Though she comes from two acclaimed actor parents, Dakota Johnson has quickly built her own very successful career in movies. She has demonstrated an amazing versatility in a wide variety of roles, including her new romantic comedy Cha Cha Real Smooth.
Johnson is an exceptional talent whether she is charming audiences in a comedy, breaking their hearts in a drama, or thrilling them in a horror movie. And her top-rated movies on Letterboxd show just how impressive her career has been so far, with plenty more to come.
High Note (2020) - 3.2
It seems that Johnson is best-known for some of her more intense roles, so it is nice to see her let loose with a more light-hearted movie like High Note. The comedy stars Johnson as an overworked assistant of a music legend (Tracee Ellis Ross) who helps her with the new path in her career.
Along with being an energetic look into the world of music, High Note is also a charming comedy about female friendship. Johnson and Ross make for a fun pair in this story with plenty of laughs, warmth, and music.
A Bigger Splash (2015) - 3.4
Johnson proved she could hold her own with some of the best actors around as part of the intense ensemble drama A Bigger Splash. Tilda Swinton and Matthias Schoenaerts play a couple vacationing in Italy when they are visited by Swinton's former lover (Ralph Fiennes) and his daughter (Johnson).
Seeing these extremely talented actors bouncing off each other in the complex story is a thrill to experience. While there are some laughs to be found, it is also an intense and uncomfortable journey.
Bad Times At The El Royale (2018) - 3.5
Though Johnson is a big star in her own right, she is also very willing to lend her talents to a great ensemble piece like Bad Times at the El Royale. The thriller is set in 1969 and follows a group of strangers who randomly meet at a roadside motel, each with their own secrets to hide. Johnson plays a standoffish young woman on a personal mission.
The movie is a criminally underrated mystery that deserves to find a bigger audience. Johnson is also surrounded by an amazing cast that includes Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Chris Hemsworth.
21 Jump Street (2012) - 3.5
It is always fun to see some of the smaller early roles of big stars and Johnson had the privilege of appearing in the hilarious comedy 21 Jump Street. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill star as two cops who are tasked with going undercover in a high school. Johnson has a small part as one of their fellow undercover officers.
The movie is a hilarious take on the more serious television show it is based on. Tatum and Hill make for a winning duo and there are so many great jokes sending up the action movies genre.
The Lost Daughter (2021) - 3.5
One of Johnson's newest acclaimed roles was in the Oscar-nominated drama The Lost Daughter. Olivia Colman stars as a woman vacationing alone at a seaside resort that is interrupted when she becomes fixated on a young mother (Johnson) that brings up painful memories.
The movie serves as a stunning directorial debut for Maggie Gyllenhaal who has assembled an outstanding cast. It makes for a compelling and engrossing story with some amazing performances.
Our Friend (2019) - 3.7
Based on a true story, Our Friend provided Johnson an opportunity to show off both a light comedic side as well as a heartbreaking dramatic side. She plays a woman with a terminal illness whose husband (Casey Affleck) turns to his best friend (Jason Segel) for help.
The trio of actors make for a wonderful team to tell this complex story. Johnson is particularly impressive as she goes through so many different emotions throughout the story.
Suspiria (2018) - 3.7
Johnson reteamed with her The Bigger Splash director Luca Guadagnino for the remake of the classic Giallo horror movie Suspiria. Johnson plays a young woman who joins a renowned dance company only to discover that there is something sinister lurking under it all.
Though retelling such a beloved horror story was a daunting task, many fans felt that that movie delivers something new while doing honor to the original. It makes for a gruesome, terrifying, and beautiful experience.
The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019) - 3.8
Though a smaller movie that not too many people saw, The Peanut Butter Falcon became a huge crowd-pleaser among audiences. Zack Gottsagen stars as a young man with Down syndrome who leaves the retirement home he's been living in and sets out on a journey to a wrestling school. Johnson plays his caring sister.
The movie is filled with laughs and a lot of heart, mostly due to the charming lead performance from newcomer Gottsagen.
Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022) - 3.9
Though it is Johnson's newest project, Cha Cha Real Smooth is already one of her most acclaimed. Writer-director Cooper Raiff stars in the movie as a recently graduated young man who works as a party starter for bar mitzvahs. He then strikes up an unexpected relationship with a single mother (Johnson).
The movie was a big hit at the Sundance Film Festival and could become the indie hit of the year. Raiff's distinct voice has been praised as has Johnson's charming performance in a fun and entertaining romantic comedy.
The Social Network (2010) - 4.0
In her first major movie role, Johnson appeared in what many have called the best movie of the 21st century so far. The Social Network is the story of Mark Zuckerberg's ambitious journey to building the social media network Facebook and the enemies he made along the way. Johnson appears in one memorable scene as a college student who helps introduce Sean Parker (Justin Timberlake) to the website.
With the mix of Aaron Sorkin's excellent script and David Fincher's flawless direction, the movie is a modern masterpiece about greed and ambition. It remains a stunning achievement more than a decade later.