Every single Saoirse Ronan movie, ranked

Rotten Tomatoes score: 9%

Synopsis: In the midst of the early 2010s' YA dystopian heyday, Ronan took on the dual roles of teenager Melanie and the parasitic alien that takes over her body in an adaptation of "Twilight" author Stephanie Meyer's "The Host."

But the novel's melodramatic inner conflict between its leads translated to a limp, underwhelming sci-fi story.

"Though not exactly in the way it intends, 'The Host' gives us a world of posed mannequins of humans trying and failing to act like humans," Noah Berlatsky wrote for The Atlantic.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 13%

Synopsis: In the maligned Spanish animated fantasy movie, "Justin and the Knights of Valour," the actress played a feisty barmaid named Talia in her only voice-over role to date.

"This disappointing CG animation fails to capture the sense of fairytale wonder that its narrative requires," wrote Mark Kermode for The Observer.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 22%

Synopsis: Ronan starred alongside "Gilmore Girls" star Alexis Bledel in the 2011 crime dramedy "Violet & Daisy," which follows its titular teenage assassins as they get in over their heads during a job.

The movie was criticized by reviewers for its preciousness and over-done allusions to the "Kill Bill" franchise.

"The film's subtle visual allure is all but stamped out by the impression that the director tries too hard to be an idiosyncratic auteur in the vein of Quentin Tarantino," said Stephanie Merry for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 27%

Synopsis: In "Stockholm, Pennsylvania" the actress' character returns to family and attempts to adjust to normalcy after being kidnapped 17 years earlier.

Originally written as a theater piece, critical consensus agreed that the contained drama was less suited to a movie format.

"Strong performances from Saoirse Ronan and Cynthia Nixon keep 'Stockholm, Pennsylvania' intense and absorbing, but Nicole Beckwith's initial impulse to tell her confinement story as a stage play feels as if it might have been a sounder choice," wrote David Rooney for The Hollywood Reporter.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 31%

Synopsis: In Gosling's directorial debut, "Lost River," a single mother (Christina Hendricks) becomes lost in an underworld as her teenage son (Iain De Caestecker) discovers a secret underwater town. Ronan plays Rat, the boy's neighbor and friend.

While "Lost River" was acknowledged for its stylish aesthetics, the bizarre noir was panned for its haphazard storytelling.

"The film proves that Gosling has refined taste in movies, and that he's a quick study, but not that he has much to say as an artist," wrote The AV Club critic A.A. Dowd.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 32%

Synopsis: "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson adapted Alice Sebold's novel of the same name about a teenage girl (Ronan) who, after being murdered by a neighbor (Stanley Tucci), watches from her personal heaven as her loved ones struggle to make sense of her death.

The movie was criticized for sanitizing the book's darker themes in favor of maudlin, fantastical special effects that dulled the heaviness of the subject matter.

"In Jackson's simplified, sweetened, and CGI-besotted telling, 'The Lovely Bones' is a sad-but-hopeful, dramatic-but-gentle fairy tale intentionally made less upsetting for teens," said Entertainment Weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 42%

Synopsis: "Death Defying Acts" concocts a fictional romance between famous illusionist Harry Houdini (Guy Pearce) and impoverished Scottish con artist Mary McGarvie (Catherine Zeta-Jones).

Ronan played Mary's daughter Benji, who aids her in her petty crimes. The movie received poor reviews for its dull plot, and unconvincing performances by its lead actors.

"The movie is over-schematic, slow-moving and over-furnished," wrote The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw. "It never seems to come alive with any believable interplay of characters; the movie locks itself into a watertight tank of a premise, and the handcuffs won't come off."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 53%

Synopsis: In the futuristic "City of Ember," a generator has kept the underground city of Ember going for 200 years, after Earth's surface supposedly became uninhabitable. But as the generator begins to go out and Ember's livelihood is threatened, two children (Ronan and Harry Treadaway) attempt to uncover the truth about Ember and the world above them.

While forgettable, "City of Ember" was regarded as a visually imaginative, engaging sci-fi adventure for kids.

"An ending that doesn't deliver a punch or a surprise notwithstanding, 'City of Ember' is still good enough to turn on a new generation of sci-fi fans on to the glories of movie dystopias, films that warn us of how things might turn out if we don't change our ways," wrote Roger Moore for The Orlando Sentinel.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 62%

Synopsis: Before Ronan and Margot Robbie were both nominated at this year's Oscars, the pair played cousins and royals in 2018's "Mary Queen of Scots," an embellished account of the historical rivalry between the two figures.

The uneven political thriller failed to impress most reviewers in spite of its decorated Hollywood leads.

"It reduces two of the most consequential women in British history to their enmity, even though they both had many other accomplishments to their names," said The Atlantic critic David Sims. "This movie is little more than a vibrant-looking tableau, a two-dimensional take on an intricate piece of history."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 64%

Synopsis: Ronan starred alongside Paul Rudd and Michelle Pfeiffer in the romantic comedy "I Could Never Be Your Woman." As the story progresses, she and her mother (Pfeiffer) begin to fall in love at the same time.

"Considering the talent involved ... 'I Could Never Be Your Woman' could contend for the most high-profile motion picture yet to take the direct-to-DVD route," wrote James Berardinelli for Reel Views.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

Synopsis: In another dystopian young adult turn, the actress starred in "How I Live Now," which follows an American teen (Ronan) who moves in with her English relatives and finds love as a war breaks out around them.

For many critics, "How I Live Now" primarily served as a reflection of the actress' transition from child roles into more adult leading roles.

"Kevin Macdonald's uneven near-futuristic love story may slake YA thirst ... but its interest lies chiefly in the stretch it represents for its teenaged star," wrote Ann Hornaday for The Washington Post. "'How I Live Now' is a showcase for Ronan to prove that she's capable of more than pristine, angelic roles."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 66%

Synopsis: Yes, Saoirse Ronan was in a vampire movie! In 2013's stylish "Byzantium," she and Gemma Arterton played British mother and daughter vampires hiding from their peers in a rundown coastal resort.

"Female-forward and class-conscious, allegorical and adventurous, 'Byzantium' is almost the anti-Batman," wrote The Globe and Mail critic Sarah Nicole Priockett.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 67%

Synopsis: Based on renowned Russian writer Anton Chekhov's play of the same name, "The Seagull" takes place at a lavish country estate, as a family gather there and contend with a series of unrequited love affairs.

The actress is one prong of a love triangle between her character, the innocent Nina, her lover Boris (Corey Stoll), and his other lover Irina (Annette Bening).

Regarded as a less memorable Chekhov adaptation, "The Seagull" remains afloat thanks to its high-profile cast.

"Ronan is as charming as ever, fitting the role of Nina perfectly," wrote Romy Somerset for Little White Lies. "But despite some powerful performances and a good script, the film fails to connect. The scenery, cinematography and elaborate period costumes actually distract from the words, thus dulling their overall impact."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 68%

Synopsis: Ronan was one-half of a repressed British couple in "On Chesil Beach," which centers on two newlyweds (her and Billy Howle), who spend their honeymoon terrified by losing their virginity to one another.

Their senses of failure around sex have long-lasting questions for both of them in the melodrama, which critics found well-acted if uneven.

"['On Chesil Beach' is] the kind of movie whose quiet power you can't help but appreciate, even as you know you'll probably never want to sit through it again," wrote Entertainment Weekly critic Leah Greenblatt.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 71%

Synopsis: In the revenge thriller "Hanna," the titular protagonist (Ronan) has been raised by her father (Eric Bana) since birth to be a perfect assassin. But when a CIA agent (Cate Blanchett) attempts to eliminate the two, she escapes the wilderness in which she was raised and learns dark secrets about her family origins.

"Hanna" received strong reviews for its unique, expertly choreographed take on the revenge thriller genre, and for its lead actress's magnetic performance.

"What keeps us hooked is Ronan, a young actress of seemingly limitless abilities, and the tension she creates between Hanna's inhumanly agile body and quizzical eyes, which turn cold only when she pulls the trigger," said David Edelstein for Vulture.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 72%

Synopsis: Set in the 1840s on the southern coast of England, "Ammonite" tells the story of real-life acclaimed paleontologist Mary Anning (Winslet). Low on money and desperate to support her ailing mother, Anning agrees to take in a young woman, Charlotte (Ronan), who's recovering from depression.

The two women grow closer, and after Charlotte becomes sick, their friendship blossoms into a passionate love affair.

While the film has yet to receive a wide theatrical release in the U.S., it already has 43 critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 11, 2020.

"'Ammonite' is a passionate love story nourished by the salty sea air and the blissful absence of men; it's also a sharp reflection on how the artistic, scientific and intellectual contributions of women have been systematically written out of history," LA Times critic Justin Chang wrote in his review of the film.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 74%

Synopsis: The 2010 drama "The Way Back" tells the story of a group of former Soviet Union labor camp prisoners, who attempt to find shelter by walking through the Siberian wilderness to shelter. Ronan starred alongside lead actors Ed Harris and Colin Farrell.

Offering a new perspective on a historical struggle that hasn't often been brought to screen, "The Way Back" succeeded critically thanks to its strong performances and beautiful visuals of the natural world.

"Well-acted and artfully (though conventionally) made, 'The Way Back' tells a compelling story, regardless of whether it's based on truth or a fabrication," wrote The AV Club critic Nathan Rabin.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 80%

Synopsis: The actress had a small cameo as a ballerina in 2014's "Muppets Most Wanted," which follows The Muppets as they embark on a European tour and accidentally become involved in a Kermit look-alike's scheme to steal precious jewels.

"'Most Wanted' is easily the best Muppet film since the first 'Muppet Movie' way, way back in 1979," wrote Little White Lies critic Adam Lee Davies. "It's certainly the most fun you would ever hope to have in a darkened room full of children."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 83%

Synopsis: At only 13, Ronan received her first Oscar nomination (best performance by an actress in a supporting role) for her role in "Atonement."

Based on the beloved novel of the same name, the 20th century English drama centers around the interconnected lives of two lovers (Keira Knightley's Cecilia and James McAvoy's Robbie), who are separated because of a lie told by Cecilia's jealous younger sister Briony (Ronan).

"In the almost spookily capable hands of 35-year-old director Joe Wright, the film version of 'Atonement' has achieved that to which every literary adaptation should aspire, to respect the original material while freeing it from confining reverence," wrote Ann Hornaday for The Washington Post.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 85%

Synopsis: "Loving Vincent" tells the story of a young man (Douglas Booth) who delivers Vincent Van Gogh's last letter to his home village and investigates the painter's final days. Notably, it's the world's first fully painted feature film.

Ronan appears as local villager Marguerite Gachet, who is the daughter of Van Gogh's former doctor.

"'Loving Vincent' may exist as a showcase for its technique, but it's the sensitivity the film shows toward its subject that ultimately distinguishes this particular oeuvre from the countless bad copies that already litter the world's flea markets," wrote Variety critic Peter Debruge. "To the extent that Van Gogh's style permitted him to capture a deeper sense of truth, he makes a noble model for the filmmakers to follow."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%

Synopsis: Wes Anderson's 2014 crime dramedy "The Grand Budapest Hotel" revolves around the escapades of a well-known concierge at a famous European hotel between the first and second World Wars.

Ronan is among the movie's massive ensemble cast, appearing as a baker named Agatha.

"Director Wes Anderson's films are so artistically exquisite that they should be framed and mounted. And this effort — primarily set in a quaint European town in the fictional Republic of Zubrowskain the 1930s — may be his most astounding," wrote US Weekly critic Mara Reinstein.

Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%

Synopsis: The actress reunited with "Lady Bird" director Greta Gerwig for her inventive adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel "Little Women." The story follows four sisters as they come of age during the Civil War.

She played the iconic role of protagonist and headstrong writer Jo March (an avatar for Alcott), and received an Oscar nomination for best performance by an actress in a leading role.

"Ronan's impressive career seemed to reach a new high as Gerwig's stand-in in 'Lady Bird,' and she's once again brimming with intelligence and determination as another author's avatar in Jo," said Thrillist critic Esther Zuckerman. "['Little Women'] somehow acts as both a reappraisal and slight reinvention of Alcott's work while remaining a gorgeous tribute to it."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 97%

Synopsis: Four years before "Little Women," the actress got her first leading actress Oscar nomination for "Brooklyn," in which she portrayed a young Irish woman caught between her native home and the 1950s Brooklyn to which she has recently immigrated.

"Saoirse Ronan's expressive face carries this tender romance across the Atlantic, from small-minded Enniscorthy in Ireland to big-hearted New York," said The Sunday Times critic Kate Muir. "She has repeatedly shown an astonishing ability to switch instantly between seeming very young and unformed and absolutely adult and steely."

Rotten Tomatoes score: 99%

Synopsis: In Gerwig's solo directorial debut "Lady Bird," Ronan played the movie's titular 17-year-old protagonist. Over the course of her last year of high school, Lady Bird brashly contends with her impending adult inspirations and complicated relationship with her equally strong-willed mother.

The actress earned her third Oscar nomination for a performance that BBC critic Caryn James said was "totally in sync with the quirky-yet-common mix of qualities typical of Gerwig."

The Village Voice critic Lara Zarum lauded the movie as "a heartfelt coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the bittersweet transition from adolescence to dawning adulthood," adding that, "Gerwig's directorial debut is a joy from start to finish, a warm, generous snapshot of teenage vulnerability and exuberance."