(Photo by A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection. BABYGIRL)
Nicole Kidman is an actor who keeps moviegoers, awards prognosticators, and our own Tomatometer guessing. Just when you think she’s heading in one clear direction – upon winning her Oscar in 2003 for The Hours (“by a nose”) she appeared in a string of mainstream studio flicks like The Interpreter and Bewitched – she takes a sharp turn: when she put down the Bewitched broomstick, she moved on to indie curiosities like Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus and Margot at the Wedding. She’s been mixing those kinds of daring indie choices with more mainstream fare ever since she emerged on the world stage with a scene-stealing role in Phillip Noyce’s acclaimed boat-bound thriller, Dead Calm. Kidman in the ’90s meant supporting roles in blockbusters like Batman Forever and Days of Thunder, and leading, attention-grabbing turns in more off kilter fare like Gus Van Sant’s To Die For and, notoriously, Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. In the 2000s, she mastered new genres – Oscar nominated for musical, Moulin Rouge!, scream-queen–certified for The Others — and continued racking up the accolades, ending the decade with another Oscar nom for Rabbit Hole. She was on a hot streak starting 2015, with five Certified Fresh films, leading up to significant awards talk for Destroyer and even Bombshell. Kidman helped lead the charge of A-listers on television with Big Little Lies, Top of the Lake, The Undoing, and Nine Perfect Strangers. Her latest film was Robert Eggers’ Viking revenge epic The Northman. Now, we’re ranking Kidman’s movies and series, starting with her Certified Fresh work, including her latest film Babygirl, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.
#1
Adjusted Score: 104349%
Critics Consensus: Paddington brings a beloved children’s character into the 21st century without sacrificing his essential charm, delivering a family-friendly adventure as irresistibly cuddly as its star.
[More]
#2
Adjusted Score: 111469%
Critics Consensus: A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, The Northman finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his scope without sacrificing any of his signature style.
[More]
#3
Adjusted Score: 92461%
Critics Consensus: Smart, funny, and thoroughly well-cast, To Die For takes a sharp – and sadly prescient – stab at dissecting America’s obsession with celebrity.
[More]
#4
Adjusted Score: 93956%
Critics Consensus: It’s often painful to watch, but Rabbit Hole‘s finely written script and convincing performances make it worth the effort.
[More]
#5
Adjusted Score: 90215%
Critics Consensus: The Others is a spooky thriller that reminds us that a movie doesn’t need expensive special effects to be creepy.
[More]
#6
Adjusted Score: 96764%
Critics Consensus: Lion‘s undeniably uplifting story and talented cast make it a moving journey that transcends the typical cliches of its genre.
[More]
#7
Adjusted Score: 87314%
Critics Consensus: Layered performances from Nicole Kidman and director-star Jason Bateman add extra depth to The Family Fang‘s sharply observed look at domestic dysfunction.
[More]
#8
Adjusted Score: 94655%
Critics Consensus: Anchored in empathy by writer-director-star Joel Edgerton, Boy Erased proves the road to complex, powerfully performed drama can also be paved with good intentions.
[More]
#9
Adjusted Score: 86673%
Critics Consensus: The movie may be a downer, but it packs an emotional wallop. Some fine acting on display here.
[More]
#10
Adjusted Score: 97269%
Critics Consensus: The Beguiled adds just enough extra depth to its source material to set itself apart, and director Sofia Coppola’s restrained touch is enlivened by strong performances from the cast.
[More]
#11
Adjusted Score: 94499%
Critics Consensus: The Killing of a Sacred Deer continues director Yorgos Lanthimos’ stubbornly idiosyncratic streak — and demonstrates again that his is a talent not to be ignored.
[More]
#12
Adjusted Score: 85503%
Critics Consensus: Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson memorably smolder together in Babygirl, with writer-director Halina Reijn’s clinical gaze keeping this sexually frank thriller more provocative than prurient.
[More]
#13
Adjusted Score: 82803%
Critics Consensus: Visually dazzling, with a thoughtful storyline and catchy musical numbers, Happy Feet marks a successful animated debut from the makers of Babe.
[More]
#14
Adjusted Score: 84301%
Critics Consensus: Kubrick’s intense study of the human psyche yields an impressive cinematic work.
[More]
#15
Adjusted Score: 84843%
Critics Consensus: A love-it-or-hate-it experience, Moulin Rouge is all style, all giddy, over-the-top spectacle. But it’s also daring in its vision and wildly original.
[More]
#16
Adjusted Score: 88596%
Critics Consensus: Destroyer‘s grueling narrative is as uncompromising as Nicole Kidman’s central performance, which adds extra layers to a challenging film that leaves a lingering impact.
[More]
#17
Adjusted Score: 97333%
Critics Consensus: A terrific follow-up to The Year My Voice Broke, Flirting is a teen movie worth watching, thanks to emotionally engaging performances and an endearing script.
[More]
Adjusted Score: 100374%
Critics Consensus: Bitingly funny and highly addictive, Big Little Lies is a twisty, thrilling, enlightening ride led by a first-rate cast.
Adjusted Score: 94095%
Critics Consensus: Gorgeous and gripping, Big Little Lies‘s second season doubles down on the dark humor and gives its impressive cast even more juicy drama to chew on — especially an excellent Meryl Streep.
#20
Adjusted Score: 86128%
Critics Consensus: Nicole Kidman’s coiled intensity and muscular direction by Phillip Noyce give this nautical thriller a disquieting sense of dread.
[More]
Adjusted Score: 84951%
Critics Consensus: The Undoing is a beautifully shot mystery that benefits greatly from Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant’s performances – if only its story was as strong as its star power.
Adjusted Score: 75086%
Critics Consensus: Top of the Lake remains impressively idiosyncratic and ambitious in its second season, even if the plot of this six-episode arc isn’t quite as tightly wound as its predecessor’s.
#23
Adjusted Score: 79319%
Critics Consensus: Its script doesn’t quite carry the dramatic heft of his earlier work, but Park Chan-wook’s Stoker showcases his eye for sumptuous imagery and his affection for dark, atmospheric narratives populated by mysterious characters.
[More]
#24
Adjusted Score: 78167%
Critics Consensus: The well-crafted Cold Mountain has an epic sweep and captures the horror and brutal hardship of war.
[More]
#25
Adjusted Score: 75565%
Critics Consensus: A challenging piece of experimental filmmaking.
[More]
#26
Adjusted Score: 86470%
Critics Consensus: Bombshell benefits from a terrific cast and a worthy subject, but its impact is muffled by a frustrating inability to go deeper than the sensationalistic surface.
[More]
#27
Adjusted Score: 82127%
Critics Consensus: Being the Ricardos can’t hope to truly capture its subjects’ brilliant star power, but Nicole Kidman has a ball with Aaron Sorkin’s spitfire dialogue.
[More]
#28
Adjusted Score: 72354%
Critics Consensus: Understated to a fault, The Railway Man transcends its occasionally stodgy pacing with a touching, fact-based story and the quiet chemistry of its stars.
[More]
#29
Adjusted Score: 67051%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
[More]
#30
Adjusted Score: 89247%
Critics Consensus: Aquaman swims with its entertainingly ludicrous tide, offering up CGI superhero spectacle that delivers energetic action with an emphasis on good old-fashioned fun.
[More]
Adjusted Score: 73152%
Critics Consensus: A meandering mystery may muddle its impact, but strong performances across the board from this eclectic ensemble mean Nine Perfect Strangers is never less than watchable.
#32
Adjusted Score: 66042%
Critics Consensus: Through fiery songs and dance breaks, The Prom‘s bonanza of glitz, glitter, and jazz hands might be enough to whisk audiences away.
[More]
#33
Adjusted Score: 64062%
Critics Consensus: A polished and intelligent thriller, though marred by plot implausibilities.
[More]
#34
Adjusted Score: 63046%
Critics Consensus: Kidman shows her range in this quirky movie, but the shift in tone from romantic comedy to thriller may leave viewers unsatisfied.
[More]
#35
Adjusted Score: 62830%
Critics Consensus: Built on lavish vistas and impeccable production, Australia is unfortunately burdened with thinly drawn characters and a lack of originality.
[More]
#36
Adjusted Score: 57379%
Critics Consensus: Despite a great cast, the characters in Margot at the Wedding are too unlikable to enthrall viewers.
[More]
#37
Adjusted Score: 57159%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
[More]
#38
Adjusted Score: 53196%
Critics Consensus: Preachy, manipulative, and frustratingly clichéd, The Upside showcases Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart’s chemistry without ever taking full advantage of it.
[More]
#39
Adjusted Score: 52743%
Critics Consensus: Handsome and simplistic, Far and Away has the beauty of an American epic without the breadth.
[More]
#40
Adjusted Score: 52556%
Critics Consensus: Trashy and melodramatic, The Paperboy is enlivened by a strong cast and a steamy, sordid plot, but it’s uneven and often veers into camp.
[More]
#41
Adjusted Score: 51793%
Critics Consensus: Beautiful, indulgently heady, and pretentious, The Portrait of a Lady paints Campion’s directorial shortcomings in too bright a light.
[More]
#42
Adjusted Score: 51716%
Critics Consensus: How to Talk to Girls at Parties has energy and ambition, but is ultimately too unfocused to do much with either — or develop its themes into a cohesive whole.
[More]
#43
Adjusted Score: 50553%
Critics Consensus: Nicole Kidman’s poised performance provides some measure of reclamation for Martha Gellhorn, but this trite historical melodrama reduces Ernest Hemingway and the era that the two war correspondents lived through into a broad caricature.
[More]
#44
Adjusted Score: 49773%
Critics Consensus: Without the bite or the controversy of the source material, The Golden Compass is reduced to impressive visuals overcompensating for lax storytelling.
[More]
#45
Adjusted Score: 47843%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
[More]
#46
Adjusted Score: 47257%
Critics Consensus: It has a game, great-looking cast, led by the always worthwhile Daniel Day-Lewis, but Rob Marshall’s Nine is chaotic and curiously distant.
[More]
#47
Adjusted Score: 47165%
Critics Consensus: Though the acting is fine, the leads are miscast, and the story is less powerful on screen than on the page.
[More]
#48
Adjusted Score: 45966%
Critics Consensus: Loud, excessively busy, and often boring, Batman Forever nonetheless has the charisma of Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones to offer mild relief.
[More]
#49
Adjusted Score: 45786%
Critics Consensus: Secret in Their Eyes wastes its incredible cast on a remake that fails to improve upon — or even make a compelling case for its own existence in addition to — the remarkable original.
[More]
#50
Adjusted Score: 45723%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
[More]
#51
Adjusted Score: 44678%
Critics Consensus: A well-mounted production is undermined by a muddled, absurd storyline of questionable taste.
[More]
#52
Adjusted Score: 43160%
Critics Consensus: Days of Thunder has Tom Cruise and plenty of flash going for it, but they aren’t enough to compensate for the stock plot, two-dimensional characters, and poorly written dialogue.
[More]
#53
Adjusted Score: 42420%
Critics Consensus: Strangerland has a marvelous cast, but their efforts aren’t enough to overcome the story’s blandly predictable melodrama.
[More]
#54
Adjusted Score: 41119%
Critics Consensus: If it doesn’t completely avoid thriller clichés, Before I Go to Sleep still offers a stylish, fast-paced, and well-acted diversion.
[More]
#55
Adjusted Score: 37483%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
[More]
#56
Adjusted Score: 37032%
Critics Consensus: This portrait of a groundbreaking photographer lacks the daring of its subject.
[More]
#57
Adjusted Score: 35696%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed yet mostly inert, The Goldfinch mishandles its source material, flattening a complex narrative into a largely uninvolving disappointment.
[More]
#58
Adjusted Score: 31974%
Critics Consensus: Practical Magic‘s jarring tonal shifts sink what little potential its offbeat story may have — though Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock’s chemistry makes a strong argument for future collaborations.
[More]
#59
Adjusted Score: 31706%
Critics Consensus: In exchanging the chilling satire of the original into mindless camp, this remake has itself become Stepford-ized.
[More]
#60
Adjusted Score: 29850%
Critics Consensus: Bewitched is haunted by scattered laughs and a lack of direction.
[More]
#61
Adjusted Score: 26289%
Critics Consensus: The Invasion is slickly made, but it lacks psychological insight and thrills.
[More]
#62
Adjusted Score: 24121%
Critics Consensus: Just Go With It may be slightly better than some entries in the recently dire rom-com genre, but that’s far from a recommendation.
[More]
#63
Adjusted Score: 21207%
Critics Consensus: Queen of the Desert unites some undeniably talented professionals, but it’s difficult to discern what drew them together — or understand how its compelling real-life story became such a muddled mess.
[More]
#64
Adjusted Score: 11837%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully shot but utterly vapid, Grace of Monaco fails to honor either its subject or its audience.
[More]
#65
Adjusted Score: 11396%
Critics Consensus: Another claustrophobic thriller that Joel Schumacher can churn out in his sleep, Trespass is nasty and aggressive, more unpleasant than entertaining.
[More]
#66