Jurassic World: Dominion marks Laura Dern's return to the dinosaur franchise after twenty-one years. Dern first played Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's beloved 1993 blockbuster Jurassic Park, skipped the sequel, and returned for a brief cameo in the last film of the original trilogy.
Dern was already a star when Jurassic Park premiered; in fact, she was already an Oscar nominee. Her career took a turn during the late 90s and early 2000s, but the 2010s provided her with many opportunities. Dern is currently at the top of her game, adding critically-acclaimed projects and blockbusters to her already diverse filmography.
Wild (2014) - 74
Reese Witherspoon stars in this adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's 2012 memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail. Directed by the late Jean-Marc Vallée, the film follows Strayed's backpacking trip on the trail in the summer of 1995 following a series of personal difficulties. Dern plays Strayed's mother in a cast that also includes Michiel Huisman and Gabby Hoffman.
Wild received positive reviews from critics, who praised the film's rawness, honesty, and faithfulness to the source material. Witherspoon and Dern received acclaim for their performances, eventually earning Oscar nominations at the 2015 ceremony.
99 Homes (2014) - 76
Dern co-starred opposite Academy Award nominees Andrew Garfield and Michael Shannon in Ramin Bahrani's 2014 drama 99 Homes. The story follows a young single father who agrees to help a businessman evict people from their homes in exchange for his own home.
99 Homes competed for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice Film Festival. Released in the fall of 2014, the film earned positive reviews from critics. 99 Homes ranks as one of Garfield's most acclaimed films, and his performance received positive notices, as did Shannon's and the script's wit and social commentary.
Blue Velvet (1986) - 76
The first of several pairings between Dern and acclaimed film director David Lynch, Blue Velvet also stars Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, and Dennis Hopper. The plot follows a young student who discovers a severed ear on a field and becomes involved in a mystery surrounding a troubled lounge singer.
Considered one of the best David Lynch films, Blue Velvet earned him his second Oscar nomination for Best Director. It remains influential today, with many critics and fans considering it a masterpiece of neo-noir cinema. Rossellini and Hopper's performances also remain lauded by modern critics.
Crazy, Not Insane (2020) - 78
Crazy, Not Insane is a 2020 documentary following Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis, a renowned psychiatrist and author who has served as an expert witness on several high-profile cases. Lewis specializes in Dissociative Identity Disorder and violent individuals and serves as a Psychiatry professor at Yale University.
Dern narrates the documentary, helmed by renowned documentarian and producer Alex Gibney -- the man behind the Oscar-winning Taxi to the Dark Side. Crazy, Not Insane received positive reviews upon its release at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival.
Certain Women (2016) - 82
Kelly Reichardt's Certain Women stars an ensemble cast that includes Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, and Lily Gladstone. The plot follows three women -- a lawyer, and housewife, and a law student -- struggling to thrive against the sexist backdrop of the American Northwest.
Certain Women received very positive reviews, with most critics praising Reichardt's writing and directing and the film's cast. Gladstone's performance received particular attention, making her the film's breakout. She will play a major role in Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, making her a strong candidate for an Oscar nomination in 2023.
Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017) - 84
Rian Johnson's Episode VIII continues the sequel's story by having Rey train under Luke Skywalker while developing an unwilling bond with Kylo Ren. The Last Jedi introduces several new characters, including Dern's Vice-Admiral Holdo, who, alongside Leia and Poe, tries to escape from a First Order attack while Finn and newcomer Rose Tico go on a secret mission to deactivate the First Order's tracking device.
The Last Jedi is perhaps the most divisive entry in the entire franchise. Critics praised its message and willingness to step outside the series' comfort zone, but some fans criticized the changes it made to the story. Dern's role was also a source of fan criticism, although critics reacted positively to her performance.
The Master (2012) - 86
Paul Thomas Anderson's 2012 psychological drama The Master follows Freddie Quell, a traumatized World War II veteran who joins a growing movement known as "The Cause," led by the charming Lancaster Dodd. In the film, which stars Joaquin Phoenix, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, Dern plays an acolyte of "The Cause," who begins to doubt Dodd's teachings.
The Master received near-universal critical acclaim. Major praise went to the Phoenix, Hoffman, and Adams' performances, resulting in Oscar nominations for all three. However, the film and Anderson failed to receive any recognition from the Academy.
The Tale (2018) - 90
The Tale is a 2018 HBO film about Jennifer Fox's childhood abuse at the hands of her horse-riding instructor, Mrs. G, and her lover, professional coach Bill Allens. Dern stars as the fictionalized version of Fox, alongside a cast that includes Elizabeth Debicki, Jason Ritter, Ellen Bursty, and Common.
Harrowing and thought-provoking, The Tale received acclaim from critics. Dern's performance attracted rave reviews and earned her Golden Globe and Emmy Awards nominations. The film's delicacy and maturity in treating such a complex subject matter also earned significant praise.
Little Women (2019) - 91
Greta Gerwig's modernized take on Louisa May Alcott's seminal novel Little Women stars Saoirse Ronan in yet another period piece, playing the headstrong and willful Jo March. Dern plays Marmie, the March matriarch, alongside an ensemble cast that includes Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Timothée Chalamet, and Eliza Scanlen.
Little Women received universal acclaim, with critics praising Gerwig's approach to the classic story. Ronan and Pugh's performances earned them nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress, and the film earned a Best Picture nomination.
Marriage Story (2019) - 94
Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story follows the deterioration of a young marriage, leading to their eventual divorce. The film stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson alongside an ensemble cast including Dern, the late Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda. Dern plays Johnasson's character's lawyer, the fierce Nora Fanshaw.
Marriage Story received universal acclaim from critics. Johansson and Driver earned Oscar nominations for their work, but Dern actually won, receiving the Supporting Actress trophy for her work and becoming the film's sole victory out of six nominations.