When you think of the greatest American actors, there's a good chance Meryl Streep instantly comes to mind. This prolific performer has become a household name and an indelible cultural icon, racking up a record-breaking 21 Oscar nominations and winning three times. But just because Streep is universally beloved doesn't mean she's never made any missteps. Since all the classics she's starred in get plenty of attention, it's time to take a look at the worst Meryl Streep movies of all time.
Streep has made quite a lot of movies in her 45-year career—and most of them have been well received, but when consulting Rotten Tomatoes' ranked list of every Meryl Streep film, the clunkers are obvious. The bottom picks on the list offer a clear picture of the Streep offerings that critics were, at best, lukewarm on. As a reminder, Rotten Tomatoes ranks films using an algorithm that considers the number of reviews and the critics who wrote them, so some movies with higher scores end up lower than others.
It's also important to note that many of these movies got panned while still earning Streep praise and occasionally Academy Award nominations. But based on the movies' reviews, these are her career low points. And for another adored actor's film flubs, check out The Worst Tom Hanks Movies of All Time, According to Critics.
26 August: Osage County (2013)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 67 percent
25 Ricki and the Flash (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 65 percent
And for more movies the critics didn't love, revisit The Worst Movie That Came Out the Year You Graduated.
24 Dancing at Lughnasa (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 64 percent
23 Music of the Heart (1999)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 63 percent
And for more misguided movies starring one of our favorite A-listers, these are The Worst Jennifer Aniston Movies of All Time, According to Critics.
22 Still of the Night (1982)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 63 percent
21 The Ant Bully (2006)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 62 percent
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20 It's Complicated (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58 percent
19 Ironweed (1987)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58 percent
18 Out of Africa (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 62 percent
17 Falling in Love (1984)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58 percent
16 The River Wild (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 58 percent
15 Plenty (1985)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 56 percent
14 Mamma Mia! (2008)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 55 percent
13 The Iron Lady (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 52 percent
12 Death Becomes Her (1992)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 54 percent
11 Prime (2005)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 50 percent
10 Rendition (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 47 percent
9 Heartburn (1986)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 45 percent
8 The Laundromat (2019)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 41 percent
7 Dark Matter (2008)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 40 percent
6 She-Devil (1989)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 40 percent
5 The Giver (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 35 percent
And for more films reviewers hated, these are The Worst Animated Disney Movies of All Time, According to Critics.
4 Before and After (1996)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 32 percent
3 The House of the Spirits (1994)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 30 percent
And for more bad movies starring great actors, check out The 20 Worst Movies Starring Oscar-Winning Actors.
2 Lions for Lambs (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 27 percent
1 Evening (2007)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 27 percent
And for more of the worst of the worst, These Are the Movies on Rotten Tomatoes With 0 Percent Ratings.
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