Saoirse Ronan's Period Pieces, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes
Critics and fans often consider Saoirse Ronan one of the best actresses of her generation. A four-time Academy Award nominee, Ronan has proven her versatility by starring in dramas, comedies, sci-fi adventures, and thrillers, always delivering complex and compelling performances.
Ronan is also famous for frequently starring in period pieces, playing young women torn between two loves or some of history's most famous queens. Ronan's period films often receive positive reviews from critics, as evidenced by their high Rotten Tomatoes scores, cementing her place as one of Hollywood's new go-to leading ladies.
10 Mary Queen Of Scots (2018) - 62%
Fresh off her third Oscar nomination for 2017's Lady Bird, Ronan assumed another daunting role, Mary Queen of Scots, in the 2018 film of the same name. It chronicles the increasingly tense relationship between Mary and her cousin, Queen Elizabeth of England, played by Margot Robbie.
Mary Queen of Scots received mixed-to-positive reviews. Critics took aim at the film's revisionist take on historical events but heavily praised Ronan and Robbie's performances. Despite its ambitious production value, the film earned only two Oscar nominations for Costume Design and Makeup & Hairstyling.
9 The Seagull (2018) - 67%
Based on Anton Chekhov's play of the same name, The Seagull features Annette Bening and Ronan leading an ensemble cast including Corey Stoll, Elizabeth Moss, Billy Howle, and Mare Winningham. The film follows the love triangle between an aging actress, her lover, and a young girl from a neighboring state.
Critics agreed that The Seagull was far from one of the best movies based on stage plays. However, it did a serviceable job adapting Chekhov's masterpiece while providing a good showcase for its esteemed ensemble.
8 On Chesil Beach (2017) - 68%
A year before they worked together on The Seagull, Ronan and Billy Howle co-starred in the romantic drama On Chesil Beach, based on the Booker Prize-winning novella of the same name. The film follows a young virgin couple whose disastrous attempt at sex during their wedding night leads to lifelong consequences.
Like The Seagull, On Chesil Beach received mainly positive reviews, with critics praising Ronan and Howle's performances. The film grossed $3.4 million at the box office according to Box Office Mojo, making it one of Ronan's lowest-grossing films to date.
7 Ammonite (2020) - 69%
In 2020, Ronan joined forces with another actress famous for her period pieces, Kate Winslet. The two starred in Ammonite, a fictionalized portrayal of the romantic relationship between paleontologist Mary Anning and geologist Charlotte Murchison.
Although initially thought to be a major Oscar contender, Ammonite received mixed-to-positive reviews following its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival. Most of the praise went to the two lead performances, particularly Kate Winslet in one of her best roles to date.
6 The Way Back (2010) - 74%
Set during World War II, The Way Back follows Janusz, a prisoner at a Siberian camp who escapes and must travel 4,000 miles through the frozen Himalayas. Peter Wier directed the film, which stars Jim Sturgess as Janusz alongside Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, and Ronan.
The Way Back received positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances and the film's production values but criticized the story and lack of emotional connection. The film received a Best Makeup nomination at the 2011 Oscars but lost to The Wolfman.
5 Atonement (2007) - 83%
Joe Wright's Atonement follows two young lovers separated by the reckless lie of an immature and wildly creative girl. The film stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, with Ronan, Ramola Garai, and Vanessa Redgrave playing different versions of the same character.
Atonement received critical acclaim, garnering seven Academy Award nominations at the 2008 ceremony. At just 13 years of age, Ronan was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, her first of four mentions that would eventually place her as one of the actors under 30 with the most Oscar nominations.
4 Loving Vincent (2017) - 84%
Loving Vincent is one of the most daring and unique animated films of all time. It follows the life of tragic painter Vincent Van Gogh and the circumstances surrounding his death. The film includes an ensemble cast, including Ronan, who voices Marguerite Cachet, the subject of two of Van Gogh's paintings.
Critics praised Loving Vincent's ambition and daring visual spectacle. However, the plot and dialogue received criticism, as some considered it vastly inferior to the movie's unique visuals.
3 The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) - 92%
Wes Anderson's quirky, colorful style reaches new levels in 2014's The Grand Budapest Hotel. Ralph Fiennes stars as Monsieur Gustave, the concierge at the titular hotel who must run away with his lobby boy, Zero, after being falsely accused of a murder. Ronan plays Agatha, a talented baker and Zero's love interest.
Critically acclaimed and commercially successful, The Grand Budapest Hotel received a leading nine Oscar nominations at the 2015 ceremony, including Best Picture. It prevailed in Best Costume Design, Makeup & Hairstyling, Original Score, and Production Design.
2 Little Women (2019) - 95%
Greta Gerwig directed the seventh big-screen adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's seminal novel, Little Women. The film follows the lives of the March sisters in 19th-century Massachusetts. Ronan leads an ensemble cast that includes Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, and Timothée Chalamet.
Little Women received universal acclaim from critics, who praised Gerwig's fresh take on the classic source material. Ronan also earned significant praise for her performance, with the Academy rewarding her with a fourth Oscar nomination. The film earned five additional mentions, including Best Picture, eventually winning for Jacqueline Durran's costume design.
1 Brooklyn (2015) - 97%
Brooklyn follows Irish immigrant Ellis Lace as she adapts to life and the possibility of love in 1950s Brooklyn. When duty calls her back home, she must decide where her future will ultimately lie. Ronan stars alongside Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and Julie Walters.
The film received rave reviews from critics, who praised the story and Ronan and Coen's performances. She earned her second Oscar nomination for her work in Brooklyn, eventually losing the award to Brie Larson for Room. The film also received a Best Picture nomination at the 2016 ceremony and a Best Adapted Screenplay mention.