Every Nicole Holofcener Movie, Ranked Worst-Best

Since her feature film debut in 1996, Nicole Holofcener has steadily been one of the strongest mumblecore directors working today. Her films highlight the complicated relationships of people, focusing on realistic dialogue and naturalistic acting. She has also had a prolific writing career with screenwriter credits for films like The Last Duel, Every Secret Thing, and Can You Ever Forgive Me?, the latter of which earned Holofcener an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and won her the Writers Guild of America Award in the same category. She even has an uncredited rewrite for Black Widow.

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The agency of women and how they interact with each other and the world around them is one of the biggest themes running through Nicole Holofcener’s directorial work. With her films rooted in mature realism, Holofcener’s filmography flies under the radar with popular IP titles often dominating the box office over quieter original stories. However, with her seven feature films, Holofcener proves that her voice is an essential part of American cinema.

7 Friends With Money (2006)

An Excellent Ensemble Cast Led By Jennifer Aniston

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Friends with Money RComedyDocumentaryDramaRomance Where to Watch

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*Availability in US Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date September 7, 2006 Cast Catherine Keener , Jason Isaacs , timm sharp , Joan Cusack , Greg Germann , Hailey Noelle Johnson Runtime 88 minutes Main Genre Comedy
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Friends With Money is Nicole Holofcener’s weakest film, but it is in no way bad. In fact, even though it isn’t a standout in the director’s filmography, it’s still relatively good. Jennifer Aniston stars as Olivia, a broke house cleaner whose three best friends are all wealthy. Obviously, money is at the heart of the film, with Holofcener having a lot to say about how monetary status can play a part in the way people form and view relationships.

Catherine Keener has starred in 5/7 of Nicole Holofcener’s films.

Friends With Money largely works because of its stellar cast. Alongside Jennifer Aniston, the friend group consists of Joan Cusack, Frances McDormand, and longtime Nicole Holofcener collaborator, Catherine Keener, with Jason Isaacs and Scott Caan rounding out the main cast. Like other Holofcener films, the dialogue is strong and has a lot of heart, as each woman gets a chance to develop as a character.

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6 The Land Of Steady Habits (2018)

A Strong Ben Mendelsohn Performance

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The Land of Steady Habits DramaComedy

The Land of Steady Habits is a film that follows Anders, a man who embarks on a tumultuous journey to rebuild his life after leaving his marriage and job, exploring themes of personal redemption and self-discovery in a suburban Connecticut setting.

Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date September 12, 2018 Cast Ben Mendelsohn , Edie Falco , Thomas Mann , Elizabeth Marvel , Connie Britton , Michael Gaston , Josh Pais , Natalie Gold , Victor Slezak , Charlie Tahan , Bill Camp , Victor Williams , Antonio Ortiz , Frankie Petrosino , Shyaporn Theerakulstit Character(s) Anders Hill , Hélène , Preston , Sophie , Barbara , Mitchell Ashford , Larry Eastwood , Dana , Wes Thompson , Charlie , Donny , Howard , Arnie , Son (uncredited) , Bartender Runtime 98 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbKDFMW8hGE Expand

The Land of Steady Habits features a very strong Ben Mendelsohn performance as Anders Hill, a man who is stuck in a rut and decides to retire from his finance job early while leaving his wife in the process. The film is adapted from a novel of the same name, written by Ted Thompson. Nicole Holofcener likes to explore characters that are messy, plagued with ennui and trying to figure out what to do next. The Land of Steady Habits focuses on Anders Hill’s feelings as a father and as a person.

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Nicole Holofcener does wonders with the cast, as Edie Falco, Thomas Mann, Charlie Tahan, and Connie Britton all shine alongside a career performance from Ben Mendelsohn. Her writing is also just as sharp as ever, exploring the relationships between the characters and the way parents can potentially damage their children, making it a sad but thoughtful film. It was also the first film Holofcener directed for Netflix, showcasing her expansion into the streaming world.

5 Please Give (2010)

An Authentic Look At Family

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*Availability in US Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date April 30, 2010 Cast Rebecca Hall , Elizabeth Keener , Elise Ivy , Catherine Keener , Josh Pais , Sarah Steele Runtime 90 minutes Main Genre Comedy
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Like all of Nicole Holofcener’s movies, Please Give focuses on the dynamics between a complicated group of people. This time, Holofcener explores the relationship between a wife and husband as well as two women and their grandmother. Catherine Keener shines as Kate alongside Oliver Platt as Kate’s husband, Alex. They own a furniture store that specializes in used items they obtain through estate sales.

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From Adaptation to The 40-Year-Old Virgin, the eclectic Catherine Keener has been in independent and studio movies of every genre.

Kate is so well realized in this film as Holofcener wants to explore the power dynamics of privileged individuals and how they can prey on those less fortunate, without even realizing it most of the time. After recognizing this, Kate decides to make a change in her life, hoping to make a difference. Alongside Keener and Platt, the family trio of Amanda Peet, Rebecca Hall, and Ann Morgan Guilbert all give stellar performances.

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4 Lovely & Amazing (2001)

A Wonderful Sophomore Outing

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Lovely & Amazing RComedyDramaRomance

Lovely & Amazing is a film directed by Nicole Holofcener that focuses on the complexities of an eccentric family, exploring the lives of four women as they navigate personal challenges and aspire for redemption. Set against a backdrop of emotional turbulence, the story provides insight into their intertwined and tumultuous relationships.

Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date August 31, 2001 Cast Brenda Blethyn , Catherine Keener , Emily Mortimer , Raven Goodwin , Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor , Clark Gregg , Jake Gyllenhaal , James Le Gros , Michael Nouri , Dermot Mulroney , Troy Ruptash , Ileen Getz , Kristen Dalton , Romy Rosemont , Brooke Allison , Jennifer Zehnder , Ashlynn Rose , Dreya Weber , Christine Mourad , Mariah O’Brien , Jeanne McCarthy , Evan Mirand , Ivy Strohmaier , Spencer Garrett , Branden Williams Character(s) Jane Marks , Michelle Marks , Elizabebeth Marks , Annie Marks , Lorraine , Bill , Jordan , Paul , Dr. Crane , Kevin McCabe , Photographer (voice) , Saleswoman , Dr. Debbie Waldman , Pool Administrator , Teased Girl , Maddy , Donna , Cindy, Elizabeth’s Agent , Kevin’s TV Co-Star , Casting Director , Director , Jessie , Willy , Teenage Boy Runtime 91 minutes YouTube Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-rUuqyeObI Expand

Nicole Holofcener had a big task ahead of her when it came to releasing her second film after her wonderful directorial debut, Walking and Talking. Thankfully, she was up to the task as Lovely & Amazing is a valiant sophomore effort that is one of her best. Catherine Keener stars once again as Michelle alongside Brenda Blethyn, Emily Mortimer, and an early-career performance from Jake Gyllenhaal following his breakout in Donnie Darko the same year.

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Nothing is ever simple involving people, and Nicole Holofcener understands that in spades.

The relationships between women are on full display again as Holofcener’s talent shines through with well-developed, complex characters who are trying to figure it all out. The dialogue is sharp and witty and dives into the workings of mother-daughter relationships. Nothing is ever simple involving people and how they interact, and Holofcener understands this in spades, resulting in a fantastic movie and cementing herself as someone as a filmmaker here to stay.

3 You Hurt My Feelings (2023)

Nicole Holofcener’s Latest

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ScreenRant logo 6/10 You Hurt My Feelings RComedyDrama

Your Hurt My Feelings is a comedy-drama film directed by Nicole Holofcener and stars Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a novelist whose marriage is upended when she overhears her husband’s honest opinion about her latest book. The film explores trust and vulnerability in relationships and co-stars Tobias Menzies as her husband and Michaela Watkins as her sister.

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*Availability in US Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date January 22, 2023 Studio(s) FilmNation Entertainment , Likely Story Distributor(s) A24 Writers Nicole Holofcener Cast Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Tobias Menzies , Michaela Watkins , Owen Teague , Arian Moayed , Jeannie Berlin Runtime 93 minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand

You Hurt My Feelings is the latest work by Nicole Holofcener and it shows that she hasn’t missed a beat since her directorial debut nearly three decades ago. Julia Louis-Dreyfus returns to this Nicole Holofcener project after starring in Enough Said. She is as strong as ever playing Beth, a memoirist and creative writing teacher who writes her first novel. You Hurt My Feelings primarily focuses on her relationship with her husband Don (Tobias Menzies) and their son Elliot (Owen Teague).

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in You Hurt My Feelings Related You Hurt My Feelings Review: Charming Cast Elevates Enjoyable Comedy [Sundance]

While the film isn’t overly ambitious or deep, it’s an energetic, occasionally thoughtful & honest film about the lack of honesty & its effects.

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The movie explores who Beth is as a person and how she is shaped by the relationships around her. Holofcener examines the idea of self-worth throughout the film and the way people can need validation from those they care about the most. Her script and directorial are reliably strong here.

2 Walking And Talking (1996)

A Fantastic Debut

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Directorial debuts can be hit-or-miss, but Nicole Holofcener knocked it out of the park with hers. Walking and Talking is a 1996 film that stars Catherine Keener, Anne Heche, Todd Hield, Liev Schrieber, and Kevin Corrigan. Living up to its title, Walking and Talking features a plethora of dialogue that helps to reveal who the characters are as the film progresses.

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This friend group is messy and the various relationships throughout the group tend to get tangled along the way. Since the very beginning of her career, Holofcener has never lost sight of exploring women and their relationships with each other and those around them. Her screenplay is bittersweet, tinged with the sadness of growing up and growing apart. It’s a wonderful debut that tells the world just who Nicole Holofcener is.

1 Enough Said (2013)

One Of Gandolfini’s Last

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Enough Said PG-13ComedyDramaRomance

Enough Said is a romantic comedy directed by Nicole Holofcener. It features Julia Louis-Dreyfus as a divorced woman who starts a new relationship with a man played by James Gandolfini, only to discover he is the ex-husband of her new friend. As she navigates her feelings, the film explores themes of love, friendship, and midlife challenges with humor and sincerity.

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*Availability in US Director Nicole Holofcener Release Date October 11, 2013 Writers Nicole Holofcener Cast James Gandolfini , Julia Louis-Dreyfus , Catherine Keener , Toni Collette , Ben Falcone Runtime 93 Minutes Main Genre Comedy Expand
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Enough Said is officially Nicole Holofcener’s best film to date. Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini shine as a brand-new couple with fantastic chemistry along the way. In fact, Enough Said was one of Gandolfini’s final roles as he sadly passed away shortly before the film was released. The rest of the cast is superb as well, with Catherine Keener and Toni Collette showcasing their talent.

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James Gandolfini is known by most for his role as Tony Soprano. However, he has appeared in several highly-rated movies like Fallen and True Romance.

Nicole Holofcener really knocks it out of the park with her writing and directing creating a complicated and messy group of characters with various relationship dynamics in the mix. This is where Nicole Holofcener shines the most with her projects and Enough Said is able to highlight just how much talent she has. It not only earned Julia Louis-Dreyfus a Golden Globe nomination — her first for a film role — but is Holofcener’s best-reviewed movie, sitting at a impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

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