Top 10 Brie Larson Performances
With all the hype surrounding the Marvel Cinematic Universe, all eyes have been on Brie Larson, AKA Captain Marvel, in 2019. The hero of the first female-led Marvel Studios superhero movie has grossed $1billion at the worldwide box office and has become an important piece of the Avengers puzzle. For those of you reading who aren’t MCU-obsessed, you may be wondering: who on Earth is Brie Larson? Some sort of cheese? The answer to the second question is “no”. In fact, she’s one of the most respected young female actors in the game…
The current lady-of-the-moment is an Oscar and BAFTA-winning actress with a long list of reputable works. For over ten years, Larson has been working on an array of mainstream and independent movies, as well as her own pieces such as The Arm (2012) which won the Short Film Special Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival.
If you’re interested in catching up on where our Captain Marvel has been and what we can hope to expect from her in the future, here’s a list of Brie Larson’s best silver screen performances from her career thus far.
In no particular order…
1. Room (2015)
Brie Larson’s staple movie has to be Room.
An adaptation of Emma Donoghue’s 2010 novel of the same name, this piece enabled Larson to bag multiple awards, many for Best Actress. This intriguing and moving story follows a woman who has been held captive for seven years and, in that time, has given birth to her son who is now five. Born in captivity, the boy knows nothing of the outside world and his mother has lost seven years of her life, yet their relationship holds a bond like no other. This is an eye-opening and enchanting narrative, showing the range of Larson’s acting talent.
2. Captain Marvel (2019)
Brie Larson’s recent success comes directly from her achievements with Marvel Studios. Captain Marvel, directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, is the most recent instalment in the franchise, and ties in with Avengers: Endgame. It is the twenty-first film in the Marvel franchise and is based on the Marvel Comics character Carol Danvers. Portraying an iconic female lead, Larson has branched out to a much wider audience, becoming a solid role model for young girls and MCU fans alike.
3. Unicorn Store (2017)
Larson’s feature-length directorial debut premiered on Netflix in 2019 almost two years after its initial showing at the Toronto International Film Festival. The coming-of-age comedy movie follows Kit (Larson), a failed artist who moves back home after getting stuck between a rock and a hard place. After finding an office job, she receives a mysterious letter inviting her to ‘The Store’, a place that sells “what you need”. Enigmatic and quirky, this movie has been highly rated by critics, calling it a “willfully quirky wisp of a film”; Larson’s direction and performance anchoring every minute of the film.
4. The Glass Castle (2017)
Starring alongside Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts, The Glass Castle shows Larson in another solemn role. Adapted from the memoirs of Jeanette Walls, the film explores the life of the author and her childhood. Although reviews for this film were mixed, the performances from Larson and Harrelson in particular have been highly praised.
5. Short Term 12 (2013)
This independent drama has been recognised for its realism and understanding, with Brie Larson’s performance being greatly received. Grace (Larson) is the young supervisor of Short Term 12, a group home for troubled teenagers. Director Destin Cretton based Short Term 12 on his own experience working in a similar facility and cast a plethora of up and coming names including Lakeith Stanfield (Get Out), Stephanie Beatriz (“Brooklyn 99”) and Rami Malek (Bohemian Rhapsody). Hard-hitting and emphatic, this movie is a prime example of why Brie Larson is such a reputable actress, her performance here being possibly the most underrated of her career.
