Keira Knightley’s 10 Best Period Pieces, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes

Keira Knightley rose to prominence in the early 2000s by starring in the massively successful Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. She soon attracted critical praise and even a couple of Oscar nominations, becoming one of Hollywood’s most successful leading ladies.

Famous for her numerous starring roles in lavish period pieces, Knightley has built a career out of playing beautiful and vulnerable heroines who defy societal norms. The actress has multiple period pieces on her resumé, and many received significant praise from critics, as evidenced by their strong scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

10 Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006) – 53%

A sequel to the 2003 blockbuster, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest follows Will Turner as he attempts to locate Jack Sparrow’s compass under the orders of Lord Cutler Beckett, the Pirates‘ franchise evilest villain. Meanwhile, Jack discovers his debt to the legendary Davy Jones is overdue. Knightley reprises her role as Elizabeth Swann, playing a more active role in the storyline.

Dead Man’s Chest received mixed reactions from critics, who praised the visual effects, humor, and Johnny Depp and Billy Nighy’s performances but criticized the overly convoluted plot and runtime. Still, the film was a major box office success, earning $1.066 billion internationally, according to Box Office Mojo.

9 The Duchess (2008) – 62%

Based on the life of 18th-century aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, The Duchess sees Knightley take on the titular role opposite Ralph Fiennes. The film follows Georgiana’s troubled marriage to the Duke of Devonshire and her growing and complex relationship with his mistress, Bess Foster.

The Duchess received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who considered its plot unoriginal. However, they praised Knightley’s performance and the film’s production values. At the 2009 Academy Awards, the film received nominations for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design, although it didn’t win either.

8 Anna Karenina (2012) – 63%

Knightley re-teamed with Joe Wright for the third time in 2012’s Anna Karenina, a highly-stylized adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s seminal novel. Co-starring Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the film follows the titular character’s marriage with Alexei Karenin and her affair with cavalry officer Count Vronsky.

Praised for its lavish production values but heavily criticized for Wright’s preference of style over substance, Anna Karenina was the least successful of the Knightley-Wright collaborations. Still, the film received four Oscar nominations, eventually winning for Jacqueline Durran’s exquisite costumes.

7 A Dangerous Method (2011) – 78%

Directed by David Cronenberg, A Dangerous Method follows the complicated relationship between Carl Jung, his colleague and mentor of sorts, Sigmund Freud, and his patient and eventual lover, Sabina Spielrein. Knightley stars opposite Michael Fassbender and Viggo Mortensen.

Although critics pointed out the film takes several historical liberties, they still praised it, mainly for the performances of its three leading actors and Cronenberg’s direction. A Dangerous Method appeared in several year-end critics’ lists but failed to receive any nominations at the 2012 Oscars.

6 Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse Of The Black Pearl (2003) – 80%

Knightley rose to international fame thanks to Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Co-starring Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom, the film follows pirate Jack Sparrow and blacksmith Will Turner as they attempt to rescue Elizabeth Swann, who’s being held hostage aboard the Black Pearl by treacherous pirate Hector Barbossa.

Curse of the Black Pearl received acclaim for its humor, production values, visual effects, and Depp’s now-iconic performance. The film also launched Knightley’s career, elevating her into leading lady status and securing her place as one of the most iconic movie actresses of the 2000s.

5 Atonement (2007) – 83%

Knightley’s second collaboration with Joe Wright came with 2007’s Atonement. The actress stars opposite James McAvoy in the story about a pair of young lovers separated by the reckless lie of a young and wildly imaginative girl.

Atonement was a major critical and commercial success. Critics praised the film’s direction, musical score, performances, and production values. Atonement received seven nominations at the 2008 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, eventually winning the Oscar for Dario Marianelli’s score.

4 Misbehaviour (2020) – 86%

Misbehaviour takes place during the 1970 Miss World competition in London and follows the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement as they attempt to disrupt the event. Knightley leads an ensemble cast that includes Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Greg Kinnear, Rhys Ifans, and Leslie Manville.

Praised by critics for its humor and cast’s performances, Misbehaviour was deemed a quintessential British crowd-pleaser. However, the film didn’t find an audience and grossed a pitiful $1.9 million at the worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo.

3 Pride & Prejudice (2005) – 87%

Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s seminal novel, Pride and Prejudice, remains an iconic piece of 2000s cinema. Knightley plays the legendary Elizabeth Bennet, a headstrong young woman who finds herself developing complex feelings for the prideful but enigmatic Mr. Darcy.

Widely considered one of the best Jane Austen movie adaptations, Pride & Prejudice received acclaim, particularly for Knightley’s performance. She earned her first Oscar nomination for her work on the movie, although she lost to Walk the Line‘s Reese Witherspoon.

2 Colette (2018) – 87%

In 2018, Knightley stepped into the shoes of renowned French novelist Colette for the film of the same name. The plot centers around her marriage to Henry Gauthier-Villars, her role as a ghostwriter in his semi-autobiographical novel, and the dispute over creative ownership of the finished product.

After premiering at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, Colette had a wide release in September. The film received praise, and while most critics agreed it didn’t break any new ground, they still praised Knightley’s leading performance, considering it one of the best of her career.

1 The Imitation Game (2014) – 89%

Knightley stars opposite Benedict Cumberbatch in Morten Tyldum’s The Imitation Game. The film follows Alan Turing, a cryptanalyst who decoded German intelligence messages for the British government during World War II. Knightley plays Joan Clarke, one of the crucial members of the Bletchley Park team.

The Imitation Game was one of the Best Picture nominees at the 2015 ceremony. Cumberbatch and Knightley’s performances received critical acclaim, and she earned her second Oscar nomination; however, she ultimately lost the 2015 Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Boyhhood‘s Patricia Arquette.

About The Author

David Caballero
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David is a twenty-eight-year-old Mexican writer and reader. Having studied Marketing in school, he spent three years working a nine-to-five desk job before deciding to pursue a writing career. He now works as a Senior Writer in ScreenRant and does some more freelancing job, talking about the entertainment business he so loves. Currently, he’s also writing his second novel while actively working to get his first one published.

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