Greta Gerwig made a name for herself in indie cinema by carving out a niche as the queen of mumblecore. Thanks to Lady Bird, her Oscar-nominated 2017 directorial debut film, as well as her 2019 adaptation of Little Women, Gerwig has also become known for her work as a director. She hasn't given up acting, though, and fans are glad to see Gerwig returning to her roots with a starring role in Noah Baumbach's upcoming drama, White Noise.
Gerwig's creative partnership with Baumbach started with 2010's Greenberg. The two have worked together on four other films, including White Noise. She's also had acting roles in acclaimed dramas like Jackie and 20th Century Women. But when ranking Gerwig's top 10 films as an actress, will mumblecore or drama reign supreme?
Damsels in Distress (2011) - 3.13
Gerwig stars alongside Adam Brody and Analeigh Tipton in Whit Stillman's Damsels in Distress. The comedy centers around the students of an East Coast university who try to revolutionize life on campus.
Gerwig's Violet Wister is a natural-born leader, and her clique tries to boost student morale by promoting good hygiene and creativity. When Tipton's Lily transfers, she's taken in by the clique and fits right in. Gerwig shoulders a lot of the film, and her natural charm shines through in each scene.
The Dish & The Spoon (2011) - 3.16
Filmmaker Alison Bagnall specializes in narrative storytelling, and 2012's The Dish & The Spoon is possibly her most popular film. Gerwig plays Rose, a woman who leaves her unfaithful husband and stumbles upon Olly Alexander's Boy in a beachside town in Delaware.
Through a series of brief moments masterfully crafted by Bagnall, the two go on adventures and learn new skills in the film's many vignettes. During their brief time together, Rose and Boy explore the happiness that eludes them in reality, and The Dish and the Spoon becomes a wonderful exploration of how people learn to cope with their emotional reliance on others.
Eden (2014) - 3.39
Mia Hansen-Løve's French drama Eden centers around the underground DJ collective started by a group of friends in 1990s Paris. Paul and his friend Stan form a DJ duo and soon fall under the spell of the city's nightlife.
The friends dive headfirst into a partying and drug-fueled lifestyle as they witness the rise of electronic music. Gerwig has a brief appearance as the supporting character Julia, a married woman and one of Paul's romantic entanglements.
Yeast (2008) - 3.41
Yeast's Gen is one of Gerwig's most unlikeable characters. An unbearable and casually cruel friend, Gen is first introduced to viewers by yelling out of a car window at director and co-star Mary Bronstein's Rachel. The two go off on a tense camping trip upstate and the rift between the two only grows wider in the wilderness.
Yeast is Bronstein's only feature film and she uses it to turn the mumblecore genre on its head. Downright mean, the girls and the friendship at the center of Yeast are used to explore the toxicities and passive-aggressive nature found in some female friendships but rarely depicted on screen.
The House of the Devil (2009) -3.46
The only horror film on this list, Ti West's 1980s-set The House of the Devil follows Samantha Hughes, a college student whose babysitting gig during an eclipse turns spooky. Jocelin Donahue's Samantha slowly realizes the family she's working for is hiding a terrifying secret.
In the mumblegore film, Gerwig plays Samantha's best friend Megan who meets a gruesome end. The House of the Devil pays tribute to many horror films from the 1980s and centers around the decade's intense Satanic panic. Much like Gerwig, West has also acted in the films of Joe Swanberg, one of mumblecore's leading filmmakers.
Jackie (2016) - 3.52
In Pablo Larraín's Jackie, Gerwig plays White House Social Secretary Nancy Tuckerman. The drama follows Jacqueline Kennedy during her time as First Lady and the first few days following the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy, in the 1960s. Much like Larraín's Spencer, the Natalie Portman-helmed Jackie received critical acclaim and three Academy Award nominations.
Both films explore the hardship two iconic public figures faced during some of the saddest moments in their lives. As Nancy, Jackie's childhood friend and unwavering confidante, Gerwig retains an air of the earnestness and humanity she possesses in real life and brings the tight-lipped woman to life.
Mistress America (2015) - 3.62
Gerwig co-wrote the 2015 comedy Mistress America with her longtime romantic and creative partner, Noah Baumbach. She also stars in the film as Brooke, the spontaneous and enthralling future stepsister of Lola Kirke's Tracy. When the college freshman has trouble figuring out her life at Barnard, she connects with Brooke to find some guidance.
The two form a sweet bond, their realistic adventures throughout New York City becoming the film's heart. Mistress America is one of her best collaborations with Baumbach and features one of her best film roles. Gerwig always knows how to write a captivating female character, and Brooke is just one of many.
Isle of Dogs (2018) - 3.90
Gerwig's first foray into animation, she voices Tracy Walker in Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs. Due to an outbreak of canine flu, all dogs are banished to the titular island in Japan. The arrival of a 12-year-old boy looking for his beloved pet marks the start of an epic journey for the island's downtrodden dogs.
Tracy Walker is an American exchange student from Ohio who becomes a member of a pro-dog activist group during her time in Japan. Suspecting a conspiracy surrounding the canine flu, Tracy starts to snoop and later proves her theory. Isle of Dogs marks Anderson's second stop-motion animated feature and received 2 Academy Award nominations.
Frances Ha (2012) - 3.95
Like Mistress America, Gerwig co-wrote the coming-of-age-in-your-20s dramedy Frances Ha with Noah Baumbach. Possibly her most notable role, she plays struggling dancer Frances Halladay who tries to make ends meet as she navigates life in New York City. Frances' life is uprooted after her best friend Sophie announces her plan to move to her dream neighborhood in Tribeca, forcing her to move in with other friends.
Over the course of the film, Frances and Sophie clash over differing ideals and life paths. Frances seems to worry that the maturing Sophie is leaving her behind, while Sophie finds Frances less serious and more childish. The two eventually repair their friendship and Frances finds her maturity and independence by the film's end.
20th Century Women (2016) - 3.97
Mike Mills' 1970s-set drama 20th Century Women has become a sleeper hit amongst fans of the film's main cast. Gerwig stars alongside Elle Fanning and Annette Bening as one of two women enlisted by Bening's single-mother Dorothea to help raise her young son, Jamie. The indie coming-of-age movie is also partially based on Mills' childhood and he draws from his own experiences to create a realistic and tender film.
Gerwig plays Abbie, a punk artist who's boarding a room from Dorothea and battling cervical cancer. Mills based the character on his own sister and Gerwig feels at home playing the creative, caring character with a big sister mentality. A beautiful film, 20th Century Women is the crowning jewel of Gerwig's acting resume.