With two widely-released movies in 2022, The Outfit and Not Okay, Zoey Deutch continues to propel herself into Hollywood stardom. The daughter of Back to the Future actress Lea Thompson and frequent John Hughes collaborator Howard Deutch, she has worked on a variety of movies cementing herself as a talented leading lady such as in Not Okay released in late summer 2022, adding producer to her resume alongside Dylan O'Brien.
While her first role was on The Suite Life on Deck, her versatile performances since have made her a growing star. From working with acclaimed director Richard Linklater to leading one of Netflix's most popular romantic comedies, Zoey Deutch's performances have been well-received by fans and critics alike while the movies themselves do moderate to well for the most part.
Vincent N' Roxxy (2016) - 44%
Stream On Peacock
Starring alongside Zoë Kravitz and Kid Cudi, Zoey Deutch plays Kate in the crime thriller Vincent N' Roxxy about rebellious city girl Roxxy who meets rural loner Vincent after being pursued by a drug dealer. As soon as the two start to gain feelings for each other, they realize that they are being pursued by violent and revenge-seeking criminals and must escape if they want to live.
In one of her first movie roles, Deutch plays a supporting role and while the script was criticized for being underdeveloped and overly convoluted by several audiences, the performances were well-received, particularly Kravitz's. Its underwhelming tone makes it one of Deutch's worst-reviewed movies.
Flower (2017) - 50%
Stream on Hulu and Tubi
In one of her first leading roles, Deutch stars as rebellious 17-year-old Erica in the dramedy Flower, who feels her homelife changed when the son of her mom's boyfriend, Luke, played by the late Joey Morgan, comes to live with them. After she discovers a teacher hurt Luke, she and her friends make it their mission to expose his secret and bring him down.
The movie starred Adam Scott and Kathryn Hahn and was released to mixed reviews. While the writing was criticized, particularly the way the characters were written, Deutch and Morgan were praised for their performances and ability to make their characters stand out. It was one of the first opportunities for Deutch to showcase her ability to be a leading lady.
Before I Fall (2017) - 64%
Stream on Hulu and Showtime
Based on the best-selling book, Before I Fall takes a new adaptation of the time-loop-day storyline by following Samantha, played by Deutch, a mean girl who must relive the last day of her life and figure out what she needs to do in order to survive. As the movie goes along, she starts to reflect on the person she is and the people she hurt.
Deutch's performance received notable praise from critics and audiences alike, with Deutch receiving a Teen Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in the Drama category. Deutch brought an endearing and raw performance to the movie that made audiences leave movie theaters with tears in their eyes.
The Year of Spectacular Men (2017) - 65%
Stream on Tubi and Amazon Prime
Zoey Deutch had the chance to work with her entire family in The Year of Spectacular Men. In her mother, Lea Thompson's, directorial debut, Deutch co-starred with her sister who also wrote the script. Deutch plays Izzy who graduated from college and deals with the tumultuous post-graduate experience as well as the various men that come into her life with her sister and mother supporting her.
Thompson was praised as director and for her performance as Izzy's mom. The Deutch sisters also received raving reviews for their strong and profound performances and visible chemistry between all three of them. Audiences felt that the concept of a quarter-life crisis was well-done with its nuanced takes on the expectations people have for young adults.
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) - 69%
Stream On FXNow
One of Deutch's most profitable movies at the box office, Deutch joined one of the most successful horror comedies in the sequel Zombieland: Double Tap as Madison whose close relationship with Jesse Eisenberg's character Columbus makes Emma Stone's Wichita jealous. As the original group continues to deal with zombies, new characters and new hijinks force the characters to come up with new ways to survive.
Her performance as an aloof blonde made her one of the more hilarious additions to the sequel. Critics believed that while the movie did not feel as strong as the original, additions like Deutch's character felt new and strengthened the overall story. With the return of the original cast and its ability to hone in on the enjoyable spirit of the original, it became a massive hit for critics and fans alike.
Not Okay (2022) - 77%
Stream on Hulu
Zoey Deutch's most recent release, Not Okay is a satirical comedy that centers on Danni Sanders, an aspiring influencer who lies about being on a trip to France when a terrorist attack reaches exactly where she claimed to be. With fans believing that she survived, Sanders must now find a way to resolve the issue caused by her lies.
A satire on the modern age of the internet influencer, Deutch's performance is receiving rave reviews for her ability to make a dislikable character a profound and relatable one that captures the overall message of the story. While critics believe stronger writing would have benefited the movie, wider audiences agree that it believably captures the internet culture in a non-antagonizing and unredeemable way.
Buffaloed (2019) - 80%
Stream on Hulu
Comedy-drama Buffaloed and one of Hulu's hidden gems focuses on Peg Dahl, played by Zoey Deutch, whose dreams of escaping her hometown in Buffalo are lost when she gets herself in trouble and is inundated by massive debt. She then makes the most of her situation and attempts to become a debt collector herself to rescue herself from her situation.
A commentary on the difficulty of late capitalism and accumulating wealth, Deutch's performance received immense praise and emphasized to audiences that she was ready to take the world by storm. Critics believed that the story worked because Deutch was able to carry the story with her performances and kept audiences invested in the story.
The Outfit (2022) - 85%
Stream on Peacock
In the first of Deutch's two releases in 2022 also starring Dylan O'Brien, Zoey Deutch plays Mabel, the receptionist, of a tailor shop in 1956 Chicago that serve primarily underground criminals in The Outfit. English cutter Leonard Burling played by Mark Rylance becomes the target of rival gangsters and must fight to survive the violence that ensues.
Despite not being a box-office success, the movie received stellar reviews for its story and its performances, particularly that of Leonard Burling. Audiences felt that the well-done production design broke the mold of previously stagnantly-made crime thrillers that had plagued the genre.
Everybody Wants Some!! (2016) - 87%
Rent On Vudu
Working with highly-revered director Richard Linklater of Boyhood and Before Sunrise fame, Everybody Wants Some!! centers on a group of college baseball players in the 1980s in this coming-of-age sports comedy. The movie takes place during the few days before classes begin after moving in and the various situations that they find themselves in being on their own for the first time.
The movie was well-reviewed for its intentional and well-done soundtrack as well as intriguing storyline led by captivating ensemble performances by stars like Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell, who recently starred in the successful 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick. It fits into Linklater's characteristically life-like writing that features a character-driven storyline rather than plot-driven.
Set It Up (2018) - 92%
Stream on Netflix
The top of the list reunites Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch in the Netflix romantic comedy Set It Up as two assistants who work together to get their overly demanding bosses to fall in love with each other so that they can loosen up on them. In the process, the two start to spend more time with each other and eventually fall in love.
Audiences felt that Powell and Deutch's chemistry was evident and felt that the movie succeeded in providing a fresh and modern take on the traditional hit genre. The leads' likable performances resulted in many fans calling for a sequel. As a result, director Claire Scanlon has openly stated her interest in a sequel.