Despite being a Soap Opera star, Julianne Moore had her break through to the movie world. The four-time Oscar nominee, who won one, Moore has established herself as one of the best actresses of her generation. TechTrends put together a list of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time for you to choose from for movie night.
Julianne Moore has become a star in Hollywood as she gives her all to the projects she receives. Moreover, she has collaborated with incredible directors such as Tod Haynes and Paul Thomas Anderson. Her career has been full of surprises and she is so talented that it is like there is no challenge she cannot overcome. In addition, her talent brought her many nominations for awards over the years, some of which she has won. To celebrate her incredible career, we have narrowed down a list of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time. Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Best Julianne Moore Movies of All Time
Julianne Moore started her career in 1984 when she appeared in The Edge of Night. She then has gone on to deliver many incredible films and received many critical acclaims. Moore won an Academy Award for her performance in Still Alice as the titular character. Here are the best must-see Julianne Moore performances. Let’s dive into it.
12. Chloe 2009
- Genre: Thriller/Drama
- Director: Atom Egoyan
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Nina Dobrev, Max Thieriot
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 51%, IMDb 6.3
Julianne Moore plays the role of Catherine, who is a happily married woman. She wants to throw a surprise birthday party for her husband David, portrayed by Liam Neeson. When he cannot come, Catherine begins to suspect and her perfect married life falls apart. The way she tries to learn the truth is unconventional due to the fact that she hires Chloe, played by Amanda Seyfried, an escort to lure her husband for her to test him. however, this turns out to be a labyrinth of passion for both David and Catherine herself. She embarks upon a journey of self-discovery, although this was not why she hired Chloe. This movie is also one of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time that we strongly recommend.
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12. Crazy, Stupid, Love 2011
- Genre: Romance/Comedy
- Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Lio Tipton, Steve Carell
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 7.4
Another one of the best Julianne Moore movies ever is Crazy, Stupid, Love, despite her having a small role. This amazing comedy movie got elevated by Ryan Gosling’s effortless charm and his chemistry with Emma Stone. The story is about a middle-aged man, played by Steve Carell, who had a beautiful house, great children and a gorgeous wife, played by Julian Moore. His wife Emily cheats on him and the couple get separated. His new friend Jacob, portrayed by Gosling, shows him how to pick up women at bars. Emma Stone shines bright in Crazy Stupid Love as a young attorney who is stuck with the wrong guy and his crazy family. However, when her character decides to have a one-night stand with Gosling’s, things take a turn.
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10. The Hours 2002
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Stephen Daldry
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Ed Harris, Allison Janney
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 79%, IMDb 7.5
This is yet another one of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time. The Hours focuses on the life of three women who are on the lookout to find the meaning of their lives. Among them are one writer, Virginia Woolf, and two from the future who find comfort in her novel “Mrs. Dalloway”. There is a lot to say about womanhood and autonomy in this movie but in a fresher and more unique way. Kidman earned her first Academy Award as Best Actress for her role in The Hours. She portrays Woolf, who is writing a novel while dealing with mental illness and depression. Moore stood out as a mother who was keen on escaping her sad life. Although she did not win at the Academy, her performance is incredible and one to remember.
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8. Magnolia 1999
- Genre: Drama
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, William H. Macy
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 83%, IMDb 8
The movie tells the tale of a couple of Southern Californians struggling with love and death, with the movie being intimate, angry and hilarious all at the same time. The amazing cast showcased outstanding performances, namely Julianne Moore and Tom Cruise. Moore played the role of the wife of a TV-producer who was dying. He confesses to his nurse that the reason his wife married him is money. The film mixes pain and hope, delivering an unforgettable piece. Therefore, it has made it to the list of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time.
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7. Still Alice 2014
- Genre: Drama
- Directors: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Kristen Stewart, Alec Baldwin, Kate Bosworth, Hunter Parrish, Seth Gilliam
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 85%, IMDb 7.5
Still Alice is an adaptation of Lisa Genova’s novel of the same name from 2007, and it was directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. Kristen Stewart and Julianne Moore play alongside one another. Moore plays the role of the titular Alice, with Stewart portraying her daughter, Lydia. The movie revolves around the story of Alice, who develops dementia, with Stewart showcasing a touching performance as she depicts the devastation due to the disease. The two actors make this film a very well-received movie for the audience and the critics. Still Alice has also made it to the list of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time.
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6. A Single Man 2009
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Tom Ford
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Colin Firth, Nicholas Hoult, Matthew Goode, Ginnifer Goodwin
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 86%, IMDb 7.5
Despite her role being small in A Single Man, Julianne Moore was able to deliver an unforgettable performance. The story is an adaptation of the novel written by Christopher Isherwood and the movie revolves around an English professor, played by Colin Firth reeling from his lover’s death. He wants to commit suicide but he doesn’t want to do it before tying up some loose ends. On what is supposed to be her final day, he sees his friend, played by Julianne Moore. The two used to be romantically involved and the extended scene at dinner is the heart of the movie. A Single Man is yet another one of the best Julianne Moore films ever.
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5. Far from Heaven 2002
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Todd Haynes
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson, Viola Davis
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 87%, IMDb 7.3
The 1950s Douglas Sirk melodramas is recreated in Far from Heaven, but it has a modern-day frankness to it that hits hard. Julianne Moore was able to give her performance of a lifetime when playing the role of Cathy Whitaker, who is a Connecticut housewife. Her life takes a turn when her husband turns out to be gay. Meanwhile, she gets attracted to her black gardener, portrayed by Dennis Haysbert, which astonishes her neighbors. Although her performance in this movie won her prizes at the Independent Spirits and Critics Choice Awards, she lost the Academy Award to Nicole Kidman, who was her co-star in the movie The Hours. However, Far from Home is one of the best Julian Moore movies of all time.
4. The Kids Are All Right 2010
- Genre: Drama/Romance
- Director: Lisa Cholodenko
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Annette Bening, Mark Ruffalo, Josh Hutcherson, Mia Wasikowska
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7
Julianne Moore plays the role of a married lesbian, coupled with Annette bening’s character in this indie hit directed by Lisa Cholodenko. The two are raising children, portrayed by Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson, which became possible through a sperm donor. When the two children start asking questions about their father, portrayed by Mark Ruffalo, Moore suddenly finds herself sleeping with him, changing their happy home harmony. For her performance in The Kids Are All Right, Moore contended at the Globes and BAFTA as Best Actress; however, she got snubbed at the Academy Award. It is still one of the best Julianne Moore films ever. We strongly recommend it.
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3. Children of Men 2006
- Genre: Sci-fi/Thriller
- Director: Alfonso Cuarón
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Michael Caine, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Chiwetel Ejiofor
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 92%, IMDb 7.9
Alfonso Cuaron painted an image of the future, which feels more prescient when the years pass, in the movie Children of Men. In the year 2027, women have become infertile, with the world being in chaos. Moore’s character in the film is contacted by her former husband, who used to be cynical activist, asking her to help him with transporting a miraculously pregnant woman to a safe place. The movie is rather optimistic about the opportunity for humanity to survive, courtesy of performance done by Moore. In addition, the movie brought the director nominations for writing and editing. We highly recommend Children of Men as one of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time.
2. Boogie Nights 1997
- Genre: Drama/Indie film
- Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg, Burt Reynolds, Heather Graham, Don Cheadle
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 93%, IMDb 7.3
Julianne Moore’s first nomination for an Oscar award came in the movie Boogie Night, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, which was about the porn industry in California back in the 70s. The story revolves around a man, played by Mark Wahlberg, who has what it takes to be successful but his biggest enemy is his ego. Moore portrays the role of Amber Waves, who is director Jack Horner’s girlfriend. She is in a battle with her former husband for custody and her motherly love is shown to this band of misfits, who became a family after their real ones abandoned them. The movie indeed focuses on humanism and it is one of Julianne Moore’s greatest movie roles. Don’t miss it.
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1. Short Cuts 1993
- Genre: Drama/Indie film
- Director: Robert Altman
- Stars: Julianne Moore, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Lemmon, Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Frances McDormand
- Rating: Rotten Tomatoes 95%, IMDb 7.7
Short Cuts is another one of the best Julianne Moore movies of all time from Robert Altman. The movie is based on Raymond Carver’s short story and it tests the lives of some Los Angeles residents that are struggling with work, love, and death. One of the many protagonists in the movie is Julianne Moore named Marian Wyman, who is a painter. Her husband confronts her about an affair while Marian is half naked, trying to clean her skirt before a party. She got an Independent Spirit nomination for Best Supporting Actress playing this role. However, it was surprising that none of the cast members were recognized at the Oscars, notwithstanding winning a special award of Best Ensemble at the Golden Globes. However, Altman was nominated for Best Director but lost to Steven Spielberg.
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