Last Updated on September 6, 2024
In 2015 and 2016, Jennifer Lawrence became the world’s highest-paid actress. That was a remarkable achievement for someone who had barely lasted ten years in the film industry.
Jennifer Lawrence shot to the limelight after joining the cast of the television sitcom The Bill Engvall Show (2007 – 2009). After a couple of minor film and television appearances, Lawrence landed her breakout role playing a poverty-stricken teenage girl looking for his dad in the 2010 drama film Winter’s Bone.
Lawrence went on to establish herself as one of Hollywood’s most promising actresses. Nearly all the films she has appeared in to date have garnered massive critical and commercial success.
Here are ten of the finest movies starring Jennifer Lawrence.
10. Red Sparrow (2018)
IMDB Rating: 6.6
Red Sparrow is a film based on Jason Matthews’ novel by the same name. Matthews worked as a CIA agent prior to becoming an author. In this book, he shares valuable insights into the sparrow program using fictional characters.
The film adaptation of Matthews’ sobering novel tells the story of Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence), a ballerina who faces a bleak future after suffering a career-ending concussion. Dominika decides to join the Russian intelligence by enrolling in Sparrow School, a covert intelligence program that trains exceptionally gifted young people on how to weaponize their bodies and minds.
After completing her intelligence training, Dominika emerges as the best sparrow. She stumbles upon a CIA agent that’s nearly as gifted in mental manipulation as she is.
9. The Burning Plain (2008)
IMDB Rating: 6.8
The Burning Plain is a two-tiered storyline that chronicles the struggles of a mother and daughter as they try to establish a bond following the woman’s difficult childhood.
Sylvia (Charlize Theron)’s present life appears normal. She’s a successful restaurant manager who projects a calm and confident exterior. But beneath her confidence is a woman grappling with promiscuity, suicidal impulses, and self-mutilation tendencies.
The second part of the storyline features a young girl called Mariana (Jennifer Lawrence) who attempts to understand her mother (Kim Basinger)’s mysterious romantic relationships.
The two stories appear unrelated at first glance. But as you continue to watch the movie, you realize just how closely knit they are.
8. Like Crazy (2011)
IMDB Rating: 6.7
An American college boy named Jacob Helm (Anon Yelchin) falls in love with a British exchange student called Anna Gardner (Felicity Jones). However, their steamy relationship comes to an abrupt end when Anna is forced to return to England after she violates the terms of her visa.
For a while, the two love birds endure the challenges of maintaining a healthy long-distance relationship. Then Jacob travels to England to see his sweetheart. During his short stay there, Anna’s father suggests that the best way for the two lovebirds to get back together is if her daughter marries Jacob.
Although he’s confused, Jacob agrees to marry Anna and the two travel back to the United States. Their relationship is strained when Jacob begins seeing beautiful Samantha (Jennifer Lawrence). But no matter how far apart Jacob and Anna seem to pull, they somehow find themselves back into each other’s arms.
7. Mother! (2017)
IMDB Rating: 7.8
The plot of Mother! follows a young woman named Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) and her poet husband Him (Javier Bardem). Mother and Him lead a tranquil life at their Victorian country home, where Him is struggling with writer’s block.
But their life is suddenly disrupted following the arrival of another mysterious couple and their two children.
As soon as the new couple settles in, terror begins to reign in Him and Mother’s home. Mother doesn’t seem to understand why her husband is so nice to everyone else except her.
As she tries to find out, it dawns on her that the man she married and the guests they welcomed into their house are not exactly what they seem to be.
6. American Hustle (2013)
IMDB Rating: 7.2
American Hustle is a 2013 black comedy crime thriller based on the FBI Abscam operation that took place in the late 70s and early 80s. The movie takes place in 1978, where con artists Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) start a relationship.
Irving and Sydney are nabbed by FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) as they try to pull a loan scam. But instead of arraigning the two con artists, agent DiMaso promises to release them if they can lead the police to more sting operations.
The con games and cover-ups continue until Irving and Sydney can no longer keep up appearances.
Although Jennifer Lawrence stars in American Hustle as Rosalyn Rosenfeld, the unstable wife of Irving Rosenfeld, the storyline pretty much revolves around the two con artists.
5. Winter’s Bone (2010)
IMDB Rating: 7.2
Winter’s Bone documents the tribulations of an Ozark Mountain teenage girl named Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) who’s determined to track down her drug-dealing father as she tries to keep her family together.
Ree is a responsible young girl who sacrifices a lot for her two younger siblings. But her unresponsive mother and criminal father aren’t making life any easier for her.
A sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) informs Ree that her father disappeared after putting their home up for bond. Ree embarks on a perilous mission of hunting him down.
But fully aware that her family’s fate rests squarely in her own hands, Ree must tread with extreme caution.
4. Joy (2015)
IMDB Rating: 6.6
Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence) is a vibrant and intellectually gifted young woman living in Long Island. But her personal life is a bit complicated.
Joy is divorced with two children. She shares her house with her ex-husband, who lives in the basement. The same house also hosts Joy’s parents who have been divorced for 17 years. Her mother lives upstairs and spends virtually her entire time watching soap operas, while her father prefers to sit back and watch the world go by.
Although her life seems to be stuck in the family rut, Joy manages to establish a fledgling business following her invention of a detachable, self-wringing mop.
3. The Hunger Games (2012)
IMDB Rating: 7.2
The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in what was once North America. The storyline revolves around a totalitarian government of the Capital of Panem.
Much of Panem’s wealth is concentrated around the Capital, a fact that makes it easier for the government to control the masses in all the 12 districts across the country.
To maintain its strong influence on Panem, the government forces each district to select a boy and girl, known as Tributes, to compete in a televised event known as Hunger Games. Everyone else must watch as the selected youths fight to the death until there’s only one of them left standing.
District 12’s Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) becomes the highlight of the Hunger Games due to her sharp instincts and amazing hunting instincts.
2. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
IMDB Rating: 7.7
Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) goes through a chapter of accidents. The former teacher loses his job and wife, then ends up spending a stint in a mental institution.
After his release from the mental institution, Pat moves in with his parents. He tries to piece his life back together and reunite with his wife. However, things take a nasty twist when a mysterious woman named Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) comes along.
Tiffany is living with a borderline personality disorder. She promises to help Pat reunite with his ex-wife on condition that Pat also helps her forget her husband’s death.
1. Passengers (2016)
IMDB Rating: 7.0
During a routine voyage through space to a distant colony planet, Jim Preston (Chris Pratt)’s hypersleep pod malfunctions. Jim and fellow passenger Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) are awakened 90 years too early.
Jim and Aurora are faced with the reality of living together in the spaceship. It’s going to be a long haul before the 90 years elapse, so they decide to fall for each other. However, they soon realize that their ship is in critical danger.
Not only are Jim and Aurora’s lives at stake, but also that of 5,000 other sleeping passengers on board. The duo must work together to save the ship as well as its 5,000+ occupants.
Final Word
Jennifer Lawrence has starred in numerous movies over the years. The award-winning actress has a few more films lined up for release soon. However, the above list includes Lawrence’s best cinematic works so far.
