I am so into rom-coms, and Notting Hill has always been my all-time favorite. That was the first time I came across Julia Roberts, but as I discovered more of her films, I realized what a goddess of an actor she truly is. She has this rare gift of carrying entire emotions in her eyes, plus that radiant smile of hers, it instantly became the most recognizable in Hollywood. It didn't take long to see why she's not only beloved worldwide but also one of the most critically acclaimed actors of her generation.
For me, Roberts has redefined the genre of rom-coms, and in any romantic comedy she stars in, is a must-watch. Her career is full of characters that are timeless, and each of her performances are layered with honesty and presence. So here's a look at ten Julia Roberts movies you absolutely need to watch, ranked from great to greatest.
10 'Eat Pray Love' (2010)
There was a time when I had been daydreaming about leaving my job, packing bags, and chasing a new life, all because of Eat Pray Love. Roberts plays Liz Gilbert, a woman who realizes that the life she has built is not the one she truly wants. She decides to step away and begins a year-long journey. First, she goes to Italy, where she learns to enjoy food and simple pleasures. Then she travels to India, where she struggles to quiet her mind through meditation. Finally, she ends up in Bali, where love enters her life again in an unexpected way.
This role was different for Roberts because she wasn't playing someone glamorous or larger than life. Liz was searching, vulnerable, and sometimes unsure, which gave Roberts a chance to show a softer side of her acting and also play someone relatable to many people.
9 'Ben Is Back' (2018)
Julia Roberts can for sure weaponize her most iconic feature, that megawatt smile, and turn it into profound anguish. In Peter Hedges's gut-wrenching familial drama Ben Is Back, she did exactly that. She plays Holly Burns, who opens her door on Christmas Eve and finds her teenage son Ben (Lucas Hedges) standing there after leaving rehab. The entire film unfolds in less than 24 hours, yet it carries the intensity of a lifetime. Holly keeps her son close, hides pills, keeps watch, and walks a thin line between trust and suspicion.
The film is about documenting the terrifying, unconditional, and fiercely pragmatic love of a mother trying to build a moat around her son with her own bare hands. It is a small suburban story that quickly gained traction because of Roberts' raw acting that focused on maternal ferocity.
8 'Closer' (2004)
Forget the red carpets and the famous laugh. Closer reminds us that Julia Roberts is, first and foremost, a stunningly brave actress. Mike Nichols's film is a raw look at the games people play in the name of love. Roberts plays Anna, a photographer caught in a messy web of affairs. Her life becomes tangled with a lovesick writer (Jude Law), a cynical doctor (Clive Owen), and a mysterious stripper (Natalie Portman). The plot kicks off with a simple case of mistaken identity on a London street, but what follows is a chain reaction of seduction, lies, and emotional carnage.
Instead of having dramatic fights, the characters have brutally frank conversations that leave the audience emotionally naked. There is one famous scene in a photo studio that is among the best of Robert's career. When Clive Owen's character confronts her, and demands the graphic details of her affair, she reacts with shame, defiance, and collapse, all at once, which is extremely fascinating to watch.
7 'My Best Friend's Wedding' (1997)
We've all watched rom-coms where you can predict the ending from the first scene -- a happy one. But My Best Friend's Wedding flips that script entirely. Roberts delivers one of her most memorable performances as Julianne, a cynical food critic who panics when she learns her longtime best friend (Dermot Mulroney) is engaged. She suddenly realizes that she's in love with him and races to Chicago to break up the wedding. Not to support it.
Next thing you see is that she has fled to Chicago with a plan to sabotage the wedding, all while pretending to be a supportive maid of honor. It's a setup that immediately hooks you because, for once, you're rooting for the main character to be a little bit bad. The heroine here is the antagonist of her own story, and we, as an audience, cringe and cheer for her as her schemes hilariously backfire.
6 'Steel Magnolias' (1989)
There's a reason people still quote lines from Steel Magnolias even decades later. This film beautifully captures the messy reality of female friendships in a way few movies ever have. Roberts plays Shelby, a young woman with big dreams and a serious health condition, type 1 diabetes. She gets married, decides to have a baby despite the risks, and leans on her mother and friends through it all. Roberts brings such warmth and spirit to Shelby that you can't help but root for her throughout.
The movie will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate the friends who become family. Roberts earned her first Oscar nomination for showing both Shelby's strength and her vulnerability in her ever-versatile acting. The famous line "I'd rather have thirty minutes of wonderful life than a lifetime of nothing special" just sums up her character's approach to life and really strikes a chord with the audience.
5 'Wonder' (2017)
Wonder is all about family. What makes it so special is not how a family bonds over easy moments, but how they survive the hard ones by staying together, supporting each other. Roberts plays Isabel Pullman, the powerful mother of a boy with facial differences, who is starting public school for the first time. Her worried glances, the forced courage, and the emotional exhaustion of a parent trying to protect her child feels deeply real in every scene.
The film in no way pretends that being different is easy, and Roberts also vulnerably shows that parenting a child who is hurting is never simple. There's a scene where she allows herself to cry in the hallway after holding her composure all day, it was such an authentic moment that still aches. This film reminds us that kindness isn't just a lesson for children, but a choice that we all make, and should make, every day.
4 'The Pelican Brief' (1993)
The Pelican Brief shows Roberts at the height of her '90s power. She plays Darby Shaw, a sharp law student whose research paper,"the pelican brief", accidentally uncovers the reason behind the assassinations of two Supreme Court justices. Once her theory proves dangerously close to the truth, she becomes the target of the same forces she's exposing.
The film is worth watching today because of how Roberts handles Darby's role in a genre often dominated by male leads. Her pairing with Denzel Washington was fresh and loved because her presence just didn't fade away behind Washington, nor did she play any damsel. Instead she was the force behind it all. She drives the investigation, and the chemistry between the two leads further fuels the suspense.
3 'Notting Hill' (1999)
Notting Hill is every other person's romantic make-believe. The ultimate rom-com we want to live inside at least once. A random man who falls in love with a movie star. Roberts plays Anna Scott, a world-famous movie star who accidentally collides with an ordinary bookshop owner, William Thacker (Hugh Grant), in London's charming Notting Hill district. Their meeting is clumsy, sweet, and sets the stage for one of the most beloved "celebrity meets civilian" love stories ever told.
When Notting Hill released in 1999, it became one of the defining romances of the decade. The film topped the UK box office for weeks, grossed over $363 million worldwide, and cemented Roberts as the queen of the genre. More than numbers, though, it gave audiences one of the most quoted love lines in film history: "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love me." Something that beautifully captured the fantasy of fame colliding with ordinary life, yet it did so with humor and warmth that still feel timeless.
2 'Pretty Woman' (1990)
This movie turned Roberts into the icon that she is today. She plays Vivian Ward, a Hollywood sex worker who unexpectedly finds herself in the company of wealthy businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). Their arrangement begins as a simple deal, but over time it blossoms into something neither of them planned for. Soon, Vivian's authenticity is challenged by Edward's detached view of life and love.
The movie became a cultural phenomenon right after it was released. Vivian's red dress, diamond necklace, and Beverly Hills shopping spree became such iconic moments that are still remembered today. The movie became the fourth highest-grossing film of 1990 worldwide and turned Roberts into America's sweetheart while earning her an Academy Award nomination. More importantly, it redefined the modern rom-com genre by pairing humor and heart with sharp social contrasts.
1 'Erin Brockovich' (2000)
If there's one Roberts movie that deserves to sit at the very top of any must-watch list, it's Erin Brockovich. She takes on the role of Erin Brockovich, an unemployed single mother who talks her way into a law firm job and winds up uncovering a massive case of water contamination linked to Pacific Gas and Electric. She is brash, unfiltered, and relentless, and as an audience it becomes completely impossible to look away from her.
This movie tops our list because it showed Roberts range of acting like no other film did. Some of the scenes were so vulnerable in a way few A-list actors allow themselves to be on screen, but Roberts was completely into her character..She won the Oscar for Best Actress, but beyond the awards, the movie connected with audiences as a true story of grit and justice. Erin was a real woman who fought against impossible odds and made people believe in the power of one voice.
Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Rate Now 0/10 Like Erin Brockovich R Biography Drama 8.0/10 Release Date March 17, 2000 Runtime 131 Minutes Where to watch Close WHERE TO WATCH Streaming
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