Joey Magidson
Meryl Streep is a stone cold legend. The most Academy Award nominated actor in history with twenty one citations, to go along with three Oscar wins, her versatility is unmatched. I’ll admit that I often like Streep performances more than Steep films, but even when the movies aren’t my cup of tea, I almost always see the greatness in her work. This week, she returns to her iconic role from The Devil Wears Prada in, you guessed it, The Devil Wears Prada 2. So, what better time is there to look at her career and highlight some of the best of the best?
A quick note. As of this publishing, I haven’t been able to see The Devil Wears Prada 2 yet, due to some conflicts with the press screenings. I’ll catch up with it eventually, but keep that in mind when looking at my list, as it does not include the sequel. It’s not a snub, just a necessary omission for the moment…
Below, you can see how Streep stacks up for me. Considering how I prefer her performances to her flicks, overall, it can lead to a list that goes in a slightly different direction. Now, her absolute best does include several of her nominations and most of her wins, though there’s one notable win missing. At the top, I have Kramer vs. Kramer, with Silkwood and Sophie’s Choice next in line. In my top ten, the inclusions of Defending Your Life and The Post might be higher than others would put them, but then again, that’s me. Your mileage may vary, especially once you’re able to factor in The Devil Wears Prada 2 after this weekend.
Here now is my ranking of the best work to date from Meryl Streep. Behold:
Honorable Mention: August: Osage County, Death Becomes Her, Don’t Look Up, Doubt, The French Lieutenant’s Woman, Into the Woods, Ironweed, Ricki and the Flash, The River Wild, and The Seduction of Joe Tynan
10. The Deer Hunter
9. Adaptation
8. The Post
7. Defending Your Life
6. The Devil Wears Prada
5. Postcards from the Edge
4. Manhattan
3. Sophie’s Choice
2. Silkwood
1. Kramer vs. Kramer
What are your favorite performances from Meryl Streep? Let us know!
It’s almost impossible to narrow down .
My honor mentions – Adaptation, The Post, Don’t Look Up , Defending Your Life, A Cry in the Dark, Into the Woods, The Deer Hunter, The French Lieutenant’s Woman
10. Postcards From the Edge
9 . Death Becomes Her
8. Kramer vs Kramer
7 The Devil Wears Prada
6. Julie and Julia
5. Silkwood
4. Sophie’s Choice
3. Doubt
2. The Hours
1. The Bridges of Madison County
Oh yes, a straight ten here would likely be impossible to pull off.