Akhilesh C.
They say that beauty seldom goes with brains. Michelle Monaghan proves this notion wrong. With her prudent choice of the movies she’s been involved with, the co-actors she’s featured alongside and the performances that she’s given so far is no suspense to us. From ‘True Detective’ to ‘Made of Honor’, and from ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ to ‘Source Code’, Monaghan has proven her versatility and has stood the test of time amid ever-changing and forever-demanding roles. And not just her appearances, but her performances have been often critically acclaimed with her receiving several nominations and wins for many of her ventures.
By the means of this list, we bring to you the list of top Michelle Monaghan movies and TV shows, wherein she was at her absolute best and her resolve and passion towards cinema and the big screen is evident. From romantic comedies to fast-paced thrillers and from Sci-Fi movies to some brainy, gut-wrenching stuff, she’s featured in it all and has proved her mettle more often than not. Without much ado by discussing her personal life or her whereabouts, one could be interested in the many latent talents she has and the ample contribution she’s made toward the world of cinema. And mind you, hers is a mere start.
14. Made of Honor (2008)
Featuring in a leading role, Monaghan plays Hannah, a happy-go-lucky girl, who befriends one Mr. Tom after a goof up when the latter mistakes her for one of her friends. Years pass and past comes back and so does a now wealthy and affable Tom, who wants to marry Hannah, who, in turn, is getting married to a Scottish man. Tom has to go all the way overboard to prove himself the right choice for Hannah. A predictable yet colorful comedic attempt with a romance flavor, and with Michelle Monaghan all along.
13. Pixels (2015)
The reason I watched ‘Pixels’ was due to Peter Dinklage, but Michelle Monaghan’s presence in the movie was a blessing in disguise. Playing a single mother Lt. Col. Violet, who works at the White House, she’s instrumental in developing weapons to ward off the impending alien attack that’s similar to the ones in vintage video games. Though the film couldn’t fare well at the Box Office, the performances, including Adam Sandler’s, are on top of the game. A decent watch for Monaghan’s fans too.
12. Winter Solstice (2004)
Monaghan as Stacey is rather sidelined in this gloomy Indie flick, which centers around one Mr. Jim Winters, a gardener, who is raising his two sons Gabe and Peter after the family was left in a trauma post the death of Jim’s wife in a car crash a few years ago. Monaghan plays a virtuous girlfriend to Gabe Winters. Tragic yet lack-luster, the movie focuses only on interpersonal troubles and relationships and the plot weakens as the story progresses. Only for the die-hard fans of Monaghan and Indie movies.
11. Fort Bliss (2014)
With Michelle Monaghan leading the show as an Afghanistan-return war veteran and single mother, ‘Fort Bliss’ is all about her accommodating to the circumstances post her return, including and especially reinventing her relationship with her son. With a gruesome yet impactful start amid a war zone, Maggie Swan doesn’t seemingly sway from her line of duty, but when she’s back home, she finds herself at an awkward animosity with her five-year-old son who has been living with her ex-husband and his wife so far. The film goes on with Maggie trying to fine tune her work and family, while seemingly burning from both ends.
10. Due Date (2010)
The more I liked this movie for its quirks and some cheeky mouthful of laughs, thanks to Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, the more I realised the reason of why everything happened in the first place – because of Michelle’s character Sarah, who’s is about to deliver a child, yet her husband Peter is stuck in between a maniac Ethan Tremblay, his nonchalant demeanour and a no-fly-list. Rib-tickling and comprising of some wonderful performances, sarcastic undertone and some mouthful scornful humor, this comedy-drama is a delightful watch. And not to forget it features Michelle Monaghan too, opposite Downey Jr. for the second time.
9. Eagle Eye (2008)
The commercial success and the critical failure of ‘Eagle Eye’ could be attributed only to its overbearing plot and its cliched premise if nothing else. Overall, ‘Eagle Eye’ manages to keep its viewers on the edge, thanks to its cast comprising Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton and Rosario Dawson to name a few. Not too brainy yet not too slick, ‘Eagle Eye’ portrays the perils of modern technology and how ARIIA, the invincible supercomputer uses Jerry and Rachel to almost accomplish its evil designs. Too much of the same, yet the sci-fi drama has its own movie moments.
8. The Best of Me (2014)
Straight from a bestselling novel penned by Nicholas Sparks, ‘The Best of Me’ is a dwindling story between marriages and post-marital affairs and teenage crushes. Dawson (James Marsden) and Amanda (Michelle Monaghan) were high-school sweethearts before they parted ways twenty years before the present day. As they meet and reconcile at a funeral, their past feelings resurface and eventually, they fall for each other yet again, although only for a while. With a tragic ending and a signature Sparks’ storytelling, ‘The Best of Me’ is reminiscent of ‘The Notebook’ albeit in a much softer way.
7. Mission: Impossible III (2006)
Playing Ethan Hunt’s fiancee Julia, Michelle Monaghan features opposite Tom Cruise in this fast-paced spy thriller, with the former being central to the plot. After their wedding, Julia is kidnapped and as the story progresses, Ethan runs from pillar to post to make sure Julia is alive and well and he must get her to safety before its too late. This J. J. Abrams directorial flick is definitely edge-of-the-seat, comprising some nail-biting sequences and unexpected turns and twists.
6. The Path (TV Series, 2016–Present)
Currently in its third season and counting, ‘The Path’ is probably the only TV series which credits Michelle Monaghan as one of its leads for all of its seasons. Inspired by an amalgamation of multiple religious practices, cult, and Scientology, ‘The Path’ revolves around the principles of Meyerism, a fictional religious movement. Monaghan plays Sarah Lane, a natural-born Meyer who finds herself at crossroads after her husband Eddie questions the fundamentals of Meyerism, though initially flowing with the stream himself. As the series has progressed over the past two seasons, more and more cult practices and puzzles have come to the fore and new elements of surprise have emanated from the premise.
Read More: Sharon Stone Movies
5. Trucker (2008)
Touted as one of the best independent films of 2009 by Roger Ebert, ‘Trucker’ is an unusual story of a long-haul truck driver Diane, who spends her days hauling and nights with anonymous men and alcohol, thus leading an aloof, separated, libertine life. Her tables turn when her ex-husband sends their 11-year-old son Peter to Diane, thus leading to more conflicts, for Peter’s been unknown to her ways until now. Michelle Monaghan is at her absolute best in this movie and ‘Trucker’ could easily be one of her best performance in a leading role so far.
4. Source Code (2011)
As Captain Colter Stevens’ consciousness is put into a school teacher Sean Fentress, he merely has eight minutes to foil a terrorist attack on a train and locate the bomb, his only companion and travel partner being Christina Warren (Michelle Monaghan). As frustrating as it becomes, Stevens has to repeat those eight minutes for an umpteen number of times, with new revelations in every reincarnating episode until he finally catches hold of the bomber. Gripping and deep, with layers of alternating plotlines, ‘Source Code’ is the perfect Sci-Fi venture Monaghan has so far featured in.
3. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
With three central characters – Harry, Harmony, and Perry and a lot of dilemmas, ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ is primarily a murder-mystery encompassed with romance and a smidge of comedy. We get to see some on-screen romance between Robert Downey Jr. and Michelle Monaghan along with the pairing between Harry and Perry in trying to solve the mysterious suicide of Veronica. The allegations around the alleged homosexuality of Perry, Harry and Harmony’s penchant for being accomplished actors and Harry falling for childhood friend Harmony forms the core of the film. Certainly one of the most underrated neo-noir films out there.
2. Gone Baby Gone (2007)
Another neo-noir mystery thriller feat. Michelle Monaghan, ‘Gone Baby Gone’ is the directorial venture of Ben Affleck, also featuring Academy Award Winners Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman. As riveting and enthralling as a movie can get, ‘Gone Baby Gone’ revolves around two detectives Patrick and Angie, who’re also in a relationship, who help trace a missing girl Amanda, with drug lords and other bigger nemeses cropping up as the movie progresses. ‘Gone Baby Gone’ is an undying proof of the directorial prowess of Ben Affleck (as was also ‘Argo’) and the way he could make simpler characters do extraordinary things with inexplicable ease. Also, one of the best movies featuring Michelle Monaghan in the leading role.
1. True Detective (TV Series, 2014)
A truly engrossing, wholesome TV series which featured Monaghan in a leading role alongside Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in its debut season, Michelle Monaghan plays the promiscuous, wary, and doleful Maggie Hart – the wife of Martin Hart (Woody Harrelson), who has an on and off relationship with the homicide detective throughout the season and also develops a sexual relationship with Cohle (Matthew McConaughey), Hart’s partner, to seek a divorce from Hart. Love, hatred, baffling plot twists, stupendous suspense, and some distinguished performances make the essence of this critically acclaimed television series. Easily, the best work of Michelle Monaghan in a television series. Ever.
Read More: Amy Schumer Movies and TV Shows
