Over the past three decades, Regina King is become one of the most diverse and talented actors of her generation. Upon making her screen debut in John Singleton's Boyz n the Hood in 1991, King has amassed more than 50 big and small screen credits. In 2019, King won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her indelible turn in If Beale Street Could Talk, solidifying her talent as an A-list performer in Hollywood.
Up next for the Oscar winner is playing the lead role in John Ridley's Shirley, an upcoming biopic about Shirley Chisholm due later in 2023. As fans await the official release date of Shirley, now is a perfect time to reflect on Regina King's most impressive movies to date in the eyes of Rotten Tomatoes.
10 This Christmas (2007) - 55%
Written and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II, This Christmas is a feel-good holiday affair for the whole family to enjoy. The story concerns the Whitfield family reuniting for the first time in four years to celebrate Christmas, where old wounds are opened, new revelations come to light, and a slew of family obstacles must be overcome in order to reconcile the past.
King portrays Lisa Whitfield, the eldest daughter who tries to set a good example for her siblings despite dealing with her philandering husband. While the beloved 2000s Christmas movie holds a much higher Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes (81%), critics felt the film was too formulaic and cliché-ridden to make a dent among the all-time great Christmas movie classics. Still, the performances were singled out as the movie's biggest strength, with King leading the way.
9 The Ant Bully (2007) - 62%
In one of the few times voicing an animated character in her career, King played the role of Kreela in The Ant Bully. The plot involves a boy named Lucas who shrinks to the size of an ant after flooding his garden and is forced into manual labor as payback for his bullying ways. As a forager ant, Kreela is constantly on the search for new food and resources in the film.
As opposed to This Christmas, The Ant Bully has a higher Tomatometer Score (62%) than Audience Score (42%), indicating that the film resonated more with critics than general moviegoers. Thanks to its star-studded cast, the movie was moderately praised for being witty and innovative, even if the material was somewhat forgettable once it was over. King would go on to voice another animated character in Planes: Fire & Rescue in 2014.
8 Year of the Dog (2007) - 69%
Before gaining widespread acclaim for The White Lotus, writer/director Mike White turned in a tender and touching dramedy entitled Year of the Dog. The story finds Peggy (Molly Shannon) picking up the pieces of her life following the sudden death of her pet dog Pencil. King plays Layla, Peggy's best friend who tries to console her but doesn't quite understand the connection Peggy and Pencil had.
A quirky offbeat character study with a big heart, Year of the Dog brilliantly toes the line between comedy and drama as only Mike White's movie and TV shows can do. The tonal balance is truly remarkable, with most critics praising the performances, warm-hearted direction, and unpredictable plot that leads to genuine laughter one moment and heartfelt tears the next. For King's part, she continued to prove that she can go toe-to-toe with SNL alums and easily hold her own comedic chops in the process.
7 Enemy of the State (1998) - 70%
Far ahead of its time, Tony Scott's Enemy of the State is still vastly underrated. The plot follows Robert Dean, a D.C. lawyer who becomes targeted by corrupt government officials after inadvertently obtaining a video depicting a political assassination. King adds alarmist humor as Dean's shrewd wife, Carla, by ranting about the lack of privacy laws in the U.S. even prior to 9/11 and the Patriot Act.
After starring alongside such rappers as Ice-Cube and Tupac Shakur, King proved she could handle her own with the great Will Smith and his immense star power. However, the real star of the movie is Tony Scott's swift and breathlessly entertaining directorial style and the casting of minute side characters. While received well enough by critics at the time, Enemy of theState has proven to be more timely and topical as time has gone on.
6 Friday (1995) - 76%
After starring opposite Ice-Cube in Boyz n the Hood, the two reunited to play bickering siblings in the classic stoner comedy Friday. The story tracks a day in the life of Craig and Smokey, two friends who owe $200 to the neighborhood drug dealer, Big Worm. While received warmly at the time, Friday has become a bona fide cult classic that spawned two sequels. King plays Dana, Craig's sister who refuses to help him settle the debt.
A landmark cultural touchstone that is eminently quotable and has a ton of replay value, Friday's 91% Audience Score eclipses its 76% Tomatometer Score, indicating a crowd-pleasing comedy for the ages that has withstood the test of time. While some critical misgivings cited the loose structure and lack of expert directorial flourishes, the movie introduced the world to Chris Tucker, the comedic dynamo who went on to star in a string of successful '90s comedies. Between the cast's charisma and hilarious anecdotal jokes, Friday continues to be a must-see movie.
5 Ray (2004) - 79%
In one of the most acclaimed musical biopics of the past 20 years, Ray charts the personal and professional travails of blues singer Ray Charles. For his indelible turn as Ray, Jamie Foxx won an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. Meanwhile, King plays Margie Hendricks, a talented singer and founding member of the Raelettes, Charles' famous backup singers.
While King did not sing in the film or record music for it, she still gave a highly convincing performance under the direction of Taylor Hackford. As a whole, the movie drew near-universal acclaim from critics and general movie lovers alike, with most offering glowing plaudits for Foxx's searing performance that transcends mere imitation. With an electrifying soundtrack and energetic pacing, Ray also drew praise for depicting a candid, three-dimensional version of a true artist.
4 Jerry Maguire (1996) - 84%
Written and directed by Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) follows a hot-shot sports agent at a personal and professional crossroads. When Maguire starts his own agency, he signs Wide Receiver Rod Tidwell to help both of their careers. King plays Tidwell's wife, Marcee, who isn't shy about negotiating on behalf of her cocky husband.
A romantic comedy for the ages, Jerry Maguire is a soft and sweet-hearted tale of redemption for the titular character and his co-worker turned romantic interest, Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger). Although Cuba Gooding Jr. won an Oscar for Best Actor in a Supporting Role as Tidwell, it's hard to forget the tender and touching performance of Zellweger and Jonathan Lipnicki as her adorable son Ray.
3 The Harder They Fall (2021) - 88%
The most recent movie King has appeared in is The Harder They Fall, a supremely stylish neo-western directed by Jeymes Samuel. The tale of revenge concerns Nat Love, a criminal hell-bent on avenging his parents' murder at the hands of his sworn enemy, Rufus Buck. King commands the screen as Trudy Smith, a skilled gun-slinger who leads Buck's gang until he's released from prison.
Although it hardly reinvents the genre, the acclaimed Netflix original movie was extolled by critics for subverting a tired formula and breathing new life into movie westerns. As such, They Harder They Fall is an accessible entry point for those who otherwise dislike Westerns. The biggest draw of the movie is its stellar ensemble cast led by King and Idris Elba, bold real-life characters that history forgot, and the superb contemporary hip-hop soundtrack.
2 If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) - 95%
Sometimes, an actor wins a deserving Oscar for a performance in a so-so movie (Brendan Fraser in The Whale, for example). Such is not the case for King, who won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for If Beale Street Could Talk, the second-highest-rated movie of her career according to Rotten Tomatoes.
Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, If Beale Street Could Talk is adapted from the 1974 James Baldwin novel of the same name. A haunting romantic drama of perseverance and redemption, the story finds Sharon Rivers (King) doing everything in her power to clear the name of her wrongly accused lover while preparing to give birth to their child. Aside from King's commanding turn, the film was universally hailed for Jenkins' faithful retelling of Baldwin's source material.
1 Boyz n the Hood (1991) - 96%
For some strange reason, Boyz n the Hood is missing from Regina King's Rotten Tomatoes page. But the fact remains, King made her big-screen debut in the all-time great John Singleton movie about a group of friends coming of age in South Central, California. While brief, King plays Shalika, an expert 40-ounce drinker who gives Tre a hard time at the neighborhood cookout.
A truly important movie made at the right time and place, Boyz n the Hood is an incredible depiction of the disenfranchised Black Americans living in L.A.'s urban landscape. The characters are convincing, sympathetic, and easy to root for every step of the way, leading to a devastating finale. In addition to launching countless imitations, the film also began the careers of the late great writer/director John Singleton as well as Ice Cube, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Regina King.
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