Here are the “best” movies from Jamie Lee Curtis’ resume, as determined by Rotten Tomatoes.
Jamie Lee Curtis comes from a family of Hollywood royalty; her parents were actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, both of whom were nominated for Academy Awards. In John Carpenter’s Halloween, Curtis had one of the biggest first jobs in recent cinema history. Because of her role as Laurie, whom she has revisited multiple times through the years, horror aficionados consider her the first and ultimate Final Girl.
However, while Curtis has been in many horror projects since, she has dived into different genres, including dramas and comedy. Since the actress won an Academy Award this year for her hilarious role in The Daniels’ crazy take on the multiverse in Everything Everywhere All At Once, many have looked at her long–lasting and impressive career.
Here are the top fifteen movies Jamie Lee Curtis was a part of, ranked by their score on Rotten Tomatoes.
15. The Tailor of Panama – 75%
A thriller with Pierce Brosnan and Geoffrey Rush, The Tailor of Panama is a cat–and–mouse chase. Brosnan plays an ex–con who reinvents his life as a tailor in Panama. However, a British spy, played by Geoffrey Rush, starts to target him, forcing him back to his old ways. Curtis plays Louisa Pendel, who is the British spy’s wife.
14. The Fog – 75%
Reunited with John Carpenter a few years after their first movie, Curtis was in the cast of the horror tale, The Fog. A fog descends upon a small coastal town in California, and soon after, people start to die. Curtis plays Elizabeth, a rebellious rich girl that finds a dead body when hitchhiking. Carpenter called the actress and said he wrote the role in the movie for her. Curtis acted alongside her mother, Janet Leigh.
13. Dominick and Eugene – 77%
In the emotional movie about brotherhood, Dominick and Eugene Curtis plays Jennifer Reston, a nurse, and girlfriend to Eugene (Ray Liotta). Eugene has a mentally challenged brother Nicky (Tom Hulce). They are the movie’s leads. The story tackles various difficult themes, such as mental health, a family’s burden, and what’s the right thing to do.
12. Halloween (2018) – 79%
Halloween’s eleventh installment in the thirteenth movie horror franchise was released in 2018. Once again, Michael Meyers is on the loose and wants revenge on the impossible to kill Laurie. The movie is bloody and filled with jump scares. While long horror franchises usually lose their strength with time, this sequel brought back some much–needed improvement to the latest additions of the franchise.
11. Veronica Mars – 80%
Reviving the iconic characters and plot lines from the 2004 mystery series Veronica Mars, the movie that came out ten years after the pilot aired continued the story and remained interesting. The cast includes many original actors; it also contains a few cameos from famous actors. In the movie, Curtis makes a small appearance as the interviewer at the law firm that Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) wants to work for.
10. Daddy and Them – 86%
Another comedy under Curtis’ belt, with a killer cast that includes Billy Bob Thornton, who directed, produced, and wrote the film, Laura Dern, and Diane Ladd, among many other great actors. A family comedy set in America’s Heartland, Daddy and Them tells the story of a family when Claude (Billy Bob Thorton) ‘s uncle, Hazel (Jim Varney), is arrested. So, Claude has to go and meet his extended family. He encounters Elaine, played by Curtis, among other family members.
09. From Up On Poppy Hill – 87%
Studio Ghibli is one of the most cherished animation studios around the world. They have created some true masterpieces over time. One of their productions, which may not have stood out as much as the others, is From Up On Poppy Hill. Two teens try to save their school’s clubhouse from being demolished. The original language is Japanese, and Curtis’ voice acted the character Ryoko Matsuzaki in the dubbed English version of the film.
08. Freaky Friday – 88%
The Disney Channel remake of this insane and funny 1976 story received a great score on Rotten Tomatoes. Curtis plays Dr. Tess Coleman, Lindsey Lohan’s character, Anna Coleman’s mother. A mother and daughter duo that are complete opposites and have a hard time connecting until they trade bodies. Freaky Friday couldn’t represent the early 2000s better, from the makeup to the clothes and even the soundtrack.
07. 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene – 88%
Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom, Janet Leigh, performed one of the biggest and most impactful scenes in cinema history: the murder of Marion Crane by Norman Bates in the shower in Psycho. So, when director Alexandre O. Philippe decided to study this scene in 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene, Curtis had to be a part of the movie. The film comprises interviews with actors and directors, including Guillermo Del Toro.
06. Trading Places – 88%
Trading Places is a comedic social satire with Eddy Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Two brothers, who are successful brokers, decide that the executive Louis (Dan Aykroyd) and the hustler Billy Ray (Eddie Murphy) will be the subjects of their internal bet. The characters find out and set a plan to turn the tables on the brothers. Curtis plays a sweet sex worker named Ophelia. The actress had since come out and said she felt embarrassed about her nude scene in the movie when she was only 21 years old.
05. Road Games – 92%
In another movie from the ’80s, Curtis is again stepping into thriller territory with Road Games. The actress who plays Pamela “Hitch” Rushworth is one of the movie’s leads. Pamela is a hitchhiker that will help Patrick (Pat Quid), a truck driver, to follow his suspicions of a man in a green van that he thinks is butchering women on his route.
04. Everything Everywhere All at Once – 93%
The movie that took home an impressive amount of Academy Awards this year, Everything Everywhere All at Once, is high on the actress’ top three films ranked by the website. Curtis received her first nomination and won for her role as Deirdre Beaubeirdra. It’s a hauntingly funny yet serious movie that deals with cultural clashes, feelings accepted by your family, and the power of our choices.
03. A Fish Called Wanda – 96%
Who doesn’t enjoy a good heist movie? A Fish Called Wanda is a comedy with a great cast that includes John Cleese, Kevin Kline, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among many others. Curtis plays the swindler Wanda Gerwitz, who is hired to help a British gangster, George Thomason, on a diamond heist.
02. Halloween (1978) – 96%
The movie that started it all still has the second–highest score on the website on her resume. Halloween was appreciated when it was released and quickly became a cult classic that horror and cinema fans go back to regularly. From the shaking hand–held camera to the reveal of who Michael Meyers was, the first scene is enough to shock audiences today. The film was released at the end of one of the best decades of horror movies that still deeply influences productions today.
01. Knives Out – 97%
Knives Out is a funny whodunnit that starts as a standalone movie, and now the second one, Glass Onion, has been released, and the third is in development. Curtis plays Linda Drysdale, the daughter of famous writer Harlan Trombley (Christopher Plummer). She was extremely close to her dad and played mystery charades. It’s a fun role that has the emotional depth needed to be interesting. The cast exudes chemistry, and Curtis plays a critical, crafted part.
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