Skip to main content
Games Radar
  • Newsarama
  • Total Film
  • Edge
  • Retro Gamer
  • SFX
Total Film The smarter take on movies
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Subscribe
  • Podcast
  • Newsletter
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • 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
View
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best Netflix Shows

Recommended reading

Leonardo DiCaprio as Trooper William "Billy" Costigan Jr. undercover and sneaking next to a wall during a scene in The Departed.
Thriller Movies The 25 best thriller movies to send a shiver down your spine
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"
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in Heretic
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now
Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina
Action Movies From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
Tom Holland in new Netflix movie The Devil All the Time
Thriller Movies The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby
Movies The 32 greatest movies under 90 minutes
The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time: pictures of Alien, Arrival, Terminator, Brazil and 2001.
Sci-Fi Movies The 30 best sci-fi movies of all time
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Action Movies
  4. new york, i love you

Best & Worst: Natalie Portman

Features
By Matt Maytum published 2 February 2011

Leon, Black Swan and the bits in between

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

Best: Black Swan (2010)

Best: Black Swan (2010)

All eyes are on Natalie Portman this awards season, and she's hot favourite to take home the Oscar for her stunning turn in Darren Aronofsky's ballet psychodrama.

It's not like she doesn't deserve the praise either: the movie rests heavily on her en pointe toes and her haunted, frail performance as virginal dancer Nina, who struggles to summon the darkness required to play the Black Swan.

As well as nailing the mental transformation, Portman fully convinces in the physical stakes, as a performer pushing her body to the limit in the search of perfection. Could herald a whole new era for Portman as an actress.

Page 1 of 21
Page 1 of 21
Worst: Brothers (2009)

Worst: Brothers (2009)

Portman had a pivotal role in this remake of 2004's Brødre : she plays the war widow who falls for her departed hubbie's bad-boy brother (Jake Gyllenhaal), only to discover her husband (Tobey Maguire) survived after all.

The central trio give it a decent shot, but they all feel too young to inject the story with the required heft, and at times it can feel like Portman is more like a lovesick schoolgirl than a grieving mother-of-two. Stick with the Danish original.

Page 2 of 21
Page 2 of 21
Best: Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Best: Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Natalie Portman had a miniscule role in Wes Anderson's The Darjeeling Limited , but it came with added significance via this short companion piece.

Sporting a Hepburn crop, and shedding her clothes for a much-discussed flash of skin, Portman's minxy ex-girlfriend is the catalyst that sends Jack (Jason Schwartzman) on his India-bound voyage of discovery with his brothers.

Ditching her trademark innocence, Portman proves compelling, intimidating, and pretty much irresistible.

Page 3 of 21
Page 3 of 21
Worst: My Blueberry Nights (2007)

Worst: My Blueberry Nights (2007)

Wong Kar-Wai's English language debut failed to beguile in the same measure as the likes of In The Mood For Love and Chungking Express .

Surprisingly, it's singer Norah Jones who stands out above big movie names Jude Law, Rachel Weisz and Portman. Jones' dreamy-eyed middle-distance stare may not be too everyone's taste, but Portman's garish southern gal feels entirely forced in comparison.

Not entirely uninteresting, but it's unlikely that this'll be one you watch more than once.

Page 4 of 21
Page 4 of 21
Best: Garden State (2004)

Best: Garden State (2004)

Scrubs man Zach Braff made an impressive directorial debut with this Sundance favourite. It verges on being overly quirksome, but ultimately it's saved by solid performances, and some well-handled thematic elements.

Portman plays an life-grabbing epilepsy sufferer who Braff's Large ends up falling for when he decides to take a break from his medication.

She's addictively charming in a potentially annoying role, and she provides much of the genuine heart that buoys the movie.

Page 5 of 21
Page 5 of 21
Worst: Goya's Ghosts (2006)

Worst: Goya's Ghosts (2006)

This movie is loaded with cinematic big-hitters and packs a hefty subject matter, but sadly it never really rises above the mundane. Stellan Skarsgård is the painter whose work falls foul of the Spanish Inquisition.

Natalie Portman doesn't get room to breathe in her role as Goya's muse, though Javier Bardem at least brings presence to spare as unrelenting monk Lorenzo.

That this was the comeback movie from Milos Forman ( One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest , Amadeus ), makes its underwhelming impact all the more disappointing.

Page 6 of 21
Page 6 of 21
Best: Closer (2004)

Best: Closer (2004)

Portman got an early chance to demonstrate the kind of duality she can so confidently slip in and out of in Mike Nichols' ice-cold relationship drama.

Patrick Marber adapted the smart script from his own play, which sees the action jump to key moments in the interwoven relationships of four people.

As Alice, Portman flits between über-confident stripper and needy betrayed woman, and gives one of this four-hander's standout turns (much credit is also due to a crackling Clive Owen).

Page 7 of 21
Page 7 of 21
Worst: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Worst: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999)

Portman looks striking in the full Queen Amidala garb, but otherwise the young actress is as false as George Lucas' digital sets.

It remains a mystery how the talents of Portman and Ewan McGregor seem to evaporate as soon as they get in front of one of Lucas' cameras.

There's also the quite queasy fact of her relationship with the pre-pubescent Anakin (Jake Lloyd), that's almost as unpalatable when she gets with his older counterpart. The young actress's first big blockbuster role should have been so much better, in terms of movie, performance, everything...

Page 8 of 21
Page 8 of 21
Best: Cold Mountain (2003)

Best: Cold Mountain (2003)

Anthony Minghella's lavish period piece didn't garner the plaudits of The English Patient , but it's a film that's impossible to not admire.

The driving force of the film is the relationship between Jude Law's Confederate soldier and Ada (Nicole Kidman), the love he left behind in Carolina, but Portman shows up in a valuable support role.

As a young widow who takes in Law's wayward soldier for a night, her underlying youthfulness is contrasted with a believable layer of lived-in grime.

Page 9 of 21
Page 9 of 21
Worst: Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Worst: Mr Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

This Willy Wonka -lite toy-store tale features one of Portman's most annoying performances. Even her elfin charms can't sell the magic this story desperately needs.

Sadly, Portman's not on her own, as being irritating seems to be the order of the day here, with Dustin Hoffman gurning for all he's worth as the excessively kooky Magorium, and Jason Bateman failing to bring charm or giggles to his troublesome accountant.

Portman's character suffers from a lack of confidence, which speaks volumes for this tonally-unsure kids' movie.

Page 10 of 21
Page 10 of 21
Best: V for Vendetta (2006)

Best: V for Vendetta (2006)

Vendetta opened to mixed reviews, and comic creator Alan Moore of course distanced himself as far as he could from the project, but it remains a decent actioner, with more brain and political bite than your average.

It also boasts a ballsy, post- Star Wars turn from Portman, who made headlines by shaving her head for the role (in the process proving that she can pull of any 'do thrown at her).

The movie's also bolstered by some decent knife-wielding action scenes and an intriguingly Orwellian vision of Britain under a fascist dictatorship.

Page 11 of 21
Page 11 of 21
Worst: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

Worst: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002)

For her second go at Star Wars , Portman failed to spark any chemistry with Anakin (Hayden Christensen), let alone convince as a key stepping stone on the path to the ultimate dark lord losing his way.

If as much attention was paid to Padmé's character as to her make-up and costume design, we might have got somewhere.

Hamfisted dialogue aside, Portman also gets involved unconvincingly in the action, via the arena showdown, where she gets to wear a conveniently ripped top.

Page 12 of 21
Page 12 of 21
Best: Heat (1995)

Best: Heat (1995)

Portman didn't start here cinematic career slowly: after an explosive performance in Leon , she bagged a role in Michael Mann's intense crime thriller.

She plays Lauren, the troubled stepdaughter of Al Pacino's workaholic lawman Vincent Hanna, pretty much embodying the destruction that his obsession is wreaking on his personal life.

The showy centrepiece was obviously the De Niro vs Pacino acting showdown, but Portman more than holds her own amidst a staggeringly packed cast.

Page 13 of 21
Page 13 of 21
Worst: The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Worst: The Other Boleyn Girl (2008)

Portman's performance is far and away the most successful part of this otherwise messy adaptation of Philippa Gregory's historical bodice-ripper, investing Anne Boleyn with tempting appeal and a naive misguidedness.

Sadly, Eric Bana and Scarlett Johansson give can't-be-bothered turns as the remaining vertices of the love triangle, and the film fails to match the tension of the tacky page-turner of a source.

The movie doesn't capture the courtly intrigue that was required for the claustrophobia and tension, faring poorly in comparison to TV romp The Tudors .

Page 14 of 21
Page 14 of 21
Best: Mars Attacks! (1996)

Best: Mars Attacks! (1996)

Portman is a rare child actress worthy of being cast as the screen offspring of Jack Nicholson and Glenn Close, and this movie gave her the opportunity to add her name to an enviably starry cast list.

Tim Burton's big-budget B-movie isn't to everyone's taste, but once it gets going after a bit of a dawdling start, it's unashamedly good fun.

Portman's First Daughter is a bit ambivalent to the alien invasion to begin with, but she proves herself pretty capable when she's forced to muck in.

Page 15 of 21
Page 15 of 21
Worst: Where the Heart Is (2000)

Worst: Where the Heart Is (2000)

In this bizarre slice of Southern Americana, Natalie Portman fails to convince as a trailer trash teen mom. In fact, a feeling of inauthenticity pervades the whole movie, from the 'colourful' (read, ridiculous) character names, to the string of almost random occurences.

Portman's Novalee Nation finds fame when she gives birth in a Wal-Mart outlet, but the story quickly jumps from the fun of living in a supermarket to the struggles of trying to raise a family under difficult circumstances.

It feels like it's trying to instil you with a new-found appreciation for life, when instead it ends up making you question your faith in humanity.

Page 16 of 21
Page 16 of 21
Best: Beautiful Girls (1996)

Best: Beautiful Girls (1996)

Another precocious turn from an extremely young Portman. While her character, Marty, verges on jailbait, she once again shows a wisdom beyond her young years.

Set in snowy Massachusetts, the movie puts 'guy problems' front and centre, unhurriedly analysing the male fascination with unattainable women.

Pianist Timothy Hutton returns home from New York for a school reunion to find himself enchanted by Portman's smart thirteen-year-old. Thankfully the issue is sensitively handled, and doesn't skirt into Lolita territory, giving Portman another opportunity to show off her natural screen presence.

Page 17 of 21
Page 17 of 21
Worst: Anywhere But Here (1999)

Worst: Anywhere But Here (1999)

Portman teamed with Susan Sarandon for this soulless mother-daughter drama, which aims for tear-jerking but is more likely to leave you weeping with frustration.

As the daughter of flighty, irresponsible Adele (Sarandon), Portman does the teen sulk all too well, but relentless bickering doesn't make for an enticing cinematic experience.

When redemption does come, it feels too little, too late, as you'll have lost any interest in the characters way before then.

Page 18 of 21
Page 18 of 21
Best: Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Best: Everyone Says I Love You (1996)

Woody Allen convinced an all-star cast to have a go at singing and dancing in this musical spin on the trusted Allen formula.

The plot centres on Drew Barrymore and Ed Norton's lovelorn teens, but Allen also plays a prominent role in his usual screen guise.

Portman plays it prim and prissy as one of the Dandridge sisters, and she eschews her natural vunerability to embody the bitchy Park Avenue princess who bursts into song after being dumped.

Page 19 of 21
Page 19 of 21
Worst: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

Worst: Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005)

By the time the third prequel rolled round, Portman seemed a little more comfortable within the Star Wars universe, but she still fails to master George Lucas' leaden script.

It doesn't help matters that she's still saddled with Hayden Christensen, who has gained no additional gravitas with the acquisition of his new mullet.

Spared of any action scenes this time around, Portman has little to do but mope around, biding her time until she pops out a couple of prophesy-fulfilling sprogs.

Page 20 of 21
Page 20 of 21
Best: Leon (1994)

Best: Leon (1994)

Natalie Portman's film debut was so astonishing it almost acted as a hinderance, as it was some time until she could quite match it for intensity, charm and magnetism (thankfully she's since proved several times that this was no one-off).

A permanent fixture on best ever child performance lists, Portman's Mathilda develops an uncomfortably close relationship with hitman Leon (Jean Reno, never cooler) after her family is wiped out by Gary Oldman's corrupt cop.

It's rare that an action movie ever has a likeable child sidekick, let alone one who drives the entire movie.

Page 21 of 21
Page 21 of 21
CATEGORIES
Amazon Prime Video Streaming Services
Matt Maytum
Matt Maytum
Social Links Navigation
Editor, Total Film

I'm the Editor at Total Film magazine, overseeing the running of the mag, and generally obsessing over all things Nolan, Kubrick and Pixar. Over the past decade I've worked in various roles for TF online and in print, including at GamesRadar+, and you can often hear me nattering on the Inside Total Film podcast. Bucket-list-ticking career highlights have included reporting from the set of Tenet and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as covering Comic-Con, TIFF and the Sundance Film Festival.

See more Movies Features
Read more
Leonardo DiCaprio as Trooper William "Billy" Costigan Jr. undercover and sneaking next to a wall during a scene in The Departed.
The 25 best thriller movies to send a shiver down your spine
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"
Hugh Grant as Mr. Reed in Heretic
The 25 best movies on Amazon Prime to watch right now
Ana de Armas as Eve in Ballerina
From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
Tom Holland in new Netflix movie The Devil All the Time
The 25 best Netflix thrillers to watch right now
Rachel Sennott in Shiva Baby
The 32 greatest movies under 90 minutes
Latest in Action Movies
Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs in Euphoria
Tom Holland and Jacob Elordi are reportedly being considered for Denis Villeneuve's Amazon James Bond movie
Pedro Pascal as Reed Richards in Fantastic Four
Spider-Man director reveals why he stepped down from making Marvel movie Fantastic Four: "I knew I didn't have what it would've taken to make that movie great"
Borderlands (2024)
Disastrous Borderlands movie gets the faintest of praise from Gearbox boss Randy Pitchford, who says it's a "miracle" the film even exists, which makes it "amazing" in his eyes
Spider-Man 4
An extended version of the live-action Spider-Man movie with the best Rotten Tomatoes score is swinging into movie theaters this fall
John Malkovich steps out of the shadows in The Fantastic Four: First Steps
Fantastic Four: First Steps press release has removed one major cast member, leaving fans to wonder if the character has been cut
The new Fantastic Four
The Fantastic Four: First Steps - Everything you need to know about the comic run that director Matt Shakman says inspired the film
Latest in Features
One-Punch Man season 3: Saitama punching while in mid-air during the anime One-Punch Man.
Anime Expo 2025: dates, announcements, and why One-Punch Man fans should be excited
The Shrouds
It may feature corpses, missing limbs, and AI, but with The Shrouds, legendary director David Cronenberg has made the ultimate meditation on grief: "To me, there is no afterlife"
A full setup for Fate of the Fellowship with cards, tokens, and pieces all laid out
Legendary board game designer says his upcoming Lord of the Rings project is "definitely the most thematically and mechanically rich game I’ve worked on"
Promotional artwork for the Steam Summer Sale 2025 which runs from June 26th - July 10th at 10am PT
I've spent six hours exploring the Steam Summer Sale with our Games Editor, and these are the 10 best games on discount I'd recommend so far
The Outer Worlds 2 screenshot of Aza, a cultist companion with short pink hair who holds a dagger
The Outer Worlds 2 is "going deeper and more complex" with its companions, and I'm already making grabby hands at this RPG
Ruffy runs across the ocean on wooden crates in Ruffy and the Riverside, with the GamesRadar+ Indie Spotlight logo
Banjo-Kazooie and Paper Mario mix together in this delightful puzzle platformer that has me swapping textures to solve puzzles by changing the world
  1. Sam fires at the ghost mech squid boss in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
    1
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  2. 2
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  3. 3
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  4. 4
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  5. 5
    Dune: Awakening review: "Both extremely compelling and extraordinarily boring, sometimes at the same time – yet still a true Dune love letter"
  1. M3GAN doll in M3GAN 2.0
    1
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  2. 2
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  3. 3
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  4. 4
    From the World of John Wick: Ballerina review: "Brilliant action, even if the plot gives you a sense of déjà vu"
  5. 5
    Karate Kid: Legends review: "Better than Karate Kid (2010), nothing on Karate Kid (1984)"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

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...