Saoirse Ronan is quickly becoming one of the most acclaimed actors of her generation. Having scored her first Oscar nomination at the age of 13, she has continued to show her talents in a wide range of film roles while collaborating with some of the best filmmakers working today.
Ronan’s versatility as a performer can be seen throughout her body of work. She can be funny, heartbreaking, badass and lovable without ever hitting a false note. As her popularity grows, she has cemented herself as a huge talent who will no doubt be making interesting and acclaimed work for years to come. Here are Saoirse Ronan’s best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes.
On Chesil Beach (2017) - 67%
Ronan seems drawn to stories showing the struggles of females throughout history and characters who challenge what society expects of them. Based on the novella of the same name by Ian McEwan, On Chesil Beach is set in England in the 1960s and stars Ronan as a newlywed who struggles with the perceived obligations of a wife at this time.
Though a small story, Ronan and her co-star Billy Howle manage to elevate the material through their wonderful performances. It makes for a slight yet powerful story of marriage and relationships.
The Seagull (2018) - 68%
Ronan has headlined plenty of films successfully, but she also seems to be quite comfortable as part of an ensemble. The Seagull has Ronan co-starring with such talents as Annette Bening and Corey Stoll in the early-1900s period piece about a family get-together that is up-turned by the presence of a famed novelist.
Critics admitted that the film did not break any new ground and felt familiar to other period ensembles. However, the talents of the cast helped to make it an interesting and enjoyable comedy.
Hanna (2011) - 71%
Ronan can sometimes be pegged as being an actor who appears in a lot of period dramas, but Hanna showed that her talents cannot be limited to one type of role. She got the chance to show off her action hero side playing a girl raised in isolation by her father to be a perfect assassin so she can get revenge on the people who killed her mother.
The film is a unique take on the assassin genre with Ronan walking a perfect line between a skilled killer and naïve child seeing the real world for the first time. The action sequences are also thrilling, making this an intense and complex thriller.
The Way Back (2010) - 74%
Ronan joined an impressive ensemble that included Colin Farrell and Ed Harris for this intense and brutal survival story. Based on true events, the movie follows a group of prisoners being held in the Siberian gulags in the 1940s who make a daring escape and face the harsh elements in their attempt to get back home.
Critics noted that the film could have done a better job with its characters, but the performances by the cast were stellar. With an ambitious scope and stunning visuals, it made for a solid and engrossing adventure.
Atonement (2007) - 83%
Ronan made her breakout performance and scored her first Oscar nomination with Atonement. The sweeping period drama, also based on an Ian McEwan novel, stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy as lovers from different classes who are torn apart by a lie told by a young girl (Ronan).
Ronan only appears in the first half of the film but steals the show with her mesmerizing and haunting performance. Critics praised her performance as well as those of her co-stars in this beautiful and epic tragic love story set during World War II.
Loving Vincent (2017) - 85%
Vincent van Gogh is one of the most celebrated artists of all time, and this film offers a unique and beautiful celebration of his life. Following the death of van Gogh, the story centers around a young man delivering the artist’s final letter while exploring his final days. Ronan plays Marguerite Gachet, a woman who was famously painted by van Gogh.
The movie is filmed using an oil paint animation that beautifully mirrors van Gogh’s work. Though the narrative didn’t impress all the critics, many agreed the beauty of the film and its ambition make it worthwhile.
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 91%
Ronan joined the wild and charming world of Wes Anderson films in The Grand Budapest Hotel. The period film stars Ralph Fiennes as a concierge at a famed European hotel who, along with his trusty bellboy, becomes involved in a deadly conspiracy surrounding a priceless painting. Ronan plays the love interest of the bellboy.
Packed with a top-notch amazing cast and led by a hilarious performance by Fiennes, critics called this one of Anderson’s best films. Its dazzling visual style, unique humor, and lovable characters make it an extremely enjoyable adventure.
Little Women (2019) - 95%
Ronan’s latest film is one of the best-reviewed of 2019 and a nominee for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars — Ronan herself is up for Best Actress. Greta Gerwig wrote and directed this adaptation of the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott about a group of sisters in the 1800s who struggle with finding their own paths in a world that puts women second.
Critics praised Gerwig for her smart and inventive script, which plays wonderfully with the source material. The talented cast was also highlighted for bringing heartbreak and humor to the story.
Brooklyn (2015) - 97%
As someone with an American and Irish background, Ronan seemed uniquely suited to bringing this story to the big screen. In Brooklyn, she plays a young woman who leaves her life in Ireland behind to move to New York City in the 1930s. While finding love, she struggles with deciding which is her real home.
The movie was highly praised by critics for its warm and sweet love story and charming period setting. Ronan was also given special notice for carrying the film with an astonishing performance, receiving an Oscar nomination for her work.
Lady Bird (2017) - 99%
Ronan collaborated with Greta Gerwig for the first time in Lady Bird, which also served as Gerwig’s impressive directorial debut. Set in the early 2000s, Ronan stars as a young girl in her final years of high school who deals with college plans and disappointing relationships.
Ronan delivers yet another authentic and compelling Oscar-nominated performance while Gerwig immediately established herself as an exciting new filmmaker. The humor, heart, and poignancy of the film struck a chord with a lot of people and served as a great reflection of teen life.
