Skip to main content
Games Radar Newsarama Total Film Edge Retro Gamer SFX
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The smarter take on movies
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
Subscribe now
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Dakota Johnson as Lucy and Pedro Pascal as Harry in Celine Song's Materialists
Romance Movies Marvel stars' A24 rom-com Materialists has great reviews, but many are repeating the 'elevated horror' mistake of the 2010s – and we need to dump it before it's too late
Dakota Johnson as Lucy and Pedro Pascal as Harry in Celine Song's Materialists
Romance Movies New rom-com starring Marvel actors was inspired by legendary romance movies like Pride & Prejudice and The Graduate
Eva Victor as Agnes in Sorry, Baby
Drama Movies In the midst of summer blockbuster season, my favorite movie of the year so far is a moving comedy-drama with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard in Argylle
Action Movies Argylle star Bryce Dallas Howard isn't surprised by her movie flops: "You can always see it coming while you're making it"
Taraji P. Henson in Straw
Thriller Shows Netflix's latest number one movie worldwide is a thriller with a low Rotten Tomatoes score, but viewers have nothing but praise for it
Lindsey Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Freakier Friday
Comedy Movies Jamie Lee Curtis calls out "harsh" Freakier Friday review: "SOME people love it"
Dev Patel as Gawain in The Green Knight.
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now
Emma Mackey and Fiona Shaw as Sofia and Rose in Hot Milk
Drama Movies Sun, sea, and strained relationships: Andor's Fiona Shaw and Barbie's Emma Mackey play a mother and daughter on the brink in new drama Hot Milk
Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim in Together
Horror Movies Together stars Alison Brie and Dave Franco think "there's no place for vanity" in either comedy or horror: "We're not worried about how we look when we're in these crazy positions"
Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.
Movies The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby
Movies The 32 greatest movies under 90 minutes
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William Shakespeare in Hamnet
Drama Movies Chloé Zhao's first movie since Eternals is already getting Oscars buzz as critics call it "the most devastating movie I've seen in years"
Julia Garner in Weapons
Horror Movies Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
Alison Brie and Dave Franco in new horror movie Together
Horror Movies Want to be Together forever? Team behind new horror movie ups The Monkey's meta marketing by encouraging fans to propose in theaters as part of "crazy" contest
Tessa Thompson as Hedda in Nia DaCosta's 'Hedda'
Drama Movies Thor star and The Marvels director's new Prime Video movie unveils its first trailer – and it looks like a deliciously queer mix of Saltburn and The Great Gatsby
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies

Best & Worst: Anne Hathaway

Features
By George Wales published 25 August 2011

Who likes Bride Wars then?

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Best: The Princess Diaries (2001)

Best: The Princess Diaries (2001)

Anne made her big-screen bow in the cuddly slice of fairytale fun, starring as a troubled teen who learns she is heir to the throne of a small European nation. Cue all manner of comic scrapes as awkward Anne grapples with the pomp and ceremony of life as a princess.

Harmless fun in the main, the film is the sort of unthreatening feelgood nonsense that director Garry Marshall could turn out in his sleep. Hathaway makes for a sparky lead presence however, and her chemistry with anti-establishment mate Heather Matarazzo is one of the film’s chief pleasures. Groundbreaking it isn’t, but as an enjoyable dose of teenage fluff, it hardly puts a foot wrong.

Page 1 of 15
Page 1 of 15
Worst: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

Worst: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

As enjoyable as the first film was, it was hardly crying out for a sequel. However, Disney weren’t about to pass up on the chance to wring some more cash out of their tweenie audience, and promptly released this half-hearted follow-up.

Hathaway returns to the role of Mia, and this time she has boy problems. Will she opt for stuffy duke Callum Blue, or twinkly-eyed bad boy Chris Pine? Frankly, it’s hard to care. The breezy, lighthearted fun of the first film is replaced by a raft of sickly emoting, as Mia wrings her hands over just how unfair it all is. One for only the least discriminating of teenage girls.

Page 2 of 15
Page 2 of 15
Best: Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Best: Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Anne garners critical acclaim for her part in Ang Lee’s superlative romance. She plays rodeo rider Lureen Newsome who shacks up with Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack Twist, blissfully unaware that he carries a torch for another man.

Whilst Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger get the meat of the film’s drama, and Michelle Williams takes the showier of the main female roles, Hathaway is quietly effective in her role as the deceived wife. Indeed, the scenes involving her family and their interaction with her and Jack are some of the most emotionally charged in the film. Her denial over the nature of Jack’s death is particularly heartbreaking.

Page 3 of 15
Page 3 of 15
Worst: Havoc (2005)

Worst: Havoc (2005)

Hathaway attempts to shake off her Disney princess image with this boob-baring, crack-smoking turn as teen-gone-bad Allison, a suburban girl-next-door who gets herself embroiled in L.A.’s gang culture.

Sadly, the whole thing smacks of someone trying too hard, and while her performance is by no means woeful, it’s hamstrung by some distracting quick-cut editing and a cliché-littered script. Everyone looks suitably gorgeous, but the preachy moralising is enough to make you gag.

Page 4 of 15
Page 4 of 15
Best: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Best: The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

A sharp-tongued and deliciously witty adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s autobiographical chick-lit smash, The Devil Wears Prada is a showcase for its leading lady’s mesmerising talents. Sadly, we’re talking about Meryl Streep rather than Anne Hathaway.

Hathaway is fine as put-upon intern Andy, but her performance is blown out of the water somewhat by Streep’s monstrous magazine editor Miranda Priestly. Even the smaller roles are more eye-catching, with Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci on top form as Andy’s catty colleagues.

Hathaway is perfectly believable in the leading role, she’s just not given as much to work with as her freewheeling co-stars. One of her better films for sure, just not one of her finer performances.

Page 5 of 15
Page 5 of 15
Worst: Valentine's Day (2010)

Worst: Valentine's Day (2010)

Garry Marshall and Anne Hathaway team up again for this selection box of slushy tripe. An ensemble drama featuring a host of big-name stars, it’s like Magnolia has had its heart and soul ripped out and replaced by a sickly filling of clichéd nonsense.

Hathaway plays a phone-sex worker who falls in love with a mailboy and blah, blah, blah. Like the rest of her perfectly tanned co-stars, Anne is transparently here for the paycheque – anyone who sat through it at the cinema would have a harder job explaining their involvement.

Page 6 of 15
Page 6 of 15
Best: Becoming Jane (2007)

Best: Becoming Jane (2007)

Hathaway shows off her British accent (more on that later) as Jane Austen in this glossy period drama from Kinky Boots director Julian Jarrold. Appropriately enough for a film concerning Ms. Austen, the main theme of the story is falling in love, with Hathaway’s sparring with James McAvoy more convincing than anything in Valentine’s Day .

As for the star herself, she’s at her loveable best, fostering enough goodwill in the hearts of the audience to compensate for the script’s occasional lapses into sentimentality. The Julia Roberts comparisons have never been more apt.

Page 7 of 15
Page 7 of 15
Worst: Bride Wars (2009)

Worst: Bride Wars (2009)

Kate Hudson chalks up another entry for her back catalogue of woeful comedies with this excruciating tale of a pair of “frenemies” whose nuptials are scheduled for the same day at the same venue. If such a mishap were to occur in real life it would be irritating for those involved, though not half as irritating as this misfiring farce.

Hathaway plays Hudson’s nemesis with a slightly embarrassed sneer, blushing her way through such zingers as “your wedding’s gonna be huge, just like your ass at prom!” Hudson’s response? “Your wedding can suck it!” Goodness, our sides appear to have split.

Page 8 of 15
Page 8 of 15
Best: Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Best: Rachel Getting Married (2008)

Rachel Getting Married might be riddled with jealousy, insecurity and a ton of teary angst, but it’s still a far cheerier proposition than Bride Wars . Hathaway was rightly Oscar-nominated for her excellent turn as the uber-fragile Kym, and it’s her striking performance that provides the film with its beating heart.

Director Jonathan Demme presents his story in a washed-out, docu-realist style that places the emphasis firmly on his talented cast. And with Deborah Winger and Rosemarie DeWitt ably supporting Hathaway as mother and sister respectively, they certainly don’t let him down.

Page 9 of 15
Page 9 of 15
Worst: Get Smart (2008)

Worst: Get Smart (2008)

Steve Carell appeared the perfect choice to bring this sleuthing comedy from the small screen to the cinema, but his turn as Maxwell Smart is just one of many misfires in this disappointing flop. The comedy is painted in pretty broad strokes throughout, but short of the odd slapstick titter, there’s very little here to give the funnybone a proper workout.

Hathaway is inexplicably cast as an ass-kicking action girl, and her chemistry with Carell is non-existent from the off. Bill Murray’s cameo performance lifts the gloom somewhat, but by and large this is one to avoid. Let’s hope they can put things right in the upcoming sequel. Yes, of course they’re making one…

Page 10 of 15
Page 10 of 15
Best: Love And Other Drugs (2010)

Best: Love And Other Drugs (2010)

Anne gets saucy for this frisky comedy, re-teaming with Brokeback Mountain co-star Jake Gyllenhaal to form a coupling that’s far more sexually charged than their original pair-up. She plays a Parkinson’s sufferer who throws herself into a no-strings-attached relationship with Gyllenhaal’s medicine salesman.

The tone might be a little uneven and some of the issues dealt with in a fairly perfunctory manner (in brief - sex is brilliant, disease isn’t) but there’s still plenty to be had from this above-average romcom. And it certainly helps that Hathaway and Gyllenhaal manage to conjure up a genuine frisson of bedroom excitement…

Page 11 of 15
Page 11 of 15
Worst: Passengers (2008)

Worst: Passengers (2008)

This hysterical psycho-drama clunker casts Anne as a psychologist attempting to treat six survivors of a horrific plane crash back to something approaching sanity. Her therapy soon convinces her of a shadowy corporate cover-up, and things get progressively sillier from there.

Hathaway isn’t bad as the increasingly spooked shrink, and her burgeoning relationship with broker Patrick Wilson is a welcome diversion from the main plot. However, their good work is chronically undermined by an iffy script and a distinctly ill-conceived final twist. Poor.

Page 12 of 15
Page 12 of 15
Best: Rio (2011)

Best: Rio (2011)

Anne lends her dulcet tones to Jewel the parrot, a beautiful high-flyer with little time for Jesse Eisenberg’s humble Macaw, in this affable animation from Pixar wannabes Blue Sky. The two must soon work together however, when they’re rounded up by some pesky smugglers.

It may not be a match for the likes of Toy Story , but Rio is perfectly good fun on its own merits, providing a steady stream of laughs throughout. Jermaine Clement is particularly chucklesome as malevolent parakeet Nigel. Brightly-coloured fun for all the family.

Page 13 of 15
Page 13 of 15
Worst: Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Worst: Alice In Wonderland (2010)

Ok, so it’s not an out-and-out disaster, but this one goes in the “worst” pile simply because we were hoping for so much more. Tim Burton seemed the perfect choice to adapt Lewis Carroll’s wacky source material, but sadly the whole endeavour smacks of a ho-hum pedestrianism.

The story feels slight, the arresting visuals are undermined by some truly chronic 3D and Johnny Depp appears simply to be trotting out his Jack Sparrow routine for the umpteenth time. As for Hathaway, her White Queen is something of a footnote in proceedings, sitting firmly in the shadow of Helena Bonham Carter as her petulant sister. An opportunity missed.

Page 14 of 15
Page 14 of 15
Best: One Day (2011)

Best: One Day (2011)

Despite earning a glut of criticism for her admittedly dodgy accent (Hathaway reportedly watched episodes of Emmerdale in an attempt to nail her character’s Yorkshire tones) Anne is as charming as ever in Lone Scherfig’s good-looking adaptation of David Nicholls’ hugely popular love story.

Jim Sturgess is given the more interesting role as thrill-seeking cad Dexter, but Hathaway is spiky and hard-nosed enough to give him a run for his money. Fans of the book may find that it struggles to improve on the source material, but as adaptations go, this is one of the more faithfully rendered offerings.

Page 15 of 15
Page 15 of 15
George Wales
George Wales
Social Links Navigation

George was once GamesRadar's resident movie news person, based out of London. He understands that all men must die, but he'd rather not think about it. But now he's working at Stylist Magazine.

See more Movies Features
Read more
Dakota Johnson as Lucy and Pedro Pascal as Harry in Celine Song's Materialists
Marvel stars' A24 rom-com Materialists has great reviews, but many are repeating the 'elevated horror' mistake of the 2010s – and we need to dump it before it's too late
Dakota Johnson as Lucy and Pedro Pascal as Harry in Celine Song's Materialists
New rom-com starring Marvel actors was inspired by legendary romance movies like Pride & Prejudice and The Graduate
Eva Victor as Agnes in Sorry, Baby
In the midst of summer blockbuster season, my favorite movie of the year so far is a moving comedy-drama with a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score
Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard in Argylle
Argylle star Bryce Dallas Howard isn't surprised by her movie flops: "You can always see it coming while you're making it"
Taraji P. Henson in Straw
Netflix's latest number one movie worldwide is a thriller with a low Rotten Tomatoes score, but viewers have nothing but praise for it
Lindsey Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Freakier Friday
Jamie Lee Curtis calls out "harsh" Freakier Friday review: "SOME people love it"
Latest in Action Movies
Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner in Avengers
Despite being weeks into filming, Mark Ruffalo says he's "still waiting to hear" if the Hulk is in Spider-Man 4: "I haven't read a script yet"
Steven Spielberg/ JC Olivera / Stringer
Steven Spielberg reportedly wanted to direct the new Call of Duty movie, but Activision was "spooked" because he wanted full control
John Cena in Peacemaker season 2
Peacemaker season 2 is a "prequel" to Man of Tomorrow, which means there's a non-zero chance Superman turns up soon
Awkwafina as Katy and Simu Liu as Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Marvel star still waiting on a sequel to their 92% Rotten Tomatoes-rated debut movie has the perfect response to the Man of Tomorrow announcement
Street Fighter II arcade game character select screen
Street Fighter movie delays release date as it invites everyone to choose their fighter with retro character select cast announcement
David Corenswet as Superman kneels by a broken robot in the new Superman movie.
Superman, Fantastic Four, and the rest of 2025's big superhero stories are bringing the death of cynicism and the rebirth of sincerity
Latest in Features
Word Play screenshot of a typical match in the roguelike spelling game
Word Play is a spelling roguelike that feels like the final boss of Wordle and it made me feel like an angry genius
A Meta Quest 3 headset next to two pairs of wireless earbuds
Using Bluetooth earbuds with the Meta Quest 3 still sucks, but here's why that isn't a dealbreaker
Roy Scheider as Martin Brody in Jaws
Jaws may be 50 years old, but Steven Spielberg's shark thriller is still a blockbuster in a league of its own
Hollow Knight Silksong
2 hours in, and Hollow Knight Silksong is already making me feel like I'm playing Dark Souls for the first time again
Elden Ring Nightreign screenshot of two players interacting
I love Elden Ring Nightreign but I'm not sure if it's good for my mental health
Demon Slayer Infinity Castle
Upper Moon demons, explained: the whereabouts of Demon Slayer's Twelve Kizuki villains before Infinity Castle
  1. The Vantage box on a white wooden surface, against a plain wall
    1
    This enormous exploration board game won't be for everyone, but it's a masterclass in narrative and sandbox gameplay
  2. 2
    Hollow Knight Silksong review in progress: "Worth the wait and then some, this isn't just more Hollow Knight but an evolved, spindly beast all its own – even if it's fiddly at times"
  3. 3
    Cronos: The New Dawn review: "An unabashed mash-up of survival horror greatest hits, from Dead Space to Silent Hill, with plenty of its own gory ideas"
  4. 4
    This gorgeously weird monster board game warms my Halloween-loving heart, and it's a delight
  5. 5
    Lost Soul Aside review: "We (don't) have Final Fantasy Versus 13 at home"
  1. Vera Farmiga as 'Lorraine' in The Conjuring: Last Rites
    1
    The Conjuring: Last Rites review: "Not bold or memorable enough for the Warrens' final chapter"
  2. 2
    Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle review: "Roars past Mugen Train as Demon Slayer's best adventure yet"
  3. 3
    The Long Walk review: "One of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made"
  4. 4
    Frankenstein review: "A classy, if somewhat safe, adaptation"
  5. 5
    Weapons review: "A twisted fairytale that bests Barbarian"
  1. Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Jenna Ortega as Wednesday Addams, Luis Guzman as Gomez Addams, and Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams in Wednesday season 2 part 2
    1
    Wednesday season 2 part 2 review: "Ortega shines, but it's a zombie who steals the entire show"
  2. 2
    Peacemaker season 2 review: "Darker and sadder than the first year, but there's still a lot of fun to be had with the 11th Street Kids."
  3. 3
    Wednesday season 2 part 1 review: "Complex and exciting but weighed down by too many subplots"
  4. 4
    Alien: Earth review: "Arguably the franchise's strongest outing since James Cameron's Aliens"
  5. 5
    King of the Hill season 14 review: "Hank Hill himself has evolved into a much more open and accepting person"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...