This week in US, Eat, Pray, Love opens (though we have to wait til 30th September in Malaysia). It’s the first time since Erin Brockovich (that’s year 2000, a decade ago) that Julia Roberts has truely carried a movie. Though it’s not like she hasn’t made any movie in the past 10 years, she’s hardly the sole center of these movies. At most she shared the same screentime with her male co-stars, if not being reduced to merely supporting character. Her new role as Elizabeth Gilbert, the lady who had to travel around the world to find food, spirituality and, of course, love is no doubt long-awaited by her fans. By the look of it, she’s most probably would be featured in every scene of the movie. After all, this is HER journey, HER story and HER life that the movie is about.
With her comeback, I think it would be fun to make a Top 10 list of Ms. Roberts’ movies that I like.
10 – Mona Lisa Smile (2003) : True, few had actually watched this movie, and most of the people do not even realise that such movie exists. But it features some of the promosing young actresses at that time (Julia Stiles, Kirsten Dunst), and Julia Roberts as a teacher who inspired and motivated her students to pursue their dreams and taught them that they need not conform to female stereotype. It’s among the few of Julia’s low profile performances, but the results were surprisingly touching.
9 – Stepmom (1998) : She’s the good-hearted soon-to-be stepmom to the children of Ed Harris. And to watch her on-screen interaction with another Oscar winner Susan Sarandon was so satisfying that we can naturally forgive the blandness of the storyline itself.
8 – Hook (1991) : Okay, she’s Tinkerbell and we can hardly see her face clearly. But I admit I am a little bias here as this is one of my favourite movies, making it an obligation for me to include this movie into my list. Well, Julia has nothing much to do in the movie, and I actually thought there’s no chemistry between her and Robin Williams. But like I said, I have to mention this film… Oh wait, I just realised Julia was actually being nominated in Raspberry Awards for this film…
7 – The Pelican Brief (1993) : Once in a while I would enjoy a thriller / action film. This movie is not my most favourite thriller, of course (actually, I don’t think I have one), but I just admit it’s an above average thriller. Plus, this marks the only time Denzel Washington and Julia Roberts, two of the biggest stars (then and now) have ever worked together. And it’s a rare occasion where Julia actually did an action film.
6 – Notting Hill (1999) : Beautifully shot and romantically told, this is the tale of the reverse-Cinderella, where ordinary guy Hugh Grant falls in love with superstar Julia Roberts. Well, it’s truely Julia’s destiny to play a superstar instead of the the assistant to one (cough, America’s Sweethearts, cough), and her chemistry with Hugh Grant was one of the best things in the film.
5 – Ocean’s Eleven & Ocean’s Twelve : She’s the rose among the thorns. We can clearly see that Julia is making this movie solely for fun (or perhaps her friendship with George Clooney???). True, she’s not a major player in Ocean’s Twelve, but the plot of her character posing as Julia Roberts is so hilarious and creative that I basically could not remember anything else from that movie apart from this.
4 – Closer (2004) : A very complicated tale of four very complicated characters. Somehow Clive Owen and Natalie Portman received most of the credits for this movie. But I do remember the conversation between Julia and Clive (Do you enjoy sucking him off? Yes. You like his cock? I love it! You like him coming in your face? Yes! What does it taste like? It tastes like you but sweeter!) Brilliant!
3 – My Best Friend’s Wedding (1996) : Julia lost to Cameron Diaz in the fight for the guy, ouch! But this movie is funny and sweet, that all the tacky and corny storylines can be forgiven. Plus, the “I Say A Little Prayer” scene is still one of the best scenes that came out from a movie.
2 – Erin Brockovich (2000) : Julia Roberts did not win the Oscar for nothing. Indeed, she portrayed the title character so convincingly and nailed the performance perfectly. I love to watch her being so fierce and so aggresive in bringing out the truth. She’s willing to throw away her old image in order to play such a character, and it’s proved to be a wise decision after all.
1 – Pretty Woman (1990) : Okay, need I say more? This is the essential Julia Roberts film that practically made her who she is today. No Cinderella-esque movie nowadays can be as successful as this one, and no other actress can truely replicate her charm in romantic comedy nowadays (sorry, Kate Hudson, not even you).
What is your most favourite Julia Roberts performance?
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