Mia Goth has become 2022's horror star with her dual roles in X in which she plays a young aspiring porn actress as well as a homicidal old woman (under heavy layers of makeup). Goth won further acclaim for playing the latter's younger version in Pearl, a prequel to X that was secretly shot back-to-back.
Starting her career with Lars Von Trier's controversial and sensational Nymphomaniac, Goth established the fact that she's not afraid to experiment. Her career trajectory since then has proven her versatility, including period dramas, horror thrillers, and sci-fi dramas.
A Cure For Wellness (2016) - 42%
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Mia Goth stars alongside Dane DeHaan and Jason Isaac in the psychology thriller A Cure For Wellness. While the film failed to gain any rave reviews, A Cure For Wellness definitely had a promising premise. DeHaan plays a Wall Street exec who travels to an idyllic yet mysterious retreat in the Swiss Alps to find his boss who has gone missing.
His journey leads him to Goth's character who has mysteries of her own, eventually leading the protagonist down a dark rabbit hole of evil science experiments. Going by the critics, the movie's visual style was praised, but the plot was seen as "derivative" and "predictable" by many.
Marrowbone (2017) - 49%
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Marrowbone's young and popular cast could have propelled the horror to popularity but the lack of scares and underdeveloped characters proved to be the movie's major flaws.
Not only did the cast include Mia Goth, but she was also joined by 1917's George MacKay, Stranger Things main cast member Charlie Heaton, and Anya Taylor-Joy who would later collaborate with her again in Emma. Barring Taylor-Joy, the other three actors play the titular Marrowbone siblings who are traumatized by their mother's death and a sinister force in their home. Perhaps the "haunted house" trope proved to be too formulaic for the critics and audiences.
Mayday (2021) - 51%
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Even Mia Goth's "Rotten" movies carry potential and Mayday is one such example. While critics were left unamused by the end result, the ideas and set up were praised.
Mayday is set in an alternate 20th-century scenario where women are engaged in constant war with men who they lure through radio signals. The ensemble of these new-age "sirens" includes Mia Goth, Soko, and Juliette Lewis with lead actress Grace Van Patten as a bride who gets mysteriously transported to this world and questions her eventual life choices.
Nymphomaniac : Volume II (2014) - 59%
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Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac is definitely one of the most awkward movies to watch with your family. The erotic character study of a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac and her various experiences with various partners boasted a star-studded cast that included the likes of Charlotte Gainsbourg, Willem Defoe, Uma Thurman, Christian Slater, and many more, including then-debutant Mia Goth.
The second installment of Trier's duology couldn't replicate its predecessor's success, but it was still enough to satisfy arthouse aficionados. Goth plays P, a 15-year-old daughter from a criminal family who looks at Ginasbourg's protagonist Joe as a role model. Due to the darker contexts of the movie, the feelings of romance are the subject of much debate and discussion.
Suspiria (2018) - 65%
Stream On Prime Video
One of the most popular horror remakes in recent times, Luca Guadagnino's take on the 1960s classic Suspiria was received as bold, disturbing, and definitely not for all audiences.
With hints of arthouse drama and a dash of experimental horror, Suspiria is set within the confines of a dance company that seems to hold its own underground secrets. Goth's character Sara is a friend of Dakota Johnson's protagonist Susie and the duo embarks on a dark journey as they suspect the Berlin-based troupe to be run by a coven of witches. The movie plays out in a manner that is as amusingly bizarre as its premise.
High Life (2018) - 82%
Stream On Showtime
Claire Denis is arguably one of the most diverse and versatile French directors of this century. So, when she was all set for her English debut High Life, hopes were high. And the critics weren't disappointed at all with her thematically profound and visually thrilling deep-space drama High Life.
Starring Robert Pattinson and Juliette Binoche in the lead roles, the movie finds a group of convicts sentenced to death. As they serve their sentence in a spaceship headed towards a black hole, they must confront their guilt, lust, and inner demons. Goth has a brief supporting role as one of the convicts, her performance capturing the stress of the claustrophobic setting.
Pearl (2022) - 86%
Currently In Theatres
Pearl, the creepy serial killer from A24's X, gets a fitting villain origin story just months after X's release. And of course, Mia Goth is the best person to return to the character as she explores her traumatic origins.
Growing up in a repressed family, a young Pearl strives to get herself the flashy life that she sees in Hollywood movies. She would get this life by any means possible. As expected, Pearl retains writer-director Ti West's influences from pulpy B-movies from the horror genre, adorning the narrative with creative gore and old-school scares.
Emma (2020) - 86%
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A period-accurate adaptation of the Jane Austen novel of the same name, Emma stars Anya-Taylor Joy as a happy-go-lucky socialite who has a habit of meddling in the romantic pursuits of her friends. But when her own love life is in shambles, Emma must go through some changes. Goth plays the part of Harriet Smith, a companion of Emma's and a lab rat for the protagonist's social experiments.
The movie drew positive reactions from both critics and audiences for its performances and production design. Despite being set in the 19th century, Emma serves as a coming-of-age story fancy enough to win over modern audiences.
X (2022) - 94%
Rent On Redbox
A tribute to the classic slasher horror movies from the 1970s, X revolves around a sleazy film crew shooting a pornographic film in the middle of nowhere. But when their activities disturb the neighbors, an elderly couple, gore-filled chaos ensues.
Jenna Ortega, Brittany Snow, and, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi join the cast, but the standout star is definitely Mia Goth. As the aspiring actress Maxine, she captures a sense of boredom and monotony. And as the evil Pearl, she captures the same emotions but with a sinister touch. Goth's aged version of Pearl is easily one of modern horror's best villains.
The Survivalist (2015) - 96%
Stream On AMC+ Amazon Channel
The British sci-fi thriller The Survivalist is an introspective take on the post-apocalyptic genre. The central figure is one of the last survivors after Earth witnesses an extreme drop in population. Mia Goth's character is equally multi-layered as she plays Milja, a woman literally "purchased" by the survivalist in exchange for sexual favors.
As the two engage in mental battles for the essential supplies to survive, a gritty and disturbingly realistic drama is set in motion. The Survivalist might not be Goth's most mainstream screen credit, but it remains to be her most critically-acclaimed one for now.