Dakota Johnson has become one of the most sought-after young actresses in the movie industry. Her popularity went to the next level when she landed the role of Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades trilogy. TechTrends decided to make a list of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
Dakota Johnson is the child of two famous stars and became enamored of acting life at an early age. Recently, Dakota Johnson has been making big steps in her career. She had her breakout role when she played Anastasia in Fifty Shades of Grey. Dakota’s filmography is very wide in range as she has appeared in different types of movies. Her movies have been successful and praised by critics. The successful actress continues to gain popularity and success with the new roles she plays. She has proved many times how capable and talented she is, and she can add comedic and dramatic depth to any role she is handed. To horror her incredible career, we decided to make a list of the best must-see Dakota Johnson performances. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Best Dakota Johnson Movies of All Time
She appeared in her first movie at the age of 9 and made a name for herself, especially when she played in the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Her performance in movies such as The Social Network, “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” and “Suspiria” were praised by critics. Here are the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time ranked based on their ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb.
14. Fifty Shades of Grey 2015
- Genre: Romance/Drama
- Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Luke Grimes, Eloise Mumford, Rita Ora
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 24%, IMDb 4.1
Dakota Johnson’s role in the movie franchise Fifty Shades of Grey as Anastasia Steele brought her more success on a worldwide scale. She is a college student in the movie and meets a powerful businessman, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). He becomes interested in Anastasia, and since then, the two start a strange and sexual relationship. She then finds out about her dark past. The movie tries to introduce the audience to the world of BDSM. Although this is the role that Johnson is mostly known for, it did not satisfy the critics. However, many believe that it is one of Dakota Johnson’s greatest movie roles.
Read more: Best Sydney Sweeney Movies and TV Shows of All Time
13. How to Be Single 2016
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Director: Christian Ditter
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 46%, IMDb
How to Be Single is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies ever, where she features alongside Rebel Wilson. This comedic and romantic film revolves around the lives of several single characters. It focuses on how they each approach the single life. Dakota Johnson and Wilson play the roles of two single women that have completely different personalities. Johnson’s character Alice moves to New York City and becomes friends with her co-worker Robin, played by Wilson. The two start navigating their love lives, making hilarious moments on the way.
12. Wounds 2019
- Genre: Horror/Psychological horror
- Director: Babak Anvari
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Armie Hammer, Zazie Beetz, Karl Glusman
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 47%, IMDb 4.1
The movie Wounds is a psychological thriller that revolves around a bartender, played by Armie Hammer, and his girlfriend, portrayed by Dakota Johnson. Their lives start to get odd after a bar fight as Will starts to have hallucinations such as disgusting body horror images with open wounds and cockroaches. He then becomes paranoid, thinking that his girlfriend is cheating on him. Although the movie did not sit well with critics, Dakota’s performance was great, making this one of the best Dakota Johnson films ever.
Read more: Best Horror Movies of All Time
11. The Five-Year Engagement 2012
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Director: Nicholas Stoller
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Chris Pratt, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Alison Brie
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 64%, IMDb 6.2
The Five-Year Engagement is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time, but he was a supporting character in the movie. Emily Blunt and Jason Segel are the lead characters, with their wedding getting pushed back, which puts a strain on their relationship. Johnson plays the role of Audrey, a host the main character begins dating in one of his breakups with Violet, played by Blunt. Critics said that the leads of the movie were effective, charming, and funny.
Read more: Best Emily Blunt Movies of All Time
10. Suspiria 2018
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Chloë Grace Moretz, Mia Goth
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 65%, IMDb 6.7
Suspiria is a supernatural horror that revolves around an American woman named Susie, played by Johnson, who joins a dance academy located in Berlin, Germany. On her first day of class, someone gets murdered, and Susie gets suspicious of the school. When she finds out that the academy is a haven for witches, the plot starts. The witches want to add her to their coven. Playing the main role in the movie, Johnson was able to show the character’s alterations through her experiences. Suspiria is one of the best Dakota Johnson films of all time.
9. The High Note 2020
- Genre: Musical/Drama
- Director: Nisha Ganatra
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Melanie Griffith, Zoë Chao
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 71%, IMDb 6.4
Another one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time is The High Note, which revolves around a superstar signer and her overworked assistant, played by Johnson. The singer tries to keep her musical integrity by not letting her music get manipulated in post-production. She prefers to keep her voice and music clear, with no add-ons. The underappreciated assistant is eager to become a music producer and believes that her chance is with her boss opting for her rendition of her song over others’. We highly recommend this amazing musical drama.
Read more: Best Cameroon Diaz Movies of All Time
8. Black Mass 2015
- Genre: Crime/Drama
- Director: Scott Cooper
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 73%, IMDb 6.9
Black Mass is a true story that features Johnny Depp as famed South Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger. With incredible prosthetic makeup, Depp could disappear into the character’s persona. Critics hailed the movie for its amazing depiction of the infamous crime lord. When this movie came out, Johnson was not very well known, and she played a supporting role in the movie. Johnson appears as Burglar’s romantic partner named Lindsey. She is busy dealing with the couple’s son’s illness. The great actress did an amazing job as part of the ensemble cast. Black Mass is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
Read more: Best Johnny Depp Movies of All Time
7. Bad Times at the El Royale 2018
- Genre: Thriller/Mystery
- Director: Drew Goddard
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Jeff Bridges, Jon Hamm, Chris Hemsworth, Lewis Pullman
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 74%, IMDb 7.1
Bad Times at the El Royale tells the story of seven strangers who check into the El Royal hotel, with each of them having their own reasons. They will reveal them in a thrilling and bloody fashion. Dakota Johnson appeared in this amazing thriller as Emily Summerspring. She is a woman who has kidnapped her sister as she thinks the sister has been brainwashed by a cult. Chris Hemsworth plays the leader of a cult, urging his followers to stay with him, portraying a very alluring character. This is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time, and critics and the audience loved it.
Read more: Best Chris Hemsworth Movies of All Time
6. 21 Jump Street 2012
- Genre: Comedy/Action
- Directors: Phil Lord, Chris Miller
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Holly Robinson Peete, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.2
Dakota Johnson appears alongside many of the characters in 21 Jump Street who are undercover at a high school. They want to figure out what the new drug that is claiming lives is. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum are the leading roles in this comedy movie. Johnson portrays the role of Fugazy, one of the police recruits that does not take the main duo’s job seriously. Although she doesn’t have a lot of screen time, she takes advantage of the time she has, with the memorable remarks she throws at the protagonists. 21 Jump Street is among the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
5. Our Friend 2019
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Gabriela Cowperthwaite
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Casey Affleck, Jason Segel, Isabella Kai, Violet McGraw
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.3
Although Our Friend is more prominent in Casey Affleck’s movies due to his large role, Dakota Johnson’s character is what the film circles around. The movie is based on a true story, where Johnson plays Nicole Teague, who gets diagnosed with cancer. She and her husband have to figure out how they will tell the news to their young children. The film shows the traumatic experience of both characters living with cancer and how it impacts the people around the patient who is about to die. Johnson’s performance was incredible as she masterfully showed the grief of a person that is dealing with such a circumstance. Our Friend is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
Read more: Best Ben Affleck Movies of All Time
4. Cha Cha Real Smooth 2022
- Genre: Drama/Comedy
- Director: Cooper Raiff
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Cooper Raiff, Vanessa Burghardt, Odeya Rush, Leslie Mann
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 86%, IMDb 7.3
Considered as one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time, Cha Cha Real Smooth is an indie film which had the actress coming back to, despite having appeared in many big-budget movies. The story revolves around a bat mitzvah party host who starts a friendship with a younger mother and her daughter. Johnson is the mother, Domino, with the performance bolstering the film. The story is not heavy, and it relies on their chemistry.
3. A Bigger Splash 2015
- Genre: Drama/Crime
- Director: Luca Guadagnino
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Ralph Fiennes, Matthias Schoenaerts
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 89%, IMDb 6.4
A Bigger Splash is a highly underrated film that we strongly recommend and Dakota Johnson’s appearance in the film is one of the main reasons. A famous rocker, played by Tilda Swinton, decides to take a vacation with her filmmaker boyfriend on an Italian aisle. Their peaches and cream change when a boisterous old friend, played by Ralph Fiennes, and his daughter, portrayed by Dakota Johnson, come and blow the spot up. This is indeed one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
2. The Peanut Butter Falcon 2019
- Genre: Adventure/Drama
- Directors: Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Thomas Haden Church, Jon Bernthal
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDb 7.6
The movie revolves around the tale of Zak (Zack Gottsagen), who is a good-hearted person. He runs away from his nursing home with Tyler, played by Shia LeBeouf to follow his dream of becoming a wrestler. Dakota Johnson appears as Eleanor, Zak’s caretaker. She goes searching for him when he runs away, but she ultimately decides to help them in their life-changing journey. Their adventure is harrowing and heartening. Critics and the audience loved The Peanut Butter Falcon, and it is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.
1. The Social Network 2010
- Genre: Drama/History
- Director: David Fincher
- Stars: Dakota Johnson, Andrew Garfield, Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 96%, IMDb 7.8
This revolutionary drama, The Social Network, shows Andrew Garfield playing the real-life role of Eduardo Saverin, who co-founded Facebook along with Mark Zuckerberg. The duo’s relationship is one of the main aspects of the movie, and Garfield and Eisenberg were the perfect actors to display the complexity and difficulties the two partners shared. In addition, the dialogues are great, and the narrative is captivating, making it hard to think that The Social Network is according to facts. Johnson plays the role of Amelie Ritter, who is a Harvard yuppie that detests Zuckerberg’s arrogance. This is one of the best Dakota Johnson movies of all time.