Search for Meryl Streep’s filmography, and the results are impressive. The most recent example is Don’t Look Up, is a Netflix movie in which she plays none other than the President of the United States. Her career started in 1977 with a role in the movie Julia, and she broke into the Hollywood spotlight with a supporting role in The Deer Hunter in 1979. This critically acclaimed movie about the after-effects of the Vietnam War on survivors resulted in Streep’s first Academy Award nomination.
It wouldn’t be the last. Streep would spend the next few decades blowing audiences minds with her versatility and range. She could change her appearance completely from role to role, and could handle drama and comedy with equal amounts of professional expertise. These days, Meryl Streep is one of the movie world’s biggest names, and decades later the hits keep coming.
10 Sophie’s Choice (1982)
A chilling story that left a mark on society’s consciousness, everyone knows what this movie is about even if they haven’t seen it. The story itself takes place in New York after World War II, and follows the character of Stingo as he tries to write a novel.
In the course of doing so, he befriends Polish immigrant Sophie and her lover Nathan. Delivering an incredible performance, Streep truly earned the Oscar that she would be awarded for this role. She learned both German and Polish, including learning an authentic accent, to play the titular character.
9 A Cry In The Dark (1988)
A true story of a harrowing tragedy followed by a miscarriage of justice, here’s another famous movie that is so iconic that people still reference today without understanding the source material. A wild animal attacking a child isn’t all that funny, no matter how silly the accent might sound.
A Cry In The Dark, known as Evil Angels in Oceania, is based on the true story of Lindy Chamberlain, who claimed a dingo snatched her baby from their tent during a camping trip. The child’s body was never found, and the authorities blamed Chamberlain for murder. The movie centers on the courtroom drama and media circus that got out of hand, rather than the veracity of the claims themselves.
8 Death Becomes Her (1992)
Anyone who doubted Meryl Streep’s talent for comedy was converted by Death Becomes Her. Another pleasant surprise is Bruce Willis, who plays against type by taking on the nerdy and awkward character of Dr. Ernest Menville.
On the surface, this movie is a smart, satirical comedy that takes a realistic and literal view of what eternal life can look like. The more profound message is about the unrealistic demand that the media puts on public figures, especially actors and musicians, when it comes to staying young and attractive.
7 Postcards From The Edge (1990)
Carrie Fisher wrote a semi-autobiography of her life, and when it came time to make a movie, she wrote the screenplay, too. Postcards From The Edge is a funny but sad story about the quirks of growing up in a family that’s connected deeply to the entertainment industry.
Streep plays the main role of an actress that has to detox at home. She’s great in the role, but Shirley MacLane really steals the show as her mother, Doris. The character is based on the real-life actress Debbie Reynolds, who was a Hollywood fixture for decades and started working in movies before she was twenty.
6 Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Kramer vs. Kramer got a lot of positive and negative attention back in the day. It was because of this movie that people could acknowledge divorce was not only a real thing, but actually quite a common occurance that could happen for any number of reasons.
Critics compare contemporary shows like A Marriage Story to historic films like Kramer vs. Kramer about the same topic. The plot combines family intrigue, economic pressure, and courtroom drama. What’s more, unlike other stories about marriages breaking up from the time, it refuses to take sides.
5 The Bridges Of Madison County (1995)
Not a lot of movie fans think of romance and art when it comes to Clint Eastwood, but it seems that Meryl Streep just has that effect on people. On the other hand, that’s pretty much what the character Robert Kincaid is supposed to be like anyway.
A notorious tearjerker in the spirit of movies like The Notebook, this film’s story is told mostly in flashbacks after Streep’s character Francesca dies, and her children come across some memorabilia about an interesting weekend mom spent at home alone when they were away at the State Fair with their dad. The moral of the story isn’t only about the secret lives of those closest to us, but also how those memories affect how we live on.
4 Into The Woods (2014)
This film adaptation of the famous Broadway musical includes a witch, a forest, a couple desperate to lift a curse, and there has to be a handsome prince around here somewhere. Perfect for movie fans who liked The Princess Bride or Stardust, Into the Woods is also a modern re-telling of an ancient fairy tale. Which one, however, is the question, since the plot includes as many fantasy tropes as possible as part of the inside joke.
A deliberate mix of stories from the Brothers Grimm fill out most of the plot, and viewers will recognize images from Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Rapunzel. Meryl Streep plays the antagonist this time, the essential detail to the witch with a curse.
3 The Iron Lady (2011)
There’s a lot of debate to be had regarding the real-life politics of Margaret Thatcher. However, everyone is in agreement that Meryl Streep nailed the character when she took on the role in The Iron Lady.
The movie is a dramatization, told in flashbacks by the main character as she reflects on her life following the recent death of her husband, and includes moments from her childhood and career. Streep has been credited with giving a divisive political figure a more sympathetic and human portrayal.
2 Mamma Mia! (2008)
Does Meryl Streep have singing and dancing on her resume too? It turns out the answer is yes. Some of her first public performances as a teenager consisted of singing, and she plays one of the leading roles in one of the world’s most popular musicals.
Another Broadway-to-film adaptation, Mamma Mia made the jukebox musical a big deal, mostly when it came to how efficiently it could turn a profit with familiar tunes and a cheerful, optimistic story.
1 Silkwood
Remember when people were concerned about worker safety and nuclear power, sometimes even at the same time? Silkwood is an interesting time capsule of another time, but it’s also important to note how little has changed when it comes to the hostility that management and corporate interests have when it comes to labor unions. This film is based on the real-life story of Karen Silkwood, a whistleblower who was investigating unsafe conditions in the plant where she worked.
Speaking of time capsules, this movie also Kurt Russell not playing an action hero for the first time, and Cher also joins the cast in one of her first serious roles not involving a musical performance. Though Streep is the star, the supporting cast only makes the film better.
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