Even after the Academy decides at some point in the future to give Amy Adams an Oscar, we will probably still rant about their unbelievably notorious lack of recognition for the early part of her career. And no, nominations aren't enough. The young actress has an impressive range for all genres, and she's made sure to show it in every single piece she's ever done. Even when she moved on temporarily to TV and made HBO's Sharp Objects, she blew everyone's minds with such a strong and complex performance.
Appearing in franchises, and starring in auteur's projects, Adams has made an imprint in modern cinema that not many actresses have been able to accomplish. She got an early start appearing in Steven Spielberg's Catch Me if You Can and then went on to make Junebug in 2005, for which she would be nominated for the first time. The industry noticed her, and when she made Enchanted in 2007, her career blew up. Only one year later, she would be nominated again for Doubt.
As we wait for the members to finally realize how valuable she is, let's take a look at Adams' best movies according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 Charlie Wilson's War (2007) - 82%
In Mike Nichols' last film, Charlie Wilson's War, Adams plays Bonnie Bach. Bach is part of Charlie Wilson's team as he goes on a journey to leave a life of partying behind and do something honorable as a congressman must do. Adams performs alongside Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and still, she manages to shine with her radiant energy.
9 The Master (2012) - 85%
In one of her six Oscar nominations, Adams gives life to Peggy Dodd, the wife of religious leader Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), in Paul Thomas Anderson's psychological drama The Master. The film's all about Hoffman and Joaquin Phoenix, who plays Freddie, the war veteran with PTSD who enters a dangerous religious cult. Ultimately Adams is a magnetic piece in the family nucleus that's led by the charismatic Dodd but heavily controlled by his partner Peggy.
8 Junebug (2005) - 86%
In Junebug, Adams plays an energetic pregnant woman who's expecting a child with her high school sweetheart. Actually, Ashley seems to have just finished school because of her innocence and naive way of seeing things when her sister-in-law shows up at her doorstep and has a taste of life outside the city. It's noticeable that the film is led by Embeth Davidtz Madeleine, but it's Adams who steals every scene and ultimately got an Oscar nomination for the film.
7 The Fighter (2010) - 91%
Adams would get nominated again for playing Charlene in David O. Russell's The Fighter. Sadly, she lost to her co-star Melissa Leo, whose performance is also impressive. Charlene is Micky's counterpart during his fall from grace. But she's also the pillar that holds his spirit together, as he struggles against his mother and brother in this sports biopic that was nominated for seven Academy Awards.
This is undoubtedly one of Adams' best performances because of her simplicity and down-to-earth portrayal of a working-class woman who sees Micky for who he really is, and decides to do something about it.
6 American Hustle (2013) - 92%
This one is a reunion with director Russell and Christian Bale. In American Hustle, Adams plays Sydney, Irving's romantic partner and the other half to their scam industry. Sadly, Irving's married, and he doesn't have intentions of leaving his wife. Their relationship takes a hit, when FBI agent Richie enters the picture and catches both of them in the act.
As he offers help in avoiding prison, Sydney and Irving have no choice but to comply, and the girl falls for what she sees as the "good guy." Again, Adams was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, only that year Cate Blanchett was a safe bet for her portrayal in Blue Jasmine.
5 Enchanted (2007) - 93%
The musical fantasy movie Enchanted was Disney's first film to be released under a new brand name for its live-action films. It features Giselle, a young girl in a fairy tale of kingdom who only dreams of meeting a prince, so she can become a princess. But the evil queen in the kingdom has other plans and manages to kick her out of the kingdom, transporting her to a real live-action New York City.
Giselle, now played by Adams, is now a lost fairy tale character in the Big Apple waiting for a prince who can save her. Adams seems tailor-fit for the role of a princess not only because of her looks but because of her radiant attitude. This film is very, very good.
4 Her (2013) - 94%
In Spike Jonze's Her, Adams plays Amy, Theodore's human connection as he becomes romantically involved with an artificial intelligence entity that lives in the virtual setting he surrounds himself with. Amy is married but is going through issues with her partner, but she's also connected to some sort of AI.
As this technological fairy tale comes to a halt, both Theodore and Amy rely on each other when dealing with the grief of losing something they love. Adams' flexibility in her dramatic skills is proved in this one.
3 Arrival (2016) - 94%
Adams plays Louise Banks in Denis Villeneuve's Arrival and it's undeniably one of her most important, yet natural performances. She plays a linguist trying to communicate with alien beings whose mission is not very clear, and their language doesn't make things easier. But Banks' role in the most important event in humankind isn't only communicating with the extraterrestrials.
We won't spoil this for you, in case you haven't seen it, but we can say that the ending is bittersweet, beautiful, and inevitable. Her role in Arrival wasn't even nominated, and it's arguably the best in her career.
2 The Muppets (2011) - 95%
2011's The Muppets features Adams as Mary, Gary's girlfriend and muppet Walter's sister-in-law. In the film, the three of them go on an adventure to reunite the Muppets gang and save the Muppet theater from demolition. Adams is a natural for comedy performances, and in The Muppets she proves it from start to finish. Without Mary's quirky attitude, the trip wouldn't have been as fun as it was.
1 Catch Me If You Can (2002) - 96%
Steven Spielberg's comedy-drama Catch Me if You Can tells the story of Frank Abagnale Jr., a con artist who stole millions of dollars in the early '70s when he was just a teenager. Abagnale became a Pan Am pilot, a lawyer, and a doctor. As he takes the role of Dr. Conners, he falls for an innocent nurse called Brenda, played by Adams.
The two of them decide to marry, but on the day of the wedding, Frank has to escape as the FBI trails him. Frank also tells Brenda to join him, but unfortunately, the day after he realizes the FBI has convinced her to help them take him down.
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