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 Dianne Wiest Movies: Ranked Best To Worst

1. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
26
5
Edward Scissorhands
TV-14
26
5

After the premature death of his creator, Edward, an artificial humanoid, is left with scissor blades for hands. He is discovered by kind-hearted saleswoman Peg, who welcomes him into her home. He quickly wins affection in the neighborhood and falls in love with Peg's teenage daughter, but his luck turns when he is framed for a robbery.

Role:
Peg
Directed By:
3. I Am Sam (2001)
17
3
I Am Sam
PG-13
17
3

Sam Dawson is an intellectually disabled father raising his daughter Lucy with the help of a group of friends who also have disabilities. As Lucy grows up her intellectual superiority threatens their relationship. Things get more complicated when Lucy is placed in foster care but keeps coming back to her dad. 

Role:
Annie
Directed By:
Jessie Nelson
4. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
14
2
The Purple Rose of Cairo
PG
14
2

Set in the depression era, the film centers on an unhappy waitress caught in a loveless marriage. To assuage her loneliness, she often goes to see films, the latest of them being The Purple Rose of Cairo. Fascinated, she sits through it several times until Tom Baxter, the lead character, steps literally out of the screen to talk to her.  

Starring:
Danny Aiello, Jeff Daniels, Mia Farrow, Irving Metzman, Stephanie Farrow
Directed By:
5. The Lost Boys (1987)
21
2
The Lost Boys
R
21
2

A divorced mother Lucy with her teenaged sons, Mike and Sam, move to a California town, believed to be a vampire terrain. Soon, Mike gets drawn into a vampire-biker gang, while Sam becomes friendly with two boys who claim to be vampire-hunters. When signs of vampirism become evident in Mike’s conduct, Sam and his friends go after the vampire-chief to save Mike.

Role:
Lucy
Starring:
Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Corey Haim, Jason Patric, Barnard Hughes
Directed By:
6. Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
16
2
Bullets Over Broadway
R
16
2

David Shayne is a young and idealistic playwright who moves to Broadway in 1928. A gangster agrees to fund his debut play on the condition that David casts his demanding and talentless girlfriend as the actress. David turns into a cheating writer by the time of the opening night.

Role:
Helen Sinclair
Directed By:
Awards:
Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
8. The Birdcage (1996)
26
3
The Birdcage
R
26
3

Armand Goldman and his long-term partner Albert own the popular drag-club, ‘The Birdcage’, in Miami’s South Beach where Albert, a.k.a. drag-queen Starina is the main attraction. Armand’s son Val declares his intentions of marrying Barbara, daughter of conservative right-wing senator, John Keeley. When the Keeleys arrive to meet Val’s ‘family,’ the Goldmans pretend to be ‘straight,’ and end up creating chaos.

Role:
Louise Keeley
Directed By:
9. Independence Day (1983)
25
4
Independence Day
R
25
4

Mary is a young woman living in Mercury, New Mexico, where she works as a waitress. However, her true passion is photography. Eventually, she falls for a young mechanic named Jack, and together, they think of going to art school in Los Angeles.    

Role:
Nancy Morgan
Starring:
David Keith, Cliff De Young, Kathleen Quinlan, Frances Sternhagen
Directed By:
Robert Mandel
10. Synecdoche, New York (2008)
12
2
Synecdoche, New York
R
12
2

After his wife and daughter leave him, a theatre director faces with a lot of struggles in life. He eventually decides to create a life-size replica of New York City inside a warehouse as a part of his new play. 

Starring:
Emily Watson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Sadie Goldstein, Tom Noonan
Directed By:
Charlie Kaufman
11. Parenthood (1989)
21
4
Parenthood
PG-13
21
4

This family comedy drama film is about the life of Gil Buckman who has to work hard to balance his personal and professional life, while also dealing with the problems of his three children. His life gets even more complicated after he discovers that his wife is pregnant again. 

Role:
Helen
Starring:
Keanu Reeves, Rick Moranis, Joaquin Phoenix, Bryce Dallas Howard, Steve Martin, Jason Robards, Mary Steenburgen
Directed By:
12. Footloose (1984)
14
3
Footloose
PG
14
3

Chicago native Ren MacCormack moves to the small town of Bromont, to find that rock music and dancing are banned inside the town. As Ren starts to rebel and change the town’s view on music and dancing, he begins a relationship with rebellious teen Ariel, whose father Rev. Shaw Moore is the main reason for the ban.

Role:
Vi Moore
Starring:
Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Lithgow, Lori Singer
Directed By:
Herbert Ross
13. A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
10
2
A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
R
10
2

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints is a crime drama film about a boy growing up in Astoria, New York during the 1980s. He gets drawn into a culture of violence, and while most of his friends end up dead or in prison, he escapes to become a successful writer. He also starts believing that he has been saved from suffering like his friends by various ‘saints’.

Role:
Flori
Starring:
Channing Tatum, Shia LaBeouf, Rosario Dawson, Robert Downey Jr., Eric Roberts, Chazz Palminteri, Melonie Diaz
Directed By:
Dito Montiel
14. Falling in Love (1984)
10
2
Falling in Love
PG-13
10
2

Falling in Love is an American romantic drama film which tells the story of Frank and Molly, who get close to each other, after meeting each other during Christmas. Although they are both married, they feel a strange connection to one another.

Starring:
Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep, Jane Kaczmarek, Harvey Keitel, George Martin
Directed By:
Ulu Grosbard
15. Rabbit Hole (2010)
9
3
Rabbit Hole
PG-13
9
3

Rabbit Hole is an American drama film, which tells the story of a couple who tries to deal with the grief caused by their four-year-old son’s death. While the husband starts attending a self-help group, the wife finds solace in Jason, the teenage driver of the car that killed their son. 

Role:
Nat
Starring:
Aaron Eckhart, Sandra Oh, Nicole Kidman, Miles Teller, Tammy Blanchard
Directed By:
John Cameron Mitchell
16. Dan in Real Life (2007)
12
3
Dan in Real Life
PG-13
12
3

Dan Burns writes family advice column for a newspaper, but is perhaps in need of some advice himself.  A widower, he is struggling to deal with his three teenage daughters and their problems. While visiting his parents along with his daughters on Thanksgiving, he comes across Marie with whom he feels an instant connect. Unfortunately, she has a boyfriend, and he is none other Dan’s own brother.

Starring:
Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche, Britt Robertson, Alison Pill, Emily Blunt, Dane Cook
Directed By:
Peter Hedges
17. Little Man Tate (1991)
14
3
Little Man Tate
PG
14
3

Dede is a working-class single mother, who is going through a lot of struggles, trying to bring up her son. Her son displays signs of being a genius, as his reading and mathematics skills are outstanding, and therefore she tries to ensure that her son gets all the opportunities required, to help him reach his full potential.

Starring:
Jodie Foster, Harry Connick Jr., Adam Hann-Byrd, Michael Shulman, Alex Lee
Directed By:
18. I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982)
10
4
I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can
R
10
4

The film is based on memoirs of Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Barbara Gordon. Despite successful career and strong relationship, Barbara’s anxiety issues draw her to tranquilizers. As her dependency on drugs begins to cripple her life, drowning her in deep darkness, she struggles to find her inner strength and battles with debilitating addiction and withdrawal to get back her sanity.

Role:
Julie Addison
Starring:
Jill Clayburgh, Geraldine Page, John Lithgow, Nicol Williamson, Joe Pesci
Directed By:
Jack Hofsiss
19. Dedication (2007)
10
2
Dedication
R
10
2

After his illustrator partner passes away, Henry Roth is forced to work with a new artist named Lucy, sent by his publisher. Even though they need to deliver his latest book in less than one month, he tries various tricks to alienate her, but over time, he begins to fall for her. Things get complicated when her ex-boyfriend comes back to her life to win her back.

Starring:
Christine Taylor, Mandy Moore, Amy Sedaris, Billy Crudup, Bobby Cannavale, Martin Freeman, Bob Balaban
Directed By:
Justin Theroux
20. The Horse Whisperer (1998)
11
2
The Horse Whisperer
PG-13
11
2

The Horse Whisperer is a Western drama film, which tells the story of a young girl Grace, who gets traumatized severely, after she faces a terrible accident while riding her horse. Annie, her mother, therefore decides to take the help of a unique horse trainer named Tom. 

Role:
Diane Booker
Starring:
Robert Redford, Scarlett Johansson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Chris Cooper
Directed By:
21. September (1987)
11
2
September
PG
11
2

September is a drama film which tells the story of a suicidal woman named Lane, who retreats to her summerhouse in Vermont to spend some time alone. However, problems arise when houseguests disrupt her healing process. Meanwhile, Lane also struggles to deal with her obnoxious mother, who pays her a visit. Soon, things get complicated when Lane finds herself attracted to a writer named Peter.  

Role:
Stephanie
Starring:
Elaine Stritch, Sam Waterston, Mia Farrow, Denholm Elliott
Directed By:
22. The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)
10
2
The Odd Life of Timothy Green
PG
10
2

The Odd Life of Timothy Green is a fantasy comedy-drama film, which revolves around a couple, Cindy and Jim, who are devastated when they learn that Cindy cannot conceive. However, their misery ends after the sudden appearance of an orphan boy Timothy. 

Starring:
Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, Odeya Rush, Shohreh Aghdashloo, CJ Adams
Directed By:
Peter Hedges
23. Practical Magic (1998)
13
2
Practical Magic
PG-13
13
2

Sisters Sally and Gillian Owens are witches. Their family curse dictates that any man they fall in love with will die an untimely death. Sally suffers the fate and so does Gillian when her abusive boyfriend Jimmy dies. After they use a forbidden spell, Jimmy’s spirit returns with the intention of ending the Owens family. 

Role:
Aunt Jet
Starring:
Sandra Bullock, Aidan Quinn, Camilla Belle, Evan Rachel Wood, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing
Directed By:
Griffin Dunne
24. The Associate (1996)
16
3
The Associate
PG-13
16
3

Laurel is a smart single woman who is trying to make it big in the Wall Street corporate world. After facing several prejudices, she learns that if she wants to find success, she will have to work for a much older man or become one.

Role:
Sally Dugan
Starring:
Whoopi Goldberg, Eli Wallach, Bebe Neuwirth, Allison Janney, Tim Daly
Directed By:
Donald Petrie
25. I Care a Lot (2021)
10
2
I Care a Lot
R
10
2

A crooked legal guardian makes a living by draining the savings of her elderly wards. Trouble ensues when she tries to swindle a woman having ties to a powerful gangster.

Role:
Jennifer Peterson
Starring:
Rosamund Pike, Eiza González, Peter Dinklage
26. The Big Year (2011)
8
3
The Big Year
PG
8
3

This comedy film tells the story of three bird enthusiasts who pursue the title for spotting the highest number of birds in a bird-watching competition. 

Starring:
Owen Wilson, Jack Black, Al Roker, Brian Dennehy, Jim Parsons, Kevin Pollak, Anthony Anderson
Directed By:
David Frankel
27. Let Them All Talk (2020)
9
2
Let Them All Talk
R
9
2

Let Them All Talk is a comedy drama film which tells the story of Alice Hughes, an author, who sets off to England on a cruise trip, along with two of her friends and her nephew, in order to receive an award. Meanwhile, she also tries to come to terms with her troubled past.    

Role:
Susan
Starring:
Meryl Streep
28. It's My Turn (1980)
11
3
It's My Turn
R
11
3

Mathematics professor, Kate Gunzinger, is in a relationship with Homer, but they lack passion. She meets ex-baseball player Ben, at her widowed dad’s wedding to Ben’s mother. The two begin a passionate affair and Kate returns to break up with Homer, even though an unpredictable future awaits her. 

Starring:
Charles Grodin, Michael Douglas, Jill Clayburgh, Steven Hill, Beverly Garland
Directed By:
Claudia Weill
29. Sisters (2015)
12
4
Sisters
R
12
4

As their parents have decided to sell their home, recently divorced Maura and her hotheaded sister Kate are required to travel to Orlando to clean out their old bedroom. Once there, they decide to throw one last party and invite their former classmates. But very soon, it starts getting out of control and very soon there may not be any house to sell. 

Starring:
John Cena, Amy Poehler, John Leguizamo, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Kate McKinnon, Chris Parnell
Directed By:
Jason Moore
30. Passengers (2008)
11
2
Passengers
PG-13
11
2

Claire, a therapist working as a grief counselor, is working with five survivors of a plane crash who seem to recollect certain incidents that perhaps never took place. As she gets involved with one of them, the others begin to disappear mysteriously. 

Role:
Toni
Starring:
Anne Hathaway, Andre Braugher, Patrick Wilson, David Morse
Directed By:
Rodrigo García
31. Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
10
1
Bright Lights, Big City
R
10
1

Bright Lights, Big City is a drama film which tells the story of a young aspiring writer living in New York, who is forced to turn to drugs and drinking, in order to forget his dead mother as well as his wife who has left him. Meanwhile, he also struggles to deal with his unfulfilling job at a magazine.

Starring:
Michael J. Fox, Swoosie Kurtz, Tracy Pollan, Kiefer Sutherland, Jason Robards, Phoebe Cates, Frances Sternhagen
Directed By:
James Bridges
32. The Humbling (2014)
7
2
The Humbling
R
7
2

The Humbling is a comedy drama film which tells the story of Simon Axler, an aging stage actor, who is beginning to suffer from dementia. He is institutionalized after an incident, and this affects him so much that he begins to consider suicide. His life takes a turn when he meets the daughter of an ex-girlfriend and begins a relationship with her.    

Starring:
Greta Gerwig, Kyra Sedgwick, Al Pacino, Charles Grodin, Dylan Baker
Directed By:
Barry Levinson
33. The Scout (1994)
7
2
The Scout
PG-13
7
2

Al, a baseball scout discovers a talented player named Steve Nebraska, a young American, who can not only pitch well, but also hit better than anyone else. He decides to sign him up, but it soon seems that Steve is both immature and unstable. Therefore, he decides to take Steve to a psychiatrist named Doctor H Aaron. She finds that Steve is deeply troubled as he was severely abused during his childhood. However, Al requests her to clear him for playing. She agrees on the condition that Steve sees her every day.  

Role:
Doctor H. Aaron
Starring:
Brendan Fraser, Albert Brooks, Lane Smith, Anne Twomey
Directed By:
Michael Ritchie
34. Darling Companion (2012)
8
1
Darling Companion
PG-13
8
1
Role:
Penny
Starring:
Kevin Kline, Elisabeth Moss, Sam Shepard, Ayelet Zurer, Diane Keaton, Richard Jenkins
Directed By:
Lawrence Kasdan
35. Cops and Robbersons (1994)
7
2
Cops and Robbersons
PG
7
2

When the police discover that a killer working for the mob has moved in next door to the Robbersons, they want to find out if he is up to something. Tough cop Jake Stone and his young partner Tony Moore are assigned to investigate. Jake decides to stay next door with the Robbersons.   

Role:
Helen Robberson
Starring:
Chevy Chase, Jack Palance, Robert Davi, David Barry Gray
Directed By:
Michael Ritchie
36. Not Afraid, Not Afraid (2001)
9
3
Not Afraid, Not Afraid
9
3
Starring:
Miriam Margolyes, Jack Davenport, Paul McGlinchey, Ciaran McMahon
Directed By:
Annette Carducci
37. Merci Dr Rey! (2002)
9
3
Merci Dr Rey!
R
9
3
Role:
Elisabeth Beaumont
Starring:
Jerry Hall, Jane Birkin, Bulle Ogier, Stanislas Merhar
Directed By:
Andrew Litvack
38. Drunks (1995)
8
3
Drunks
R
8
3
Starring:
Parker Posey, Faye Dunaway, Richard Lewis, Amanda Plummer, Sam Rockwell, Calista Flockhart
Directed By:
Peter Cohn
39. Cookie (1989)
8
2
Cookie
R
8
2
Role:
Lenore
Starring:
Joy Behar, Peter Falk, Ricki Lake, Jerry Lewis, Brenda Vaccaro, Adrian Pasdar
Directed By:
Susan Seidelman
40. Rage (2009)
6
2
Rage
6
2
Starring:
David Oyelowo, Judi Dench, Steve Buscemi, Patrick J. Adams, Eddie Izzard, Jude Law, Lily Cole
Directed By:
Sally Potter
41. Five Nights in Maine (2015)
9
1
Five Nights in Maine
9
1
Starring:
Rosie Perez, David Oyelowo, Teyonah Parris, Hani Furstenberg, Neal Lerner
Directed By:
Maris Curran

TV Movie(s)

1. Zalmen: or, The Madness of God (1975)
10
3
Zalmen: or, The Madness of God
10
3
Starring:
Joseph Wiseman, Robert Prosky, Leib Lensky, Richard Bauer
Directed By:
Alan Schneider, Peter Levin
2. The Wall (1982)
10
3
The Wall
10
3
Starring:
Tom Conti, James Cromwell, Eli Wallach, Gerald Hiken, Rachel Roberts
Directed By:
Robert Markowitz
3. The Face of Rage (1983)
11
4
The Face of Rage
11
4
Starring:
George Dzundza, Danny Glover, John Goodman, Jeffrey DeMunn, Raymond J. Barry
Directed By:
Donald Wrye
4. Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004)
7
2
Category 6: Day of Destruction
TV-PG
7
2
Plot:

When three tornadoes wreak havoc in Chicago, it disrupts the power grid and leads to one of the worst super-storms in history. Meanwhile,  Amy Harking, an anchorwoman, suspects that the Lexer Corporation has something to do with the danger.

Starring:
Randy Quaid, Thomas Gibson, Nancy McKeon, Brian Dennehy, Brian Markinson, Chandra West
Directed By:
Dick Lowry
5. The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999)
13
3
The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn
PG
13
3
Role:
Sarah McClellan
Starring:
Sidney Poitier, Mary-Louise Parker, George Newbern, Roxzane T. Mims
Directed By:
Gregg Champion
6. The Blackwater Lightship (2004)
10
2
The Blackwater Lightship
PG
10
2
Role:
Lily
Starring:
Angela Lansbury, Sam Robards, Gina McKee, Keith McErlean
Directed By:
John Erman
7. The Corrections (2012)
9
3
The Corrections
9
3
Starring:
Rhys Ifans, Ewan McGregor, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Greta Gerwig, Chris Cooper, Rhys Ifans

Animation(s)

Robots (2005)
Robots
PG
Plot:

Rodney Copperbottom is an aspiring inventor in a world full of sentient robots. He idolizes Bigweld, a famous inventor whose Bigweld Industries makes spare parts. Unfortunately, in Bigweld’s absence, the new owner Phineas T. Ratchet has stopped making spare parts in favor of expensive upgrades. Rodney must find a way to contact Bigweld and stop Rachet. 

Starring:
Amanda Bynes, Natasha Lyonne, Stanley Tucci, Mel Brooks, Jennifer Coolidge, Paul Giamatti, James Earl Jones
Directed By:
Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha

TV Shows and Videos

Disneyland (1954)
Disneyland
Starring:
Rhea Perlman, Larry Hagman, Jeff Bridges, Jason Bateman, Robert Urich, Annette Funicello, George Carlin
Directed By:
Hamilton Luske, Norman Tokar, Robert Stevenson, James Neilson, Jack Hannah
Road to Avonlea (1990)
Road to Avonlea
PG
Starring:
Ryan Gosling, Michael York, Christopher Lloyd, Bruce Greenwood, Eugene Levy, Christopher Reeve, Faye Dunaway
Directed By:
Harvey Frost, Allan King, Don McBrearty, Stuart Gillard, Stephen Surjik
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series
Theater Close-Up (2014)
Theater Close-Up
Starring:
David Abeles, Curtis Billings, AJ Cedeno, Demosthenes Chrysan
Great Performances (1971)
Great Performances
Starring:
Anthony Hopkins, Denzel Washington, Bernadette Peters, Richard Burton, Amy Irving, Joan Cusack, Hugo Weaving
Directed By:
Brian Large, David Horn, Kirk Browning, Gary Halvorson, Matthew Diamond
In Treatment (2008)
In Treatment
TV-MA
Role:
Dr. Gina Toll (17 episodes, 2008-2009)
Starring:
Mia Wasikowska, Gabriel Byrne, Debra Winger, Dane DeHaan, Irrfan Khan, Alison Pill
Directed By:
Paris Barclay, Rodrigo García, Jim McKay, Melanie Mayron, Ryan Fleck
Awards:
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
The Blacklist (2013)
The Blacklist
TV-14
Starring:
James Spader, Aida Turturro, Gaten Matarazzo, Megan Boone, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare, Alan Alda
Directed By:
Terrence O'Hara, David Platt, Vincent Misiano, Michael W. Watkins, Andrew McCarthy
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
TV-14
Starring:
Madison Pettis, Coco Austin, Donal Logue, Ian Somerhalder, Sharon Stone, Ethan Cutkosky, Armand Assante
Directed By:
David Platt, Peter Leto, Jean de Segonzac, Constantine Makris, Alex Chapple
Life in Pieces (2015)
Life in Pieces
Starring:
Padma Lakshmi, Lyle Lovett, Gregg Sulkin, Josh Groban, Nick Offerman, Molly Shannon, Rhys Darby
Directed By:
Jason Winer, Chad Lowe, Alisa Statman, Phil Traill, Ken Whittingham
Law & Order (1990)
Law & Order
TV-14
Starring:
Timothée Chalamet, David Harbour, Claire Danes, Taye Diggs, Danai Gurira, Victor Garber, Anna Chlumsky
Directed By:
Constantine Makris, Edwin Sherin, Jace Alexander, David Platt, Richard Dobbs
Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
TV-14
Starring:
Sarah Rafferty, Aaron Stanford, Anthony Mackie, Daniella Alonso, Madhur Jaffrey, Rita Moreno, Gillian Jacobs
Directed By:
Frank Prinzi, Jean de Segonzac, Steve Shill, Darnell Martin, Norberto Barba
The Return of Jezebel James (2008)
The Return of Jezebel James
Starring:
Parker Posey, Scott Cohen, Lauren Ambrose, Haysha Deitsch

Dianne Wiest Awards

Academy Awards
Bullets Over Broadway Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1995
Hannah and Her Sisters Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1987
Golden Globe Awards
Bullets Over Broadway Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture 1995
Primetime Emmy Awards
In Treatment Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 2008
Road to Avonlea Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series 1997