The dynamic Dakota Fanning has been acting since she was just five years old and first rose to prominence in the 2001 drama I Am Sam. The talented performer appeared as Sean Penn’s daughter in the Oscar-nominated picture and went on to become the youngest actress nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award at the age of just seven. She would continue dominating the small screen in the 2000s with memorable roles in Uptown Girls, Hide and Seek, Coraline, and War of the Worlds, demonstrating her impressive acting range at an early age.
Fanning was able to shed her child actor image by taking on mature and edgy parts like The Runaways, Night Moves,and Very Good Girls, and in recent years she has appeared in acclaimed films like Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood and The Equalizer 3.
Both she and her younger sister Elle remain a constant presence in cinema, and Dakota’s upcoming projects will be in the horror flick The Watchers and psychological thriller series Ripley. Let’s take a look back at Dakota Fanning’s best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
10 The Runaways - 69%
Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart teamed to portray rock and roll trailblazers Cherie Currie and Joan Jett in the 2010 biographical drama The Runaways, an adaptation of Currie's memoir.
It chronicles the eponymous rock group's creation as the rebellious teenagers and their fellow bandmates dominated the music scene in the 1970s with the guidance of their savvy record producer Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon). The engrossing film shines a light on Currie and Jett's turbulent relationship and the all-female rock band's spectacular rise to fame and subsequent demise in 1979.
Both Fanning and Stewart took vocal lessons and learned to play their respective instruments in preparation for their roles, with the former actress later commenting, “I had never sung with a band before and felt the power of something like that behind me.” The Runaways went on to become a critical success though it ultimately failed to deliver at the box office.
9 The Motel Life - 70%
Based on Willy Vlautin's debut novel of the same name, the 2012 drama The Motel Life. The movie takes place in 1990 and centers on drifter brothers Frank and Jerry Lee Flannigan (Emile Hirsh & Stephen Dorff) as they find their seemingly aimless existence turned upside down after one of them accidentally runs over a child in a hit-and-run tragedy, causing them to abandon their Reno motel and flee town. Fanning appears as Frank's former girlfriend Annie James, with the pair rekindling their previous romance after the brothers turn to the young woman for help hiding from the authorities.
The melancholy and poignant picture features the additional talents of Kris Kristofferson, Dayton Callie, and Joshua Leonard, and had its worldwide premiere at the Rome Film Festival where it took home four awards including Best Screenplay as well as the Audience Award.
8 The Equalizer 3 - 74%
Fanning teamed up with her former Man on Fire co-star Denzel Washington for Antoine Fuqua's 2023 vigilante action flick The Equalizer 3. It once again follows retired DIA operative and U.S. Marine Robert McCall as he is called back to action after discovering his peaceful new home in a remote Southern Italy town is being controlled by violent crime bosses. McCall sets out to protect his community and friends by becoming their ultimate defender by going head-to-head with the mafia in a daring effort to rid the coastal town of their dangerous presence.
Fans of both actors were thrilled when news broke that Fanning would be joining the popular franchise and reuniting with Washington, as it had been nearly twenty years since their first project together. The Equalizer 3 proved to be both a critical and commercial success and has so far grossed over $110 while earning an A CinemaScore from audiences.
7 War of the Worlds - 76%
Steven Spielberg spectacularly brought H.G. Wells' iconic sci-fi novel to the big screen when he directed the 2005 blockbuster hit War of the Worlds, enlisting the talent of action legend Tom Cruise to star as divorced dockworker Ray Ferrier as he fights to keep his ten-year-old daughter Rachel (Fanning) and teenage son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) safe after extraterrestrials violently invade Earth and threaten the very existence of humanity. The trio goes on the run from the deadly alien predators and sets out to find refuge in a terrifying new world full of danger and horrific chaos.
Spielberg was blown away by Fanning's performance, later praising the actress for "how quickly she understands the situation in a sequence, how quickly she sizes it up, measures it up and how she would really react in a real situation." War of the Worlds further cemented Fanning's status as one of Hollywood most brightest up-and-comers, and the sci-fi flick went on to rake in a whopping $603.9 million at the box office.
6 Nine Lives - 76%
Rodrigo García directed the 2005 drama Nine Lives, featuring a dynamic cast including Glenn Close, Robin Wright, Amanda Seyfried, and Sissy Spacek that tells nine loosely connected stories while also focusing on the personal lives of nine vastly different women as they cope with heavy themes such as adultery, death, and fractured relationships. Fanning appears in the last story alongside Glenn Close, as Maggie heads to the cemetery with her young daughter Maria and during the visit realizes just how dependent she has become on her child for her overall emotional health.
Nine Lives was shot in overlapping vignettes and each story consisted of one unbroken take, and though it performed modestly at theaters it nonetheless was lauded by critics, going on to win both an ALMA Award and the National Board of Review Award for Excellence In Filmmaking.
5 Charlotte's Web - 79%
Based on the celebrated E.B. White children's novel of the same name, the 2006 fantasy dramedy Charlotte's Web famously tells the story of livestock pig Wilbur as his life is saved by a kind-hearted little girl named Fern Arable (Fanning), who takes care of the runt of the litter and nurtures him to a mature age. Fern is devastated when Wilbur is sent to her uncle's barnyard where he meets the nurturing barn spider Charlotte A. Cavatica (Julia Roberts), and the intelligent and cunning spider concocts a plan to save Wilbur from ending up on the butcher's block.
With a dazzling supporting voice cast including Steve Buscemi, Kathy Bates, Robert Redford, and John Cleese, the live-action/CGI remake attracted positive reviews from critics for its heartwarming story and charming performances. The Washington Post wrote, "Remember the peaceful atmosphere of bedtime storytelling? The kind that allows parent and child to take satisfaction in the story, not the teller? That's how Charlotte draws you into its web."
4 Once Upon a Time in Hollywood - 85%
Quentin Tarantino enlisted cinema heavy hitters Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie for his sensational tribute to the Golden Age of Hollywood with the 2019 dramedy Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, which takes place in 1969 Los Angeles.
It follows fading film star Rick Dalton (DiCaprio) as he and his loyal stunt double Cliff Booth (Pitt) struggle to keep up with the progressing entertainment industry. Dalton lives next door to famous actress Sharon Tate (Robbie) and Roman Polanski, with the riveting picture setting the stage for the horrific Tate murders by the Manson family (albeit with a crucial twist).
Fanning appears as Manson member Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, who gets swept up in Charles Manson's cult and crosses paths with Booth while staying out at Spahn Ranch. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood premiered at the Cannes Film Festival where its dynamic performances, screenplay, direction, and cinematography earned rave reviews. The dramedy won two Academy Awards and was listed as one of the top ten films of the year by the National Board of Review.
3 Night Moves - 86%
Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, and Peter Sarsgaard portray a trio of radical and passionate environmentalists who set out a on dangerous mission to blow up a hydroelectric dam in the 2013 drama thriller Night Moves, chronicling the efforts of activists Josh and Dena and former Marine Harmon as they plot a massive protest in order to demonstrate to the world the profound effects they have on the environment. They find their lives forever altered by the act of defiance and struggle with their own guilt and paranoia, leading to a heartbreaking outcome.
Night Moves once again showcased Fanning's incredible acting range as she transitioned from being a child actor into taking on more mature and complex roles. Critics singled out Fanning's dynamic portrayal as the conflicted and deeply troubled Dena and the thriller went on to nab Grand Prix at the Deauville American Film Festival.
2 Coraline - 90%
Henry Selick directed the spellbinding 2009 stop-motion animated horror fantasy Coraline, with Dakota Fanning voicing the eponymous 11-year-old character as she discovers a wondrous alternate reality after moving across the country to her new home with her workaholic parents. While exploring the old house, Coraline is transported to a parallel world where people have buttons for eyes and her mom and dad are actually loving and nurturing to her; when the dark and sinister Other Mother (Teri Hatcher) attempts to keep the girl there forever, she must fight to get back to her own reality and family.
The delightfully creepy and visually stunning picture was a financial and critical hit, earning over $124 million and receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature. Coraline has gone on to amass a devoted cult following and is widely regarded as one of the greatest animated movies in modern times and an exceptional cinematic triumph.
1 My Neighbor Totoro - 93%
From the genius mind of Studio Ghibli and director Hayao Miyazaki comes the beloved 1988 animated fantasy film My Neighbor Totoro, centering on sisters Satsuki and Mei as they struggle with acclimating to their new home and life in a remote country house in order to be closer to their sick mother. While exploring the grounds and the nearby forest, the siblings meet friendly and kind wood spirits including the giant loving creature fondly known as Totoro. Dakota Fanning voiced Satsuki in the 2005 English-dubbed version, providing her vocals alongside her real-life little sister Elle in the fan-favorite flick.
My Neighbor Totoro has been lauded as one the greatest films of all time and one of the top animation pictures, with the character of Totoro becoming the face of Studio Ghibli and one of the most iconic characters in Japanese animation. Roget Ebert praised the cherished Miyazaki masterpiece, poignantly writing, "Here is a children's film made for the world we should live in, rather than the one we occupy."
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