Kate Winsletis easily one of the best actresses working today, as she has been giving great performances in acclaimed films ever since her breakout in the mid-1990s. Winslet is a notable star because she isn’t afraid to take chances, playing a series of risky roles. While she initially earned tractionfor starring in romantic dramas, Winslet became instantly iconic for her work within several historical epics and genre films.
She may have done some great work on television recentlywithMare of EasttownandThe Regime, but she continues to appear in cinematic triumphs that are celebrated by her fans. Theacclaim for her upcoming role in the biopicLeesuggests that Winslet is not slowing down anytime soon and may have many more great performances left ahead of her. Still, some of her past work is just too good to resist.These are Kate Winslet’s most rewatchable movies, proving that her career is truly on another level.
10‘Little Children’ (2006)
Directed by Todd Field
Little Childrenwas an inventive take on the suburban drama that allowed Winslet to play one of her most relatable characters.Todd Field’s moving masterpiece focuses on all the drama and intrigue that goes on behind closed doors in a seemingly idealized community that promotes itself as morally righteous; Winslet stars as a caring mother who begins to fall in love with her seductive neighbor (Patrick Wilson), kickstartingan affair that damages their families.
Although intense,Little Childrenis very rewatchable because it deals withsubjects like intimacy issues, infidelity, sexual repression, and the effects of emotional traumain an authentic and refreshing manner that many audiences may relate to. It’s impressive that Winslet loses herself in a character that bore little in common with the roles that she had been typecast as early on in her career, resulting in an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Little Children
9‘Carnage’ (2011)
Directed by Roman Polanski
Carnageis one of the rare films based on plays that is equally as entertaining as watching an actual stage production.This dark comedy stars Winslet andChristoph Waltzas an unhappily married couple that discovers their son has been getting into fights with a classmate whose parents (John C. ReillyandJodie Foster) are willing to sit down and have a reasonable discussion about how to move forward.
Biting and acidic,Carnagesatirizes how adults can behave like children, hiding behind the notion of social protocol to mask how jealous and selfish they actually are. Winslet’s comedy roles have been few and far between, soCarnageis certainly worth rewatching just to see how much humorous power she actually has on screen when given the opportunity to use it.
Directed by Sam Mendes
Revolutionary Roadis a powerful romantic dramathat took a less idealized examination of the 1950s and the American dream,allowing Winslet to show a more complex side of femininity. The film chronicles the romance between the ambitious Frank Wheeler (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his wife, April (Winslet). Although it feels like the entire world is ahead of them at first, the couple begins to give up on their dreams as they become adjusted to the mundanity of suburban living.
The film presents an honest look at a failing relationship that isworth rewatching for the great chemistry between DiCaprio and Winslet.It makes for a particularly fun film to watch alongsideTitanic, as it gives the two stars the opportunity to show a very different side of a romantic relationship.Revolutionary Roadshows how much they matured sinceJames Cameron’s blockbuster was released, cementing them as one of cinema’s all-time great on-screen pairings.
Revolutionary Road
7‘The Reader’ (2008)
Directed by Stephen Daldry
The Readermay have been the film that finally won Winslet an Academy Award for Best Actress, but it’s hardly a work of Oscar bait that only appeals to snobby film critics. Winslet stars inthis intimate World War II dramaas a German woman in a relationship with a young man (David Kross) who reads to her. Although the relationship begins in a place of earnestness, the dynamic becomes more complicated after the war ends in 1945.
Winslet shed her star persona to play a working-class character, mastering a German accent and sufficiently transforming her physicality.The Readeris proof thattear-jerking, emotional, and romantic dramas can still be rewatchable. The conflicting emotions that the film’s heartbreaking conclusion inspires in critics and fans alike are powerful enough to give the film more than a second look.
The Reader
6‘Contagion’ (2011)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Contagionis perhaps the scariest movie of the 21st century that isn’t horror, asSteven Soderbergh’s defining masterpiece seemed to predict how the world would respond to a global pandemic less than a decade before the COVID-19 crisis shut down things in early 2020. Although the film is best remembered forthe brutal demise ofGwyneth Platrow’s characterin the opening minutes, Winslet has an equally important role as one of the Epidemic Intelligence Services officers at the forefront of providing resources to infected individuals.
Oddly,Contagionbecame even more rewatchable during the pandemicbecause of its relevance. It has since been hailed as a masterful procedural and disaster movie that effectively balances its incredible ensemble of some of the greatest living actors, including Winslet in one of her shortest but most impactful roles.
5‘Finding Neverland’ (2004)
Directed by Marc Forster
Finding Neverlandis an amazing biopicthat explores the true story behind the authorship ofPeter Pan, a fairy tale that has since been adapted to the page and screen countless times.Marc Forster’s Best Picture-nominated drama explores how the playwright J. M. Barrie (Johnny Depp) became a mentor for two young boys, whose mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies (Winslet) was dealing with a critical illness that eventually claimed her life.
The sincere romance between Depp and Winslet makesFinding Neverlandvery charming. The film celebrates the power of childhood innocence and how storytelling can heal those dealing with the most difficult period of their lives. Anyone who grew up reading or watching different versions ofPeter Panmay findFinding Neverlandrewatchable because of how it tracks the characters’ fascinating origins in real life.
Finding Neverland
Rent on Amazon
4‘Steve Jobs’ (2015)
Directed by Danny Boyle
Steve Jobsis a must-watch biopicabout one of the greatest geniuses of the last century anda case in which Winslet steals a filmwith a supporting performance.Danny Boyle’s inventive biopic explores the life of Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) before the launch of three critical projects. Supporting him throughout these highly stressful events is his longtime marketing assistant Joanna Hoffman, who Winslet characterizes as the heart behind the Apple corporation.
Winslet provided pathos and humor to a film that really needed itand did a great job deliveringAaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire series of one-liners. The role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, signifying that her work was just as critical to the film’s success as the title character. The striking pacing, sharp writing, and surprisingly emotional conclusion makeSteve Jobsa rewatchable gem that differs from most biopics.
Steve Jobs
3‘Titanic’ (1997)
Directed by James Cameron
Titanicis one of the most famous films ever madeand one that anyone who considers themselves a cinephile deserves to see at least one point on the big screen at one point in their life.Titanicis known as the Best Picture-winning masterpiece that wasthe highest-grossing filmof all time upon its initial release. While it’s often seenas the epitome of what the disaster genrecan accomplish,Titanicbecame such a cultural touchstone because of the incredible chemistry between DiCaprio and Winslet.
Romance has rarely felt as intimate as it does inTitanic,as Winslet gavea beautiful performance that captured the hearts of moviegoerseverywhere. The multiple successful re-releases of the film that pushed it to over $2 billion at the global box office indicate thatTitanicstill has the power to inspire audiences of the next generation.
2‘Sense and Sensibility’ (1995)
Directed by Ang Lee
Sense and Sensibilityis one of the best Jane Austen adaptations ever made, as it captures all the wit, humor, intrigue, and romance that made the original novel a work of fiction that has connected with audiences of multiple generations. AlthoughWinslet lied to get the role, Winslet’s performance as Marianne Dashwood was the film’s scene stealer, an impressive feat considering thatSense and Sensibilityalso starred acting titans likeEmma Thompson,Alan Rickman,Hugh Grant, andHugh Laurie,among others.
Winslet’s youthful exuberance provided the emotional core ofSense and Sensibilityand brought to life a character that had occupied the imaginations of readers everywhere for generations.Sense and Sensibilityhas only gotten better with age, as multiple rewatches only prove what a genius casting choice Winslet was.
Sense and Sensibility
1‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ (2004)
Directed by Michel Gondry
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis a film that is almost impossible to describe for those who have not already seen it, asMichel Gondry’s masterpiece merges science fiction, dark comedy, and romance intoone of the greatest date movies ever. While it was impressive to see that the famous comic starJim Carreywas capable of giving a more serious performance, it was equally impressive that Winslet flexed her humorous muscles as a particularly quirky character.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis very rewatchable because of the multiple plot twists and surprising story developments that are improved upon repeated viewings. However, it is also justan emotionally transporting experience that some audiences may wantto have multiple times because of how intimately it captures the feelings of being in love for the first time.
