Screen Rant: "Madonna Movie Roles, Ranked"

[Voguerista 11,826]

Do you agree with this movie ranking by Screen Rant? First, I never thought of "Truth Or Dare" as a "movie", but more as a "documentary". Even so, I would have put "Evita" as number one with "A League Of Their Own" and "Who's That Girl" second and third. What do you think?

Madonna Movie Roles, Ranked

Madonna is better known for her music but she has acted in many films. Here are 10 of her movies, ranked.

BY ROCCO THOMPSON

APR 27, 2020

Love her or loathe her, the material girl Madonna certainly has staying power. For nearly forty years, she has shaped and re-shaped the pop music landscape as we know it. Grammy-decorated and in the record books as the second best-selling female recording artist of all time (after, surprisingly, Barbra Streisand), Madonna's film career has been somewhat less successful, but that has not stopped her from trying.

Having appeared in at least twenty-six cinematic endeavors, Madonna absolutely refuses to quit, even when all of the world is against her. Her persistence has, in a few instances, paid off, having worked with acclaimed directors like Spike Lee and Woody Allen, and taken home a Golden Globe for her performance in 1996's Evita. Although she has moved on from acting to directing in recent years, Madonna has left behind a body of onscreen work filled with both charming highs and cringe-worthy lows. Below, we list ten of her performances, ranked from worst to best.

10. Swept Away (2002)

In this remake of Lina Wertmüller's 1974 original, Madonna stars as Amber Leighton, a spoiled socialite who finds herself shipwrecked on a tropical island with hired hand Giuseppe (Adriano Giannini). The two initially cannot stand each other, but loathing turns to love as their social roles reverse.

Written and directed by her now ex-husband Guy Ritchie, Madonna's turn in this waterlogged disaster got roundly savaged by critics (more so than usual) and, to date, is her final film performance in a starring role.

9. Body Of Evidence (1993)

When an elderly millionaire leaves his fortune to his mistress (Madonna), she becomes the prime suspect in his mysterious death. But when attorney Frank Dulaney (Willem Dafoe) is tasked with defending the woman, he finds himself caught in a dangerous, psychosexual web.

Madonna can play femme and fatale with the best of them, but she cannot compensate for a ridiculous script and direction that makes her character look like Basic Instinct's Catherine Tramell with about half of the sex appeal and even fewer IQ points.

8. The Next Best Thing (2000)

Perpetually unlucky-in-love besties Abbie (Madonna) and Robert (Rupert Everett) would be a perfect couple if it was not for one issue: Robert is gay. Fueled by too many cocktails, a night of experimentation leads to a surprise pregnancy, and the duo decides to make a go of it as a couple. But can this very modern family survive?

Though she started making these jokes in the mid-90s, The Next Best Thing may actually be ground-zero for Madonna British accent jokes. Though Madonna and Rupert Everett are reportedly good friends in real life, the chemistry just does not translate here, and the pop star's chillier personality traits are at their incongruous worst in what is supposed to be a heartwarming family dramedy.

7. Shanghai Surprise (1986)

Sleazy con-artist Glendon Wasey (Sean Penn) is out of luck. Struggling to sell his glow-in-the-dark neckties in Shanghai, he seizes an opportunity when he meets Gloria Tatlock (Madonna), a nurse desperate to get her hands on a stolen supply of opium to help her suffering patients.

Notable for its original George Harrison songs and a cameo by the former Beatles member himself,  this otherwise forgettable comic flop was the first film in Madonna's career to get her the "talentless" label that she has been struggling to scrape off ever since.

6. Who's That Girl (1987)

In this screwball comedy, Madonna stars as Nikki Finn, a streetwise woman imprisoned for her boyfriend's murder. When she is paroled, she is taken under wing by a tightly wound attorney (Griffin Dunne) who agrees to help her expunge her record at the expense of his personal life.

James Foley's madcap comedy tries to capture the same lightning-in-a-bottle energy that Madonna brought to Desperately Seeking Susan, discussed later on this list, two years earlier, and he succeeds, mostly. The film is a classic '80s vehicle for the queen of pop but is also a bit of a rehash.

5. Evita (1996)

Eva Perón (Madonna) becomes the toast of Argentina as an actress and wife of President Juan Perón in this cinematic rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's celebrated 1978 musical. Told in flashbacks, the film charts Eva's journey from poverty to power and all the joys and troubles that come with it.

It still manages to shock people that Madonna took home a Golden Globe for this fairly rote musical (especially when fellow nominee Frances McDormand would go on to win her first Oscar for Fargo), and it's hard to argue: she's just fine here. Her vocals are impressive (this was her first time training with a professional) and she wears the glamorous frocks well, but her portrayal of Perón feels like a very un-Madonna-like shrinking violet.

4. Dick Tracy (1990)

Famous detective Dick Tracy's (Warren Beatty) mission to put a brutal mob boss behind bars leads him into the arms of the enigmatic cabaret singer, Breathless Mahoney (Madonna), who, despite holding the key to dismantling Chicago's crime network, seems more interested in seducing him.

Beatty also directed this colorful adaptation of the 1930s comic strip, which sees Madonna more than holding her own with a ridiculous cast of prosthetics-laden characters. Not only does she effortlessly embody the part of a classic gangster's moll, but this is the movie that inspired her to write her album Vogue.

3. A League Of Their Own (1992)

Filling the gap left by World War II, an ambitious candy maker assembles an all-female professional baseball league to make up for America's lack of young male athletes. Sisters Dottie Hinson (Geena Davis) and Kit Keller (Lori Petty) see a shot at fame and join the team under the tutelage of the cantankerous, past-his-prime coach Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks).

Madonna is part of the supporting cast (which also includes Rosie O'Donnell) that makes A League of Their Own such a fun and beloved film. As "All the Way" Mae Mordabito, the queen of pop gets to serve up doses of adorable Italian spunk without sickening the audience, a technique she probably should have perfected over taking bigger roles in soppy dramas.

2. Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)

Roberta Glass (Rosanna Arquette) is a forever-bored New Jersey housewife whose only escape is reading personal ads. Her favorite is a series of ads written by a mysterious girl-about-town named Susan (Madonna). When one of Susan's ads calls for a suitor to meet her in Battery Park, Roberta cannot resist the temptation to witness the rendezvous firsthand, but when things take an unexpected turn, amnesiac hijinks and mistaken-identity tomfoolery ensue.

Even though she was in a couple of films previously, Susan Seidelman's fun and frothy New York comedy skillfully translated Madonna's '80s wild-child appeal for the big screen. Though it coasts on the young star's natural magnetism, Desperately Seeking Susan is proof positive that, as an actress, Madonna is at her best when she is not trying too hard.

1. Madonna: Truth Or Dare (1991)

Alek Keshishian's documentary follows Madonna's controversial "Blonde Ambition" tour as it travels across the globe. Sure, it may feel like a cop-out to list Madonna's appearance in this influential backstage doc among her best, but make no mistake, it is still a performance because, as a celebrity, her life is a performance.

In many ways, Madonna: Truth or Dare was the bedrock of reality TV as we know it today, providing a "candid" look at the private lives of the rich and famous that is actually highly controlled and manicured.  Perhaps Madonna has always had a poor screen presence because acting is about "telling the truth," and this documentary proves how little she cares about that. Madonna: Truth or Dare shows one of music's biggest stars as she would like you to see her.

[wtg1987 10,169]

I think all her performances are good except Shanghai surprise and Body Of Evidence BOE probably has the worst script I’ve ever heard in a movie ?

[Fabiolous 5,492]

I only watched a few of her films, but I always found her a painfully bad actress unless she is singing. 

[PWCCA 2,498]

The only Madonna movies that are relatively noteworthy are Dick Tracy, Desperately Seeking Susan, A League of Their Own, and Evita. The rest.... well... if they disappeared, no-one would miss them. Acting never was something she was good at.

I also agree with Voguerista, I wouldn't consider Truth or Dare / In Bed With Madonna as a movie per se. It shouldn't be ranked alongside actual movie roles (even if it is indeed better than them all)

[PWCCA 2,498]

34 minutes ago, wtg1987 said:

I think all her performances are good except Shanghai surprise and Body Of Evidence BOE probably has the worst script I’ve ever heard in a movie ?

Worse than The Next Best Thing or Swept Away? lol

[Ian 2,266]

Where's Snake eyes aka Dangerous Game? arguably one of her most convincing roles ever!

[Mister_Pop 813]

1 hour ago, Ian said:

Where's Snake eyes aka Dangerous Game? arguably one of her most convincing roles ever!

That's right, I'm not sure if I like the movie or not but she's really convincing in this risky role !

 

Evita, of course, but my fav role and Madonna Movie is Who's That Girl. I do think she's good in it, and that it's a great movie. I'm hoping for a BR release !

[wtg1987 10,169]

1 hour ago, Mister_Pop said:

That's right, I'm not sure if I like the movie or not but she's really convincing in this risky role !

 

Evita, of course, but my fav role and Madonna Movie is Who's That Girl. I do think she's good in it, and that it's a great movie. I'm hoping for a BR release !

I will literally cum in my pants if Warner ever release who’s that girl remastered on blu ray - the amazon rip is in a bit of a state ?

[Roland Barthes 5,850]

"acting is about 'telling the truth'" errr. no, it's the total opposite. Acting is lying.

[Guest Nobody Knows Me]

Desperately Seeking Susan, A League Of Their Own and Who’s That Girl are my personal favourite Madonna roles. Evita was definitely her most important but it’s not as entertaining as the other films for me. The Next Best Thing I found unwatchable and I can’t believe she thought that would be more worthwhile than a Ray of Light Tour. 

[Enrico 15,823]

I think Truth or Dare is groundbreaking and innovative, but of course It's not a movie like the others. We didn't realize how ahead of its time it was back then.

Evita is a masterpiece, it's number 1 with no doubt, cant be put at no. 5. Alan Parker did such a great job and she deserved her Golden Globe (and Oscar nomination too). I hated Frances McDomand in Fargo. But also this one is a peculiar movie because her acting is filtered through song.

The best movie on the list is A league of their own, I've seen it many times but I don't consider it a "Madonna movie" because her role is so secondary.

I am not a fan of Dick Tracy. Technically it's great - cinematography recreating the comic strip - but those characters and makeups are ridiculous and the storyline is not for me.

Being a child of the Eighties I would say the best Madonna movies are Who's that girl (I find her so funny, even iconic in it, so many memirable quotes and scenes) and Desperately seeking Susan.

The critic is right when he says there's no chemistry between M and Rupert Everett, but I find there is a great one between her and Sean in Shangai Surprise. The critic is also right when he says that The problem with Body of Evidence is that it felt like a bad copy of Basic Instinct. As for Swept Away: so embarassing trash it could become a cult.

[chibukai shi 0]

I also watched a lot of Screen Rant's films on teatv and enjoyed it

[LucyGriffith 0]

i watched that role from netflix at https://modilimitado.com/pt it was really captivating

[Honey Little 3,996]

I thought she was good in A Certain Sacrifice. Bruna is a legendary icon of cinema.

[MDNA22 1,196]

The Next Best Thing was her worst film it's just awful 

Desperately Seeking Susan was her best film,  classic 80s movie and she is brilliant in it  - totally believable 

[Pootz333 2,693]

A perfect list.

I'd put Girl 6 and Dangerous Game to the middle of the list though.

Number 1 is absolutely correct.

A League of Their Own was a very, very smart choice. It's her most well known/loved film by people of all different ages.

I want to strangle her for not doing horror/sci-fi. She would have turned it.

 

 

[xavier 4,787]

A Certain Sacrifice top 5. 🤪