Making a list of the best Emily Blunt movies is damn near impossible. Since her breakout role in The Devil Wears Prada, the Academy Award-nominated actress has only appeared in some of the best motion pictures of the modern era. Comedy, drama, action, musicals, horror — she does it all. Blunt even played Mary Poppins!
In her latest flick, The Fall Guy, Blunt shows off her comedic chops alongside Ryan Gosling. By all accounts, the movie rocks. Considering the talent involved, that’s not a surprise. Still, is it good enough to sneak into the upper tier of Blunt’s fantastic career? We’ll have to wait until this weekend to make that decision. In the meantime, check out this list featuring our favorite Emily Blunt movies, ranked in no particular order.
Runner-Up: The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
I have to give a shout-out to The Adjustment Bureau, a fanciful love story based on a short story by Philip K. Dick and directed by George Nolfi. While the film doesn’t live up to its lofty premise, Blunt and co-star Matt Damon are damn near irresistible as a pair of star-crossed lovers brought together by fate.
Unfortunately, the titular “Adjustment Bureau,” a mysterious organization that controls the fate of every human on Earth, doesn’t share the same romantic view of their courtship and tries to separate them for the good of mankind. Again, it’s not the best film, but Blunt’s natural charisma is on full display.
Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Doug Liman’s trippy sci-fi actioner repeatedly sees Tom Cruise reliving the same day. The problem is that day contains an alien invasion that wipes out humanity. Cruise must team up with Blunt’s no-nonsense Sergeant Rita Vrataski to figure out how to utilize his newfound gift to claim victory over their extraterrestrial foes.
Here’s a tip: if you haven’t seen Edge of Tomorrow, stop reading this article immediately and do so right now. This modern classic didn’t generate big bucks at the box office but has since found acclaim on home video. Cruise and Blunt are terrific in their respective roles, displaying impeccable onscreen chemistry that lifts the picture to extraordinary heights. Now, about that sequel …
Looper (2012)
A word of caution: Looper is a weird movie. As directed by Rian Johnson, this sci-fi thriller mixes familiar ingredients from past films — notably Terminator — into a unique motion picture that dazzles as much as it puzzles. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Joe, a hitman whose job involves killing criminals sent back in time from the future. Things take a turn for the worse when Joe’s future self (played by Bruce Willis) appears and begins offing young children he believes to be responsible for a crime committed several years later. Confused?
Blunt co-stars as Sara, an isolated single mother of a potentially dangerous child who tries to help young Joe on his mission to kill his older self. It’s all a bit bonkers, but somehow, Johnson keeps the flick moving along and manages to tie up the various plot threads satisfactorily.
Violent, edgy, and bleak as hell, Looper is a fascinating pic and well worth a look. Blunt’s emotional performance is critical to its success, and the actress demonstrates her incredible versatility in a complex and challenging role, which is why it makes the list of our best Emily Blunt movies.
A Quiet Place (2018)
Blunt and real-life husband John Krasinski (who also directed) deliver top-notch performances in A Quiet Place as parents struggling to survive an alien invasion. The twist? The aliens can’t see and rely on super hearing to notch their kills. This gimmick supplies a few well-executed scares and plenty of intensity.
Still, far too much meat is left on the bone, and too many questions are left unanswered to label A Quiet Place as anything more than a solid Saturday night thriller. People legitimately love the franchise, though, so it would be foolhardy not to list it here.
Sicario (2015)
A personal favorite, Sicario explores the war on drugs through Denis Villeneuve’s artful eye, resulting in one of the last decade’s best films. Blunt stars as Kate Macer, an idealistic FBI agent recruited into a mysterious operation led by a government task force. Co-starring Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro (in his best role), Sicario goes for the jugular and explores the gray line between good and evil.
Seriously, I love this film. Everything from Blunt’s performance to Roger Deakins’ astonishing cinematography leaves a powerful impression. Here is a film you won’t ever forget.
Oppenheimer (2023)
Yeah, I had to include Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Not only was it the best film of 2023, but it might be the most impressive picture of Nolan’s storied career.
The biopic, Starring Cillian Murphy, explores the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer and the events that led to the creation of the atomic bomb. Blunt co-stars as his beleaguered wife and delivers a solid performance that stands out amidst the all-star cast. In fact, she gets one of the film’s best scenes and matches Murphy beat-for-beat.
Now, some find Oppenheimer’s three-hour runtime a chore to sit through. To each their own, I found the Best Picture winner riveting from start to finish, a haunting look at one of history’s most complex figures and one of the best Emily Blunt movies.
