The Best Movies About Remarkably Strong and Talented Women

While there are many female actresses in Hollywood, truly remarkable female centered characters are only a small portion of the movies ever made. Although they are rare, many of the movies on this list are inspiried by true stories and real women, and some are directed by talented women. These female characters also prove that they can be all kinds of professionals: from journalist, to queen, to agents, to mothers, to scientists, to lawyers and activists etc.

1

The Handmaid's Tale

Elisabeth Moss, Yvonne Strahovski, Joseph Fiennes
2017

Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced to live as a concubine under a fundamentalist theocratic dictatorship. A TV adaptation of Margaret Atwood's novel.

more...
8.5 IMDB
2

Temple Grandin

Claire Danes, Catherine O\'Hara, Julia Ormond
Mick Jackson
2010

A biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of top scientists in humane livestock handling.

8.3 IMDB
3

Room

Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen
Lenny Abrahamson
2015

Jack is a young boy of 5 years old who has lived all his life in one room. He believes everything within it are the only real things in the world. But what will happen when his Ma suddenly tells him that there are other things outside of Room?

more...
8.1 IMDB
4

The Help

Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer
Tate Taylor
2011

Aibileen Clark is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.

more...
8.1 IMDB
5

Hidden Figures

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe
Theodore Melfi
2016

The untold story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson – brilliant African-American women working at NASA and serving as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history – the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit. The visionary trio crossed all gender and race lines to inspire generations to dream big.

more...
7.8 IMDB
6

Changeling

Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Jeffrey Donovan
Clint Eastwood
2008

Christine Collins is overjoyed when her kidnapped son is brought back home. But when Christine suspects that the boy returned to her isn't her child, the police captain has her committed to an asylum.

more...
7.7 IMDB
7

Gravity

Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris
Alfonso Cuarón
2013

Dr. Ryan Stone, a brilliant medical engineer on her first Shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The Shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone-tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness of space. The deafening silence tells them they have lost any link to Earth and any chance for rescue. As fear turns to panic, every gulp of air eats away at what little oxygen is left. But the only way home may be to go further out into the terrifying expanse of space.

more...
7.7 IMDB
8

I, Tonya

Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan, Allison Janney
Craig Gillespie
2017

Competitive ice skater Tonya Harding rises amongst the ranks at the U. S. Figure Skating Championships, but her future in the sport is thrown into doubt when her ex-husband intervenes.

more...
7.5 IMDB
9

Freedom Writers

Hilary Swank, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton
Richard LaGravenese
2007

A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school.

7.5 IMDB
10

Brooklyn

Saoirse Ronan, Domhnall Gleeson, Emory Cohen
John Crowley
2015

In 1950s Ireland and New York, young Eilis Lacey has to choose between two men and two countries.

7.5 IMDB
11

RBG

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Jane C. Ginsburg, James Steven Ginsburg
Julie Cohen, Betsy West
2018

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg now 84, and still inspired by the lawyers who defended free speech during the Red Scare, Ginsburg refuses to relinquish her passionate duty, steadily fighting for equal rights for all citizens under the law. Through intimate interviews and unprecedented access to Ginsburg’s life outside the court, RBG tells the electric story of Ginsburg’s consuming love affairs with both the Constitution and her beloved husband Marty—and of a life’s work that led her to become an icon of justice in the highest court in the land.

more...
7.5 IMDB
12

The Hours

Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep
Stephen Daldry
2002

"The Hours" is the story of three women searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.

more...
7.5 IMDB
13

Wonder Woman

Gal Gadot, Chris Pine, Connie Nielsen
Patty Jenkins
2017

An Amazon princess comes to the world of Man in the grips of the First World War to confront the forces of evil and bring an end to human conflict.

more...
7.4 IMDB
14

Frida

Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Mía Maestro
Julie Taymor
2002

A biography of artist Frida Kahlo, who channeled the pain of a crippling injury and her tempestuous marriage into her work.

7.4 IMDB
15

Erin Brockovich

Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart
Steven Soderbergh
2000

A twice-divorced mother of three who sees an injustice, takes on the bad guy and wins -- with a little help from her push-up bra. Erin goes to work for an attorney and comes across medical records describing illnesses clustered in one nearby town. She starts investigating and soon exposes a monumental cover-up.

more...
7.3 IMDB
16

The Queen

Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell
Stephen Frears
2006

The Queen is an intimate behind the scenes glimpse at the interaction between HM Elizabeth II and Prime Minister Tony Blair during their struggle, following the death of Diana, to reach a compromise between what was a private tragedy for the Royal family and the public's demand for an overt display of mourning.

more...
7.3 IMDB
17

The Wife

Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater
Björn Runge
2018

A wife questions her life choices as she travels to Stockholm with her husband, where he is slated to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature.

more...
7.2 IMDB
18

The Hunger Games

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
Gary Ross
2012

Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which “Tributes” must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she’s ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love. The world will be watching.

more...
7.2 IMDB
19

The Whistleblower

Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci
Larysa Kondracki
2010

Based on the experiences of Nebraska cop Kathryn Bolkovac (Rachel Weisz) who discovers a deadly sex trafficking ring while serving as a U.N. peacekeeper in post-war Bosnia. Risking her own life to save the lives of others, she uncovers an international conspiracy that is determined to stop her, no matter the cost.

more...
7.1 IMDB
20

On the Basis of Sex

Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux
Mimi Leder
2018

Young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of sex discrimination.

more...
7 IMDB
21

Suffragette

Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson
Sarah Gavron
2015

Based on true events about the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement who were forced underground to evade the State.

6.9 IMDB
22

Girl with a Pearl Earring

Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson
Peter Webber
2003

This film, adapted from a work of fiction by author Tracy Chevalier, tells a story about the events surrounding the creation of the painting "Girl With A Pearl Earring" by 17th century Dutch master Johannes Vermeer. A young peasant maid working in the house of painter Johannes Vermeer becomes his talented assistant and the model for one of his most famous works.

more...
6.9 IMDB
23

The Duchess

Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling
Saul Dibb
2008

A chronicle of the life of 18th century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life.

more...
6.9 IMDB
24

Judy

Renée Zellweger, Rufus Sewell, Finn Wittrock
Rupert Goold
2019

Winter 1968 and showbiz legend Judy Garland arrives in Swinging London to perform a five-week sold-out run at The Talk of the Town. It is 30 years since she shot to global stardom in The Wizard of Oz, but if her voice has weakened, its dramatic intensity has only grown. As she prepares for the show, battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. Even her dreams of love seem undimmed as she embarks on a whirlwind romance with Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

more...
6.9 IMDB
25

Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen, Geoffrey Rush
Shekhar Kapur
2007

When Queen Elizabeth's reign is threatened by ruthless familial betrayal and Spain's invading army, she and her shrewd adviser must act to safeguard to the lives of her people.

more...
6.8 IMDB
26

Hanna

Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Vicky Krieps
Joe Wright
2011

A 16-year-old girl raised by her father to be the perfect assassin is dispatched on a mission across Europe. Tracked by a ruthless operatives, she faces startling revelations about her existence and questions about her humanity.

more...
6.8 IMDB
27

A Private War

Rosamund Pike, Jamie Dornan, Tom Hollander
Matthew Heineman
2018

One of the most celebrated war correspondents of our time, Marie Colvin is an utterly fearless and rebellious spirit, driven to the frontlines of conflicts across the globe to give voice to the voiceless.

more...
6.7 IMDB
28

Jackie

Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig
Pablo Larraín
2016

An account of the days of First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, in the immediate aftermath of John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

6.7 IMDB
29

Colette

Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Denise Gough
Wash Westmoreland
2018

After marrying a successful Parisian writer known commonly as Willy, Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette is transplanted from her childhood home in rural France to the intellectual and artistic splendor of Paris. Soon after, Willy convinces Colette to ghostwrite for him. She pens a semi-autobiographical novel about a witty and brazen country girl named Claudine, sparking a bestseller and a cultural sensation. After its success, Colette and Willy become the talk of Paris and their adventures inspire additional Claudine novels.

more...
6.7 IMDB
30

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Christine Baranski
Ol Parker
2018

Five years after meeting her three fathers, Sophie Sheridan prepares to open her mother’s hotel. In 1979, young Donna Sheridan meets the men who each could be Sophie’s biological father.

more...
6.7 IMDB
31

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton
Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
2016

In 2002, cable news producer Kim Barker decides to shake up her routine by taking a daring new assignment in Kabul, Afghanistan. Dislodged from her comfortable American lifestyle, Barker finds herself in the middle of an out-of-control war zone. Luckily, she meets Tanya Vanderpoel, a fellow journalist who takes the shell-shocked reporter under her wing. Amid the militants, warlords and nighttime partying, Barker discovers the key to becoming a successful correspondent.

more...
6.6 IMDB
32

Joy

Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro
David O. Russell
2015

A story based on the life of a struggling Long Island single mom who became one of the country's most successful entrepreneurs.

6.6 IMDB
33

Mona Lisa Smile

Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles
Mike Newell
2003

The story of Katherine Ann Watson, a feminist teacher who studied at UCLA graduate school and in 1953 left her boyfriend behind in Los Angeles, California to teach at Wellesley College, a conservative women's private liberal arts college in Massachusetts, United States.

more...
6.5 IMDB
34

The Iron Lady

Meryl Streep, Anthony Stewart Head, Harry Lloyd
Phyllida Lloyd
2011

A look at the life of Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with a focus on the price she paid for power.

6.4 IMDB
35

Salt

Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Phillip Noyce
2010

As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who is Salt?"

more...
6.4 IMDB
36

Mary Queen of Scots

Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden
Josie Rourke
2018

In 1561, Mary Stuart, widow of the King of France, returns to Scotland, reclaims her rightful throne and menaces the future of Queen Elizabeth I as ruler of England, because she has a legitimate claim to the English throne. Betrayals, rebellions, conspiracies and their own life choices imperil both Queens. They experience the bitter cost of power, until their tragic fate is finally fulfilled.

more...
6.3 IMDB
37

Legally Blonde

Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair
Robert Luketic
2001

Elle Woods has it all. She's the president of her sorority, a Hawaiian Tropic girl, Miss June in her campus calendar, and, above all, a natural blonde. She dates the cutest fraternity boy on campus and wants nothing more than to be Mrs. Warner Huntington III. But, there's just one thing stopping Warner from popping the question: Elle is too blonde.

more...
6.3 IMDB
38

Miss Congeniality

Sandra Bullock, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Caine
Donald Petrie
2000

When the local FBI office receives a letter from a terrorist known only as 'The Citizen', it's quickly determined that he's planning his next act at the Miss America beauty pageant. Because tough-as-nails Gracie Hart is the only female Agent at the office, she's chosen to go undercover as the contestant from New Jersey.

more...
6.2 IMDB