The 10 Best Hayley Atwell Movies, According to Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

Hayley Atwell is a British and American actress whose film career began in 2007. Atwell quickly rose to prominence with enticing dramatic performances and strong female leads. Ranging from action to fantasy, Atwell often provides scene-stealing performances on both the big screen and the small screen.

Before starring alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One, Atwell made a name for herself in both summer blockbusters and period dramas. From Christopher Robin to Captain America: The Winter Soldier, many of Atwell's best movies have received high ratings in the popular review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

10 'Jimi: All Is by My Side' (2013)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%

In 1966, James Hendrix (Andre Benjamin) leaves New York for London in hopes of growing his music career. Once in London, James changes his name to Jimi and succeeds in his goal, meeting other musicians and romantic partners along the way. Hayley Atwell appears in the film as Kathy Etchingham, an English writer who became known in the 1960s due to her relationship with Hendrix.

Released in 2013, Jimi: All Is by My Side received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the film's leads, including Benjamin and Atwell. The real Kathy Etchingham reacted negatively to her depiction in the film, claiming it was "absolute nonsense." However, the film didn't do great with audiences and remains among the most underrated biopics of the 2010s. Still, those looking for an introduction to Hendrix's legacy should definitely check Jimi: All Is by My Side.

9 'Christopher Robin' (2018)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 72%

Years after their adventures, a now-grown Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) receives a surprise visit from his old childhood friend, Winnie-the-Pooh. Reunited, the two embark on a journey to find their friends and help Christopher rediscover the joy of life. Atwell plays Evelyn Robin, Christopher's wife, who fears his devotion to work is taking a toll on him and that he is missing valuable time with their young daughter

Released in 2018, Christopher Robin received praise from critics who applauded its sweet tone and nostalgia. McGregor and Atwell's performances attracted positive reviews, as did the visual effects that brought Pooh and his friends to life. Christopher Robin is among the best Disney live-action remakes, although audiences reacted tepidly to it.

Christopher Robin

PG

A working-class family man, Christopher Robin, encounters his childhood friend Winnie-the-Pooh, who helps him to rediscover the joys of life.

Release Date

August 2, 2018

Director

Marc Forster

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Hayley Atwell , Bronte Carmichael , Mark Gatiss , Oliver Ford Davies , Ronke Adekoluejo

Runtime

104

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8 'Avengers: Age of Ultron' (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 76%

After Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo) fail to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, the Avengers must battle the ruthless robot. Working together to save lives and stop Ultron from becoming more powerful, the team struggles to survive. Atwell reprises her role as Peggy Carter in a vision caused by Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch.

Released in 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron received positive reviews from critics who praised the film's performances while criticizing the plot. Many considered it inferior to its predecessor, although James Spader's performance as Ultron attracted praise. It's far from the best MCU movie, but Age of Ultron is among the rare superhero movies that get better on a rewatch.

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7 'Captain America: The First Avenger' (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 80%

After being rejected from the US military, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is recruited to take a dose of "Super Soldier serum" and transformed into Captain America. With his newfound power, good-natured Rogers recruits fellow soldiers to take down Hydra, an evil organization led by the ruthless Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). He also forms a deep bond with Peggy Carter, which would mark them for life.

Serving as Atwell's MCU debut, Atwell's Peggy Carter was a strong and loyal ally to Evans' Rogers and left a big impression on both critics and audiences. She would return multiple times to the franchise, including on a short-lived Peggy Carter-centric series, Agent Carter. While elements of Captain America: The First Avenger were criticized, the performances by both Evans and Atwell were praised.

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6 'Cinderella' (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

After her father unexpectedly dies, Ella (Lily James) finds herself mistreated by her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett), who refuses to let her go to a palace ball. Ella receives help in an unexpected place when a kindly beggar provides a magic touch to help her achieve her dreams. Atwell plays a short role as Ella's mother, who teaches her young daughter to believe in magic before her tragic passing.

Released by Disney in 2015, Cinderella was among the rare live-action remakes by Disney that received positive reviews from critics. Critics praised the film's director, Kenneth Branagh, and his reimagining of the animated Disney classic. Cinderella was praised for updating the title character and her relationship with the wicked stepmother, with James and Blanchett earning rave reviews from critics and audiences.

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5 'Ant-Man' (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%

After being released from prison, Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) is recruited by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) to take on the mantle of Ant-Man. Lang's first task as Pym's protégé is to take down Darren Cross (Corey Stoll), a former protégé of Pym, who forced him out of his company. Atwell returned to her role as Peggy Carter in a small role during the opening sequence, giving audiences insights into what Peggy did after World War I.

Ant-Man received mostly positive reviews for its comedic tone and Paul Rudd's performance as Scott Lang. Much attention was paid to how much of Ant-Man came from Edgar Wright, whose much-publicized exit remains among Marvel's most infamous moments. Ant-Man was a modest box-office success, receiving two sequels and establishing the titular character as one of the MCU's most unexpected stars.

Ant-Man

PG-13

Armed with a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, cat burglar Scott Lang must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym, pull off a plan that will save the world.

Release Date

July 17, 2015

Director

Peyton Reed

Cast

Paul Rudd , Michael Douglas , Evangeline Lilly , Corey Stoll , Bobby Cannavale , Judy Greer

Runtime

117 minutes

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4 'Testament of Youth' (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%

In 1914, Vera Brittain (Alicia Vikander) dreams of becoming a writer and marrying the man she loves, but her plans are changed after Britain declares war and all her friends and loved ones enlist to serve. Giving up her dreams of becoming a writer, Vera joins the war effort as a nurse. Atwell has a minor role as Hope, a fellow nurse during the war

Released in 2014, Testament of Youth was adapted from Vera Brittain's World War I memoir of the same name. The film received praise from critics, who cited the film's performances and cinematography as highlights. Vikander earned high praise for her work, while the supporting cast of Kit Harington, Taron Egerton, and Colin Morgan was also applauded.

3 'Blinded by the Light' (2019)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%

Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra), a Pakistani teen living in England, experiences racism from his peers and pressure from his father to assimilate. As an escape, Javed writes poetry and is introduced to the music of Bruce Springsteen, who forever changes his life and helps him find a way to escape his feelings of hopelessness. Atwell appears as Ms. Clay, Javed Kahn's teacher who is inspired by his poems and helps him get an internship at a newspaper.

Blinded by the Light was released in 2019 and received praise for its feel-good story and its use of music. The cast also attracted positive comments, especially Khan. Despite strong reviews, Blinded by the Light failed to achieve a wide audience, a shame, considering it's among the best modern coming-of-age movies.

2 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier' (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%

Following the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers lives in Washington, D.C. and tries to adjust to life in the 21st century. After an attack on S.H.I.E.L.D., Rogers, Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), and Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie) struggle to expose a conspiracy and find themselves battling an unexpected enemy. Atwell appears in a brief scene as an older Peggy, sharing a tender moment with the troubled Steve.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier was released in 2014 to critical acclaim, with praise for its tone, action, and performances. While her role was small, Atwell's performance received positive reviews from critics and fans, many of whom considered it a bittersweet but logical progression to her storyline with Steve. The Winter Soldier remains the best MCU movie in the eyes of many, thanks to its somber tone and heavy impact on the series' overarching story.

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1 'Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One' (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and the IMF team must race around the world to stop a weapon that threatens humanity from falling into the wrong hands. After being confronted by a mysterious enemy, Hunt is forced to put the mission first, even at the risk of losing his team. Atwell stars as Grace, a burglar who becomes Ethan Hunt's newest ally.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One received near-universal acclaim, becoming one of the highest-rated films in the Mission: Impossible franchise. The film earned praise for its action and story, with critics also applauding the performances of the ensemble. Atwell's performance and chemistry with Cruise were lauded, with many considering her among the film's best aspects.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning

PG-13

Release Date

July 14, 2023

Director

Christopher McQuarrie

Cast

Tom Cruise , Rebecca Ferguson , Vanessa Kirby , Indira Varma

Runtime

163 minutes

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