doubt succeeds on the strength of its top-notch cast, who successfully guide the film through the occasional narrative lull.
Synopsis: In 1964 the winds of change are sweeping through Sister Aloysius' (Meryl Streep) St. Nicholas school. Father Flynn (Philip Seymour...
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#12
Adjusted Score: 85937%
Critics Consensus: Boosted by Meryl Streep's charismatic performance as Julia Child, Julie and Julia is a light, but fairly entertaining culinary comedy.
Synopsis: Frustrated with a soul-killing job, New Yorker Julie Powell (Amy Adams) embarks on a daring project: she vows to prepare...
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#13
Adjusted Score: 82742%
Critics Consensus: Miss Pettigrew is a breezy period comedy carried by the strong performances of Amy Adams and Frances McDormand.
Synopsis: It's 1939 and governess Guinevere Pettigrew finds herself out of work and on the bread line. Middle-aged and running out...
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#14
Adjusted Score: 88362%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted and lovely to look at, Nocturnal Animals further underscores writer-director Tom Ford's distinctive visual and narrative skill.
Synopsis: A successful Los Angeles art-gallery owner's idyllic life is marred by the constant traveling of her handsome second husband. While...
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#15
Adjusted Score: 81000%
Critics Consensus: Despite a sometimes overly familiar plot, Sunshine Cleaning benefits from the lively performances of its two stars.
Synopsis: Though they once seemed to have a bright future, life seems to be passing by the Norkowski sisters. Rose (Amy...
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#16
Adjusted Score: 79592%
Critics Consensus: Though it occasionally stalls, Talladega Nights' mix of satire, clever gags, and excellent ensemble performances put it squarely in the winner's circle.
Synopsis: NASCAR superstar Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) is at the top of his game; adored by fans, a trophy wife by...
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#17
Adjusted Score: 77174%
Critics Consensus: A bleak but original indie, The Slaughter Rule benefits from outstanding performances by Ryan Gosling and David Morse.
Synopsis: Roy (Ryan Gosling) gets cut from his high school football team just days after his estranged father dies. For him,...
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#18
Adjusted Score: 81151%
Critics Consensus: Well-acted, thought-provoking, and a refreshing change of pace for Tim Burton, Big Eyes works both as a biopic and as a timelessly relevant piece of social commentary.
Synopsis: In the late 1950s and early '60s, artist Walter Keane (Christoph Waltz) achieves unbelievable fame and success with portraits of...
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#19
Adjusted Score: 86988%
Critics Consensus: Zack Snyder's Justice League lives up to its title with a sprawling cut that expands to fit the director's vision -- and should satisfy the fans who willed it into existence.
Synopsis: In ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE, determined to ensure Superman's (Henry Cavill) ultimate sacrifice was not in vain, Bruce Wayne (Ben...
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#20
Adjusted Score: 84548%
Critics Consensus: Vice takes scattershot aim at its targets, but writer-director Adam McKay hits some satisfying bullseyes -- and Christian Bale's transformation is a sight to behold.
Synopsis: Gov. George W. Bush of Texas picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co., to be his Republican running mate...
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#21
Adjusted Score: 73285%
Critics Consensus: Man of Steel's exhilarating action and spectacle can't fully overcome its detours into generic blockbuster territory.
Synopsis: With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, Jor-El (Russell Crowe) and his wife seek to preserve their race...
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#22
Adjusted Score: 54611%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: "Psycho Beach Party" is a manic party-mix of 50's psychological thrillers, 60's beach movies, and 70's slasher films. The story...
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#23
Adjusted Score: 60579%
Critics Consensus: Though predictable and somewhat dramatically underwhelming, Trouble with the Curve benefits from Clint Eastwood's grizzled charisma and his easy chemistry with a charming Amy Adams.
Synopsis: For decades Gus Lobel (Clint Eastwood) has been one of baseball's best scouts -- but now his age is catching...
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#24
Adjusted Score: 50229%
Critics Consensus: It's dark humor sometimes hits, but mostly misses the target.
Synopsis: An annual beauty pageant in small-town Minnesota turns ridiculously competitive and ultimately chaotic in this biting comedy. Amber Atkins (Kirsten...
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#25
Adjusted Score: 52869%
Critics Consensus: Beautiful to look at but a bit too respectfully crafted, On the Road doesn't capture the energy and inspiration of Jack Kerouac's novel.
Synopsis: An aspiring writer (Sam Riley), his new friend (Garrett Hedlund) and his friend's seductive wife (Kristen Stewart) heed the call...
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#26
Adjusted Score: 49554%
Critics Consensus: Night at the Museum: Battle at the Smithsonian is busy enough to keep the kids interested but the slapstick goes overboard and the special effects (however well executed) throw the production into mania.
Synopsis: Once the night guard at the Museum of Natural History, Larry Daley (Ben Stiller) is now a successful purveyor of...
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#27
Adjusted Score: 62233%
Critics Consensus: Justice League leaps over a number of DC movies, but its single bound isn't enough to shed the murky aesthetic, thin characters, and chaotic action that continue to dog the franchise.
Synopsis: Fueled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince...
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#28
Adjusted Score: 33957%
Critics Consensus: This coming-of-age film's young, attractive cast helps to mitigate the stultifying dialogue and uninspired direction.
Synopsis: A chain reaction of confrontations and romantic encounters occurs when college friends reunite for one's wedding....
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#29
Adjusted Score: 29450%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A man (Garrett Hedlund) learns that his estranged father (Richard Jenkins) will take himself off life-support in less than 48...
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#30
Adjusted Score: 50504%
Critics Consensus: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice smothers a potentially powerful story -- and some of America's most iconic superheroes -- in a grim whirlwind of effects-driven action.
Synopsis: It's been nearly two years since Superman's (Henry Cavill) colossal battle with Zod (Michael Shannon) devastated the city of Metropolis....
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#31
Adjusted Score: 43197%
Critics Consensus: Dear Evan Hansen does a fair job of capturing the emotion of its source material, but it's undermined by questionable casting and a story that's hard to swallow.
Synopsis: The breathtaking, generation-defining Broadway phenomenon becomes a soaring cinematic event as Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award winner Ben Platt reprises...
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#32
Adjusted Score: 39040%
Critics Consensus: With the form of an awards-season hopeful but the soul of a bland melodrama, Hillbilly Elegy strands some very fine actors in the not-so-deep South.
Synopsis: A Yale Law student drawn back to his Appalachian hometown reflects on his family's history and his own future....
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#33
Adjusted Score: 35886%
Critics Consensus: A milquetoast and muddled thriller that drowns in its frenzied homages, The Woman in the Window will have audiences closing their curtains.
Synopsis: Anna Fox (Amy Adams) is an agoraphobic child psychologist who finds herself keeping tabs on the picture perfect family across...
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#34
Adjusted Score: 29423%
Critics Consensus: Amy Adams is as appealing as ever, but her charms aren't enough to keep Leap Year from succumbing to an overabundance of clichés and an unfunny script.
Synopsis: When yet another anniversary passes without a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to take action. Aware...
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#35
Adjusted Score: 9113%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Teenage playboy Sebastian Valmont (Robin Dunne) moves to New York City to live with his socialite stepmother, Tiffany Merteuil (Mimi...
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#36
Adjusted Score: 16105%
Critics Consensus: Underdog is a mostly forgettable adaptation that relies far too heavily on recycled material and sloppy production.
Synopsis: After a lab accident gives him extraordinary powers, including the ability to speak, a canine (Jason Lee) declares himself the...
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#37
Adjusted Score: 15985%
Critics Consensus: Critics are leaving The Wedding Date at the altar, calling it shopworn, bland, and lightweight.
Synopsis: With the wedding of her younger sister (Amy Adams) fast approaching, Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) faces the undesirable prospect of...
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#38
Adjusted Score: 7426%
Critics Consensus: A romantic comedy that's neither funny nor particularly romantic, Serving Sara is a forgettable time waster.
Synopsis: When Sara (Elizabeth Hurley) is served divorce papers while she is in New York, she is stunned. Not about to...
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#39
Adjusted Score: -1%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: For years, David Kenyon (Nick Mancuso) had kept his twisted, violent first marriage a secret from his new wife (Suzy...
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