In only ten years, Jennifer Lawrence went from little player in a low-budget TBS comedy to A-lister in major studio tent poles and arthouse fare. It’s been quite a ride thus far. Critics howled in horror at Darren Aronofsky’s dream nightmare, yet the film is still regarded as one of Lawrence’s finest dramatic performances.
1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
After winning the 74th Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her fellow tribute Peeta Mellark gave hope to the people of the 12 Districts of Panem. And while President Snow tries to stop the fire by throwing them back into the Quarter Quell, it only serves to fuel the rebellion against his oppressive regime.
But Head Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) rigs this one to force the victors to face each other, and our star-crossed lovers are forced to compete again. This time, their relationship and loyalties are tested as they embark on a nationwide Victory Tour while a revolution grows steam around them.
This sequel to The Hunger Games is a dystopian sci-fi drama with an impressive cast that includes Liam Hemsworth, Elizabeth Banks, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci and Jena Malone. Director Francis Lawrence continues to build his franchise, and Lawrence once again proves why she’s the perfect choice for Katniss.
2. House at the End of the Street
After a slow start in film roles that saw her barely noticed outside of Tinseltown, Lawrence really started to explode with this dark psychological thriller. It follows a girl who moves into a new house with her mother in a small town and discovers that the property is across from one where gruesome murders occurred a few years earlier.
She befriends the murdered couple’s surviving teenage son Ryan (Max Thieriot) and starts to suspect that the town may have covered it up. This is a riveting and disturbing movie that shows Lawrence’s impressive dramatic range.
The Hunger Games and X-Men may have launched Lawrence to worldwide fame but this riveting film shows she’s a true chameleon in the acting world. This lookmovie film also kickstarts her lengthy run of films with director David O. Russell. Her performance here as a fiery scheming con artist is nothing short of remarkable.
3. Don’t Look Up
The film that launched Lawrence’s stardom, this tense drama finds her playing Ree, the daughter of a violent criminal who puts up their ramshackle Missouri home as bail. It’s a real-life story with a terrifying edge but also shows off Lawrence’s natural acting style.
The first trailer for this satire dropped a few months ago and shows off a big cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Jonah Hill. The astronomers Kate Dibiasky and Randall Mindy discover a humongous comet on a direct collision course with Earth. They try to warn the President (Meryl Streep) but she’s more concerned with celebrity breakups.
The movie jumps from slapstick comedy to social commentary at breakneck speed and doesn’t always land, but enough does to make it an entertaining popcorn flick. It’s a good showcase for Lawrence and her chemistry with Timothee Chalamet.
4. The Fault in Our Stars
Lawrence reunited with The Hunger Games director Francis Lawrence for this spy thriller about a former ballerina recruited by the CIA to use her body as an asset. She wowed audiences and earned an Oscar nomination for her performance.
In this crowd-pleaser, directed by David O Russell, Lawrence delivers a winning combination of feisty widow and bipolar Eagles fan. This movie delved into mental health, football fandom and dance competitions, and it made Lawrence a prestige star.
She starred in this American Hustle spin-off as Rosalyn “life of the party” Rosenfeld, one of Irving’s central con artists. Lawrence brought a sense of effortless poise to this role and earned another Oscar nomination. This movie demonstrates her ability to switch from blockbusters to intimate character-driven films. She did so again with Don’t Look Up. She’s a natural.
5. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
After gaining notice for the 2010 Sundance darling Winter’s Bone, Lawrence became a marquee name with a string of acclaimed art-house hits and a raft of massive blockbusters. Whether she’s a moral compass and bow-and-arrow heroine in The Hunger Games or a shapeshifting mutant in the X-Men franchise, she has made her mark with a formidable filmography that’s as impressive for its range as it is for its number of successes.
The first of three films in the Hunger Games franchise cemented Lawrence’s star status and her ability to switch between vulnerable and fierce, able to convey the many sides of Katniss Everdeen. She also took the role to new heights, evoking her character’s strength and determination with a preternatural poise. The result was a career-defining performance. She deserved her Oscar nomination. The film is available on Netflix.
