One of the actresses who is able to elevate whatever movie she is in is Rachel McAdams. It didn’t take long for her to hit the ground running, as she was incredible in Mean Girls and The Notebook in 2004. TechTrends put together a list of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Rachel McAdams acting career started around two decades ago and she has many iconic roles in her filmography. In the 2000s, she was able to dominate the rom/com genre dingle handedly. In addition, she is very versatile as she appears in serious movies as well. As an accomplished performer, she has proven to be flexible when it comes to the roles she takes. This talented actress has made a name for herself in Hollywood ever since she played the role of Regina George. We have ranked her movies based on their ratings on Rotten Tomatoes but we also included the IMDb rating. Without further ado, let’s get to the list of the best must-see Rachel McAdams performances that she has graced us with over the years.
Best Rachel McAdams Movies of All Time
This versatile actress has a great taste when it comes to the movies she works on. She knows what is worthwhile and what is not. Would you like to know the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time? So, keep reading to find out.
12. Notebook 2004
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Nick Cassavetes
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, James Garner, Gena Rowlands, James Marsden
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 53%, IMDb 7.8
Quite easily picked as one of the best Rachel McAdams movies ever is the Notebook, where she portrayed the role of Allie Hamilton. The movie is based on bestselling novel with the same name, written by Nicholas Sparks. It is a tale of love that withstands trials and difficulties across many years. A man named Duke, portrayed by James Garner, starts reading a love story to a woman in the nursing room. In 1940, Ryan Gosling’s character Noah Calhoun falls for McAdams’ at a carnival. The boy is from a humble background and is a mill worker. Allie, on the other hand, has a rich family. While spending the summer together, they fall in love, despite Allie’s family being against it. However, the two finally break up. After years, the two reconnect, trying to rekindle their love. This is indeed one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Drama Movies of All Time
11. Southpaw 2015
- Genre: Drama/Thriller
- Director: Antoine Fuqua
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Oona Laurence, 50 Cent, Naomie Harris
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 60%, IMDb 7.3
Despite appearing in the movie for a short time, Rachel McAdams performs astonishingly well as Maureen Hope. She is Billy’s wife. Billy is a professional boxer and is at the top of his game. Although Maureen is worried about his profession, she backs her husband. When the two go to a fundraiser, he gets taunted by a rival, leading to a fight. While fighting, he realizes that his wife has been shot and she dies in his arms. He then loses everything as it is too much for him to take. This is yet another one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies of All Time
10. Sherlock Holmes 2009
- Genre: Mystery
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Mark Strong, Kelly Reilly
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 69%, IMDb 7.6
The movie Sherlock Holmes is set in 1890 when the eccentric detective Holmes and Watson, his partner, are asked to stop a mythicist’s plot of using supernatural means to expand the British Empire. Downey has very amazing chemistry with Law. Moreover, he adds cunning, quick-wit, and scruffy toughness to the character. For his role in Sherlock Holmes, Downey won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical.
Sherlock Holmes is approached by Irene Adler, portrayed by Rachel McAdams, who is a former rival. However, she helps them solve a missing person case. The two have a playful and romantic dynamic throughout the movie, which helps them work together to reach answers. This is also one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Robert Downey J Movies of All Time
9. About Time 2013
- Genre: Romance/Fantasy
- Director: Richard Curtis
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Vanessa Kirby
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 70%, IMDb 7.8
Another one of the best Rachel McAdams films ever is About Time. The story is about the bizarre and heartfelt romance of Mary (Rachel McAdams) and Tim (Domhnall Gleeson). Tim realizes that he is able to time travel and he uses that power to get the only thing he desires, a girlfriend. He meets Mary after many attempts and they fall for one another. Tim overuses his power to avoid painful parts of their wedding, namely drunken speeches and planning. Margot Robbie portrays the role of Charlotte, who is Tom’s sister’s friend. She has a carefree nature and a freewheeling attitude. This amazing cast were able to deliver an entertaining movie that is worth watching. We highly recommend this as one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Margot Robbie Movies of All Time
8. Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness 2022
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Director: Sam Raimi
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Benedict Cumberbatch, Elizabeth Olsen, Patrick Stewart, benedict Wong
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 74%, IMDb 7
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is the next one on TechTrends’ article of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time. Many MCU fans have keenly anticipated this next Marvel movie. Aside from Benedict Cumberbatch leading the cast as Doctor Strange, the sorcerer Elizabeth Olsen featuring as Scarlet Witch has attracted a lot of attention. The movie starts with Dr. Strange attending Christine’s wedding, his ex-girlfriend, played by Rachel McAdams. While travelling between universes, he realizes that in every one of those places, he loves Christine, but it does not work out.
Read more: Best Benedict Cumberbatch Movies of All Time
7. Red Eye 2005
- Genre: Thriller/Mystery
- Director: Wes Craven
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brian Cox, Jayma Mays
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 6.5
The Red Eye movie by Wes Craven is one of the best Rachel McAdams movies ever. The story of this movie is about a woman (Rachel McAdams) who is threatened to death by a stranger (Cillian Murphy) in the middle of a flight. In fact, the stranger wants her to help him in his terroristic plan. The movie wants to warn us to be careful about delayed flights and attractive strangers. The Red Eye tends to have symbols of comedy/romantic genres within the first few minutes. The film is made by the master of horror cinema, Wes Craven. Despite being a less known Craven’s movie, it is still very entertaining and can take your breath away.
It’s an exciting and intensive movie with a cold Murphy and hot McAdams. The movie has such a fast rhythm, which hits the viewer several times. Undoubtedly, Red Eyes is one of the best Rachel McAdam films of all time.
6. Disobedience 2017
- Genre: Romance/Drama
- Director: Sebastián Lelio
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Rachel Weisz, Anton Lesser
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 84%, IMDb 6.6
Disobedience is a movie based on the novel of the same name, written by Naomi Alderman. Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz play the roles of Esti and Ronit, respectively. The two are in the Orthodox Jewish community but they have taken two paths. Esti married one of the students of his father, while Ronit was excommunicated from her family as she left. The two have loved one another since they were kids and Esti has to choose between love or tradition. This is indeed one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time that you do not want to miss.
5. Mean Girls 2004
- Genre: Comedy/Teen
- Director: Mark Waters
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Lindsay Lohan, Tina Fey, Amanda Seyfried, Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennett
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 84%, IMDb 7.1
A new student named Cady Heron, played by Lindsay Lohan, comes to North Shore High school’s popular group, which is called the Plastics. The group is led by Regina George, who is the ruler of the school. She can easily lie, scheme, insult and manipulate in order to retain her status. While doing it, she is very hilarious. McAdams was able to portray the role of a popular bully. She was able to play up the comedy factor while not sacrificing the believability. This is very difficult to accomplish, but McAdams did it pretty well in what was one of her earliest roles. We highly recommend it as one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Comedy Movies of All Time
4. A Most Wanted Man 2014
- Genre: Thriller/Spy
- Director: Anton Corbijn
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Willem Dafoe, Robin Wright, Grigoriy Dobrygin
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 6.8
Gunther Bachmann, portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, is a special government group’s head who is keen on cracking down on terrorism in Germany. A man named Issa Karpov tried to get his father’s fortune, Bachmann is given more chance to investigate a scholar who he thinks has ties to al-Qaeda. Rachel McAdams plays the role of Annabel Richter, who is a lawyer helping Bachmann in his case. The movie has many twists and turns. It is quite entertaining and one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
Read more: Best Survival Movies of All Time
3. Game Night 2018
- Genre: Comedy/Action
- Director: John Francis Daley, Jonathan Goldstein
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Jason Bateman, John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein, Jesse Plemons
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 6.9
Despite the fact that Rachel McAdams is an incredible actress when it comes to dramatic performance, it is safe to say that some of her best ones come from her comedies. In 2018, she appeared in Game Night, and teamed up with Jason Bateman, playing the roles of Annie and Max, respectively. The two are married in the movie and love playing games. They come to realize that their murder-mystery game is not a game at all. McAdams played a key role in the success of the movie, delivering yet another incredible performance, urging the moviegoers to watch it over and over again. We highly recommend this entertaining movie as one of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time.
2. Midnight in Paris 2011
- Genre: Romantic/Fantasy
- Director: Woody Allen
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard, Léa Seydoux, Tom Hiddleston
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 7.7
In the movie Midnight in Paris is where Rachel McAdams reunites with her Wedding Crashers costar Owen Wilson. Gil Pender is a man who is keen on going to Paris as a writer. He and her fiancé, named Inez, played by McAdams, go to Paris on vacation with her family. Inez is quite sociable, while her husband is more concentrated on going around the city. One night, he leaves Inez to go around the city and it is then that he gets transported back to the 20s. He then gets obsessed with the characters he comes across along the way. This lively rom/com shows how McAdams is able to turn a one-dimensional character into a whole personality. Despite her role being limited, this is one of her top performances.
1. Spotlight 2015
- Genre: Drama/Indie film
- Director: Tom McCarthy
- Stars: Rachel McAdams, Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, Stanley Tucci
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 97%, IMDb 8.1
The first one on our list of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time is Spotlight, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2016. The message of the film is quite interesting and it revolves around the Boston Globe’s investigation into the Catholic Church, which focused on some dangerous secrets that was about sexual misconduct. Rachel McAdams has proven to be quite capable in a number of accomplished films, and the Spotlight is one of her best triumphs. She plays the role of Sacha Pfeiffer, who is a reporter that breaks the story. The list of the best Rachel McAdams movies of all time would not be complete without the Spotlight.