Image credit: Summit Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Focus Features, Music Box Films, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Newmarket Films, BBC, The Samuel Goldwyn Company
She's dazzled us in blockbusters like "The Mummy" and "The Constant Gardener," but what about those lesser-known movies that didn't make headlines?
1. "The Brothers Bloom" (2008) In this quirky dramedy, Rachel Weisz plays Penelope Stamp, an heiress with more quirks than a Wes Anderson film. She's roped into a con by two brothers— Stephen and Bloom. The plan? Get her to fall for Bloom and run off with her money. Simple, right? Wrong. Penelope turns the tables by becoming a con artist herself. Think you can pull one over on her? Think again.
2. "My Cousin Rachel" (2017) Set in the early 1800s, Weisz embodies the mysterious widow Rachel Ashley. Her cousin Philip believes she killed his guardian for his estate. When Rachel arrives, instead of vengeance, he finds himself falling for her.
It's a whirlpool of love, betrayal, and killer herbal tea (literally, maybe). The end is ambiguous: Did she, didn't she? Watch it and join the debate.
3. "About a Boy" (2002) You probably remember Hugh Grant's lovable slacker act, but Rachel Weisz's role as Rachel, a single mom, provides the emotional depth the film needs. She starts dating Will (Grant), unaware he's lying about being a single parent to pick up women. The story comes to a head at a SPAT (Single Parents Alone Together) meeting, where the truth unravels.
Weisz's Rachel brings warmth and complexity to what could've been a cliché character.
4. "Agora" (2009) Weisz steps into the sandals of Hypatia, a philosopher in Roman Egypt. She's not just fighting for ideas, but for her life, as religious extremism takes over the city of Alexandria. She tries to save the Library of Alexandria and its knowledge but ends up becoming a victim of the religious turmoil.
5. "Page Eight" (2011) This is a British political drama where Weisz plays Nancy Pierpan, a neighbor and eventual love interest to Johnny Worricker, a long-serving MI5 officer. She's on a mission to expose a conspiracy that reaches the top of UK politics, making it a timely watch. She and Johnny unite to blow the whistle, with her personal stakes revealed as her brother was killed in a politically motivated cover-up.
6. "The Whistleblower" (2010) In this hard-hitting drama based on true events, Weisz plays Kathryn Bolkovac, a cop turned U.N. peacekeeper. Posted in post-war Bosnia, she uncovers a human trafficking ring condoned by her fellow officers. No one likes a snitch, especially when it involves exposing a conspiracy that high up. She's isolated, threatened, but she perseveres to bring justice to the victims.
7. "The Shape of Things" (2003) A devastating story about toxic relationships. In this psychological drama, Weisz plays Evelyn, an art student who enters into a relationship with Adam, a somewhat awkward and insecure guy. Over time, Adam transforms — losing weight, dressing better — all under Evelyn's influence.
Plot twist: it's all an art project, a cruel social experiment to mold a man like clay.
8. "The Deep Blue Sea" (2011) A complicated love triangle. Weisz is Hester Collyer, a judge's wife having an affair with an RAF pilot. She attempts suicide, not out of despair, but out of her inability to live without such consuming passion. Caught between stability and a love that's like oxygen but also like fire — both vital and destructive — Hester's emotional journey forms the crux of the film.
9. "Enemy at the Gates" (2001) Amid the devastating backdrop of the Battle of Stalingrad, Weisz plays Tania Chernova, a Jewish citizen turned sniper. She's caught in a love triangle with fellow snipers Vassili and Danilov. As the Germans advance, her character takes a backseat to the action, but when she's on screen, she's magnetic.
Historically, her character amalgamates several real-life female snipers, making it a homage of sorts.
10. "Beautiful Creatures" (2000) In this British drama, Weisz is one half of a pair of lovers on the lam. She's Petula, caught in an abusive relationship, and her boyfriend is accidentally killed while he's beating her. Thelma, a bystander, helps her cover it up. What follows is a wild mix of blackmail, double-crossing, and the realization that they're both victims of their circumstances.
