Alison Brie has made quite a name for herself in the world of television. She rose to fame as she simultaneously starred in two popular shows during the early 2010s: period drama Mad Men and absurdist sitcom Community. She later took center-stage as the star of Netflix's Emmy-winning wrestling dramedy GLOW.
However, Brie has also found her footing on the big screen. She's starred in several blockbuster movies, as well as a handful of smaller, indie dramas. In a short time, Brie has become a master at balancing her goofy comedic chops with dramatic nuance. These ten films are currently the best movie roles of Alison Brie's career.
10 How to Be Single
This ensemble rom-com finds Brie starring alongside Dakota Johnson, Leslie Mann, and Rebel Wilson. While it's not the most prestigious film on this list, it makes for a great move night with gal pals. It centers on a group of female friends who navigate the dating world and, most importantly, the highs and lows of being single.
Alison Brie's character, Lucy, has a few stand-out moments in the film. One particular moment is her breakdown of why she uses online dating apps to Anders Holm's character, Tom. This scene, as well as the movie as a whole, is a great showcase of Brie's ability to play characters who are succint and driven.
9 The Little Hours
This comedy film released in 2017 has Alison Brie paired with an all-star line-up of comedy actors. She, Aubrey Plaza, and Kate Miccuci play three nuns in a 14th century convent who all fall for a lord's runaway servant posing as the convent's gardener. The servant is also played by Dave Franco, Brie's real-life husband.
What's impressive about this film, besides how raunchy it is, is that all the dialogue between actors is improvised. This means that viewers get to see Alison Brie really stretch her comedic wit and timing alongside some other brilliant performers. For the spectacle alone, this film may be worth the watch.
8 Horse Girl
Horse Girl sees Alison Brie flexing her writing skills even more, as this film's screenplay was co-written by her and director Jeff Baena. Despite her long history of comedy acting, this film is a change of pace for Brie. Horse Girl is a psychological drama starring Brie as a girl named Sarah who experiences strange hallucinations.
Explaining the underlying premise of this movie may spoil the fun of watching, so interested fans should definitely check it out on Netflix. However, fans of Community or Bojack Horseman should be prepared to see a completely different side of Alison Brie in this film. It also sees her reunite with The Little Hours co-star Molly Shannon.
7 The Rental
While Brie took her turn as a creative with Horse Girl, her husband Dave Franco enlisted her for his own project: The Rental. This horror film was released on-demand in 2020. It stars Brie and Dan Stevens as a couple who rent a remote vacation rental with another couple for a weekend getaway.
As expected, this weekend getaway turns out to be anything but a vacation for these two couples. Again, it's better to watch this film unravel rather than have the plot spoiled. However, eager viewers can expect a plot filled with violence, deceit, and an obligatory horror movie drug trip scene.
6 The Post
While the other films on this list find Alison Brie in a central role, this Steven Spielberg-directed historical drama sees her on the sidelines. The film follows Meryl Streep as the publisher of the Washington Post as she uncovers the infamous Pentagon Papers in 1971. Brie has a supporting role as Streep's character's daughter.
The film features many other actors that share the screen with Streep and co-star Tom Hanks, including Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, and Bradley Whitford. It's a tense, political drama building up to the Watergate scandal. However, Brie's screentime is minimal, though she gets to be a witness to some stellar Meryl Streep acting.
5 Promising Young Woman
This 2020 thriller sees Alison Brie in another supporting role, this time to Carey Mulligan's vengeful Cassie Thomas. The Oscar-winning film is quite divisive, though many could probably get behind the fact that Brie gives a stellar, if brief, performance. The trade-off for Brie here is that she takes on a less likable role than other films.
As Cassie investigates the unjust suicide of her college friend Nina, Brie appears as Madison McPhee, a former classmate. Madison and Cassie end up at odds over what happened to Nina, forcing Cassie to commit some pretty grueling acts in her quest for revenge. Like other films on this list, it's best to watch this one blind.
4 Happiest Season
This holiday rom-com released on Hulu in 2020, starring Kristen Stewart as the girlfriend of Mackenzie Davis, preparing to meet her family for the holidays, which includes Alison Brie. However, Davis has yet to come out to her family, resulting in an awkward introduction to the family. Brie plays Davis's competitive older sister.
Despite the uncomfortable-ness that's bound to come from the film's premise, it's quite a charming holiday flick. Brie perfectly nails the role of an evil older sister, causing friction between Davis's Harper and her family. It's another unlikable character for Brie, though she seems to be favoring those villainous roles as of late.
3 The Disaster Artist
This 2017 biopic finds Brie sharing the screen with Dave Franco yet again.The Disaster Artist stars Dave and James Franco as Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero, two aspiring actors who become responsible for The Room, regarded as one of the worst films ever made. Brie has a supporting role as Greg's girlfriend, Amber.
This film was critically acclaimed upon its release, mostly for bringing the story of The Room into a mainstream light. Alison Brie's character isn't involved in the making of the film, though she acts as a moral compass for the conflicted Greg Sestero. Though her appearance in the film is brief, The Disaster Artist is well worth a watch.
2 Sleeping With Other People
This 2015 romantic-comedy stars Alison Brie opposite Jason Sudeikis. The two play friends who meet in college when they lose their virginity to each other. Reconnecting later in life, they commiserate over their failed love lives and decide to stay friends. However, the sexual tension between them causes friction throughout the film.
This When Harry Met Sally-esque rom-com is a great vessel for both Brie and Sudeikis. Brie portrays her character, Lainey, as a sensitive yet obsessive young woman, with equal parts charm and unpredictability. It's overall a very feel-good film, with likable leads and a cathartic third act, like an perfect romantic comedy.
1 The Lego Movie
Perhaps Brie's biggest role thus far has been as Princess Unikitty in 2014's The Lego Movie. She voices the cute-yet-wily character alongside co-stars Chris Pratt, Will Arnett, and Elizabeth Banks. She's also made re-appearances as the character in the film's sequel, as well as a Christmas-themed short film.
Unfortunately, Brie does not reprise her role of Princess Unikitty in the Cartoon Network series Unikitty! However, she gives a strong performance as the character in the feature film franchise. Whether it be on-screen or just a vocal performance, Brie embues all her characters with the same level of empathy and comedic insanity.