This absolute queen deserves some recognition!
I mean, we're sure Julia Roberts was spoilt enough on her 54th birthday yesterday the 28th October, but nevertheless we wanted to honour her in the best way we know how. By counting down some of her greatest hits. Better yet, you can find all of these movies on Netflix!
In no particular order (we don't play favourites around here) here are some of Roberts' best movies.
Erin Brockovich
Roberts won an Oscar for her titular role in this biographical film. Erin is a single mother of three who begins working for a law firm. She takes on a real estate case, and finds it suspicious that the company PG&E is paying for its employee's medical bills, only to discover that the reason for these medical issues is down to contaminated water that the company has covered up. This is a must watch film; it was nominated for five Oscars.
Notting Hill
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant are perfection in this 1999 romantic comedy. Roberts plays Anna Scott, a famous American actor who wanders into a travel bookshop in Notting Hill one day. Here she meets Will Thacker (Grant) the divorced bookshop owner who falls for her instantly. The pair find themselves drawn to one another despite coming from different walks of life, but can they make it work? I mean, it's a tale as old as time, how could we not include it on this list?
Eat Pray Love
Based on the 2006 autobiography by Elizabeth Gilbert, Roberts plays her in the 2010 movie adaptation. Liz (Roberts) is stuck. She no longer fills fulfilled in her work or her marriage, and she needs a change. She files for divorce from her blindsided husband (Billy Crudup) only to fall into another failing relationship with a younger man (James Franco). Liz soon realises she needs a new journey, and decides to visit Italy, for the food, India, for the prayer, and Indonesia, for love. This is a classic story of self healing and self love, and Roberts portrays Liz brilliantly.
Stepmom
Stepmom (1998) follows divorced couple Jackie (Susan Sarandon) and Luke (Ed Harris) as they navigate their separation with young kids. Roberts plays Isabel, Luke's new girlfriend who will act as the children's stepmom if things continue to be serious between the two of them. Jackie resents both Isabel and Luke, but as time goes on, she begins to form a relationship with Isabel. This movie is heartbreaking and will have you singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" for days and days after.
Pretty Woman
It would be a big mistake, HUGE, to not include this 1990 movie on the list. Roberts plays Vivian Ward, a struggling prostitute who propositions successful businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere). She agrees to escort Edward to some events and keep him company, and in the week they spend together, real feelings begin to develop. I said we don't pick favourites, and we don't, but this has got to be one of the most iconic romantic comedies of all time.
My Best Friend's Wedding
Roberts plays Jules, a food critic who made a pact with her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) that if neither of them were married by 28 they'd marry each other. Jules is looking forward to this, only to discover Michael is engaged to Kimmy (Cameron Diaz), making their pact obsolete three weeks before her birthday. Jules battles with her feelings as the wedding approaches, unable to decide whether to tell Michael how she feels or to let him be happy with Kimmy. This 1997 romcom is one of the best.
Honourable Mentions
Roberts has a lot of movies under her belt, so we're giving a special shoutout to her roles in
Ocean's 11,
Wonder, and
Hook. Never has there been a better Tinkerbell.
What's your favourite Julia Roberts movie?
Header image via Shutterstock
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