(Photo by Sony Pictures Classics)
Every Cate Blanchett Movie Ranked by Tomatometer
There isn’t a whole lot that can be consistently counted on to deliver in this crazy modern world, but Cate Blanchett movies come pretty close. From Elizabeth to Carol, the Lord of the Rings franchise to Blue Jasmine (for which she won the Best Actress Oscar), she’s tackled a preposterously eclectic list of roles — and she’s nailed pretty much all of them, consistently imbuing her characters with enough inner life to elevate even subpar material and earning a mantel full of awards along the way.
By just about any criteria, Blanchett has put together one of the most widely acclaimed careers enjoyed by any actor working today — which makes it only natural for us to celebrate all that success by taking a fond look back at all the steps she took along the way. From her first major role to her most recent release, here’s Cate Blanchett’s complete filmography, ranked from worst to best.
#1
Adjusted Score: 111967%
Critics Consensus: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio delivers fully on its title -- which is to say it's a visually stunning adaptation that embraces its source material's darkness.
Synopsis: Academy Award®-winning director Guillermo del Toro and award-winning, stop-motion legend Mark Gustafson reimagine the classic Carlo Collodi tale of the... [More]
#2
Adjusted Score: 103953%
Critics Consensus: The Two Towers balances spectacular action with emotional storytelling, leaving audiences both wholly satisfied and eager for the final chapter.
Synopsis: The sequel to the Golden Globe-nominated and AFI Award-winning "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," "The... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#3
Adjusted Score: 109798%
Critics Consensus: Shaped by Todd Haynes' deft direction and powered by a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, Carol lives up to its groundbreaking source material.
Synopsis: Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two... [More]
Directed By: Todd Haynes
#4
Adjusted Score: 117660%
Critics Consensus: Exciting, funny, and above all fun, Thor: Ragnarok is a colorful cosmic adventure that sets a new standard for its franchise -- and the rest of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Synopsis: Imprisoned on the other side of the universe, the mighty Thor finds himself in a deadly gladiatorial contest that pits... [More]
Directed By: Taika Waititi
#5
Adjusted Score: 104039%
Critics Consensus: Visually breathtaking and emotionally powerful, The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King is a moving and satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy.
Synopsis: The culmination of nearly 10 years' work and conclusion to Peter Jackson's epic trilogy based on the timeless J.R.R. Tolkien... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#6
Adjusted Score: 100542%
Critics Consensus: Exciting, emotionally resonant, and beautifully animated, How to Train Your Dragon 2 builds on its predecessor's successes just the way a sequel should.
Synopsis: Five years have passed since Hiccup and Toothless united the dragons and Vikings of Berk. Now, they spend their time... [More]
#7
Adjusted Score: 110175%
Critics Consensus: Led by the soaring melody of Cate Blanchett's note-perfect performance, Tár riffs brilliantly on the discordant side of fame-fueled power.
Synopsis: From writer-producer-director Todd Field comes TÁR, starring Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tár, the groundbreaking conductor of a major German Orchestra.... [More]
Directed By: Todd Field
#8
Adjusted Score: 99647%
Critics Consensus: Full of eye-popping special effects, and featuring a pitch-perfect cast, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring brings J.R.R. Tolkien's classic to vivid life.
Synopsis: The future of civilization rests in the fate of the One Ring, which has been lost for centuries. Powerful forces... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#9
Adjusted Score: 100670%
Critics Consensus: Woody Allen's Blue Jasmine finds the director in peak late-period form -- and benefiting from a superb cast led by Cate Blanchett.
Synopsis: After her marriage to a wealthy businessman (Alec Baldwin) collapses, New York socialite Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) flees to San Francisco... [More]
Directed By: Woody Allen
#10
Adjusted Score: 97772%
Critics Consensus: While not Miyazaki's best film, Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale that's a sweetly poetic treat for children of all ages.
Synopsis: During a forbidden excursion to see the surface world, a goldfish princess encounters a human boy named Sosuke, who gives... [More]
Directed By: Hayao Miyazaki
#11
Adjusted Score: 104096%
Critics Consensus: The rare trilogy capper that really works, How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World brings its saga to a visually dazzling and emotionally affecting conclusion.
Synopsis: When the sudden appearance of a female Light Fury coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced, Hiccup... [More]
Directed By: Dean DeBlois
#12
Adjusted Score: 94987%
Critics Consensus: In this sharp psychological thriller, Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett give fierce, memorable performances as two schoolteachers locked in a battle of wits.
Synopsis: Barbara Covett (Judi Dench), a veteran teacher at St. George's, senses a kindred spirit in Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett), the... [More]
Directed By: Richard Eyre
#13
Adjusted Score: 94611%
Critics Consensus: With a rich sense of period detail, The Aviator succeeds thanks to typically assured direction from Martin Scorsese and a strong performance from Leonardo DiCaprio, who charts Howard Hughes' descent from eccentric billionaire to reclusive madman.
Synopsis: Billionaire and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a successful public figure: a director of big-budget Hollywood films such... [More]
Directed By: Martin Scorsese
#14
Adjusted Score: 91898%
Critics Consensus: With Matt Damon's unsettling performance offering a darkly twisted counterpoint to Anthony Minghella's glossy direction, The Talented Mr. Ripley is a suspense thriller that lingers.
Synopsis: To be young and carefree amid the blue waters and idyllic landscape of sun-drenched Italy in the late 1950s; that's... [More]
Directed By: Anthony Minghella
#15
Adjusted Score: 87780%
Critics Consensus: Brevity is the soul of wit, eh? This adaptation gets to the nitty gritty of Wilde's stage piece and plays on eternal human foibles.
Synopsis: Sir Robert Chiltern (Jeremy Northam) is a respected government official and a loving husband. His friend, Lord Arthur Goring (Rupert... [More]
Directed By: Oliver Parker
#16
Adjusted Score: 96459%
Critics Consensus: Refreshingly traditional in a revisionist era, Kenneth Branagh's Cinderella proves Disney hasn't lost any of its old-fashioned magic.
Synopsis: After her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett)... [More]
Directed By: Kenneth Branagh
#17
Adjusted Score: 87622%
Critics Consensus: No mere historical drama, Elizabeth is a rich, suspenseful journey into the heart of British Royal politics, and features a typically outstanding performance from Cate Blanchett.
Synopsis: Elizabeth Tudor (Cate Blanchett) becomes queen of a divided and dangerous England in 1558. She is roundly perceived as weak... [More]
Directed By: Shekhar Kapur
#18
Adjusted Score: 84770%
Critics Consensus: It doesn't quite live up to its marvelously lurid premise, but The Galapagos Affair is still stranger than fiction in a very entertaining way.
Synopsis: Dr. Fredrich Ritter and his lover Dore Strauch have their idyllic lives on an island invaded by a baroness and... [More]
#19
Adjusted Score: 98072%
Critics Consensus: While it may not hit quite as hard as the original, Guillermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley is a modern noir thriller with a pleasantly pulpy spin.
Synopsis: When charismatic but down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) endears himself to clairvoyant Zeena (Toni Collette) and her has-been mentalist husband... [More]
Directed By: Guillermo del Toro
#20
Adjusted Score: 89801%
Critics Consensus: Though the plot elements are certainly familiar, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull still delivers the thrills and Harrison Ford's return in the title role is more than welcome.
Synopsis: It's the height of the Cold War, and famous archaeologist Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), returning from his latest adventure, finds... [More]
Directed By: Steven Spielberg
#21
Adjusted Score: 83148%
Critics Consensus: I'm Not There's unique editing, visuals, and multiple talented actors portraying Bob Dylan make for a deliciously unconventional experience. Each segment brings a new and fresh take on Dylan's life.
Synopsis: Several actors portray legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan at different stages in his personal life and career. In 1959 a guitar-strumming... [More]
Directed By: Todd Haynes
#22
Adjusted Score: 86627%
Critics Consensus: While still slightly hamstrung by "middle chapter" narrative problems and its formidable length, The Desolation of Smaug represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.
Synopsis: Having survived the first part of their unsettling journey, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his companions (Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage)... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#23
Adjusted Score: 82523%
Critics Consensus: Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an epic fantasy tale with rich storytelling backed by fantastic performances.
Synopsis: Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt) springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing... [More]
Directed By: David Fincher
#24
Adjusted Score: 90207%
Critics Consensus: Fueled by powerful work from a strong cast led by Cate Blanchett, Little Fish is a hard-hitting story worth watching -- and a major step forward for director Rowan Woods.
Synopsis: Four years clean, video store manager Tracy (Cate Blanchett) lives quietly, avoiding anything that might trigger a heroin relapse. Her... [More]
Directed By: Rowan Woods
#25
Adjusted Score: 86403%
Critics Consensus: Australia at its most sublime, The Turning blends top-tier talent with great views and winding narrative roads.
Synopsis: Eighteen of Australian author Tim Winton's short stories.... [More]
#26
Adjusted Score: 81487%
Critics Consensus: Fantastic acting and crisply choreographed action sequences propel this unique, cool take on the revenge thriller.
Synopsis: Raised by her father (Eric Bana) in the Finnish wilderness, teenage Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has trained all her life to... [More]
Directed By: Joe Wright
#27
Adjusted Score: 88270%
Critics Consensus: Ocean's 8 isn't quite as smooth as its predecessors, but still has enough cast chemistry and flair to lift the price of a ticket from filmgoers up for an undemanding caper.
Synopsis: Debbie Ocean assembles an all-female team of thieves and specialists for a heist during the Met Gala, aiming for the... [More]
Directed By: Gary Ross
#28
Adjusted Score: 77393%
Critics Consensus: In Babel, there are no villains, only victims of fate and circumstance. Director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu weaves four of their woeful stories into this mature and multidimensional film.
Synopsis: An accident connects four groups of people on three different continents: two young Moroccan goatherds, a vacationing American couple (Brad... [More]
Directed By: Alejandro González Iñárritu
#29
Adjusted Score: 68536%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: After a childhood of abuse by his evangelistic father, misfit Oscar Hopkins (Ralph Fiennes) becomes an Anglican minister and develops... [More]
Directed By: Gillian Armstrong
#30
Adjusted Score: 76860%
Critics Consensus: An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth, The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense of fun.
Synopsis: Ten-year-old Lewis goes to live with his oddball uncle in a creaky old house that contains a mysterious ticktock noise.... [More]
Directed By: Eli Roth
#31
Adjusted Score: 78612%
Critics Consensus: Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth is an earnest, visually resplendent trip, but the film's deliberate pace robs the material of some of its majesty.
Synopsis: Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) lives a simple life with his fellow hobbits in the shire, until the wizard Gandalf (Ian... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#32
Adjusted Score: 68542%
Critics Consensus: The story may not warrant its lengthy running time, but the cast of Bandits makes it an enjoyable ride.
Synopsis: Joe (Bruce Willis) and Terry (Billy Bob Thornton) have escaped from prison. Cutting a swath from Oregon through California, these... [More]
Directed By: Barry Levinson
#33
Adjusted Score: 67889%
Critics Consensus: Episodes vary in quality, but overall this talky film is quirkily engaging.
Synopsis: This 11-vignette film focuses on the human interactions that happen while partaking in the everyday indulgence of coffee and cigarettes.... [More]
Directed By: Jim Jarmusch
#34
Adjusted Score: 72407%
Critics Consensus: Truth's terrific cast and compelling message are often enough to overcome its occasionally didactic and facile dramatization of a nuanced real-life tale.
Synopsis: Controversy surrounds CBS anchor Dan Rather (Robert Redford) and "60 Minutes" producer Mary Mapes (Cate Blanchett) after the network broadcasts... [More]
Directed By: James Vanderbilt
#35
Adjusted Score: 71646%
Critics Consensus: Though somewhat overwhelmed by its own spectacle, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies ends Peter Jackson's second Middle-earth trilogy on a reasonably satisfying note.
Synopsis: Having reclaimed Erebor and vast treasure from the dragon Smaug, Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) sacrifices friendship and honor in seeking... [More]
Directed By: Peter Jackson
#36
Adjusted Score: 63821%
Critics Consensus: An expertly acted and directed Western. But like other Ron Howard features, the movie is hardly subtle.
Synopsis: When rancher and single mother of two Maggie Gilkeson (Cate Blanchett) sees her teenage daughter, Lily (Evan Rachel Wood), kidnapped... [More]
Directed By: Ron Howard
#37
Adjusted Score: 64499%
Critics Consensus: Much like the titular oceanographer, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou's overt irony may come off as smug and artificial -- but for fans of Wes Anderson's unique brand of whimsy it might be worth the dive.
Synopsis: Renowned oceanographer Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) has sworn vengeance upon the rare shark that devoured a member of his crew.... [More]
Directed By: Wes Anderson
#38
Adjusted Score: 62543%
Critics Consensus: With a reported budget of around 10 million, The Gift is obviously a labor of love for those involved. Unfortunately, the A-list cast can't prevent the movie from becoming a by-the-numbers whodunit with an ending that's all but unsatisfactory.
Synopsis: In the tiny town of Brixton, Georgia where nothing is private, a woman with supernatural clairvoyance, a young beautiful socialite... [More]
Directed By: Sam Raimi
#39
Adjusted Score: 58378%
Critics Consensus: Though solidly made and acted, The Shipping News is rather heavy-handed and dull, especially given the nature of its protagonist.
Synopsis: Traces one man's extraordinary journey toward self -discovery when he returns to his ancestral home on the coast of Newfoundland.... [More]
Directed By: Lasse Hallström
#40
Adjusted Score: 57560%
Critics Consensus: Cate Blanchett gives another great performance in a movie that doesn't shed much light on its title character.
Synopsis: In this true story, Veronica Guerin (Cate Blanchett) is an investigative reporter for an Irish newspaper. As the drug trade... [More]
Directed By: Joel Schumacher
#41
Adjusted Score: 60878%
Critics Consensus: Where'd You Go, Bernadette offers dispiriting proof that a talented director, bestselling source material, and terrific cast can add up to far less than the sum of their parts.
Synopsis: Former architect Bernadette Fox seems to have it all -- a beautiful home in Seattle, a successful and loving husband,... [More]
Directed By: Richard Linklater
#42
Adjusted Score: 50780%
Critics Consensus: Solid performances by the leads, but the generic ending needs help.
Synopsis: Two air traffic controllers (John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton) who thrive on living dangerously compete to outdo each other on... [More]
Directed By: Mike Newell
#43
Adjusted Score: 54651%
Critics Consensus: Knight of Cups finds Terrence Malick delving deeper into the painterly visual milieu he's explored in recent efforts, but even hardcore fans may struggle with the diminishing narrative returns.
Synopsis: A Los Angeles screenwriter (Christian Bale) indulges his wild side with a stripper (Teresa Palmer), a model (Freida Pinto) and... [More]
Directed By: Terrence Malick
#44
Adjusted Score: 49639%
Critics Consensus: As visually sumptuous as it is narratively spartan, Terrence Malick's Song to Song echoes elements of the writer-director's recent work -- for better and for worse.
Synopsis: Set against the Austin, Texas, music scene, two entangled couples -- struggling songwriters Faye (Rooney Mara) and BV (Ryan Gosling),... [More]
Directed By: Terrence Malick
#45
Adjusted Score: 54313%
Critics Consensus: Ridley Scott's revisionist take on this oft-told tale offers some fine acting and a few gripping action sequences, but it's missing the thrill of adventure that made Robin Hood a legend in the first place.
Synopsis: After the death of Richard the Lion-Hearted, a skilled archer named Robin Longstride (Russell Crowe) travels to Nottingham, where villagers... [More]
Directed By: Ridley Scott
#46
Adjusted Score: 43767%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: A group of foreign women -- including an educated British musician (Glenn Close), an Australian nurse (Cate Blanchett) and an... [More]
Directed By: Bruce Beresford
#47
Adjusted Score: 41280%
Critics Consensus: This sequel is full of lavish costumes and elaborate sets, but lacks the heart and creativity of the original Elizabeth
Synopsis: Queen Elizabeth I (Cate Blanchett) faces threats to her rule from abroad and at home. Determined to restore England to... [More]
Directed By: Shekhar Kapur
#48
Adjusted Score: 37110%
Critics Consensus: The storyline is overwrought and awkward, and the audience is distanced from the flatly drawn characters.
Synopsis: A Russian Jewish girl (Christina Ricci) is separated from her father in 1927 and escapes to England, where she's rechristened... [More]
Directed By: Sally Potter
#49
Adjusted Score: 39943%
Critics Consensus: Though Steven Soderbergh succeeds in emulating the glossy look of 1940s noirs, The Good German ultimately ends up as a self-conscious exercise in style that forgets to develop compelling characters.
Synopsis: Jake Geismar (George Clooney), an Army correspondent, helps his former lover, Lena Brandt (Cate Blanchett), comb post-World War II Berlin... [More]
Directed By: Steven Soderbergh
#50
Adjusted Score: 35654%
Critics Consensus: A dull adaptation of Sebastian Faulk's novel despite gorgeous cinematography and Cate Blanchett's best efforts.
Synopsis: This is a drama set in Nazi-occupied France at the height of World War II. Charlotte Gray tells the compelling... [More]
Directed By: Gillian Armstrong
#51
Adjusted Score: 43184%
Critics Consensus: Its intentions are noble and its cast is impressive, but neither can compensate for The Monuments Men's stiffly nostalgic tone and curiously slack narrative.
Synopsis: During World War II, the Nazis steal countless pieces of art and hide them away. Some over-the-hill art scholars, historians,... [More]
Directed By: George Clooney
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