Jessica Chastain's 15 Best Movies, Ranked

Jessica Chastain has made a name for herself among the most talented actors working today, and her array of incredible performances has elevated every film she has been a part of. With a talent for portraying complex and interesting female roles, Chastain has worked with some of the greatest directors of modern times and has proved her skills across comedy, drama, sci-fi, and intense thought-provoking thrillers. As an Academy Award-winning performer, Chastain’s ability to take simple characterizations and create dynamic three-dimensional individuals made her stand out among her contemporaries.

From powerfully disturbing psychological thrillers to hugely entertaining box office smashes, Chastain has consistently picked movies that challenged her creativity while building up her reputation among mainstream viewers. Having excelled in movies by directors like Ridley Scott and Christopher Nolan, Chastain has walked the fine line between artistry and movie stardom to achieve success across several metrics. With a career filled with varied roles, the one thing viewers can be sure of with a Jessica Chastain movie is that she’ll give it her all and deliver a fantastic performance.

15 Ava (2020)

Jessica Chastain as Ava Faulkner

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Ava Ava is a 2020 action thriller film centered on a skilled black ops assassin, portrayed by Jessica Chastain, whose life is turned upside down when a mission goes awry. Facing imminent danger, she is compelled to navigate perilous circumstances to ensure her own survival. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date July 2, 2020 Runtime 96 minutes Cast Diana Silvers , Colin Farrell Jessica Chastain , John Malkovich , Geena Davis , Ioan Gruffudd Director Tate Taylor

In 2020, Jessica Chastain set out to do something very different from all her past roles. She took the role of Ava Faulkner, a former soldier turned assassin who is also a recovering addict. Chastain reunited with director Tate Taylor after the two worked together on The Help for this action thriller about a woman sent on missions to assassinate people for her handler, only to find herself running for her life when an operation goes wrong. The film only received a limited release before dropping on streaming.

Many critics admitted that Chastain delivered a great performance in her role as a flawed yet compelling character.

While most critics' reviews were negative, that is actually a normal response to action thrillers of this sort, and many critics admitted that Chastain delivered a great performance in her role as a flawed yet compelling character. She also stands out among a large and impressive supporting cast that includes John Malkovich, Geena Davis, Colin Farrell, and Common. The film became a success on streaming when it was the most-streamed film on the weekend of its Netflix release (via IndieWire).

14 Mother's Instinct (2024)

Jessica Chastain as Alice

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Mothers' Instinct Based on the novel by Barbara Abel, Mothers' Instinct is a drama-thriller by director Benoît Delhomme. Two housewives find their idyllic life shattered when one of their children is involved in a tragic accident, pitting the two women against each other as they begin to question the authenticity of their friendship over the years. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Runtime 94 Minutes Cast Jessica Chastain , Anne Hathaway , Josh Charles , Anders Danielsen Lie Director Benoît Delhomme Distributor(s) Neon

In 2024, Jessica Chastain teamed with Anne Hathaway for the psychological thriller Mothers' Instinct. The film saw Anne Hathaway star as Céline, a woman whose son died when he fell from her rooftop. She partially blames her neighbor Alice (Chastain), who couldn't get to her house in time to warn her that she saw her son in danger. After the death, Céline then grows close to Alice's son (who is close to the same age as her own dead son), and eventually, Alice realizes that Céline might be a danger to all around her.

This is a very dark thriller with a disturbing twist at the end, and Hathaway and Chastain carry the film to its shocking conclusion. Critics gave the film mixed reviews, with many complaining that it didn't know what kind of story it wanted to tell - a dark noir or a melodrama. However, most critics agreed that Chastain and Hathaway delivered fantastic performances, with Chastain taking on the more difficult role of the mother who was unsure of how to deal with her life falling apart around her.

13 The Good Nurse (2022)

Jessica Chastain as Amy Loughren

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! The Good Nurse In The Good Nurse, Jessica Chastain stars as Amy Loughren, a caring nurse and single mother with a critical heart condition that threatens her life. Working in the intensive care unit during the night shifts, Amy is pushed to the breaking point until a new nurse named Charles Cullen (Eddie Redmayne) starts working there. The equally compassionate Charlie builds rapport with her, and her burden is lifted- along with making a dear friend. As time passes, however, several patient deaths set off a police investigation that implicates Charlie as the culprit, with Amy now thrust in the middle of it all. Amy will have to dig deeper and determine the truth - and decide what to do if the truth is uglier than she had hoped. Based on the book by Charles Graeber and based on a true story, The Good Nurse is a true-crime story with thriller elements that will release stateside on October 26 2022. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date October 26, 2022 Runtime 121 minutes Cast Jessica Chastain , Eddie Redmayne , Nnamdi Asomugha , Kim Dickens , Noah Emmerich Director Tobias Lindholm Distributor(s) Netflix

In 2022, Jessica Chastain starred as Amy Loughren in this based-on-a-true-story thriller. Adapted from the novel by Charles Graeber (The Good Nurse: A True Story of Medicine, Madness, and Murder), Amy is a nurse who works in an ICU in New Jersey who suffers from cardiomyopathy but hides it from her superiors because she worries it could cost her the job and she is a single mother trying to make ends meet. However, things go badly when a new nurse named Charles (Eddie Redmayne) arrives.

When patients start dying, Amy begins to suspect that Charles might be responsible, but she has become friends with him and finds herself in a tough spot when police detectives demand that she help them, or he could continue to kill. The film was released on Netflix after a limited theatrical release, and it received mostly praise from critics for both Chastain and Redmayne's performances. Redmayne earned a Golden Globe nomination, and Chastain received a Satellite Award nomination.

12 Memory (2023)

Jessica Chastain as Sylvia

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Memory Memory is a 2023 drama film by writer-director Michel Franco. The film follows Jessica Chastain as social worker Sylvia, who carries on a relatively straightforward life as a single mother - until a high school reunion re-opens the past via a former classmate named Saul. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date September 8, 2023 Runtime 100 Minutes Cast Jessica Chastain , Peter Sarsgaard , Merritt Wever , Jessica Harper , Elsie Fisher , Brooke Timber , Josh Charles Director Michel Franco

Memory is a 2023 drama film with Jessica Chastain starring as Sylvia, a single mother and social worker. The film follows her relationship with Saul (Peter Sarsgaard), a man facing early-onset dementia. The movie, directed by Michel Franco (After Lucia), deals with their complicated relationship after they meet following a high school reunion. Saul becomes transfixed on her, and she soon learns he cannot recall or create memories. Sylvia accepts the job of caring for him during the day.

The movie tackles hard subjects, including mental health issues for Saul and the repressed trauma from Sylvia's childhood, and the story gives no easy answers to how these characters can deal with the problems. Critics praised the film, awarding it an 85% fresh Rotten Tomatoes score, with powerhouse performances by both Chastain and Sarsgaard. Sarsgaard won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice International Film Festival, and Chastain was nominated for Best Lead Performance by the Independent Spirit Awards.

11 Crimson Peak (2015)

Jessica Chastain as Lucille Sharpe

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 6.6/10 Crimson Peak In turn-of-the-century England, young heiress Edith Cushing marries Sir Thomas Sharpe, who whisks her off to his family's mansion in a largely rural and mountainous region. But when she is visited by spirits and inflicted with mysterious ailments, she discovers that her charming new husband is not who he appears to be. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Release Date October 13, 2015 Runtime 119 minutes Cast Charlie Hunnam , Jessica Chastain Tom Hiddleston , Mia Wasikowska , Doug Jones , Burn Gorman Director Guillermo del Toro Distributor(s) Universal Pictures

Jessica Chastain joined the Guillermo del Toro gothic romance Crimson Peak in 2015. The movie stars Mia Wasikowska as Edith Cushing, a young author who falls in love with an English baronet named Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). After her father's murder, Edith marries Thomas and moves into his mansion, where Thomas and his sister Lucille live. Once there, Edith believes something is wrong and starts having nightmares and encountering ghosts in the house.

It is an interesting turn for Chastain as the story's villain, and she is spectacular in her performance opposite the more innocent and gullible Wasikowska's Edith.

Chastain plays Lucille, Thomas's sister, and someone who is increasingly jealous of her brother's romance with Edith. It is an interesting turn for Chastain as the story's villain, and she is spectacular in her performance opposite the more innocent and gullible Wasikowska's Edith. The movie ended up disappointing at the box office, but it did receive positive reviews, with critics praising the atmosphere and Del Toro's direction. Chastain won Best Supporting Actress at the Fangoria Chainsaw Awards and Saturn Awards.

10 IT Chapter Two (2019)

Jessica Chastain as Beverly "Bev" Marsh

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 6.9/10 It Chapter Two Every 27 years, evil revisits the town of Derry, Maine. It: Chapter Two brings the characters—who have long since gone their separate ways—back together as adults, nearly three decades after the events of the first film. Together, the reunited Losers Club might have a chance to stop Pennywise once and for all. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Andres Muschietti Release Date September 6, 2019 Studio(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Distributor(s) Warner Bros. Pictures Writers Gary Dauberman Cast Bill Hader , Isaiah Mustafa , James Ransone , Jay Ryan , Jessica Chastain , Andy Bean , James McAvoy , Bill Skarsgard Runtime 169 minutes Franchise(s) IT Budget $79 million Expand

Jessica Chastain was perfectly cast as the grown-up version of Bev Marsh, a role she took over from then-teen actor Sophia Lillis, to whom she bore a striking resemblance. Set 27 years after the Loser’s Club had successfully defeated the terrifying being known as Pennywise the Dancing Clown, IT Chapter Two didn’t quite live up to the expectations set by its predecessor, but still stood as a thrilling conclusion to Stephen King’s terrifying horror epic. As a faithful adaptation, Bill Skarsgård was once again in top form as he imbued his villainous character with a disturbing aura.

As a star-studded supernatural story, IT Chapter Two featured a strong performance from Chastain but also suffered from a bloated runtime and some pacing issues. As Bev, Chastain portrayed the ways that childhood abuse and a difficult upbringing carried forward into her adult years as the cycle repeated itself when she found herself in an abusive marriage. IT Chapter Two was an insightful look at the ways that trauma can manifest itself with a poignant message about the enduring power of friendship and connection.

9 Miss Sloane (2016)

Jessica Chastain as Madeline "Elizabeth" Sloane

With a truly exceptional performance, Miss Sloane stood as perhaps Jessica Chastain’s most underrated movie. As a tense and entertaining political thriller that bombed at the box office, Miss Sloane deserved far more recognition as Chastain single-handedly carried this film forward with her spellbinding role of Elizabeth Sloane. Set in the cutthroat world of political lobbying, the workaholic Sloane was the most sought-after lobbyist in Washington, D.C., who found herself working for an intensely powerful client, only to wonder if winning may come at too high of a price.

Miss Sloane was a tense, dialogue-heavy thriller that once again showcased Chastain as among the most talented actors currently working in Hollywood.

Miss Sloane was a tense, dialogue-heavy thriller that once again showcased Chastain as among the most talented actors currently working in Hollywood. With an ability to get the best out of every scene, Chastain highlighted the tangled mess of United States politics that constituted shady behind-the-scenes deals and cunning double-crossing at every corner. Miss Sloane was a smart and uncompromising thriller that shone a light on the messy connections between politics and big business.

8 The Help (2011)

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 8/10 The Help Based on Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel, The Help chronicles the lives of two black maids in 1963 Mississippi through the lens of an aspiring white journalist attempting to write a book about them. Emma Stone stars as Eugenia Phelan, with Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer as Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson. The further ensemble cast includes Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, and Sissy Spacek. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Tate Taylor Release Date August 10, 2011 Studio(s) Disney Distributor(s) DreamWorks Distribution , Disney , StudioCanal Writers Tate Taylor Cast Emma Stone , Viola Davis , Octavia Spencer , Jessica Chastain , Bryce Dallas Howard Runtime 146minutes Budget $25 million Expand

Jessica Chastain received her first nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her excellent turn in The Help. As Celia Rae Foote, Chastain played an outcast pregnant woman who struggled to find friendship amid her socialite peers and suffered a miscarriage after her shotgun wedding. Chastain perfectly captured Celia’s desire to fit in and the pain of being ostracized because she married the manipulative Hilly’s (Bryce Dallas Howard) ex-boyfriend.

While The Help highlighted the woes and unknown struggles of white suburban 1960s housewives, its true power was the way it recounted the professional struggles and racist discrimination faced by Black domestic workers simply known as “the help.” Based on a novel by Kathryn Stockett, The Help was an entertaining and emotional look at racial injustice set amid the burgeoning civil rights movement. As a powerful and, at times, touching look at the need for social change, The Help could have delved deep into its racial themes but remained a crowd-pleasing success nonetheless.

7 A Most Violent Year (2015)

Jessica Chastain as Anna Morales

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! A Most Violent Year A Most Violent Year is a crime drama directed by J.C. Chandor, set in 1981 New York City, one of the most violent years in the city's history. The story follows immigrant businessman Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) as he tries to protect his family and business from escalating violence and corruption. Jessica Chastain co-stars as his wife, Anna, who is deeply involved in the business's operations, navigating legal and moral complexities. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director J.C. Chandor Release Date December 30, 2014 Writers J.C. Chandor Cast Oscar Isaac , Jessica Chastain , David Oyelowo , Alessandro Nivola , Albert Brooks , Elyes Gabel Runtime 125 minutes

The assured crime drama A Most Violent Year starred Jessica Chastain alongside Oscar Isaac in a complex narrative that oozed 1980s style. Chastain played Anna Morales, the wife of a New York fuel supplier who was overwhelmed by violence, corruption, and decay amid the fear of losing his crumbling business. With the same dark reflection of America’s sinister hidden underbelly as classic movies like Goodfellas, A Most Violent Year deserved far more recognition than it ever received.

With strong visuals, well-chosen period music, and exceptional performances, A Most Violent Year was yet another astounding showcase of talent from Chastain.

Chastain was an essential addition to the talented cast of A Most Violent Year, as she helped elevate this gripping and thought-provoking urban crime drama. While A Most Violent Year may be slow-moving at times, it was never dull, as its steady pacing allowed for more depth and pathos to emerge out of its neo-gangster narrative of corruption. With strong visuals, well-chosen period music, and exceptional performances, A Most Violent Year was yet another astounding showcase of talent from Chastain.

6 The Martian (2015)

Jessica Chastain as Commander Melissa Lewis

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 9/10 The Martian Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir's novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Ridley Scott Release Date October 2, 2015 Studio(s) 20th Century Distributor(s) 20th Century Writers Drew Goddard Cast Kristen Wiig , Sean Bean , Matt Damon Jessica Chastain , Kate Mara Runtime 2h 24m Budget 108 million Expand

While it’s true that The Martian's success came down to Matt Damon’s incredible performance, as it was essentially a one-man show about a stranded astronaut, praise must also be given to Jessica Chastain for her supporting role as Melissa Lewis. With Damon as Dr. Mark Watney, a botanist who must survive four years on Mars with only a few weeks worth of food, The Martian was a thrilling sci-fi adaptation of the excellent novel by Andy Weir. Although Watney was presumed dead after an evacuation went wrong, hope remained when he was able to contact his commander, played by Chastain.

The Martian was a true late-career highlight in the work of Ridley Scott, which proved after previous works like Alien and Blade Runner he still had what it took to deliver exceptional sci-fi films. But what made The Martian so appealing was its sense of scientific realism, as Watney used his botany skills to grow potatoes and find a way to live. As a smart, thrilling, and at times hilarious movie, The Martian showcased Chastain’s skills in a supporting role.

5 Interstellar (2014)

Jessica Chastain as Murphy Cooper

Director Christopher Nolan’s epic sci-fi drama Interstellar was one of the most interesting and insightful movies in a filmography packed with fascinating films. While it was a major contributor to Matthew McConaughey’s 2010s career renaissance, Interstellar also featured a powerful performance from Jessica Chastain as the eldest child of the astronaut Cooper, who held resentment against her father for leaving her in a dystopian, blight-stricken Earth that’s facing extinction. With spectacular visuals and intricate scientific concepts based on wormholes and time dilation, Nolan pulled off one of his most ambitious and effective projects.

While Chastain played a supporting role, Murphy was central to the narrative of Interstellar, as her childhood claims of a ghost haunting her room came full circle to explain the multidimensional paradoxical nature of its narrative. Interstellar worked so well because of the family drama at the center of its story. Murphy’s struggles to make peace with her father’s choice to put humanity's survival ahead of watching her grow up were the heart and soul of Interstellar and allowed audiences to connect on an emotional level with its spectacular visuals.

4 Take Shelter (2011)

Jessica Chastain as Samantha LaForche

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! Take Shelter Take Shelter is a psychological thriller directed by Jeff Nichols. The film follows Curtis LaForche, played by Michael Shannon, a man overwhelmed by apocalyptic visions. As he grapples with disturbing dreams and hallucinations, Curtis's behavior begins to alienate his family and friends. Jessica Chastain co-stars as his supportive wife Samantha. The film explores themes of mental illness, trust, and the boundaries between reality and illusion. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Jeff Nichols Release Date September 30, 2011 Studio(s) Hydraulx Entertainment , Rei Capital , Grove Hill Productions , Strange Matter Films Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Classics Writers Jeff Nichols Cast Michael Shannon , Jessica Chastain , Shea Whigham , Katy Mixon , Kathy Baker Runtime 120 Minutes Budget $4.75 Million Main Genre Thriller Expand

Two powerful lead performances from Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain made Take Shelter one of the most unusual and thought-provoking psychological thrillers of the 2010s. Shannon starred as Curtis, a young father experiencing apocalyptic visions of an incoming storm who questioned whether he needed to protect his family from imminent danger or himself due to his crumbling sense of reality. With a fear that he may be having paranoid schizophrenia episodes, Chastain brought a sense of desperation to her role as his wife, pleading with her husband to explain his unusual behavior.

It was Chastain who grounded the film and whose loving understanding of her psychologically vulnerable husband was packed with vulnerability.

Take Shelter was a truly emotional film that showcased the way mental health struggles can dismantle struggling families and how quickly a community can turn against a man whose family history meant his sanity was always up for debate. Part of the power of Take Shelter was its ambiguity, as writer and director Jeff Nichols was not afraid to leave lingering questions and allow audiences to make their own meaning. While Shannon’s exceptional performance drove the narrative of Take Shelter, it was Chastain who grounded the film and whose loving understanding of her psychologically vulnerable husband was packed with vulnerability.

3 The Eyes Of Tammy Faye (2021)

Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye Messner

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! The Eyes of Tammy Faye The Eyes of Tammy Faye is a biographical drama film that delves into the rise, fall, and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. In the 1970s and 80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from a middle-class life to create the world’s largest religious broadcasting network and theme park and were revered for their message of love, acceptance, and prosperity. However, financial failings and scandals tarnish their reputation, bringing their religious empire to a crashing halt. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Michael Showalter Release Date September 17, 2021 Studio(s) Searchlight Pictures Distributor(s) Searchlight Pictures Writers Abe Sylvia Cast Sam Jaeger , Gabriel Olds , Jessica Chastain , Louis Cancelmi , Cherry Jones , Fredric Lehne , Andrew Garfield Vincent D'Onofrio , Mark Wystrach Runtime 126minutes Expand

Jessica Chastain took home the Academy Award for Best Actress for her transformative performance as the real-life controversial televangelist Tammy Faye. The Eyes of Tammy Faye tracked its title character's marriage to Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield) as the couple’s shady financial practices and religious empire gained increasing scrutiny. With an intense commitment to her role, Chastain was almost unrecognizable in his superbly entertaining, music-filled biopic.

The Eyes of Tammy Faye was a sharp look at Faye’s eccentric religious career, which eventually saw her husband convicted on numerous counts of fraud. With an often sympathetic view of its title character, this wasn’t the damning takedown audiences surely expected but instead told Tammy’s story with a sense of empathy as she delved ever deeper into a world filled with fraud, greed, and a loose definition of the truth. The Eyes of Tammy Faye was also an engaging look at Chastain’s comedic side and proved there were dimensions to her skill set that audiences had yet to see.

2 Zero Dark Thirty (2012)

Jessica Chastain as Maya

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 9.3/10 Zero Dark Thirty Zero Dark Thirty chronicles the decade-long hunt for al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden following the September 2001 attacks, culminating in his death by Navy SEAL Team 6 in May 2011. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Kathryn Bigelow Release Date December 19, 2012 Studio(s) Sony Distributor(s) Sony Writers Mark Boal Cast Edgar Ramirez , Jessica Chastain , Jason Clarke , Kyle Chandler , Jennifer Ehle , Mark Strong , Joel Edgerton , Chris Pratt Mark Duplass , Scott Adkins , Harold Perrineau , Jeremy Strong , Reda Kateb , Ricky Sekhon , J.J. Kandel , James Gandolfini , Stephen Dillane , John Schwab , Martin Delaney Runtime 157 Minutes Budget $40–52.5 million Expand

One of Jessica Chastain’s most notable roles came in Katherine Bigelow's female-led war movie Zero Dark Thirty. As a depiction of the international manhunt for Al-Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden, Chastain portrayed Maya, a CIA intelligence analyst modeled after Alfreda Frances Bikwosky. As a gripping behind-the-scenes look at the details surrounding bin Laden’s assassination, this highly political war movie featured an incredibly strong performance from Chastain.

As a look into one of the most significant assassinations in modern political history, Zero Dark Thirty addressed the price that must be paid in the pursuit of justice and the ruthless nature of an international manhunt of this size. While it’s true Zero Dark Thirty was criticized for its changes to the true story, it was also an undeniably powerful look at the darkest sides of warfare. Zero Dark Thirty was a major movie when it was first released and highlighted the effect terrorism has had on the United States, the Middle East, and the entire world since the aftermath of 9/11.

1 Molly’s Game (2017)

Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom

Your Rating close 10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star 0/10 Leave a Review Your changes have been saved My List My Favorite Movies My Watchlist Success! 8/10 Molly's Game With a screenplay and direction from Aaron Sorkin, 2017's Molly's Game is a Crime, Drama, and Biography film starring Jessica Chastain, Kevin Costner, and Idris Elba. The film follows a woman who's running an underground Poker empire that caters to the rich and famous as it's exposed by the FBI. Where to Watch stream

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buy Not available Not available Not available *Availability in US Director Aaron Sorkin Release Date December 25, 2017 Studio(s) Entertainment One Distributor(s) Entertainment One Writers Aaron Sorkin Cast Idris Elba , Michael Cera , Jessica Chastain , Bill Camp , Kevin Costner , Jeremy Strong , Chris O'Dowd Runtime 140minutes Budget $30 million Expand

The acclaimed screenwriter of The Social Network and creator of The West Wing, Aaron Sorkin, jumped into the director’s seat for his excellent biographical crime film Molly’s Game. With Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a former world-class skier turned backroom underground poker game facilitator, Molly’s Game was a fascinating deep dive into the secretive world of illegal gambling. In typical Sorkin fashion, the script for Molly’s Game was top-tier, but the true ace in the hole was Chastain’s career-best performance.

Molly’s Game delivered a truly great female leading role whose complexity and depth of character were made all the more compelling by Chastain’s insatiable onscreen charisma. With intense poker games, mafia associations, and a look into the hidden vices of the rich and famous, Molly’s Game was relentlessly entertaining, as its excellent pacing meant its 140-minute runtime went by in a breeze. As yet another testament to Jessica Chastain’s place among the best actors working today, Molly’s Game was a must-watch addition to her fantastic filmography.