AMC Movie Blog

Flashback Five - The Best Julia Roberts Movies You've Never Seen

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The toothy smile. The goofy laugh. The tumbling red locks. There's really no missing Julia Roberts, one of the biggest movie stars in the world... Except, wait -- there's a chance you did! There's a whole slew of movies Roberts has starred in that even her most obsessive fans haven't seen, from musicals to comedies and everything in between. So forget Pretty Woman, stick your copy of Runaway Bride back on the shelf, and enjoy the top ten best Julia Roberts movies you've never seen.

1. Fireflies in the Garden (2008)
Julia Roberts stars as the matriarch of a family torn apart by tragedy in this movie that practically nobody has heard of. Beyond Roberts' performance, one of her strongest to date, there's the all star cast including Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson, Carrie-Anne Moss, Ioan Gruffudd, and Hayden Panettiere. So why didn't you see this? Because it was only released in Germany, though it was made right here in the U.S.A.

2. Full Frontal (2002)
It's no surprise that Julia Roberts shows up in frequent collaborator Steven Soderbergh's ensemble comedy/drama. What is a surprise is that virtually no one saw this movie, especially as their previous collaboration was the blockbuster Ocean's Eleven. Though the movie is far more slice of life than Roberts' usual fare, when Soderbergh goes experimental (as he does here), the results are never less than interesting, and Roberts scenes are light breezy fun.

3. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
A Woody Allen musical featuring Julia Roberts singing (!) should have been far bigger than it was, at least for the novelty factor, yet its one of Allen's lowest grossing movies. Roberts is no great shakes at the singing, but her scenes with Allen, who pursues her through three cities, are filmed magically in the style of old school musicals, and Roberts is radiant as usual.

4. Michael Collins (1996)
Aka, that other movie where Julia Roberts talks with an Irish accent (the first being the notorious Jekyll/Hyde retelling, Mary Reilly), Roberts plays Kitty Kiernan, the forbidden love of the title character. Though historians took issue with boiling down a seminal moment in Irish history to two dudes fighting over a girl, Neil Jordan's movie looks fantastic, and Roberts provides a wonderful emotional anchor. If you passed it over the first time, give the movie another chance.

5. Something to Talk About (1995)
You may not remember, but between mega-hits, Roberts has a tendency to get herself cast in smaller, more interesting fare... Which inevitably fails, and then it's right back to Pretty Bride 2: Ocean's Hill. This 1995 Lasse Hallstrom movie falls squarely in one of those periods, and lucky for you that it does, audience. This dramatic comedy has a stellar cast supporting Roberts, and some moments of really dark comedy, including one scene where Roberts poisons her husband.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Grand Champion (2002) - Hey, how did Julia Roberts end up cameoing in a fun little kids flick about saving the life of a prize winning cow? Because the star of the movie is Roberts niece, Emma Roberts. Family will get you anywhere in this town.

2. Pret-a-Porter (1994) - It's easy to lose track of Roberts in this sprawling ensemble, but her scenes spent with Tim Robbins trapped in a hotel room are a highlight of one of Robert Altman's last movies.

3. I Love Trouble (1994) - Ah, shuddup, it's not that bad. Nick Nolte co-stars with Julia Roberts, playing fast talking news reporters solving a mystery in this throwback. If anything, Roberts should do more Front Page style movies.

4. Blood Red (1989) - Speaking of nepotism, this marks the only time Eric Roberts and Julia Roberts appeared on screen together, the former being the big star who gave his little sister her big break.

5. Firehouse (1987) - Julia Roberts stars as "girl in red pants walking up stars" in this hilarious comedy. OK, you got us, it's just the first time Roberts was on screen, but even then, she was the most interesting thing in the movie.

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Filed under: Flashback Five
Tags: blood red, everyone says i love you, fireflies in the garden, firehouse, full frontal, grand champion, i love trouble, julia roberts, michael collins, pret-a-porter, something to talk about

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