The 10 Greatest Amanda Seyfried Movies, Ranked According to IMDb
One of the most intriguing career journeys in Hollywood comes from Amanda Seyfried. Proving she is a versatile actress, the star has gone from playing the incredibly dim Karen Smith in Mean Girls to earning Oscar buzz with the titular role in The Testament of Ann Lee. With dramas, comedies, and musicals in between, Seyfried’s career has showcased every asset of her talents.
While many fans of the actress have specific films they adore her in—cough, cough, Mamma Mia!—the numbers on IMDb don’t necessarily reflect them as her best in her vast body of work. It’s time to explore Seyfried’s best films, according to IMDb ratings. From leading lady to supporting player, these films are what IMDb users consider the best of the best.
10
‘In Time’ (2011)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
The guy from *NSYNC and the girl from Mean Girls collaborated on a sci-fi action film that also featured Cillian Murphy and Olivia Wilde. Stranger things have happened, so, let’s discuss In Time. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol, the film brings audiences into a world where the inhabitants of a society use time from their lifespans as currency, with each individual wearing a clock on their arm that monitors their remaining lifespan. Forced to earn more time to survive, Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) gains a century of time, becomes a fugitive, and teams up with wealthy heiress Sylvia Weis (Seyfried) to fight the system that hoards time for the elite. An intriguing and promising premise, In Time is a sexy thriller that undercuts class warfare.
Timberlake and Seyfried, who appear in their second film together after one that will later appear on this list, have decent chemistry but are bogged down by the science fiction. That said, In Time serves as a jumping-off point in her career, proving that she is on the path toward leading lady status, no longer a secondary or supporting actress. Perhaps the most fascinating element of her performance is seeing her play wearing that intrusive ginger bob.
9
‘Nine Lives’ (2005)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
In Rodrigo Garcia‘s 2005 drama Nine Lives, he tells nine short, loosely intertwined tales about nine women at the center of the story. With themes ranging from parent-child relationships, fractured love, adultery, illness, and death, the overlapping vignettes are an example of hyperlink cinema. The film has a sweeping ensemble cast that, in addition to Seyfried, includes Sissy Spacek, Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, LisaGay Hamilton, Robin Wright, Dakota Fanning, and many others. Though some have questioned the film’s overall script, it’s the concept and the cast that are the draw of Nine Lives.
Seyfried plays Samantha, one of the nine featured women. In her story, teenage Samantha is torn between her feuding parents, Ruth (Spacek) and Larry (Ian McShane), both of whom question everything the other says. Having to navigate a difficult situation, Seyfried embodies an experience many teenagers have to face. There is a complexity to the character who is forced into the middle, having to grow up faster than she planned on.
8
‘The Testament of Ann Lee’ (2025)
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Having made its debut at the Venice Film Festival in September, The Testament of Ann Lee has garnered significant attention for its story and performances. Directed by Mona Fastvold, with a script by Fastvold and Brady Corbet, The Testament of Ann Lee tells the story of Ann Lee (Seyfried), the founding leader of the Shakers religious sect in the 18th century. Exploring her journey from persecution in England to leading her followers in America to build a utopian society based on gender equality, communal living, and ecstatic devotion, the film uses Shaker hymns as a storytelling device to elevate its exploration of religious fervor, exile, and the creation of a new world.
Rather than being a straightforward work, the historical drama is infused with musical elements, blending expressive, choreographed numbers that represent period dances based on Shaker spirituals. Thus far, before the wider release, critics have called Seyfried’s performance “divine” and the role she was “born to play.” Taking on the fragile spirit, Seyfried has seemingly found herself in contention for potential award gold with Oscar talk surrounding her. When audiences get to see the film, perhaps they too will agree with the critics’ assessment.
7
‘Mank’ (2020)
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
If you love cinema, then you will love Mank. The biopic from David Fincher puts Gary Oldman in the titular role as screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz. The film follows Mank as he writes the script for Citizen Kane for Orson Welles (Tom Burke), flashing back to his tumultuous Hollywood career and disillusionment with studio power, particularly involving William Randolph Hearst (Charles Dance) and a political campaign, revealing the complex, often messy origins of that iconic film and the era’s corruption. Though Fincher takes some bold artistic liberties, Mank is a dazzling film thanks to the brilliant direction and the cast’s performances.
Filmed in black and white as an homage to the films of yore, the script was based on one written by Fincher’s late father, Jack Fincher. The film earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including one for Seyfried, her one and only nomination. Playing the role of Marion Davies, Seyfried was praised for her performance, shining as the starlet. Playing the woman who may not have inspired a key character in Citizen Kane, one that destroyed her career, Seyfried brings wonderful banter and finds deep gravitas that defies the inspiration accusations. Giving a divine performance, Seyfried moved away from character roles in Mamma Mia! and Mean Girls to portray a fully layered woman.
6
‘Alpha Dog’ (2006)
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
The next film we’re discussing is not one where Seyfried was in the top billing, but she certainly was a key cog in the film. Alpha Dog, written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, dramatizes the real-life kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz in 2000. Inspired by the actions of Jesse James Hollywood, the young, wannabe drug dealer, Alpha Dog depicts Johnny Truelove’s (Emile Hirsch) order of the kidnapping of Zack Mazursky (Anton Yelchin), the brother of Jake Mazursky (Ben Foster), who still owed him money. A dark tale of juvenile delinquency, misguided loyalty, and the consequences of the drug culture, Alpha Dog puts the actions of the crime front and center.
Though some believed that it romanticized Hollywood through a Hollywood lens, the film still provided a thrilling crime drama. Seyfried plays Julie Beckley, Zack’s girlfriend. Initially hesitant to take on the role because of the film’s nature, Seyfried still delivered a strong performance alongside a major ensemble cast, including Justin Timberlake, Sharon Stone, Bruce Willis, and Olivia Wilde. Though it may not be her biggest film, Alpha Dog still made a lasting impact. Santa Barbara County Deputy District Attorney Ronald J. Zonen served as an unpaid consultant to the film, citing his desire to have Hollywood captured. When the criminal was eventually caught, Hollywood’s attorneys claimed that Zonen was in a conflict of interest because of his disclosure of the files and his work on the film. Zonen eventually opted to resign from the lead prosecutor position for the trial, which ultimately found Hollywood guilty of kidnapping and first-degree murder with special circumstances.
5
‘Fathers and Daughters’ (2015)
IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
Oh boy, this one is a doozy. Directed by Gabriele Muccino and written by Brad Desch, Fathers and Daughters is an engrossing drama told in alternating segments to form a cohesive narrative. Russell Crowe plays Jake Davis, a Pulitzer-winning novelist who struggles as a single father after his wife’s death in a car accident, while his daughter, Katie (Seyfried), deals with the trauma years later as an adult. Switching from Jake’s fight to raise Katie and her adult struggles, Fathers and Daughters pushes love, loss, trauma to the forefront while documenting how childhood experiences can shape adult lives.
Seyfried plays a young woman grappling with the scars of her childhood, but eventually learns that her father’s profound love and sacrifices were meant to help, not to hurt. If you’re not fond of melodramatic stories, steer clear. If you’re willing to put in the emotional time to go on this journey, both actors do a remarkable job in their respective roles. Though it didn’t receive the most positive response, Fathers and Daughters packs an emotional gut punch.
4
‘First Reformed’ (2017)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
In Paul Schrader‘s First Reformed, Reverend Ernst Toller (Ethan Hawke) of First Reformed, a small congregation in upstate New York, is disillusioned and faces a crisis of faith while grappling with personal grief, the environmental devastation of climate change, and the corrupting influence of corporate greed, leading him down a path of radical despair and potential fanaticism. A resounding story of faith, doubt, sin, forgiveness, and humanity’s destructive impact on the planet, First Reformed raises the questions of how God can forgive our actions and whether radical change is necessary.
With a very austere perspective that brings introspection to the forefront, First Reformed, which also stars Cedric Kyles, Victoria Hill, and Philip Ettinger, is a sensitive film that Schrader takes great care with. Seyfried plays Mary Mensana, a pregnant parishioner, who provides a delicate performance as a woman seeking counsel as her husband, played by Ettinger, wants her to have an abortion because he’s convinced the world will be unlivable due to climate change. She convincingly portrays a woman at ease with the world, a stark contrast that creates immense conflict with her husband. A smart and potentially uneasy film, First Reformed is meant to make you ponder without pandering.
3
‘Mean Girls’ (2004)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Truly, is there any other more iconic teen comedy than Mean Girls? The film from Tina Fey introduces us to a plethora of pop culture iconography, including the infamous Burn Book, the term “fetch,” and memes that are not only dated specifically, but so universal that we send them to all of our friends in any given situation. For those needing a refresher, the 2004 comedy follows Cady Herron (Lindsay Lohan) as she enters the American public school system and befriends the Plastics to avenge her outcast friends. One of the most important films of the 21st century, Mean Girls represented an entire generation through the dos and don’ts of high school.
As Karen Smith, one of the Plastics, Seyfried essentially introduced the world to herself as the epitome of dumb blonde. She played the part to the extreme, making everyone wonder whether anyone could be that dim. Paired against Rachel McAdams‘ Regina George and Lacey Chabert‘s Gretchen Weiners, Seyfried filled out the trio perfectly. Does she ESPN? She absolutely does!
2
‘Les Misérables’ (2012)
IMDb Rating: 7.5/10
For many theater lovers, Les Misérables was a mixed bag of positives and negatives. The latter mostly being Russell Crowe. The rest of the cast did a sensational job singing the epic score by Claude-Michel Schönberg, Alain Boublil, and Jean-Marc Natel. Based on Victor Hugo‘s novel and the subsequent musical, the story follows the story of Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman), who, while being hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Crowe) after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker’s daughter. Set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, Les Misérables was an ambitious undertaking that changed the way some directors tackle musical films.
One of the most notorious elements associated with the film is the live singing and the extreme close-ups. While Seyfried wasn’t a victim of the close-up like Anne Hathaway, she was able to share her thin soprano. Portraying the adult version of Cosette, the daughter of Hathaway’s Fantine, Seyfried took on the delicate ingénue, pairing well with Eddie Redmayne‘s Marius. From an acting perspective, she was great. The score was a bit too advanced. Especially compared to the songs she tacked in Mamma Mia. Les Misérables is very much not ABBA.
1
‘The Art of Racing in the Rain’ (2019)
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Is anyone surprised that a touching film about a dog is at the top of the ratings? Based on the novel by Garth Stein, The Art of Racing in the Rain tells the story of a wise, philosophical dog, voiced by Kevin Costner, named Enzo who narrates his life with his beloved owner, Denny Swift (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring race car driver, using racing metaphors to understand human struggles like love, loss, family, and navigating life’s challenges, all while hoping to be reincarnated as a human. Following Danny’s life from marrying Eve (Seyfried) and having a daughter, Zoe (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), through devastating illness, grief, and a difficult child custody battle, with Enzo’s unique perspective offering deep insights into the human condition and resilience. Profoundly emotional, with touching, heartfelt moments, The Art of Racing in the Rain is one of those films that resonates more with audiences than with critics.
A film made for dog lovers, the Simon Curtis-directed film is overtly sentimental. And honestly, that’s the entire point. Now to Seyfried’s Eve. She has quite a difficult arc in this film. From love to motherhood with a brain cancer diagnosis, Eve goes through a lot, but she also left poor Enzo without food and water for a couple of days. Does that make her a villain? It’s hard to say, but when you have the dog’s perspective, you give her some leeway. The actress has stated that the movie has changed her considerably. That’s the power of art!
