The 10 Most Rewatchable Sandra Bullock Movies, Ranked (2024)

Since the 1990s, actress and producer, Sandra Bullock, has been a sweetheart of cinema who gained notoriety for popular movies, including Practical Magic, Miss Congeniality, and Gravity. Bullock was born in Virginia and started performing in high school productions before attending East Carolina University, majoring in Drama. After graduation, Bullock moved to New York where she worked several jobs to support herself while continuing to pursue a career in acting. In 1987, she made her feature film debut in The Hangman, but her breakthrough role came in the 1994 Oscar-winning thriller, Speed, starring Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper.

After the massive success of Speed, Bullock began starring in a series of a notable variety of films, such as Hope Floats and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, eventually becoming one of Hollywood's high-paid actresses. While many recognize Bullock for her romantic comedies, she has still successfully proven herself to be a well-rounded talent and, in 2009, she starred in the sports drama, The Blind Side, earning her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Bullock has starred in a string of entertaining box office hits, but there are some, like A Time to Kill and TheProposal, that are considered to be some of her most rewatchable films.

10 'Infamous' (2006)

Director: Douglas McGrath

In 1959, writer, Truman Capote (Toby Jones) and his childhood friend and fellow author, Nelle Harper Lee (Bullock) travel to Holcomb, Kansas to research the recent brutal murders of a farming family, the Clutter's, for his upcoming book. When the authorities apprehend the two men responsible for the senseless crime, Capote ends up developing an intense relationship with one of the suspects, Perry Smith (Daniel Craig), creating an unexpected obstacle for the author as he completes what would end up being his most renowned novel.

Infamous is based on the true events surrounding Capote's process of developing the best-selling novel, "In Cold Blood", and also stars Jeff Daniels, Peter Bogdanovich, and Isabella Rossellini. Even though Bullock has a minor role in the film, her character is vital and knocks out every scene as the humble up-and-coming author who is best known for her novel, "To Kill a Mockingbird." While critics praised Jones' portrayal of the eccentric author, many also noted Bullock's performance, and per the San Francisco Chronicle, Bullock expertly takes on mannerisms and facial expressions to create a well-developed portrait of Lee and is one of the top performances to take away from the film.

Rent on Amazon Prime

9 'A Time to Kill' (1996)

Director: Joel Schumacher

When a 10-year-old African-American girl is brutally raped in a small southern town, her father, Carl Lee Hailey (Samuel L. Jackson), takes the law into his own hands and murders the men on their way to trial. Now on trial for double homicide, Hailey turns to a young attorney, Jake Brigance (Matthew McConaughey), to defend him, and even though Brigance struggles to believe he can win in the segregated town, Hailey has full confidence in him and his team's abilities.

In the underrated crime film, A Time to Kill, Bullock stars as a law student, Ellen Roark, who not only provides MacConaughey's character with research and information but also serves as a moral support for the minor experienced attorney. Bullock delivers a performance that adds the film's only slivers of hope with her character's unfailing optimism and faith in Brigance as well as her belief in human decency, relieving the film's overall intensity without downplaying the severity and realism of the plot.

A Time to Kill

R

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A young lawyer defends a black man accused of murdering two white men who raped his 10-year-old daughter, sparking a rebirth of the KKK.

Release Date

July 24, 1996

Director

Joel Schumacher

Cast

Matthew McConaughey , Sandra Bullock , Samuel L. Jackson , Kevin Spacey , Oliver Platt , Charles S. Dutton

Runtime

149 minutes

Main Genre

Crime

Rent on Amazon Prime

8 'Hope Floats' (1998)

Director: Forest Whitaker

Bullock stars in the romantic drama, Hope Floats, as Birdee Pruitt, who, after being humiliated on television by her best friend who admits that she has been sleeping with her husband, she and her daughter, Bernice (Mae Whitman), move back to Birdee's hometown in Texas to make a new start. Once there, Birdee recognizes old faces, some who are petty acquaintances who enjoy Birdee's unhappiness, but her former friend, Justin (Harry Connick Jr.) is glad she's back and as he helps her get back on her feet, a romance begins to bloom between them.

While Hope Float is essentially a run-of-the-mill romance, Bullock and Connick Jr. are the only redeeming quality about the film that keeps fans coming back to it time and time again. The duo have a natural, smooth chemistry that, unlike other romances, doesn't come off as cliché or over the top. Bullock is a charming delight as Birdee and portrays her character as both heartbroken and resilient with sarcastic humor and raw emotional depth, serving as a solid example of how to find the silver lining in any devastating scenario.

Hope Floats

Run Time

1 hr 54 min

Director

Forest Whitaker

Release Date

May 29, 1998

Actors

Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., Gena Rowlands, Mae Whitman

Watch on Hulu

7 'Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood' (2002)

Director: Callie Khouri

Bullock takes on the role of playwright, Siddalee Walker, who has always had a difficult and complicated relationship with her mother, Vivi (Ellen Burstyn), but when an article ignites a terrible fight between the mother and daughter, Vivi's childhood friends decide to take matters into their own hands. The women kidnap Walker and bring her back home to Louisiana where they shed light on her mother's childhood and her turbulent past, hoping it will make Walker understand her mother better and eventually reconcile with her.

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is based on the 1996 novel by the same name and the 1992 prequel of short stories, both written by Rebecca Wells. Even though the film earned mixed reviews, the performances alone are the film's ultimate redeeming quality. Bullock carries herself with grace among her co-stars in this unique movie which focuses on the classic Southern Belle and their personal, unruly lives being tightly hidden behind closed doors. Despite not being a major box office hit, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood is still an entertaining, gauzy film and easily one of Bullock's top-tier most rewatchable movies.

Rent on Amazon Prime

6 'Gravity' (2013)

Director: Alfonso Cuarón

Bullock stars in one of the best hard science-fiction films, Gravity, as Dr. Ryan Stone, a medical engineer who is on her first shuttle mission with veteran astronaut, Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney). What starts out as a standard flight soon takes a terrifying turn when the shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky stranded in the middle of space. Soon their terror turns to panic and as mission control tries to find a way to get them back home, the two soon realize the only hope they have of survival is to move further into deep space.

Gravity is full of unyielding suspense and intensity which stems from Bullock and Clooney's incredible performances. With a limited backdrop and little to no props, Bullock relies solely on her emotional and physical mannerisms to convey the severity and intensity of the situation, relying mainly on facial expressions and tone.Gravity earned a total of ten Academy Award nominations, including Bullock for Best Actress and winning seven, notably for Best Director, Best Visual Effects, and Best Original Score. This sci-fi gem is a dazzling spectacle and features one of Bullock's all-time best dramatic performances, making Gravity one of her most rewatchable films.

Gravity

PG-13

Two astronauts work together to survive after an accident leaves them stranded in space.

Release Date

October 3, 2013

Director

Alfonso Cuarón

Cast

Sandra Bullock , George Clooney , Ed Harris , Orto Ignatiussen , Paul Sharma , Amy Warren

Runtime

90

Main Genre

Drama

Rent on Amazon Prime

5 'Speed' (1994)

Director: Jan de Bont

When a Los Angeles police officer, Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves), gets on the bad side of a retired bomb squad officer, Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), Payne gets his revenge by placing a bomb on a bus that will explode if the speed drops below fifty. With the help of a passenger, Annie (Bullock), Traven and his partner (Jeff Daniels) try to find a way to save everyone on the bus before the bomb goes off.

Bullock delivers her breakout performance in the Oscar-winning action film, Speed, which also stars Alan Ruck, Beth Grant, and Mad Men's Patrick Fischler. Even though the movie is a non-stop suspenseful flick, Bullock adds humorous spunk and tenacity which pairs well with Reeves and Daniels, essentially creating an intriguing unlikely trio who must put their heads together if they hope to come out of this thing alive. The film earned three Oscar nominations, winning two for Best Sound and Best Sound Effects, and is credited for introducing audiences to Bullock as well as skyrocketing her career as a promising leading lady.

Speed

R

A high-octane thriller featuring Jack Traven, a Los Angeles police officer who must deal with a terrifying hostage situation on a city bus. The bus is wired to explode if it drops below 50 mph, forcing Jack to work with the passengers, including the resourceful Annie Porter, to keep the vehicle moving and avoid disaster. The film is a gripping blend of action and suspense, with Jack and Annie facing numerous obstacles and the cunning schemes of the bomber, Howard Payne. It explores themes of heroism and resilience under pressure, delivering relentless excitement and tension.

Release Date

June 10, 1994

Director

Jan de bont

Cast

Dennis Hopper , Sandra Bullock , Joe Morton , Jeff Daniels , Keanu Reeves

Runtime

116 minutes

Main Genre

Thriller

Watch on Hulu

4 'The Proposal' (2009)

Director: Anne Fletcher

Bullock stars in The Proposal as a tough book editor, Margaret Tate, who, in an act of sheer desperation, forces her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to pretend they are engaged and soon to be married to avoid being deported back to her home country of Canada. When an immigration agent starts snooping around, Paxton agrees to try and make the relationship look convincing by bringing Tate with him to his hometown in Alaska to meet his family.

The Proposal is an outlandish, but wildly entertaining romantic comedy that also stars Betty White, Mary Steenburgen, and Craig T. Nelson. Bullock turns on her deadpan humor and charismatic charm that compliments Reynolds' comedic chops, but while the movie is full of hysterical antics and awkward encounters, it has a sentimental value that somehow makes up for its far-fetched moments. Despite his complaints about the recycled rom-com formula seen prominently in Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy pictures, film critic, Roger Ebert, still gave The Proposal three and a half out of four stars, admitting that he was ultimately won over by the overall performances.

The Proposal

Run Time

108 minutes

Director

Anne Fletcher

Release Date

June 19, 2009

Watch on Hulu

3 'The Blind Side' (2009)

Director: John Lee Hanco*ck

In her Oscar-winning film, The Blind Side, Bullock takes on the role of Leigh Ann Tuohy who opens her family's home to a homeless African-American teenager, Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron). As Tuohy and her family welcome Oher with open arms, Tuohy and her husband, Sean (Tim McGraw), eventually become his legal guardians and as they start to change his life, he ends up changing theirs as well.

The Blind Side is based on the 2006 novel by the same name written by Michael Lewis and tells the true story of football offensive lineman, Michael Oher, who overcame incredible odds and went on to play in the National Football League. Bullock is truly phenomenal in the film, giving a heartfelt but rough-around-the-edge performance that showcases her marginalized versatile range as a performer. The Blind Side was a smash at the box office, earning two Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, ultimately winning Bullock her first Oscar for Best Actress.

The Blind Side

PG-13

The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family.

Release Date

November 20, 2009

Director

John Lee Hanco*ck

Cast

Sandra Bullock , Tim McGraw , Quinton Aaron , Jae Head , Lily Collins , Ray McKinnon

Runtime

129

Main Genre

Biography

Rent on AppleTV

2 'Practical Magic' (1998)

Director: Griffin Dunne

Born into a family of witches, sisters Sally (Bullock) and Gillian Owens (Nicole Kidman), have avoided using any magic, but when Gillian's hot-headed boyfriend, Jimmy (Goran Visnjic) dies unexpectedly, they try to bring him back to life with witchcraft, but things don't go as planned and the sisters hide his body. Soon, a detective, Gary Hallet (Aidan Quinn), starts coming around asking questions, and as he continues his investigation, the sisters are soon faced with another problem after Gillian becomes possessed by Jimmy's vengeful soul.

Practical Magic is a quintessential Bullock film based on the 1995 novel by the same name written by Alice Hoffman and also stars Grease's Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest. While the overall cast is sublime, Bullock provides the most development and delivers a perfect combination of comedy and romantic drama that adds a significant element of realism to the fantasy film. Despite initial poor reviews, Practical Magic has since become a favorite Halloween flick and gained immense support from film critics and fans. Earlier this month, it was revealed that a sequel is currently underway with both Bullock and Kidman set to return. Time to whip up a batch of margaritas!

Practical Magic

PG-13

Sibling witches stir up a cauldron of trouble thanks to a family curse in this spellbinding tale. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as sisters who turn to magic to deal with a troublesome ex.

Release Date

October 16, 1998

Director

Griffin Dunne

Cast

Sandra Bullock , Nicole Kidman , Dianne Wiest , Stockard Channing , Aidan Quinn

Runtime

104 minutes

Watch on Max

1 'Miss Congeniality' (2000)

Director: Donal Petrie

When a domestic terrorist known as the Citizen alludes to his next act of violence targeting the upcoming Miss America Beauty Pageant, the FBI decides to send one of their own, Gracie Hart (Bullock) undercover, posing as a contestant, but the only problem is that Hart isn't exactly a beauty queen. After an intense makeover and help from pageant professional, Victor Melling (Michael Caine), Hart turns out to be a top contender and soon learns that the Citizen is someone close to the higher-ups who conduct the famous pageant.

Miss Congeniality is without a doubt one of Bullock's best and universally recognized films. The movie is a classic combination of comedy, romance, and action and also features an all-star cast including Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and Benjamin Bratt. Even though the film earned mixed and average reviews, Miss Congeniality was a hit at the box office and earned Bullock a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. No matter how many times someone watches this film, the punchlines and performances never cease to get old, and is hands down Bullock's most rewatchable film of all time.

Miss Congeniality (2000)

PG-13

Release Date

December 22, 2000

Director

Donald Petrie

Cast

Sandra Bullock , Benjamin Bratt , Michael Caine , Candice Bergen , William Shatner

Runtime

109 Minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

Watch on AppleTV

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