The 17 Best Sandra Bullock Movies, Ranked

The Oscar-winning actress is known for rom-coms, but she’s done charming work across genres.

Despite her report as a rom - com smoothie , Sandra Bullock ’s career span a number of musical style . She ’s done science fiction ( Demolition Man , Gravity ) , action at law ( focal ratio , the regrettableSpeed 2 : Cruise Control ) , a short ton of thriller ( The Vanishing , The Net , Murder by Numbers , Premonition , Bird Box ) , serious adult dramas ( 28 day , Crash , Infamous , The Blind Side ) , and a requisite ' 90s effectual thriller ( A meter to vote down ) . And yet we must admit : Most of Bullock ’s respectable moviesareromantic funniness , or at least broader comedies likeThe Heat , Miss Congeniality , andPractical Magic . She ’s presently come out in theaction - risky venture rompThe Lost City , which accentuates her personal appeal as a cocksure take lady . Keep it coming ! In purity of Bullock ’s 35 - year career , we ’re ranking her good roles thus far .

It ’s a shame Bullock won her first Oscar for this maudlin white - savior dramatic event base on the true account of NFL nauseous electrician Michael Oher , who was adopted as a teen by a nice Tennessee couple ( Bullock and Tim McGraw ) unforced to ignore their town ’s prejudice . Bullock is perfectly o.k. in the function , portray a Southern - belle cracker with a take - no - prisoners humorlessness . But she ca n’t overcome its hammy approaching to a movie in which the future football wizard ( Quinton Aaron ) is relegated to a brook actor ; her chewy accent only accentuates the " Hollywood tries to understand race " vault thatThe Bling Sidedoes not at all surmount . Still , Bullock was clearly aware of her superstar magnate bythe time this project came around , effectively overlook a plastic film that did n’t need to be made . — Matthew Jacobs

16.Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood(2002)

Divine Secrets of the Ya - Ya Sisterhoodcrisscrosses between prison term periods , localisation , and tones , never quite figuring out how to capture the frothiness of Rebecca Wells ’ novel , which focuses on a dramatist ( Bullock ) set about to understand her complicated female parent ( Ellen Burstyn ) via the tight - pucker Louisiana admirer ( Maggie Smith , Fionnula Flanagan , Shirley Knight ) she has maintained since childhood . Even ifYa - Yais a poor man’sSteel Magnolias , it vaunt a down - to - earth watchability , thanks largely to the gentle charm of its cast . Bullock is the movie ’s gravitational pulling , confirming her mainstream draw by direction of what was once a heatedly anticipated adaption . — MJ

15.The Lake House(2006)

The full - body adrenaline flush ofThe Lake House ’s final 10 minutes is exactly the reaction that other movies of this kind only dream of achieving , and it ’s a credit to both Bullock and her Colorado - hotshot ( Keanu Reeves ) that it ’s so effective . When inveterate individual MD Kate Forster ( Bullock ) pass on the glass - palisade lake house she ’d been living in , she also leaves a note for the future tenant , just in typeface they need to forward her any chain mail . When the “ new ” renter , Alex Wyler ( Reeves ) , starts a correspondence with her , they soon realize that they ’re writing to each other from two different points in time , two years apart . Do n’t think too hard about the mechanics of it all , just lease the breathtaking romantic energies of two superstars wash over you . — Emma Stefansky

14.Our Brand Is Crisis(2015)

Based on a infotainment with the same title about James Carville ’s political consultant group getting involved in the 2002 Bolivian presidential election , Our Brand is Crisisis one of those flick that should work better than it does . Director David Gordon Green has a crisp auricle for comedy and a heedful eye for poetic images , but the sarcasm never really unite and the script too often chooses slickness over true sixth sense . At the same time , Bullock , play gifted but down - on - her - luck consultant “ Calamity ” Jane Bodine , birth exactly the type of locked - in , aweary - eyed performance that you ’d find in a movie likeMichael ClaytonorThe Verdict . She ’s excellent , work up a lived - in character who feels more to the full realize than the often chaotic and toothless movie she ’s trap in . Ever the professional , Bullock finds gracility in the crisis . — Dan Jackson

13.The Net(1995)

Click - clacking away at her mechanically skillful keyboard , Bullock is maybe at her hottest as secluded figurer - whiz systems analyst Angela Bassett in a peak mid-’90s lazy - gallon press . She ’s just a dame who wants to order a pizza pie fromPizza.netto her flat , chat about her ideal man on message boards , and colligate her rig to a modem while on a much - needed beach holiday . But when she ’s hand a floppy disc that unwittingly entangle her in the center of a twisty government conspiracy and cyberterrorist plot , losing entree to every traceable detail of her identity , Bullock ’s paranoia and exasperation still miraculously manage to burn through the distractinglydated technical school and drudge one - liners inThe Net ’s early cyberspace - surveillance parable . — Leanne Butkovic

12.Demolition Man(1993)

With a prophetical playscript co - written byHeathersscreenwriter Daniel Waters and sleek direction from artist turned filmmaker Marco Brambilla , destruction Manremains one of the more underrated ‘ 90s action movies . The poster teases a futurist sci - fi showdown between Sylvester Stallone and Wesley Snipes , which the film more or less delivers on , but the pleasures are in the margin , particularly in the utopian absurdity of the 2032 “ San Angeles ” circumstance and the execution from Bullock as twentieth - century obsessive Lieutenant Lenina Huxley . ( Her character being named after the author ofBrave New Worldshould give you a horse sense of the motion picture ’s satiric bent . ) The scene where she introduces Stallone ’s unfrozen - from - time meatball copper to the pleasures of “ virtual sex ” remains in a grade of its own . “ Ew , disgusting , ” she say after Stallone paint a picture doing it the old - fashioned way . “ You mean fluid transference ? ” The gag is certainly extensive , but Bullock sell it with a advance seriousness . — disc jockey

11.Ocean’s 8(2018)

Despite its starry corps de ballet , Ocean ’s 8pretty much rotate around Bullock . As confidence trick artist Debbie Ocean , revealed to be the younger sister of George Clooney’sOcean ’s 11mastermind Danny Ocean , she is the tissue connecting this movie to the larger franchise . She also lay its elaborate Met Gala heist into motion with a dashing , effortless " you ’ll do what I say " come - hither . This use lacks the everywoman imperfection that round out most Bullock characters , but it ’s fun to see her glide through the calendered proceeding with such chic poise.—MJ

10.28 Days(2000)

28 Daysisn’t odd enough to be a proper drollery , and it is n’t move enough to be an in force dramatic play . And yet there ’s still something compelling about this Betty Thomas - directed portrait of an alcoholic newspaper columnist who crash her motorcar and agrees to assist a 28 - day rehab program in ordination to avoid pokey time . Bullock always shinny when playing to a fault ego - possess supporter , and here her character is just unlikable enough — to that extent as it ’s ever potential for Sandra Bullock to seem unlikeable — to pass the movie ’s clichés . Opposite a sonsie sustain cast that include Viggo Mortensen , Elizabeth Perkins , Steve Buscemi , Marianne Jean - Baptiste , and Diane Ladd , Bullock ’s portmanteau of light-mindedness and vulnerability guides the cinema to the finish line . — MJ

9.Two Weeks Notice(2002)

IsTwo week Noticeone of the lesser read-only storage - coms for both Sandra BullockandHugh Grant ? Yes . Did it give us the horrible Counting Crows cover of “ Big Yellow Taxi ” ? Also yes . Is it still pretty wonderful ? Yeah ! Bullock this time is a mussy environmental lawyer , Lucy Kelson , fighting against a development that would raze a Coney Island biotic community center . Deciding he would rather have her on his side than against him , the smug businessman behind these plan ( Grant ) draft Lucy as his universal advocate . They have opposing views ! Then they go down in dear ! Just ignore the fact that Grant ’s eccentric issort ofmodeled after Donald Trump and you ’ll have a great time . — Esther Zuckerman

8.The Lost City(2022)

In many ways , The Lost City , a definitive action - adventure movie at spunk , feels like a yield to a musical style that was nearly overtaken by modern enfranchisement blockbusters with built - in rabid fan bases . Bullock plays Loretta Sage , a love story - adventure author who use her belated hubby ’s archaeological inquiry as inhalation for her book . Her work catches the eye of a megalomaniac man of affairs ( Daniel Radcliffe ) who inspirit her off to the island location of a mythic confused treasure , and her only Bob Hope of safety valve is her himbo cover fashion model Alan Caprison ( Channing Tatum in full woman - respecter mode ) , who is intent on rescuing her . The end resultant role is a genuinely funny adventure - funniness with a lot to say about the importance of romance books and how to pick leeches off of someone ’s butt . — atomic number 99

7.The Proposal(2009)

After a abbreviated roundabout way aside from rom - coms , Bullock returned to her familiar comedic - leading - lady position inThe Proposal . She star as Margaret Tate , a career - driven Quran publisher who finds herself in a kerfuffle when she take chances being conduct to Canada . She does the only logical affair : lie to in-migration that she ’s busy to her assistant ( Ryan Reynolds ) who ca n’t stand her . The picture may center on a distinctive pattern , but many adduce this as a favourite , rewatchable because of its two jumper cable . Bullock is in particular funny , heightening the fish - out - of - piss game , as her type - A character is impel to travel to her hubby - to - be ’s hometown of Sikta , Alaska , and she does great forcible comedy ( includingenduringa lap covering dance and attempting to offer a pup to a hawk ) . Bullock cantillate " Get humiliated " by Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz , opposite Betty White , will go down as some of her best work , however appropriative it may be . — Sadie Bell

6.While You Were Sleeping(1995)

It ’s a test of a star ’s heart as to whether they can force off a character who make decisions that , on newspaper , can be pretty severe . That ’s the challenge Sandy has to overcome inWhile You Were catch some Z’s , Jon Turtletaub ’s rom - com about a woman who pretends to be the married woman of a man she crushed on from afar while he ’s in a coma . And yet despite that confusing ickiness , Bullock is just so darn appealing in the moving picture that it all works . She play Lucy , a nominal taker working at a Chicago train station , living solo and pitied by her coworkers . Since she ’s only human , she ’s desperately in honey with Peter Gallagher ’s Peter Callaghan , who she determine boarding every daytime , until he ’s pushed onto the tracks and she saves him from demise . Mistaken for his fiancée , she starts to draw together with his confused household while he unconsciously recuperates . Along the direction , she fall for Peter ’s charmingly rough brother , played by Bill Pullman , the guy who frequentlydoesn’tget the girl in these movies . The mellow concept all works chiefly because of the redolence Bullock projection in a character that might confound less actress . — EZ

5.Practical Magic(1998)

If I were rank this tilt establish on personal choices , Practical Magicwould be No . 1 . base on the novel by Alice Hoffman , Sally and Gillian Owens ( Bullock and a never hotter Nicole Kidman ) are just another two witches in a tenacious line before them , all saddle with a whammy that will kill whatever man dares to fall in lovemaking with them . Bullock ’s Sally is despairing to be normal , giving the actress slew of room to show her quixotic - drollery chop as she falls for a dreamy detective ( Aidan Quinn ) and demonstrates unfaltering loyalty to her sister ( she helps wipe out that oily guy ! ) . Honestly , her glorious whisker should be another character in the film . It might be cheesy at times , but it ’s a gross example of what makes Sandra Bullock so magical ( pun intended ) . — KC

4.Speed(1994)

Two blistering people , a lethal plot , and a vehicle speeding out of control — what more do you really need to make a slap-up movie ? LAPD SWAT officer Jack Traven ( Keanu Reeves ) is hot on the trail of a terrorist rigging jalopy to explode if they slow down under 50 mph . When he get stuck inside the terrorist ’s next target , a bus channelize down the Los Angeles expressway , he and terrified passenger Annie Porter ( Sandra Bullock ) have to keep it going at top hurrying while Jack attempts to negotiate with the bomber and keep the rider from trying to escape . Bus stunt ! Romance language under duress ! A famously terrible sequel!Speedis a clean - knuckle , stone - cold classic . — ES

3.The Heat(2013)

WhyThe Heathasn’t engender a thousand more Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy funniness conduct by Paul Feig flap me . With this Boston - arrange buddy romp , it eventually feels like Bullock has met her comedic match in the boisterous foul - mouthed brilliance of McCarthy . McCarthy get her wild energy bounce off Bullock ’s overstrung exterior , until they both have loose in a thrilling hail of chaos . Bullock plays Sarah Ashburn , an FBI agent inquire a drug case also being follow by McCarthy ’s cop , Shannon Mullins . Mullins is everything Ashburn is not : She ’s brash and does n’t care about properness or people - pleasing . Ashburn is recoil by Spanx and her personality . Of course , they make a perfect squad . Bullock establish on the Serious Woman on a Mission persona she build inMiss Congeniality , finding herself utterly at home once again as a fish out of water — this clock time among dudes from Southie instead of lulu queen . Just view her attempt to break down the Bostonian pronunciation of“narc . ”—EZ

2.Miss Congeniality(2000)

For us of a sure age , who had to ask a parent nicely to please go see the PG-13Miss Congeniality , it was the best movie we ’d ever seen , starring the funniest , most relatable , and most beautiful womanhood on earth as a hard - ass FBI federal agent turn surreptitious peach - pageantry fairy . While not every aspect of the picture holds up 20 - plus years later , Bullock ’s iconic performance as Gracie Hart absolutely does . She sinks correctly into her frizzy - haired tomboy careerist in a male - dominate work with a no - Irish bull posture and a Jersey accent and soften as she teach a moral about the strength of women ’s solidarity , all while delivering straight - face zingers and plunge herself off a stage in a floofy dirndl . ThoughMiss Congenialityis hardly the kind of pic that awards show would toady after ( though it did win a couple Teen Choice Awards ) , Bullock more than deserve all of the praise still stack upon her for making the difficult job of act look effortless.—LB

1.Gravity(2013)

A free burning exercise in technological wizardry and sinewy craft , Alfonso Cuarón’sGravityis a picture show that call off attention to the difficulty of its own construction . All those tempestuous camera movements ! The complicated long return ! The bits of dust flying at you on the IMAX screen ! At the Oscars , the skill - fiction thrill drive engage plate trophy for Best Director , Best Original Score , Best Cinematography , and Best Visual Effects . But the movie simply would n’t work so effectively without Bullock ’s functioning drop anchor the dizzying activity and stomach - churning suspense . In the early scene with co - star George Clooney , she establishes a palsy-walsy workplace resonance that gets disrupted by a mid - air calamity that leaves her stranded and at her wits ' end , floating through infinite . Cuarón use her every gesture to heighten the emotional intensity , set aside each paring of backstory to build toward the triumphant beach - walk climax . Bullock never oversells the reverence , the terror , or her own capacity for bravery . It remains her definitive role : a fist - heart of a public presentation working in tandem with the spectacle swirling around her . — DJ