The 10 Most Underrated Sigourney Weaver Movies, Ranked (From Least to Most Underrated)

Sigourney Weaver has built a career that moves easily between science fiction landmarks, intimate dramas, and sharp comedies. She has three Academy Award nominations to her name for performances in ‘Aliens’, ‘Gorillas in the Mist’, and ‘Working Girl’, and she won two Golden Globes for the latter pair at the same ceremony. Alongside those widely known highlights are films that show how versatile she can be across genres and budgets.

This countdown gathers ten titles that often sit a little outside the usual greatest hits conversation. You will find lead turns, key supporting roles, and collaborations with respected directors and writers. Each entry includes concise background on story, craft, and context so you can quickly see where it fits in her filmography and why it matters to the broader picture of her work.

‘Red Lights’ (2012)

Rodrigo Cortés directs this thriller about investigators who test claims of the paranormal. Sigourney Weaver plays Dr. Margaret Matheson, a psychologist who teaches students how to debunk psychic phenomena, and her team is drawn into a high profile case involving a legendary performer played by Robert De Niro. The story follows a trail of staged demonstrations, lab experiments, and media appearances that challenge what her character believes about evidence and proof.

The film pairs Weaver with Cillian Murphy as her research partner and features Elizabeth Olsen in a supporting role. It uses classrooms, lecture halls, and controlled test environments to show how her group documents fraud and studies human perception. The production stages elaborate stage acts and blind tests that push the plot forward and give Weaver a steady stream of technical jargon and procedural detail to play.

‘Copycat’ (1995)

‘Copycat’ is a police procedural that tracks a killer who imitates famous crimes. Sigourney Weaver plays criminal psychologist Dr. Helen Hudson, whose agoraphobia keeps her confined to a San Francisco apartment outfitted with cameras, phones, and monitors that she uses to consult with detectives. The case references historical offenders and shows how pattern analysis, victimology, and media leakage can shape an investigation.

Holly Hunter co stars as a detective who coordinates task force work across precincts while Dermot Mulroney and Harry Connick Jr. round out the principal cast. The film is detailed about security setups, apartment layouts, and the practical limits of remote profiling, and it anchors Weaver’s work in consultation transcripts, faxed case notes, and taped messages that build the procedural texture.

‘Gorillas in the Mist’ (1988)

This biographical drama follows Dian Fossey’s field research in central Africa. Sigourney Weaver portrays Fossey as she establishes camp, maps gorilla groups, and works with trackers and local authorities to protect habitats from poaching. The production sets up the logistics of moving equipment through rainforest terrain and shows how behavioral notes, photo logs, and habituation techniques inform the study.

The film draws on Fossey’s book and uses long location shoots with mountain landscapes and high altitude weather to depict day to day fieldwork. Weaver’s performance is framed by conservation meetings, permit negotiations, and the difficult balance between scientific documentation and community pressures, and the role earned her major awards recognition and long running festival play.

‘Imaginary Heroes’ (2004)

Written and directed by Dan Harris, ‘Imaginary Heroes’ looks at a suburban family in the aftermath of a sudden loss. Sigourney Weaver plays Sandy Travis, a mother who navigates school meetings, hospital visits, and tense conversations as the house adjusts to a new routine. The script moves through holidays, swim team practices, and neighborhood gatherings to track shifting relationships.

Jeff Daniels, Emile Hirsch, and Michelle Williams join Weaver in an ensemble that lets scenes unfold in kitchens, living rooms, and on quiet streets. The production keeps a close focus on paperwork, counseling sessions, and the small markers of daily life that document how the family copes, and it premiered at a major festival before expanding in limited release.

‘The Guys’ (2002)

Based on Anne Nelson’s play, ‘The Guys’ follows a New York editor who helps a fire captain write eulogies. Sigourney Weaver plays Joan, who conducts interviews, sorts notes, and shapes stories into clear tributes. The film stays close to desks, coffee shops, and rehearsal spaces as the pair revise drafts and prepare to speak before families and colleagues.

Anthony LaPaglia plays the captain, and the two work through tape recordings, photographs, and lists that become the structure of each memorial. The project originated on stage and moved to the screen with a lean schedule and minimal sets, and it preserves the text driven approach with attention to cadence, word choice, and the mechanics of getting the details right.

‘Death and the Maiden’ (1994)

Roman Polanski adapts Ariel Dorfman’s three hander about a former political prisoner who believes a visitor is her torturer. Sigourney Weaver plays Paulina Escobar, who confronts the man with a list of remembered facts and forces a long night of testimony. The film maps out a single location with careful blocking, lighting cues, and audio design that isolate each character.

Ben Kingsley and Stuart Wilson complete the trio, and the screenplay uses taped music, medical references, and legal language to test credibility. Close ups capture the way evidence is introduced and challenged, and Weaver’s performance is built around extended passages that demand precise control of timing and tone within the confined space.

‘Galaxy Quest’ (1999)

Dean Parisot’s ‘Galaxy Quest’ follows the cast of a canceled space show who are mistaken for real heroes by a species that learned English through reruns. Sigourney Weaver plays Gwen DeMarco, the communications officer who interacts with a shipboard computer and relays instructions during combat and repair sequences. The film recreates a fictional series with convention panels, autograph lines, and low budget props before the real spacecraft appears.

Tim Allen, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockwell, and Daryl Mitchell form the crew, and the production builds a full scale bridge set with monitors, consoles, and practical effects that mirror classic television design. The script uses episode guides, fan forums, and catchphrases as plot devices, and it blends those details with action beats that rely on clear teamwork and specific technical steps.

‘The Ice Storm’ (1997)

Ang Lee adapts Rick Moody’s novel about two neighboring families during a winter holiday. Sigourney Weaver plays Janey Carver, whose scenes track social rituals, afternoons by the pool, and late night gatherings as the film studies shifting alliances. The camera places her in doorways and hallways where conversations overlap and small gestures carry weight.

Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci, and Elijah Wood round out the ensemble. The film is notable for its period accurate design choices that include outfits, magazines, and home electronics, and it won a major directing prize at Cannes. Weaver’s storyline threads through neighborhood routines and carefully staged community events that ground the drama.

‘Snow Cake’ (2006)

In ‘Snow Cake’, Sigourney Weaver plays Linda, an autistic woman who meets a grieving traveler in a small Canadian town. The story unfolds in kitchens, grocery aisles, and living rooms where the characters share routines and set boundaries, and it looks closely at schedules, sensory preferences, and the comfort of repeated tasks.

Alan Rickman and Carrie Anne Moss co star, and the film uses the town’s winter streets and modest storefronts to keep the focus on daily interactions. It premiered at a major European festival and played widely on the circuit, and Weaver’s preparation included extended research with autistic adults and families to model specific behaviors and communication patterns.

‘A Monster Calls’ (2016)

J. A. Bayona’s ‘A Monster Calls’ adapts Patrick Ness’s novel about a boy who meets a tree like creature that tells stories. Sigourney Weaver plays the grandmother who becomes the child’s guardian and manages school visits, medical updates, and household changes as the situation intensifies. The film blends live action with animation and motion capture to present the creature’s tales.

Felicity Jones and Lewis MacDougall lead the family story while Liam Neeson provides the creature’s voice. The production combines practical sets with digital work from major visual effects houses, and it earned multiple awards in Spain for craft and direction. Weaver’s scenes anchor the human side with careful attention to documents, appointments, and the practical steps that come with big transitions.

Share your picks for overlooked Sigourney Weaver performances in the comments and tell us which ones you would add to the list.