Read update
Greta Gerwigis one of the burgeoning filmmakers of the last decade, confirming her ability to be an indie queen and a blockbuster goddess. She is versatile and genuine in bringing her personality to her films, whether acting, writing, or directing. She is responsible for aiding in a new movement of filmmaking called mumblecore which is characterized by naturalistic dialogue and performances typically set around people in their twenties going through some form of an existential crisis.
Since her early days, she has gone on to work with prominent filmmakers, such as her partnerNoah Baumbachto write and star in a number of quirky films. Now showing her prowess as an auteur director, she is taking on new heights with blockbuster movies such asBarbie. Time can only tell, but she is proving to be one of the most influential filmmakers!
Updated on June 19, 2025, by Hannah Saab:
Greta Gerwig has made cinematic history withBarbiejoining the box office billion-dollar club, making her the first solo female director to achieve this milestone. The film also received high reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, making her the rare film director to be three for three with critics and audiences. Her next project, anew adaptation of C. S. Lewis’The Chronicles of Narniafor Netflix, might still be a few years away, but that doesn’t stop fans from revisiting her filmography as an actress and director.
10‘Mistress America’ (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 82%
Co-Written by Noah Baumbach,Mistress Americastars Greta Gerwig as Brooke, the soon-to-be step-sister of a quiet and awkward young woman who takes her under her wing and into a new version of herself. They begin a friendship characterized by Brooke’s world of interesting friends and chaotic adventures.
Understanding the character she wrote allows Gerwig to dive deep into a role. Her charismatic performance adds depth and charm to the story while maintaining a complex performance.Mistress America’s high rating can be attributed to the writing, which is loaded with clever dialogue and funny observations about contemporary life and relationships.
Mistress America
Watch on Max
9‘Nights and Weekends’ (2008)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 85%
Nights and Weekendsis an indie filmdirected by Gerwig andJoe Swanberg. The film explores the complexities of a long-distance relationship portrayed by the filmmakers. The movie follows James and Mattie as they navigate their relationship and attempt to maintain their connection despite being in different cities.
The film is a unique perspective on love – the intricacies of intimacy and sustaining a romantic bond when separated by different personal goals and ambitions.Nights and Weekendstakes a naturalistic approach to its subjects, as it often feels like a documentary, focusing on the characters and adding depth to their struggles and vulnerabilities.
Nights and Weekends
Watch on YouTube
8‘Maggie’s Plan’ (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
An underrated arthouse comedydirected byRebecca Miller,Maggie’s Planstars Gerwig as Maggie, a woman living in New York City who wants to have a child but is not in a romantic relationship. Feeling the pressure of her biological clock, she plans to have a child through artificial insemination, but everything becomes complicated when she falls in love with a married man.
Maggie’s Plansees Gerwig’s character grapples with the complexities of family dynamics, relationships, and love through all the turmoil. She explores herself as she attempts to balance the challenges of personal desires with the responsibilities and complications of unconventional relationships.Maggie’s Planperfectly blends Gerwig’s wit and dry humor with charming moments of drama that help an audience understand the duality of the pursuit of happiness.
7‘Jackie’ (2016)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 88%
Pablo Larraíndirected the biographical film ofJacqueline Kennedyand used a series of flashbacks revealing the First Lady’s psychological struggles. AlongsideNatalie Portmanas Jackie Kennedy, Gerwig plays Nancy Tuckerman, the longtime friend, and the First Lady’s secretary.
Jackieisa great unconventional biopicand an insightful look into the life of an iconic figure in United States history. Gerwig’s role may seem like an offshoot for the actress, but her adaptability makes her perfect for the role. Her presence generally is one of quirkiness but with serious intent. As Nancy, she needed to show a sense of normalized decorum yet a sense of likability and candor that would allow an audience to see a new perspective.
6‘Barbie’ (2023)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Barbiemarked the largest-grossing opening weekend of a female director, which shows how much people love Gerwig’s voice and tone. The material seems like an odd fit for Gerwig, but that ironically makes her the perfect fit as she creates amovie about self-discovery and the existential existenceof something that has been thought of as one-dimensional.
An admirable characteristic of Gerwig has always been her wit; she combines drama and comedy together to create a harmonious balance that makes audiences laugh and cry.Barbie is a character that so many people grew up with and that seems one-dimensional, but Gerwig flips this on the head and starts asking questions about society.
5‘20th Century Women’ (2016)
Written and directed by auteur filmmakerMike Mills,20th Century Womentakes place in 1979 as it follows a teenage boy seeking guidance from the women in his life. Gerwig plays the supporting character Abbie, a young, artistic photographer staying with the main character.
Gerwig delivers one of her finest acting performancesin20th Century Women. Abbie exposes the main character to new ideas and experiences in the film.20th Century Womencaptures how women of different generations affect the mind of a learning boy, showing him the complexities of the world around him and the perspectives he would not have had otherwise. The characters navigate societal changes and the exploration of personal growth.
20th Century Women
4‘Frances Ha’ (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
Gerwig helped Noah Baumbach write the script for and starred inFrances Ha. The black and white dramedy is a quintessential mumblecore film following Frances Halladay, an aspiring dancer who is a little late to growing up after she experiences the loss of a friend to a stereotypical life of living alone and getting married.
Frances Hais among Baumbach’s best moviesand a brilliant spin on the coming-of-age genre. Frances goes through an odyssey in New York as she tries to re-discover who she is and what she wants out of life.Frances Hais highly celebrated as it captures the complexities of friendship, identity, and the existential philosophy of finding your purpose.
Frances Ha
Frances Ha follows an aspiring dancer living in New York City as she navigates friendships, career aspirations, and her identity. Facing numerous challenges to achieve her dreams, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that delves into the complexities of modern life’s personal and professional intersections.
Watch on Netflix
3‘Little Women’ (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
One of the most fascinating films in Gerwig’s pristine filmography is her 2019 adaptation ofLouisa May Alcott’s bookLittle Women. Gerwig concentrates heavily on the story of Jo March, played bySaoirse Ronan, with the film chronicling her life growing up in Concord, Massachussets alongside her family, and her young adult days in New York City.
Employing a nonlinear narrative creates a new dynamic to a story that has been adapted before,Little Womenallows for a deeper exploration of the character’s growth. In an era where women were not given the same opportunities,Gerwig creates a fascinating perspective on exploring female agency in a society that restricts women from expressing themselves.
Little Women
Jo March reflects back and forth on her life, telling the beloved story of the March sisters - four young women, each determined to live life on her own terms.
Watch on Starz
2‘Lady Bird’ (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 99%
Lady Birdis a relatable story about the adolescent experience, capturing the complexities of becoming an adult in high school. Saorise Ronan stars as Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson, a teenager in Sacramento, California attending her senior year of high school in the fall of 2002. The film follows her journey and her complicated and often confrontational relationship with her mother, Marion, played by a stellarLaurie Metcalf.
One of the all-time best coming-of-age movies,Lady Bird’s is unmatched, as every element was worth the Academy Award nominations it received. Gerwig’s witty and dynamic script resonated with audiences from teens to millennials.Gerwig’s direction implies a strong understanding of her characters and their journey, guidingLady Bird’s narrative with an authenticity many other films don’t have.
In 2002, an artistically inclined 17-year-old girl comes of age in Sacramento, California.
Watch on Showtime
1‘LOL’ (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 100%
This film by Joe Swanberg is another mumblecore classic that follows the relationships of three men through the use of technology. They had a micro-budget that was supposedly made for around three thousand dollars. The film helped to start Gerwig’s career in acting as it was the first film she starred in, acting as the real-life balance to the main character.
LOLis amongthe best indie moviesof the 2000s. It is often easy to tell when a man writes a woman as they are often filled with hysterics and over-the-top exaggerations for dramatic effect.The admirable attribute of Gerwig’s performance here is her directness and fairness in exposing these dispositions and making authentic people come to life.
