The 10 Best Jennifer Lopez Movies, from ‘Anaconda’ to ‘Marry Me’

10. “The Boy Next Door” (2015)

Directed by Rob Cohen, “The Boy Next Door” centers on Claire Peterson, a high school teacher struggling to move on after separating from her husband. When Claire sleeps with her 19-year-old neighbor Noah (Ryan Guzman), she regrets it and immediately tries to end things. But Noah pursues Claire with “Fatal Attraction” levels of intensity and a game of cat and mouse soon begins.

“The Boy Next Door” isn’t an especially inventive erotic thriller, though it does feature some uniquely funny double entendres and a great performance from Lopez. The last act sees Claire confront her stalker in a sincerely fun action sequence that not only lets Lopez deliver solid stunt work, but introduces EpiPens as a bonafide slasher weapon.

9. “The Wedding Planner” (2001)

Both titans of the aughts rom-com arena, Lopez and co-star Matthew McConaughey work genuine wonders in “The Wedding Planner.” On the one hand, there’s some seriously contrived nonsense going on in director Adam Shankman’s 2001 tale of Mary, a wedding planner who falls for one of her clients.

The film doesn’t ever really get past the grossness of that cringe-inducing premise. But the scenes that do enchant have such sparkling loveliness that it’s possible to appreciate McConaughey and Lopez’s chemistry separate from the rest of the movie. C’mon, their kiss in the rain? Iconic.

8. “Second Act” (2018)

“The only thing stopping you is you.” That’s the tagline for director Peter Segal’s “Second Act,” an intensely idealistic rom-com about a brilliant woman who uses a fake resume to get the future she deserves. Admittedly, the 2018 flick falters in its story with some frequency, relying on a cliched boss lady narrative that doesn’t work now and didn’t feel fresh then.

That said, Lopez works magic with the thin script, pumping her performance full of irresistible likability. She brings out the best in her co-stars too, sharing memorable scenes with Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens, and Milo Ventimiglia. The only thing better? Her wardrobe of impeccably clean and crisp blouses, skirts, and suits (complete with killer heels, of course).

7. “Monster-in-Law” (2005)

Lopez plays opposite Jane Fonda in Robert Luketic’s “Monster-in-Law,” a feud comedy set against the backdrop of a lavish wedding between free spirit Charlie (Lopez) and dashing doctor Kevin (Michael Vartan). Returning to the big screen for the first time since “Stanley and Iris,” Fonda steals the show as the deliciously vicious Viola, a past-her-prime talk show host and Kevin’s mother.

Viola is willing to do anything to protect her only son from the wrong woman — or, at least, who she thinks is the wrong woman — and Fonda hits those conniving beats with predictable panache. But Lopez is the heart of the film, delivering yet another dazzling rom-com character you’ll be dying to see walk down the aisle. 

6. “Marry Me” (2022)

“Marry Me” kicks off with international pop superstar Kat Valdez (Lopez) discovering her fiancé Bastian (Maluma) is cheating on her, just moments before she’s due to marry him in front of millions. So, in a moment of spontaneity, she instead says “I do” to a math teacher named Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson).

The two are forced to try and untangle the PR disaster they’ve made, before finding themselves inexplicably drawn to one another. “Marry Me” is your basic fake significant other caper (“The Wedding Date,” “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” etc.), but gets bonus points for the surprisingly lovely cadence Wilson and Lopez fall into. Not to mention, Lopez’s opulent costumes are a feature film-worthy event unto themselves.

5. “Anaconda” (1997)

“Anaconda” is stupidly fun, if only because it lets Lopez play a badass fighting for her life on the Amazon River. Sure, the plot is cheesy, and the practical effects are a little hokey. But “Anaconda” has garnered a cult following for a reason: It’s consistently thrilling, solidly unique, and really dares to “go there” with its creature feature premise. (Seriously, you see a dude from inside the anaconda.) Lopez commits to the bit, maintaining an energetic presence throughout. Plus, Ice Cube and Jon Voight are excellent.

4. “Out of Sight” (1998)

Adapted from Elmore Leonard’s novel of the same name, Steven Soderbergh’s “Out of Sight” casts Lopez opposite George Clooney in a crime comedy that also includes Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, and Ving Rhames among others. Lopez plays a federal marshal who begins a life-and-death flirtation with a bank robber that blossoms into a snarky edge-of-your-seat adventure. Clooney and Lopez share the spotlight equally, making standout appearances for them both.

3. “Selena” (1997)

Writer-director Gregory Nava’s “Selena” is a traditional musician biopic, chronicling the life of the Tejano singer from her ambitious childhood to performing before sold-out stadiums to her tragic death at just 23-years-old in 1995. Lopez is radiant in the role, meeting the challenge of playing a pop star as only a real pop star can.

The performance is textured with nuanced understanding of the enormous pressures that come with celebrity, giving Lopez a chance to properly come into her own in a performance akin to Lady Gaga’s turn in “A Star Is Born.” Although Lopez does not sing in “Selena,” she gives fierce energy to her lip-syncing performances.

2. “Maid in Manhattan” (2002)

“Maid in Manhattan” is Lopez’s best romantic comedy by a mile. Directed by Wayne Wang, the 2002 flick follows a hotel maid who falls for a visiting politician (Ralph Fiennes) when he mistakes her for a wealthy socialite (Natasha Richardson). The Cinderella story that follows is overly sincere and saccharine in a way that dates it. But Lopez’s endearing performance as single mother Marisa captures the classic rom-com arc with lasting specificity, allowing her ample screen time with her love interest as well as her precocious son (Tyler Posey).

1. “Hustlers” (2019)

“Hustlers” tells the captivating true tale of strippers stealing from the rich and giving to themselves in a pop-laden spectacle from director Lorene Scafaria. The 2019 crime drama boasts a cast including Constance Wu, Lili Reinhart, and Keke Palmer, along with smaller appearances from Lizzo and Cardi B.

But Lopez is the main attraction, conjuring a career best performance as ringleader Ramona Vega: a force of nature presence imbued with the effervescent showmanship Lopez has spent her entire career perfecting. “Hustlers” is the closest Lopez ever came to an Oscar nod and, though she didn’t win the nomination, her brief time as Ramona remains an inarguable triumph putting Lopez’s best talents on full display.