Top 10 Must-See Movies Starring Nicole Kidman

Stoker (2013) is a psychological thriller written by Wentworth Miller, under the pseudonym Ted Foulke, and directed by the renowned South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook, famous for winning the Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival with Oldboy. The film stars Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, and Nicole Kidman, and was released on March 1, 2013. It is dedicated to Tony Scott, the producer who passed away after production was completed.

The film follows the eccentric young woman, India Stoker, whose life is turned upside down after the death of her father. Her mysterious uncle, Charlie, returns to their family, and strange disappearances begin to occur in the town. India soon uncovers that her uncle is at the center of these unsettling events. Meanwhile, her mother Evelyn develops a suspicious attraction to Charlie, leading to a dangerous web of deceit and deadly plans.

Although Nicole Kidman plays a supporting role as Evelyn Stoker, India's mother, her remarkable performance earned her two nominations for 'Best Supporting Actress' from the Saturn Awards and the Fright Meter Awards.

IMDb Rating: 6.8
Tomatometer: 70%
Audience Score: 60%

Rabbit Hole (2010) is a gripping American drama directed by John Cameron Mitchell, with a screenplay by David Lindsay-Abaire based on his 2006 play of the same name. Nicole Kidman (who also served as a producer) stars alongside Aaron Eckhart as a grieving couple coping with the tragic loss of their four-year-old son. The film also features Dianne Wiest, Tammy Blanchard, Miles Teller, Giancarlo Esposito, Jon Tenney, and Sandra Oh.

The film premiered at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival on September 13, 2010. It was initially released in limited theaters in the U.S. on December 17, 2010, before a wide release on January 28, 2011, by Lionsgate Films. Kidman’s performance was highly praised by critics, earning her nominations for the Academy Award, Critics' Choice Award, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Award, and many others.

IMDb Rating: 7.0
Tomatometer: 87%
Audience Score: 72%

God Grew Tired of Us (2006) is a documentary film from the United States, telling the story of three of the "Lost Boys of Sudan," a group of around 25,000 young men who fled the Sudanese civil wars starting in the 1980s. The film follows their experiences as they resettle in the United States. Written and directed by Christopher Dillon Quinn, narrated by Nicole Kidman, and executive produced by Brad Pitt, the documentary's title comes from a statement made by John Dau, expressing the despair felt by him and other Sudanese during the civil war.

At the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, the film won both the "Grand Jury Prize: Documentary" and the "Audience Award" in the "Independent Film Competition: Documentary" category. It also received the Best Documentary award at the Deauville Film Festival in France and the Galway Film Festival in Ireland.

IMDb Rating: 7.9

Tomatometer Score: 91%

Audience Rating: 95%

Dogville (2003) is a groundbreaking drama film directed and written by Lars von Trier in 2003, featuring a star-studded cast including Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Paul Bettany, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård, Udo Kier, Ben Gazzara, Harriet Andersson, and James Caan. The film garnered mixed reviews, with some critics praising it and others considering it a masterpiece. It was later included in a 2016 BBC poll of the best films since 2000.

The story follows Grace Mulligan (Kidman), a woman on the run from a criminal, who arrives in the small mountain town of Dogville, Colorado, where she is offered refuge in exchange for physical labor. The film is divided into nine chapters, plus an introductory section. Slowly but surely, Lars Von Trier guides the audience through the town, revealing each character's personality and family situation in a minimalist, almost abstract way that feels universally relatable.

The film is the first in von Trier's unfinished "USA - Land of Opportunities" trilogy, followed by Manderlay (2005), with a third installment, Washington, expected. Dogville was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival and was later shown at various other film festivals before its limited release in the United States on March 26, 2004.

IMDb Rating: 8.0

Tomatometer Score: 70%

Audience Rating: 89%

Cold Mountain (2003) is an epic war drama directed and written by Anthony Minghella, based on the bestselling novel by Charles Frazier. The film stars Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, and Renée Zellweger, with supporting performances by Natalie Portman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Melora Walters, Jena Malone, Donald Sutherland, Brendan Gleeson, Ray Winstone, Jack White, Kathy Baker, Cillian Murphy, and Giovanni Ribisi.

The story centers around the enduring love between a young woman and a soldier amidst the brutality of the Civil War, despite only having met three times. After the war, one waits, while the other struggles with death and yearns to return home. The soldier’s journey to reunite with his love forms the emotional core of the narrative.

The film received seven Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Jude Law, and won one award for Renée Zellweger as Best Supporting Actress. Zellweger's portrayal of Ruby also earned her the BAFTA Award, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild Award.

IMDb Rating: 7.2

Tomatometer Score: 70%

Audience Rating: 77%

The Others (2001) is a supernatural thriller from the United States, released in 2001. Directed, written, and scored by Alejandro Amenábar, the film stars Nicole Kidman with Tom Cruise serving as a producer. The story follows Grace Stewart (Kidman), a widowed mother who lives with her two children in a mysterious house shortly after World War II.

The film was widely praised, regarded as one of the best horror films of 2001 and of the 2000s. It is often seen as inspired by the 1898 novella *The Turn of the Screw*. The film was a commercial success, grossing over $200 million worldwide.

It received several accolades, particularly for Kidman and Flanagan's performances, as well as Amenábar's screenplay. The film won eight awards out of fifteen nominations at the 16th Goya Awards, including Best Film, making it the first English-language film to win in this category. Additionally, it took home three Saturn Awards, including Best Horror Film, Best Actress for Kidman, and Best Supporting Actress for Flanagan. Kidman also earned nominations for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama and a BAFTA for Best Actress.

IMDb Rating: 7.6
Tomatometer Score: 83%
Audience Rating: 77%

Moulin Rouge (2001) is a romantic musical film directed by Baz Luhrmann, released in 2001, inspired by the Orphean myth and Giuseppe Verdi's opera *La Traviata*. The story follows Christian (Ewan McGregor), a young English poet who falls in love with Satine (Nicole Kidman), the star of the Moulin Rouge cabaret, who is both an actress and a courtesan. Set in the vibrant Montmartre district of Paris, the film is filled with music and extravagant performances.

The film earned 8 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Art Direction, and Costume Design. It marked the first time in 22 years that a musical film won Best Cinematography. Critics praised the performances of Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, and Jim Broadbent. Filming took place at the Fox Studios in Sydney, Australia.

IMDb Rating: 7.6

Tomatometer Score: 76%

Audience Rating: 89%

Bombshell (2019) is a biographical drama film from the United States, directed by Jay Roach and written by Charles Randolph. The film stars Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and Margot Robbie, and is based on the accounts of several women at Fox News who sought to expose CEO Roger Ailes for his sexual harassment. John Litva, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Malcolm McDowell, and Allison Janney also play supporting roles.

The project was first announced in May 2017, following Ailes' death, with Roach confirmed as the director the following year. Most of the cast joined the project in the summer of 2018, with filming beginning in October of that year in Los Angeles. The film had a limited release in the U.S. on December 13, 2019, before expanding nationwide on December 20, distributed by Lionsgate.

Bombshell received mixed reviews, with praise for the performances of the cast, particularly Theron, Kidman, Robbie, and Litva, but some critics noted issues with the script and its lack of accuracy. At the 92nd Academy Awards, the film received three nominations: Best Actress (Theron), Best Supporting Actress (Robbie), and Best Makeup. It also garnered two nominations at the 77th Golden Globe Awards (for Theron and Robbie), four at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards (Theron, Robbie, Kidman, and Outstanding Cast), and three wins at the 73rd BAFTA Awards (Theron, Robbie, and Best Makeup).

IMDb Rating: 6.8
Tomatometer Score: 68%
Audience Rating: 84%

Destroyer (2018) is an American crime drama directed by Karyn Kusama, with a screenplay by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi. The film stars Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy, Bradley Whitford, and Sebastian Stan.

The story follows Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman), a former undercover cop who infiltrated a dangerous gang. Years after a tragic case left her scarred, the gang leader resurfaces, and Erin must confront the dangers of her past, which she had hoped to bury forever.

Debuting at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2018, the film was released in the U.S. on December 25, 2018, by Annapurna Pictures. It received favorable reviews from critics, particularly praising Kidman’s performance. Her role earned her a nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama at the 76th Golden Globe Awards.

IMDb Rating: 6.2

Tomatometer Score: 74%

Audience Rating: 50%

Boy Erased (2018) is a biographical drama based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir. Directed by Joel Edgerton, who also produced alongside Kerry Kohansky Roberts and Steve Golin, the film stars Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, and Edgerton himself. It tells the story of a young man raised in a Baptist family who is coerced into attending a gay conversion therapy program.

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on September 1, 2018, and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was released in U.S. theaters on November 2, 2018, grossing over $11 million globally. Critics praised the performances of the cast, particularly Hedges, and the film received several award nominations, including two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor (Hedges) and Best Original Song (“Revelation”). It also won the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Limited Release Film.

IMDb Rating: 6.9

Tomatometer Score: 80%

Audience Rating: 74%