The Best and Worst of Emily Blunt

The "Best and Worst" series profiles the best and worst work of an actor starring in one of the week's new theatrical releases. This week I take a look at the filmography of "The Girl on the Train" star Emily Blunt.

Films starring Emily Blunt that I've seen:
Dan in Real Life
Charlie Wilson's War
Sunshine Cleaning
The Wolfman
Gnomeo & Juliet
The Adjustment Bureau
The Muppets
The Five-Year Engagement  
Looper
Edge of Tomorrow
Sicario 

Best Performance: Looper (2012)
While Blunt was already a grizzled Hollywood veteran when it was released, Looper was the first time where her acting ability floored me. As the protective mother of a child (Pierce Gagnon) who may grow up to be a tyrant, Blunt gives this wild sci-fi thriller a burst of humanity with a terrific performance that beautifully tows the line between strength and vulnerability. This performance marked a clear turning point in Blunt's career and the growth she's displayed from this point on has allowed her to transform into one of the finest young actresses on the planet.         

Worst Performance: The Wolfman (2010)
The Wolfman was one of those epic misfires where just about no one involved with the project emerged from the wreckage unscathed. Unfortunately for Blunt, she was not one of the lucky few to be spared from this cinematic dumpster fire. The combination of a poorly-written character that was nothing more than a generic "damsel in distress" archetype and an emotional range that rivaled a pencil sharpener led to Blunt giving the weakest performance in Joe Johnston's (Jumanji, Jurassic Park III) misguided, painfully dull reboot of the 1941 horror classic.  

Best Film: Sicario (2015)
In the single most disappointing year for movies in recent memory, Denis Villeneuve's (Prisoners, Incendies) tense, well-acted thriller was one of only a dozen or so films that managed to thoroughly impress me. Sicario takes an unflinching, riveting look at the thin line between the Mexican drug cartels and the international government agencies that are trying to bring them down. The narrative may be straightforward, but the relentless level of suspense and fascinating moral questions it raises more than make up for its lack of storytelling surprises.

Worst Film: Gnomeo & Juliet (2011)
A film that parodies Shakespeare with lawn gnomes and features a soundtrack full of weak-ass Elton John covers is basically my idea of cinematic purgatory. I recently found out that there's a sequel for this currently in production, which proves that creativity in the world of animated movies is officially dead.

Thank you for reading this week's installment of "The Best and Worst of". Next week, I'll take a look at the best and worst work of "The Accountant" star J.K. Simmons.