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Anna Kendrick's 10 best and 10 worst movies, according to critics

Anna Kendrick's 10 best and 10 worst movies, according to critics
Anna Kendrick starred in and directed Netflix's "Woman of the Hour."Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images
  • Anna Kendrick made her film debut in 2003's "Camp" and has appeared in dozens of films since.
  • Her directorial debut, "Woman of the Hour," was released on Netflix this month.

Anna Kendrick made her film debut in 2003's "Camp" over 20 years ago. Since then, she's appeared in not one, but two successful franchises — the "Pitch Perfect" trilogy made almost $590 million at the box office, while "The Twilight Saga" made a combined $3.37 billion — and she is set to star in another next year after the success of "A Simple Favor" in 2018.

Kendrick has also been nominated for an Academy Award, two Indie Spirit Awards, a Golden Globe, a Tony, and three Critics' Choice Awards across her career.

But not all of her movies have been critical darlings. We used Rotten Tomatoes to determine the best and worst movies in her filmography, according to critics' scores.

Here are the 10 worst and 10 best films Kendrick has appeared in.

First, the 10 worst films in her career.

First, the 10 worst films in her career.
Anna Kendrick.      Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Not every role can get you an Oscar nomination. Here are Kendrick's lowest-rated movies, according to critics' scores.

10. Mr. Right" (2016)

10. Mr. Right" (2016)
Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell in "Mr. Right."      Focus World

Rotten Tomatoes score: 45%

Kendrick stars as Martha, who becomes romantically involved with "Mr. Right," played by Sam Rockwell, a former CIA agent who now poses as a hit-man ... only to take out the people who hire him.

"Rockwell and Kendrick are great together, but the movie never quite marries the cute romance and the bloody killings. Most of the time the two leads appear to be on their own in a completely separate movie," wrote the Toronto Sun's Liz Braun.

9. "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" (2016)

9. "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates" (2016)
Zac Efron, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, and Adam Devine in "Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates."      20th Century Fox

Rotten Tomatoes score: 39%

When Mike and Dave, two brothers who constantly ruin family gatherings, put out an ad on Craigslist for wedding dates, Tatiana and Alice respond. The only issue? Tatiana and Alice aren't the respectable young women they're pretending to be; they're just scamming Mike and Dave for a free vacation in Hawaii.

Elena Lazic of Little White Lies compared watching the movie to "watching an interesting hot person waste time on his embarrassingly mediocre, unfunny friends."

8. "Pitch Perfect 3" (2017)

8. "Pitch Perfect 3" (2017)
Anna Kendrick in "Pitch Perfect 3."      Universal Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

The Barden Bellas reunite one final time for a USO tour since they've all graduated college and are hating their careers. Each faces their own struggles: Beca and her talent which could take her away from the Bellas, Fat Amy's estranged relationship with her crime-lord father, and Chloe's blossoming relationship with one of their guides on the tour, a soldier named Chicago.

"As a whole, 'Pitch Perfect 3' feels like an encore nobody asked for," Richard Roeper summarized for the Chicago Sun-Times.

8. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009)

8. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (2009)
Kristen Stewart and Anna Kendrick in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."      Summit Entertainment

Rotten Tomatoes score: 28%

Though Bella and Edward ended "Twilight" together, things quickly fall apart after Edward's brother Jasper attacks Bella at her birthday party. When Edward dumps Bella, she enters an almost catatonic state, but her friendship with Jacob, played by a newly jacked Taylor Lautner, brings her back to life.

Kendrick appears as one of Bella's friends, Jessica, who has the unpleasant task of trying to stop Bella from getting on a random man's motorcycle, as she tries to conjure a ghost of Edward. Yeesh.

"Two hours and 10 minutes of rambling, pointless drivel, where nothing of any real interest happens," wrote The Dispatch's Matthew Lucas.

6. "Table 19" (2017)

6. "Table 19" (2017)
Anna Kendrick in "Table 19."      Fox Searchlight Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

Kendrick plays Eloise, a wedding guest who was recently dumped by the best man via text after two years of dating. When she shows up, she's been moved to Table 19, a group of people who are only vaguely acquainted with the couple. The table bonds and hijinks ensue.

Time Out's Cath Clarke wrote, "The gags ought to have been put out of their misery and there's a deeply uncool unfeminist message."

6. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" (2011)

6. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1" (2011)
Michael Welch, Anna Kendrick, Christian Serratos, and Justin Chon in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1."      Summit Entertainment

Rotten Tomatoes score: 26%

The story of Bella and Edward continues as they get married in front of their friends and family (including Jessica). However, when Bella unexpectedly gets pregnant, Bella, Edward, and Jacob all disagree on how to handle the situation.

"So overall I found the whole experience to be fun because I love to be part of something, but the movie to be so-so ... Finally, the movie seemed loooooooooooong. It lasted forever and ever. It was the longest two hour movie ever," wrote Liz Rubin of AutoStraddle.

4. "Rapture-Palooza" (2013)

4. "Rapture-Palooza" (2013)
Anna Kendrick and John Francis Daley in "Rapture-Palooza."      Lionsgate

Rotten Tomatoes score: 24%

After the rapture occurs and leaves behind all the "bad" people like Lindsey (Kendrick) and her boyfriend Ben (John Francis Daley), an evil politician called the Beast, played by Craig Robinson, takes over the world. Lindsey and Ben try to stop him.

"'Rapture-Palooza' is a prime example of a movie that has great concept, but that struggles to stretch said concept into a feature-length motion picture," wrote The Last Thing I See's Brian McKnight.

3. "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (2012)

3. "What to Expect When You
Anna Kendrick and Chace Crawford in "What to Expect When You're Expecting."      Lionsgate

Rotten Tomatoes score: 23%

The film, based on the '80s pregnancy guide of the same name, follows five interconnected couples who are all dealing with the various experiences and struggles of getting and being pregnant. Kendrick plays Rosie, who gets unexpectedly pregnant after a one-night stand with a high school friend Marco, played by Chace Crawford.

"Someday Hollywood will think of women as more than fallopian tubes in heels; until then, we're stuck with this kind of project," wrote Mike McCahill of The Guardian.

2. "The Marc Pease Experience" (2009)

2. "The Marc Pease Experience" (2009)
Anna Kendrick in "The Marc Pease Experience."      Paramount Vantage

Rotten Tomatoes score: 18%

The film follows Marc Pease (Jason Schwartzman), a man in his mid-20s who is still traumatized by an incident of stage fright from high school, so he's never progressed past it. He is dating a high school senior, Meg (Kendrick). Ben Stiller stars as a teacher also involved with Meg.

"It's badly written and inertly directed, with actors who don't have a clue what drives their characters," wrote Roger Ebert for the Chicago Sun-Times.

1. "Get a Job" (2016)

1. "Get a Job" (2016)
Miles Teller and Anna Kendrick in "Get a Job."      Lionsgate Premiere

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

In "Get a Job," Kendrick plays Jill, the girlfriend of the main character Will, played by Miles Teller. The film follows Will and his friends on their quests to get jobs after college graduation.

"Crass and painfully unfunny satirical comedy shot four years ago. It's finally receiving a token theatrical release concurrent with being dumped into the video-on-demand sludge pile," wrote Lou Lumenick of the New York Post.

Now, for her best films.

Now, for her best films.
Anna Kendrick.      Matt Winkelmeyer/WireImage/Getty

Kendrick has appeared in some cult classics.

10. "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" (2010)

10. "Scott Pilgrim vs. The World" (2010)
Anna Kendrick in "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World."      Universal Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes score: 82%

The film is an adaptation of the beloved comic series of the same name. Michael Cera plays Scott Pilgrim, who develops feelings for a delivery person named Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but in order to date her, he must defeat her seven evil exes. Kendrick plays Scott's younger sister, Stacey.

"Full of fresh, sharp touches and nonchalantly brash performances, 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' consistently hits the sweet spot," wrote Tom Charity for CNN.

9. "Rocket Science" (2007)

9. "Rocket Science" (2007)
Anna Kendrick in "Rocket Science."      Picturehouse; HBO Films

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Ginny (Kendrick) recruits Hal (Reece Thompson), her fellow student, to join her as part of her debate pair; though Hal has a debilitating stutter. They bond, and Hal gains confidence as a result of his debate experience.

Debbie Lynn Elias of Behind the Lens wrote, "Humor, compassion, tenderness, forgiveness and friendship. The trials and tribulations of youth and of life told with heartfelt emotion and some well executed deadpan comedy. A little off-beat and a lot of fun."

9. "Drinking Buddies" (2013)

9. "Drinking Buddies" (2013)
Anna Kendrick and Ron Livingston in "Drinking Buddies."      Magnolia Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Kendrick, who teamed up with Johnson and Swanberg in "Digging for Fire," and with Swanberg for "Happy Christmas," plays Jill, the girlfriend of Johnson's character Luke. Luke and his best friend/coworker Kate (Olivia Wilde) are best friends, and seem like they should be together, but they both have significant others.

Nicholas Bell of IONCINEMA wrote, "Its strengths are in what it's not explicitly saying but quietly showing, something most films are unable to do."

9. "Alice, Darling" (2023)

9. "Alice, Darling" (2023)
Wunmi Mosaku, Anna Kendrick, and Kaniehtiio Horn in "Alice, Darling."      Lionsgate

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Kendrick stars as the titular Alice in "Alice, Darling" as a young woman who is in an abusive relationship. When she goes on a weekend trip with her two best friends, it becomes harder to hide the true nature of her relationship from them.

"It's a believable portrayal of the impact of gaslighting and brainwashing: Alice's conviction that she's at fault will resonate with many audiences," wrote Time Out's Anna Smith.

9. "A Simple Favor" (2018)

9. "A Simple Favor" (2018)
Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in "A Simple Favor."      Lionsgate Movies

Rotten Tomatoes score: 84%

Darcy (Kendrick) is a young widow with a secret about her husband's death, as well as her relationship with her brother. She befriends Emily (Blake Lively), a glamorous fellow mom at her son's elementary school with secrets of her own. When Emily goes missing, Darcy throws herself into the search while blogging about her experiences.

"Kendrick and Lively have never been funnier, snapping one-liners at each other like elastic bands; the script is hyper-alert to the undercurrent of competitiveness between stay-at-home and working mums," wrote The Guardian's Cath Clarke.

5. "End of Watch" (2012)

5. "End of Watch" (2012)
Jake Gyllenhaal and Anna Kendrick in "End of Watch."      Open Road Films

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

The film centers on the friendship between Brian Taylor (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Mike Zavala (Michael Peña), who are partners in the LAPD. It follows their interactions with a drug cartel, gangs, and corruption. Kendrick plays Janet, Brian's girlfriend and eventual wife.

"[Director David] Ayer and his cast appear to have so convincingly nailed the way these characters talk and act that you might not even notice the film slipping from workaday grit into out-and-out myth," wrote Bilge Ebiri of Vulture.

4. "ParaNorman" (2012)

4. "ParaNorman" (2012)
Anna Kendrick in "ParaNorman."      Focus Features

Rotten Tomatoes score: 89%

Norman is an 11-year-old boy living in the town of Blithe Hollow, Massachusetts. He discovers he has the ability to speak with the dead, though no one believes him, and he is ostracized from most of his classmates. When his eccentric uncle makes him promise to perform a ritual in order to keep the town safe, all hell breaks loose.

Kendrick plays Courtney, Norman's older sister.

"Tweens, rather than children, will savor its snarky bite, although like the shambling on-screen cadavers, the story needed a bit more meat on its bones," wrote The Daily Telegraph's Robbie Collin.

3. "Up in the Air" (2009)

3. "Up in the Air" (2009)
Anna Kendrick and George Clooney in "Up in the Air."      Paramount Pictures

Rotten Tomatoes score: 90%

Danny, played by George Clooney, is a human-resources consultant who travels from company to company helping with "termination assistance." He travels almost constantly; his main goal throughout the film is to earn 10 million frequent flyer miles.

Kendrick plays Natalie, who comes to the consulting firm to advocate for turning firing into a video conference call, instead of an in-person meeting. Danny convinces Natalie to travel with him as he performs his job to save the traveling aspect of his career, and the two bond.

To date, this is Kendrick's lone Oscar nomination.

Micheal Compton of the Bowling Green Daily News wrote, "Jason Reitman raises the bar with a beautifully crafted film that is smart, topical, funny and just a little bittersweet. It's a perfect mix for a film that proves to be the very best of 2009."

2. "Woman of the Hour" (2024)

2. "Woman of the Hour" (2024)
Tony Hale and Anna Kendrick in "Woman of the Hour."      Netflix

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

In addition to starring in "Woman of the Hour," Kendrick also makes her directorial debut with the Netflix film. It tells the true story of the serial killer Rodney Alcala, who appeared on a 1978 episode of "The Dating Game" in the middle of his killing spree. Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, a contestant on Alcala's episode.

"This is an accomplished directorial debut, a movie made with smarts and vision," wrote Robert Levin of Newsday.

1."50/50" (2011)

1."50/50" (2011)
Anna Kendrick and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in "50/50."      Summit Entertainment

Rotten Tomatoes score: 93%

In "50/50," Joseph Gordon Levitt and Seth Rogen co-star as best friends Adam and Kyle. Adam finds out he has a form of bone cancer that has a 50/50 rate of survival, and the story follows Adam's journey through chemo, a support group, and therapy, which involves his therapist, Katherine (Kendrick).

"Director Jonathan Levine manages to treat cancer with the respect it deserves whilst also showing the remarkable ability of humans to find laughter in the most heinous of circumstances," wrote The List's Kaleem Aftab.


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