Thanks to The Devil Wears Prada 2, Anne Hathaway is going to rule the box office this weekend with a projected $80 million domestic opening.
That’s very good for a star who has been a constant presence in the movies for the last 25 years.
Although not every film that she’s been in has been worthy of her talent, Hathaway almost always lights up the screen regardless of her role.
Now, Watch With Us is sharing our picks for the five best Anne Hathaway movies, which you can catch before or after The Devil Wears Prada 2.
5. ‘Love and Other Drugs’ (2010)
Love & Other Drugs isn’t exactly a true story, but it does take its influence from Jamie Reidy‘s non-fiction book, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman. Hathaway plays Maggie Murdock, a woman who is suffering from Parkinson’s disease when she meets a prescription drug sales representative, Jamie Randall (Jake Gyllenhaal).
Critics didn’t love the movie, but Hathaway is fantastic in it. She gives Maggie a lot of life, especially when it comes to facing the reality of her situation. Given Maggie’s condition, she may have fewer good days than bad in front of her. That may ultimately drive Maggie and Jamie apart from each other despite their mutual love.
Love & Other Drugs is available for rent and purchase on Prime Video.
4. ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ (2006)
When Hathaway made The Devil Wears Prada, she was still transitioning to adult roles after her Disney years. Hathaway’s turn as Andrea “Andy” Sachs has become one of her most memorable, as shown by the recent sequel. In the original film, Andy’s journalistic aspirations took a backseat when she was hired to work at Runway Magazine under its infamous editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).
Miranda isn’t the best influence on Andy, who found herself pitted against her fellow assistant, Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), for Miranda’s favor and the chance to rise at the magazine. The fashion world wasn’t meant to be Andy’s career destination, and she risked losing the best parts of herself in the pursuit of something that wasn’t ultimately worth it.
The Devil Wears Prada is streaming on Disney+.
3. ‘Les Misérables’ (2012)
There were a few years where it really seemed like Anne Hathaway wanted to win an Oscar at all costs. She turned in some great performances that weren’t recognized by the Academy Awards. In Les Misérables, she finally won Best Supporting Actress for her unforgettable turn as Fantine, a woman who makes extraordinary sacrifices in the name of her daughter, Cosette (Isabelle Allen). Hathaway even sings one of the musical’s most famous songs, “I Dreamed a Dream,” while crying on camera.
Fantine was so dear to Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) that he took it upon himself to raise Cosette (Amanda Seyfried) into adulthood. But this movie hinged upon Hathaway’s incredible on-screen presence, and she was justly rewarded for her efforts.
Les Misérables is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.
Vive la France! The 2012 film version of Les Misérables – the epic period musical with a star-studded cast — has taken its audience on an emotional and suspenseful journey long after its release. The Academy Award-winning movie is set in France during the 19th century and tells the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) […]
2. ‘Interstellar’ (2014)
Hathaway doesn’t do a lot of blockbuster films, but she seemed to make an exception for director Christopher Nolan. After Hathaway played Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises, Nolan cast her as the second lead in Interstellar. This film focuses more on Matthew McConaughey as Joseph “Coop” Cooper than it does on Hathaway’s Dr. Amelia Brand, but they’re both out in space on a potentially one-way mission to find a new home for humanity.
There simply isn’t any room for Brand or Coop to fail, because Earth is already dying and humanity will go with it unless it has somewhere to go. Nolan blended real science with a touch of sci-fi to bring this epic to life, and the work that Hathaway and McConaughey did helped the movie maintain its human heart.
Interstellar is streaming on Paramount+.
1. ‘Rachel Getting Married’ (2008)
As great as she was in Les Misérables, the movie Hathaway should have won an Oscar for was Rachel Getting Married. In all fairness to the Academy, Hathaway was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of Kym Buchman, an addict who is temporarily released from rehab so she can attend the wedding of her sister, Rachel Buchman (Rosemarie DeWitt).
Hathaway is riveting as Kym, thanks in large part to her character’s guilt and intensity. Kym clearly loves her sister, but she can’t help herself when she draws attention away from Rachel. At no point in the film does it seem like Kym will ever fully get her life back together. But the bond between these sisters is special, and it may even be more powerful than the tragedy that drove their family apart.
Rachel Getting Married is streaming on The Criterion Channel.
