Best Julia Roberts: Top 5

Julia Roberts is one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood. After a few notable early roles, Roberts made her break in the hugely successful 1990 film, Pretty Woman, in which she starred as a call girl turned love interest of Richard Gere. The list of Julia Roberts movies covers a broad range of films from various genres that highlight the best of her film accomplishments.

For the purposes of this top 5 list of Julia Roberts movies, the movie must have been entertaining, well-received commercially and/or critically, perhaps epic in nature with a lasting impact, iconic in its time, and Julia Roberts must have been a significant player in the film.

Best Julia Roberts Movies of All Time

5. Duplicity (2009) – Her most recent role and one of her best, Roberts stars as a secret agent, opposite Clive Owen, who finds herself in a life that involves so much cover up and deception, that it becomes hard for anyone, including the viewer, to know what is real and what is scam.

4. The Pelican Brief (1993) - One of the earliest Julia Roberts movies, The Pelican Brief is a story about an ambitious law student finds she is not popular with everyone once she uncovers the truth behind the assassination of two Supreme Court justices.

3. Mona Lisa Smile (2003) – This is a great addition to the list of Julia Roberts movies because it adds a nice “softer” side to her film resume. Roberts plays a progressive and unrelenting teacher at an all-girl’s school that prides itself on tradition. This film also features a nice ensemble cast with Kirsten Dunst and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

2. Erin Brockovich (2000) – Many consider this Julia Roberts best movie role. Considering she won an Oscar, it is hard to argue. The movie tells the story of an unemployed single mother who becomes a legal assistant and almost single-handedly brings down a California power company accused of polluting a city’s water supply.

1. Pretty Woman (1990) – Sure, it might be cliche and too easy to have this classic Julia Roberts movie as number one. However, there is no movie with Julia Roberts more identifiable to audiences, more iconic and sustained, and more memorable. She and Richard Gere shared a great chemistry.

Other Julia Roberts movies considered: Ocean’s Eleven (2001), Runaway Bride (1999), Notting Hill (1999), My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997), Sleeping with the Enemy (1991), Steel Magnolias (1989), Mystic Pizza (1988)

No doubt there are great Julia Roberts movies not included in this list and likely more good ones to come. In fact, there are several that could have been comfortably included without reservation. However, this list gives you a good scope of the legacy of Julia Roberts films that now spans about 20 years.

Want to tell us your favorite film not on our list of Julia Roberts movies and why? Just add a comment and share your thoughts!

This feature article about the Best Movies with Julia Roberts was written by Neil of Movie Room Reviews

See Also:

• Best Movies with Brad Pitt
• Best Tom Cruise Movies

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