Recently a group of male online forum users got together to discuss which is the best film with a female lead. But what suggestions did they come up with, and do you agree?
Mean Girls
The ultimate teen movie for a generation, Mean Girls, is a popular choice. Lindsay Lohan is “likable with such an easy charm and star power,” making it her best movie for many.
Endlessly quotable, according to some forum users, if you’ve never seen Mean Girls, “you can’t sit with us.”
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
From 2019, this historical romantic drama boasts “not only a female lead, but basically an all-female cast as well with only a handful of small background male parts with a couple lines of dialog.
Sicario
For one reddit user “Emily Blunt was amazing in” 2015’s action thriller Sicario. “It’s such a good movie and everything gels so well but she absolutely carries it on her shoulders.”
Another user agreed, “she was seriously amazing in it. We got to see a female lead with gravitas that was fun to watch.”
Kill Bill
Quentin Tarantino’s martial arts series sees Uma Thurman take revenge on those who have betrayed her. For one reddit user, “the Kill Bill series is amazing.”
Another reader explained that while Kill Bill is “not a perfectly feminist movie, but it is pretty decent and does show her handling things as a woman would instead of just violence”.
Muriel’s Wedding
This 1993 comedy-drama is set in Australia and stars Toni Colette as socially awkward Muriel who dreams of a glamorous wedding. Popular with man of all ages, one user explained that “I love Muriel’s Wedding, but generally anything Toni Colette is in.” Another agreed, admitting “I can’t watch that movie again because it’s terrifying and she’s so, so good”
V for Vendetta
For one forum user this dystopian action film is “such a classic, and just stellar performances all around… But Portman really nailed it as Evey.
Aliens
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Aliens is a popular choice with one user commenting that “I came here to start a riot, but after seeing this at top, only found inner peace”.
However, not everyone was convinced. One reader was compelled to disagree, “Alien is better”.
Pan’s Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro’s horror-fantasy from 2006 is a widely acclaimed masterpiece with many men agreeing that child actor “Ivana Baquero who played Ofelia” stole the show.
Legally Blonde
Another quotable teen comedy, Legally Blonde is definitely not “last season”. Starring Reese Wetherspoon this movie is still attracting new fans, with one man confessing that their girlfriend “showed me the movie recently, I was ready to snuggle and fall asleep but ended up shouting at the screen the whole time, she didn’t think I’d get that invested.”
Girl, Interrupted
A psychological drama, for one reddit user watching it was a life changing experience. “I was a dumb teenager when I first saw it and I was bored so I just started watching. It was one of the first movies that truly made me think and feel something afterward. I honestly do not remember much about it, only that I loved it. Damn, I need to rewatch it again.”
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Proving that these lists aren’t all blockbuster action movies, this Australian drama follows a group of young girls as they attempt to get back to their families. He commented it is an “absolutely fantastic film. Those little girls gave brilliant performances!”
A third user also expressed their “love” for Rabbit-Proof Fence, recommending “the ‘making of’ version with interviews with the original women who lived it and video of the casting of the little girls.”
Silence of the Lambs
The classic psychological horror, for one male Jodie Foster’s character is the ultimate female protagonist. During the course of the movie “she evolves from an FBI cadet with good skills and potential to the barely a rookie who took down buffalo bill under the most dangerous circumstances.”
Devil Wears Prada
Set in the cutthroat world of fashion, this comedy drama combines the powers of Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt to tell “a great story about ambition and the danger of losing yourself in pursuit of your goals”.
One man confessed that they “accidentally tricked my husband into seeing this in the theaters with me. He saw ‘devil’ in the title and thought it would be an exorcism movie. He wasn’t mad, he just quietly informed me of the mistake as we were leaving.”
Misery
Starring Kathy Bates, one reader admitted that they first saw Misery as a “stupid teenager and HATED her for no particular reason…. Later I realized this was because of her performance and the ridiculously great actor she is. Much respect for Kathy Bates.” Another user agreed that this is “the sign of a great antagonist!”
Gone With the Wind
From Hollywood’s golden age, one reddit user absolutely loved Vivien Leigh in
Bringing Up Baby
Another Hollywood classic, this screwball comedy stars Katherine Hepburn. But for one reddit user, “anything Katherine Hepburn was involved with” should be on this list, including “Bringing Up Baby, Philadelphia Story” and the “African Queen”.
Zero Dark Thirty
Starring Jessica Chastain as a CIA analyst hunting down Osama Bin Laden this is, for one reddit user, “a very entertaining movie with a lot of authenticity and accuracy”.
The Long Kiss Goodnight
“Such a good film”, one male forum user who recently rewatched this film “can’t believe it is not remembered more”. Another user is also a fan of Geena Davis’s lead character, admiring how “she essentially plays two different roles”.
