This ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet.

List of Maggie Gyllenhaal Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. The Dark Knight (2008)
142
18
The Dark Knight
PG-13
142
18

Considered to be one of the best superhero films ever made, The Dark Knight is the saga of the Batman’s quest to rid the city of Gotham of organized crime. Heath Ledger won a posthumous Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of deadly antagonist Joker in the highest grosser of 2008.

Role:
Rachel
Directed By:
Awards:
People's Choice Award for Favorite Cast
2. Secretary (2002)
33
5
Secretary
R
33
5

An emotionally unstable girl from a dysfunctional family is institutionalized for her propensity to harm herself. After her release from the hospital, she secures the job of a typist with a grim and ruthless attorney. Although he is irritated with her in the beginning they soon embark on a BDSM relationship, which results in a personal awakening in her. Very soon, she falls in love with her boss. 

Role:
Lee Holloway
Starring:
James Spader, Lesley Ann Warren, Patrick Bauchau, Jeremy Davies, Stephen McHattie
Directed By:
Steven Shainberg
3. Donnie Darko (2001)
50
13
Donnie Darko
R
50
13

This Richard Kelly’s science fiction psychological thriller film is about a troubled high-school student who is frequently visited by Frank, a huge six-foot rabbit, visible only to him. Frank pushes him to carry out a series of dangerous pranks and also tells him that the world will be over in 28 days.

Role:
Elizabeth Darko
Directed By:
Richard Kelly
4. Adaptation. (2002)
16
5
Adaptation.
R
16
5

Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman is having difficulty adapting Susan Orlean's book The Orchid Thief into a screenplay. His agonies enhance with the arrival of his confident twin brother, Donald who is essentially cheerful. Charlie enlists Donald’s help in writing the screenplay and interviewing Orlean. Finding her answers unconvincing, they decide to follow her.

Directed By:
6. Crazy Heart (2009)
19
6
Crazy Heart
R
19
6

A former country music star is now a traveling singer and songwriter, earning his living by singing in small town bars. He is alcoholic and alone in the world, with four or five marriages behind him. Then he meets a young reporter with a four year old son and romance begins to blossom. Although they enter into relationship his last chance of happiness is quickly threatened by his old habits. 

Starring:
Directed By:
Scott Cooper
7. The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
11
4
The Kindergarten Teacher
R
11
4
Starring:
Rosa Salazar, Ajay Naidu, Gael García Bernal, Michael Chernus
Directed By:
Sara Colangelo
8. Paris, je t'aime (2006)
12
5
Paris, je t'aime
R
12
5

Also known as Paris, I love You, it is an anthology film comprising of eighteen short films which are set in the different arrondissements of Paris. Directed by visionary directors from all around the world, these eighteen short films are incredibly humane depictions of life in Paris, which resonate universal themes of love, life, and loss. 

Directed By:
9. Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
10
4
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
R
10
4

Based on an unauthorized autobiography by the famous television personality, Chuck Barris, the story begins with Barris dreaming of becoming a successful showbiz personality and also of winning the hearts of beautiful women. While struggling to make his dreams come true, he is recruited as a CIA assassin and travels on duty across the world. But what happens to his original dreams? 

Directed By:
10. Frank (2014)
9
4
Frank
R
9
4

A young aspiring songwriter joins an experimental band called the Soronprfbs as the keyboardist. But no one in the band likes him, except the band’s leader who constantly wears a papier-mâché mask. As the band works together on their debut album and prepares to perform in Texas, their personal problems result in a complete breakdown of the band. 

Starring:
Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Moira Brooker, Paul Butterworth, Phil Kingston
Directed By:
Lenny Abrahamson
11. Away We Go (2009)
14
7
Away We Go
R
14
7

Away we Go is a comedy-drama film which tells the story of a couple expecting their first child, who travel around the entire US, to find a perfect place to start a family. 

Starring:
Melanie Lynskey, John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels, Carmen Ejogo, Catherine O'Hara
Directed By:
12. Hysteria (2011)
7
4
Hysteria
R
7
4

This biographical romantic comedy drama film tells the story of Dr Mortimer Granville, the man behind the invention of the vibrator.

Role:
Charlotte Dalrymple
Starring:
Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce, Felicity Jones, Rupert Everett
Directed By:
Tanya Wexler
13. Sherrybaby (2006)
7
3
Sherrybaby
7
3

Sherrybaby is a drama film which revolves around Sherry Swanson, who spends three years in prison on drug charges. After her release, she plans to integrate into society, and lead a better life, for the sake of her daughter. However, her life becomes difficult due to her relationship with her brother and his wife.

Role:
Sherry Swanson
Starring:
Danny Trejo, Michelle Hurst, Sandra Rodríguez, Anna Simpson, Giancarlo Esposito
Directed By:
Laurie Collyer
14. Waterland (1992)
6
3
Waterland
R
6
3
Starring:
Lena Headey, Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke, Sinéad Cusack, Grant Warnock
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
15. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
10
5
Mona Lisa Smile
PG-13
10
5

30 years old arts graduate, Katherine Ann Watson, starts teaching History of Art at Wellesley College, in Massachusetts, in 1953. Realizing many of her students and colleagues are still guided by conservative attitudes, she decides to inspire the young girls, particularly her conservative students like Joan and Betty to change their lives for the better. 

Role:
Giselle Levy
Starring:
Julia Stiles, Topher Grace, Krysten Ritter, Kristen Connolly, John Slattery, Kirsten Dunst, Ginnifer Goodwin
Directed By:
Mike Newell
16. Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)
7
4
Riding in Cars with Boys
PG-13
7
4

After a rebellious phase, Beverley gets pregnant with a baby boy at the young age of fifteen. She struggles to deal with various problems in her life, while also achieve her dream of becoming an established writer.

Starring:
Brittany Murphy, Sara Gilbert, Lorraine Bracco, Adam Garcia, Peter Facinelli, Logan Lerman, Drew Barrymore
Directed By:
Penny Marshall
17. Criminal (2004)
6
3
Criminal
R
6
3

Criminal is a comedy crime drama film which revolves around Rodrigo and Richard, two con-artists, who try to swindle a currency collector by selling him a counterfeit copy of a very rare currency bill.

Role:
Valerie
Starring:
Diego Luna, Michael Shannon, John C. Reilly, Peter Mullan, Zitto Kazann
Directed By:
Gregory Jacobs
18. Won't Back Down (2012)
7
3
Won't Back Down
PG
7
3

Won’t Back Down is a drama film which tells the story of two mothers who are determined to provide their children with a proper education. Therefore,  they try their best and risk everything in order to transform their city’s failing school.

Role:
Jamie Fitzpatrick
Starring:
Ving Rhames, Rosie Perez, Holly Hunter, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac
Directed By:
Daniel Barnz
19. Casa de los babys (2003)
6
3
Casa de los babys
R
6
3
Starring:
Rita Moreno, Daryl Hannah, Mary Steenburgen, Angelina Peláez, Lizzie Curry Martinez, Vanessa Martinez, Amanda Álvarez
Directed By:
John Sayles
20. White House Down (2013)
14
7
White House Down
PG-13
14
7

Divorced Capitol Police officer John Cale aspires to be a secret service agent and visits the White House for his interview. After getting rejected, he accompanies his daughter Emily on a White House tour. Soon, there is an attack by a heavily armed paramilitary group. John now has to protect not just his daughter, but also the President and the country.

Role:
Finnerty
Starring:
Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, James Woods, Jason Clarke, Richard Jenkins
Directed By:
Roland Emmerich
21. Happy Endings (2005)
6
3
Happy Endings
R
6
3

Mamie had given up her only son for adoption as the father was Maime’s stepbrother. Ironically, she is now working as a counselor at an abortion clinic. However, her life takes a turn when one day, an aspiring filmmaker, tells her that he has information as well as proof of her son’s identity.

Role:
Jude
Starring:
Johnny Galecki, Lisa Kudrow, Tom Arnold, Jason Ritter, Steve Coogan, Bobby Cannavale, Laura Dern
Directed By:
Don Roos
22. Strip Search (2004)
5
3
Strip Search
5
3
Role:
Linda Sykes
Starring:
Glenn Close, Kerry Washington, Austin Pendleton, Tom Guiry, Fred Koheler
Directed By:
Sidney Lumet
23. Cecil B. DeMented (2000)
6
4
Cecil B. DeMented
R
6
4

This crime thriller comedy film tells the story of an insane independent filmmaker, who along with his group of teen cinema enthusiasts, kidnaps a movie star and forces her to act in their underground movie.

Starring:
Roseanne Barr, John Waters, Ricki Lake, Kevin Nealon, Adrian Grenier, Melanie Griffith, Michael Shannon
Directed By:
24. Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010)
6
4
Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang
PG
6
4

In this period fantasy, Isabel Green is having difficult time managing the family farm and children, while her husband is away at WWII. With two additional guest children, Isabel needs help, which she receives in the form of enigmatic Nanny McPhee. Initially the children ignore the mystical nanny, but McPhee uses her magic to inculcate five valuable lessons in the children.

Role:
Isabel Green
Starring:
Asa Butterfield, Maggie Smith, Ewan McGregor, Rhys Ifans, Ralph Fiennes, Emma Thompson, Oscar Steer
Directed By:
Susanna White
25. World Trade Center (2006)
8
5
World Trade Center
PG-13
8
5

While patrolling the area, Port Authority Police Officers, John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno, witness a plane flying too low. Back in the police station, they learn about the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and immediately set out to help in evacuation. In the process, they themselves are trapped under the rubble, where they wait for hours before they are rescued by US Marines. 

Starring:
Jon Bernthal, Maria Bello, Nicolas Cage, Viola Davis, Michael Shannon, Connor Paolo, Anthony Piccininni
Directed By:
26. A Dangerous Woman (1993)
5
3
A Dangerous Woman
R
5
3
Role:
Patsy
Starring:
Gabriel Byrne, Laurie Metcalf, Debra Winger, Jake Gyllenhaal, John Terry
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
27. Trust the Man (2005)
5
4
Trust the Man
R
5
4

Rebecca is an actress living in New York who is shattered to learn that her marriage with Tom is falling apart. Meanwhile, Tom is upset because he was forced to give up his lucrative job to care for their young daughter. Eventually, this leads him to having an affair with a divorced mother.

Starring:
Eva Mendes, Garry Shandling, David Duchovny, Billy Crudup, Julianne Moore, Dagmara Dominczyk, Sascha Gillen
Directed By:
Bart Freundlich
28. Homegrown (1998)
5
4
Homegrown
R
5
4

Homegrown is a black comedy thriller film which tells the story of Jack, Carter and Harlan, who work as farmhands for Malcolm, a marijuana harvester. Their lives turn upside down when their boss is killed, and the trio decide to take over the business. However, it soon seems that running the business is not as easy as they had imagined.  

Starring:
Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, Ted Danson, John Lithgow, Steve Carell, Jamie Lee Curtis
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
29. 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
6
5
40 Days and 40 Nights
R
6
5

After his break up with Nicole, Matt has trouble moving on. In desperation, he vows to abstain from all kinds of sex during the entire period of Lent. Although his colleagues try their best to make him break his vow, which will allow them to win a bet, he is steady in his resolve. At this juncture Erica enters into his life. 

Starring:
Josh Hartnett, Shannyn Sossamon, Paulo Costanzo, Adam Trese
Directed By:
Michael Lehmann
30. The Great New Wonderful (2005)
4
3
The Great New Wonderful
R
4
3
Role:
Emme Keeler
Starring:
Stephen Colbert, Naseeruddin Shah, Edie Falco, Jim Parsons, Will Arnett, Judy Greer, Olympia Dukakis
Directed By:
Danny Leiner
31. Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999)
6
3
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story
6
3
Starring:
Edd Byrnes, Elinor Donahue, James Coburn, James Garner, Bonnie Somerville, Brad Hawkins, Kathy Baker
Directed By:
Mike Robe
32. The Corrections (2012)
6
3
The Corrections
6
3
Role:
Denise
Starring:
Greta Gerwig, Dianne Wiest, Rhys Ifans, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor
33. River of Fundament (2014)
6
3
River of Fundament
6
3
Role:
Hathfertiti
Starring:
Debbie Harry, Paul Giamatti, Elaine Stritch, Dave Bald Eagle, Milford Graves, John Buffalo Mailer
Directed By:
Matthew Barney
34. Beauty Mark (2016)
6
3
Beauty Mark
6
3
Role:
Valerie
Starring:
Conor O'Farrell, Rebekah Tripp
Directed By:
Cameron Thrower
35. High Falls (2007)
6
3
High Falls
6
3
Role:
April
Starring:
Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Peter Sarsgaard, Waris Ahluwalia, Charlie Tahan
Directed By:
Andrew Zuckerman
36. Home (2016)
5
3
Home
5
3
Role:
Ruth
Starring:
Danielle Baker, James Mahoney, Cheyenne Phillips, Glenn Plummer
Directed By:
Kat Wood
37. The New Empress (2016)
5
3
The New Empress
5
3
Role:
Olive
Starring:
Bonnie He, Roberta Bassin
Directed By:
Jason Perini
38. Resurrection (1999)
5
3
Resurrection
5
3
Starring:
Rita Moreno, Dana Delany, Brenda Fricker, Nick Chinlund, Matthew Glave
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
39. Shattered Mind (1996)
5
3
Shattered Mind
5
3
Starring:
Heather Locklear, Alexa Vega, Alexa PenaVega, François Chau, John Walter Davis
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
40. The Patron Saint of Liars (1998)
4
4
The Patron Saint of Liars
4
4
Starring:
Dana Delany, Sada Thompson, Clancy Brown, Jill Gascoine
Directed By:
Stephen Gyllenhaal
41. The Photographer (2000)
4
4
The Photographer
R
4
4
Starring:
Anthony Michael Hall, Michael Shannon, Reg Rogers, Tina Holmes, Marisa Berenson
Directed By:
Jeremy Stein
42. The Pornographer: A Love Story (2004)
4
5
The Pornographer: A Love Story
4
5
Role:
Sidney
Starring:
Laura Prepon, Irène Jacob, Martin Donovan, Ezra Barnes, Orlagh Cassidy
Directed By:
Alan Wade

Director

The Lost Daughter (2021)
0
0
The Lost Daughter
18
0
0

The Lost Daughter is a drama film which revolves around a middle-aged college professor Leda, who meets a young mother named Nina during her vacation. Nina’s daughter has gone missing and Leda helps her find her daughter, Elena, and she develops a friendship with them. This reminds her of her early motherhood and her two daughters Bianca and Martha.

Starring:
Dagmara Dominczyk, Dakota Johnson

Animation Movies

Monster House (2006)
10
5
Monster House
TV-PG
10
5

A teenage, DJ Walters, along with his friends Chowder and Jenny try to tell others that the neighbourhood house of Mr. Nebbercracker is suspicious and everything that lands on the property is either confiscated by its elderly owner or consumed by the house. When they fail in their endeavour, they decide to destroy the heart of the house so as to kill it.

Role:
Zee (voice)
Starring:
Fred Willard, Kathleen Turner, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Ryan Newman, Mitchel Musso, Catherine O'Hara
Directed By:
Gil Kenan

TV Shows

The Deuce
14
3
The Deuce
TV-MA
14
3
Role:
Eileen 'Candy' Merrell
Starring:
James Franco, Margarita Levieva, Ralph Macchio, Lawrence Gilliard Jr.
Directed By:
The Honourable Woman
10
2
The Honourable Woman
10
2
Role:
Nessa Stein
Starring:
Stephen Rea, Lubna Azabal, Katherine Parkinson, Andrew Buchan
Directed By:
Hugo Blick
Awards:
Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television

Maggie Gyllenhaal Awards

Golden Globe Awards
The Honourable Woman Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television 2015
People's Choice Awards
The Dark Knight Favorite Cast 2009