Shuvrajit Das Biswas
6. Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999)
This dark comedy thriller stars Katie Holmes as Leigh Ann, a small town girl bent on escaping the confines of her deadbeat environment by getting good grades and being class valedictorian. Her plans are complicated by Mrs. Tingle, the history teacher who is out to sabotage her plans. Things go awry when Leigh along with her friends Jo Lynn and Luke get caught in a wrongful cheating case and to retaliate they hold their history teacher against her will in her house. A hilarious and slightly dangerous chain of events follow, showing Mrs. Tingle’s true depravity but at the end, all things work out for Leigh Ann, as Tingle’s nefarious and petty schemes are brought to light and Leigh does become class valedictorian. Holmes plays the young student trying to be perfect, and she brings the character to light with her innocence and wishes to succeed.
5. Pieces of April (2003)
A well thought out drama film starring Katie Holmes as April Burns. The plot follows April as she plans a Thanksgiving dinner with her estranged family, the course of the family’s journey, the preparation of the meal and her boyfriend’s concern about acceptance within the family all serve as motifs that push the plot forward. Holmes does a brilliant job proving her mettle as an actress and showing that she would be just as great in lead roles. A finely made film which sublimely deals with social issues, this is one of the finer films in Katie’s repertoire.
4. Disturbing Behavior (1998)
This science fiction horror story is basically a parable of how schools make us conformists and stop free thinking and how parents are on board with that. The protagonists are Steve (James Marsden) and Rachel (Katie Holmes). What’s the worst nightmare for a conspiring town driven to conformity? A couple of rebellious teenagers. A fine plot where these teens investigate and get to the disturbing truth behind all the benign compliance. Holmes plays the role of Rachel beautifully oozing rebellion in the role and feigning disdain and understandable outrage when demanded.
3. Batman Begins (2005)
Directed by Christopher Nolan, Katie Holmes played Bruce Wayne’s childhood friend and love interest Rachel Dawes in the first film. Holmes delivers a memorable performance in a memorable film, full of memorable actors and moments. She plays a small role but establishes her importance to the protagonist and shows how her grounded character serves as a foil for Bruce when he might have been going down a dark path. Holmes brings to live Rachel in her quest for justice and her unerring belief in the system which would also go on to form one of Batman’s core philosophies.
2. The Gift (2000)
Sam Raimi’s supernatural thriller stars Katie Holmes in a very small role. She appears as the fiancee of a school teacher who gets murdered. However, with the help of a psychic, as the case is uncovered, Holmes’ character Jessica’s infidelities and relationships come to light and in a thrilling plotline, the film climaxes as her husband turns out to be the killer. Holmes portrays the innocent but promiscuous Jessica brilliantly and although she appears rarely on screen, it is her character that the entire movie surrounds, for her death is the major motif that pushes the plot to its conclusion.
1. Dawson’s Creek (1998-2003)
This teenage drama television show was Katie Holmes’ stepping stone to stardom. She plays the character of Joey Potter, the protagonist Dawson Leery’s best friend and love interest. The plot follows the lives of these teenagers and their shenanigans, but what stands out is Katie Holmes’ acting at that young age which obviously caught many eyes and led her down this path of fame. A well-made television show during a time when teenage drama was a craze, this Holmes and James Van Der Beek (Dawson) do brilliant jobs as the leads and makes this show even more memorable.
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