Blake Lively has one of those film careers where she bounces between cult favorites, glossy dramas, thrillers that go a little off the rails, and the occasional “wait, she was in that?” moment. Somehow, she always brings a mix of charm, chaos, and immaculate hair, even when the script forgets to give her anything else to work with. That’s part of the fun – you never quite know if you’re getting a solid performance or a cinematic shrug in designer wardrobe.
So ranking her movies becomes less about award-season seriousness and more about celebrating the delightful unpredictability of her filmography. From breakout classics to underrated gems, this list takes a friendly but honest look at her best work. Think of it as a lovingly sarcastic tour through the highs, mediums, and “well, she tried” moments of Blake Lively’s time on screen.
15. Green Lantern (2011)
It’s impossible to look back at Green Lantern without acknowledging how wildly ambitious it is, and Blake Lively seems to be one of the few people on screen who knows exactly how to navigate that ambition. She plays her scenes with a mix of calm sharpness and subtle humor that gives the film a pulse it sometimes struggles to find. Her character’s steady confidence cuts through the digital overload in a way that keeps the human story from getting swallowed. Even viewers who tease the film admit she brings a welcome sense of control. There’s also that unmistakable spark between her and Ryan Reynolds, which ended up mattering far beyond the movie itself. With time, the film has slipped into the “cult curiosity” category, and her performance is part of the reason it stays interesting. Whether the movie works for you or not, she unquestionably shows up ready to elevate it.
14. All I See Is You (2016)
This film drifts into that eerie, dreamlike territory where emotion and perception twist around each other, and Blake Lively sits right at the center of that tension. Her portrayal of a woman rediscovering the world visually carries a quiet electricity, the kind that sneaks up on you rather than announcing itself. She shifts from uncertain to bold with a natural progression that feels honest rather than dramatic for its own sake. The story’s slow burn relies heavily on her ability to communicate internal change without spelling it out. As her character’s confidence grows, the cracks in her relationship become sharper and more uncomfortable. The film might polarize audiences, but her work remains compelling even in its oddest moments. It’s the kind of performance that rewards paying attention to the small details.
13. The Rhythm Section (2020)
Stepping into The Rhythm Section feels like watching Blake Lively erase every polished expectation people had of her and rebuild something tougher in its place. She portrays a protagonist who moves through grief like someone trying to remember how to breathe, and the film leans hard on that rawness. Nothing about her transformation is clean or glamorous, which makes it far more gripping than the usual revenge-thriller arc. Her vulnerability becomes the anchor that keeps the violence grounded rather than stylized. Even in the film’s bleakest moments, she finds flashes of humanity that make the story feel lived-in. Critics had mixed feelings about the movie itself, but almost all agreed her performance was the standout. It’s a role that proves just how far she’s willing to push herself.
12. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008)
Returning to Bridget in this sequel lets Blake Lively explore a version of the character that’s older, slightly bruised by life, and more introspective than before. She moves through her storyline with a warmth that softens the harder themes the film touches on. The plot sends her in a very different emotional direction compared to the first movie, and she embraces that shift without losing the spark that made Bridget memorable. Even when the narrative jumps between the four friends, she makes her moments feel full and personal. There’s an ease to her performance that makes the heavier material approachable rather than melodramatic. Viewers who grew up with the first film often point to her arc here as one of the most resonant. She brings maturity without sacrificing the character’s restless spirit.
11. Accepted (2006)
There’s a particular charm to Accepted that comes from how effortlessly Blake Lively balances the film’s chaotic humor with a grounded sincerity. Her character functions as the emotional throughline amid all the absurd fake-college antics, and she handles it with a natural lightness. She never overplays the comedy, which makes her scenes feel refreshing next to the louder personalities around her. The film’s rebellious tone benefits from her steadiness, giving the story a small dose of heart that keeps it from floating away completely. Her chemistry with Justin Long adds a gentle undercurrent that doesn’t distract from the jokes. Over the years, the movie has earned a soft spot with fans who appreciate its scrappy energy. And through that, Lively’s early-career charm holds up surprisingly well.
10. Savages (2012)
Blake Lively dives into Savages as Ophelia, a role that’s deceptively more than just eye candy – she proves she can hold her own in a crime thriller tangled with drug wars and romance. In this Oliver Stone film, she’s fiercely loyal to her partners, played by Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson, and her love triangle becomes a volatile mix of danger and devotion. The movie’s about power, greed, and how far people will go when the stakes are life and death; Lively’s performance gives it a grounded emotional core. There’s a physical intensity to her scenes, but she balances it with vulnerability that makes Ophelia feel real, not just caricature. Despite the flashy action, the heart of the story often rests on her decisions – she isn’t just collateral damage. Critics and audiences may not agree on all of Savages, but Lively’s presence is one of the biggest reasons to stick around. She proves she can play in the big-league drama and still bring nuance.
9. It Ends With Us (2024)
This adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestseller put Blake Lively in deeply serious territory: she plays Lily Bloom, a florist caught in a romantic drama that spirals into emotional abuse. On screen, Lively captures Lily’s growth from hopeful love to painful self-awareness, a journey that’s complicated by her past and a re-entry from her high school flame. Beyond her role in front of the camera, she’s also a producer, deeply invested in telling a story about survival rather than just romance. The film drew a lot of attention not only for its heavy themes but also for behind-the-scenes controversy between Lively and director/co-star Justin Baldoni. Box-office-wise, it succeeded, which shows there’s a strong audience for heartfelt, challenging stories. Whether you love it or criticize its marketing or tone, her performance is central: she gives Lily a sense of quiet courage. It’s a movie that feels personal, and with Lively at the helm, that’s not a surprise.
8. Café Society (2016)
In this Woody Allen–directed nostalgic romp through 1930s Hollywood and New York, Blake Lively plays Vonnie, a starlet’s assistant caught up in the romantic and social glitter of the era. The film feels like a sepia-toned postcard from a bygone world – elegant, wistful, and slightly bittersweet – and Lively floats through it with a kind of timeless charm. Her character navigates ambition and disillusionment, and you can see in her eyes both the thrill of the café society lifestyle and the loneliness underneath. The movie doesn’t just serve romance; it’s a meditation on where desire and reality collide, and Lively makes Vonnie feel less like a prop and more like a real person chasing her own dreams. Café Society isn’t her most intense role, but it’s one of her most graceful, and she brings a sweet melancholy that fits the jazz age perfectly. For fans of period romance, she makes the glamour feel lived-in, not just glamorous.
7. The Age of Adaline (2015)
Here, Blake Lively plays Adaline Bowman, a woman cursed (or blessed?) with eternal youth after a freak accident – she’s 29 forever, and the movie leans into the poetic and the sci-fi. Over decades, she reinvents herself, constantly running, changing identity nearly every ten years so no one figures out her secret. That alone could make for a lonely life – but love eventually finds her in the form of Ellis, played by Michiel Huisman, and their connection forces her to confront all the things she’s been avoiding. Lively brings a wistful elegance to Adaline: there’s strength in her restraint, sadness in her refusal to fully belong. The story gets a twist near the end involving another accident, and suddenly, she might finally age normally – which turns the fantasy into something deeply human. Critics had mixed feelings, but many praised her and Harrison Ford’s performances as especially warm and grounded. It’s the kind of romance that feels eternal in more ways than one.
6. The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009)
In The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Blake Lively plays the younger version of the titular Pippa, and she brings youthful energy to an otherwise meditative, multi-generational story. The film is anchored by Robin Wright as the older Pippa, but Lively’s flashbacks feel essential – they show the root of Pippa’s complicated psyche, her reckless youth, and her bohemian rebellion. There’s drug use, stripping, and emotionally fraught family dynamics, so Lively doesn’t shy away from the messy stuff; she gives us a glimpse of a woman who’s been shaped by chaos, longing, and the desire for freedom. The narrative hops between past and present, and her scenes feel raw without being over the top – she convincingly embodies Pippa’s restless spirit. Meanwhile, the older Pippa’s story explores what it means to sacrifice self for peace, and Lively’s younger Pippa provides the necessary contrast. It’s not blockbuster material, but it’s thoughtful, and Lively’s contribution helps make the film quietly unforgettable.
5. Elvis and Anabelle (2007)
This small, almost delicate indie romance gives Blake Lively a chance to play with a softer palette, and she leans into the role with surprising gentleness. As Anabelle, a pageant contestant who finds unexpected connection with a quietly troubled young man, she avoids cliché and opts for something more textured. The film has an offbeat charm, the kind that doesn’t try to impress but sneaks up on you instead. Lively taps into that tone with a calm, luminous performance that doesn’t oversell the drama. Her chemistry with Max Minghella gives the story a quiet heartbeat without forcing it. Even if the film flew under the radar, it shows her early ability to elevate intimate material. There’s a sincerity to her work here that still stands out years later.
4. The Shallows (2016)
There’s something thrilling about watching Blake Lively take on a survival film where she’s essentially the entire cast – minus one extremely committed shark. She plays Nancy, a stranded surfer fighting to stay alive, and she carries the movie with grit that never feels manufactured. The physicality alone is impressive, but what makes the film memorable is how she layers fear, determination, and a bit of stubborn humor into the role. The setting is minimal, yet she keeps the tension sharp simply through her reactions. It’s rare for a one-woman thriller to feel this engaging, and she makes every moment count. Viewers who doubted whether she could anchor an action film got their answer here. It’s lean, tense, and showcases her as a fully capable leading force.
3. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005)
Blake Lively’s breakout as Bridget still feels like a shot of sunshine – bold, impulsive, and carrying more emotional weight than the early scenes let on. She brings a mix of athletic confidence and private vulnerability that makes Bridget stand out even in a tight ensemble. Her storyline at soccer camp looks carefree on the surface, but under it runs a quiet grief she refuses to face. Lively handles that balance with surprising maturity for such an early role. The film itself is heartfelt without being syrupy, and her performance is a big reason it became a comfort classic. Every time she barrels into a scene, she gives the story warmth and unpredictability. It’s the moment audiences realized she wasn’t just charismatic – she could hit the emotional notes too.
2. A Simple Favor (2018)
Emily Nelson might be Blake Lively’s most deliciously chaotic creation – stylish, sharp-tongued, and suspicious from the first moment she glides into frame. She dominates every scene with effortless swagger, turning the mystery-comedy into a cocktail of glamour and unpredictability. Lively plays her with such conviction that you’re never sure if Emily is dangerous, brilliant, or simply bored, and that ambiguity is half the fun. Her chemistry with Anna Kendrick crackles, giving the film a playful push-and-pull energy. The wardrobe alone became iconic, but the performance underneath the suits is what really sells it. She manages to be magnetic without ever softening the character’s edges. It’s one of those roles where she looks like she’s having the time of her life – and the movie benefits from it.
1. The Town (2010)
In The Town, Blake Lively steps into a world of gritty crime drama and completely disappears into the role of Krista Coughlin. She plays a working-class Boston woman caught between loyalty, desperation, and the consequences of the choices around her. What’s striking is how unpolished she allows herself to be – the accent, the posture, the jagged emotional edges all feel deeply lived-in. Her scenes reveal the vulnerability of someone trapped in a life she didn’t exactly choose, and she gives Krista a bruised dignity that lingers long after the credits. Even in limited screen time, she becomes one of the film’s most affecting elements. Many critics cited this as the performance that proved she could go darker and more complex than people expected. It’s a career-defining turn for a reason.