All 4 Reese Witherspoon Movies in Order

Reese Witherspoon is one of the most famous actresses in the last two decades, an Oscar winner, a successful producer and a big influencer having her own book club, named Reese’s book club. She has starred in excellent movies and has rarely taken a break from the movie world. She was born in New Orleans in 1976 and has three children, two with her ex-husband Ryan Phillipe and one with her current husband Jim Toth.

How many Reese Witherspoon movies are there?

Reese Witherspoon has filmed 40 movies in her 31-year-long career, starting at the young age of fifteen. She often plays strong women, many of them coming from the American South and is excellent in both comedies and dramas. 

Reese Witherspoon’s movies in order  (at a glance)

Let’s see the list of all Reese Witherspoon movies sorted by release date. 

1. The Man in the Moon (1991)
2. Wildflower (1991)
3. Desperate Choices: To Save My Child (1992)
4. A Far Off Place (1993)
5. Jack the Bear (1993)
6. S.F.W. (1994)
7. Freeway (1996)
8. Fear (1996)
9. Twilight (1998)
10. Pleasantville (1998)
11. Cruel Intentions (1999)
12. Election (1999)
13. Best Laid Plans (1999)
14. American Psycho (2000)
15. Little Nicky (2000)
16. The Trumpet of the Swan (2001)
17. Legally Blonde (2001)
18. The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)
19. Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
20. Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003)
21. Vanity Fair (2004)
22. Walk the Line (2005)
23. Just Like Heaven (2005)
24. Penelope (2006)
25. Rendition (2007)
26. Four Christmases (2008)
27. Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
28. How Do You Know (2010)
29. Water For Elephants (2011)
30. This Means War (2012)
31. Mud (2012)
32. Devil’s Knot (2013)
33. Wild (2014)
34. The Good Lie (2014)
35. Inherent Vice (2014)
36. Hot Pursuit (2015)
37. Sing (2016)
38. Home Again (2017)
39. A Wrinkle In Time (2018)
40. Sing 2 (2021)

Reese Witherspoon’s movies in order (by release date)

The Man in the Moon (1991)

This interesting drama is set in the summer of 1957 in rural Louisiana and it is a coming-of-age story of a 14-year-old Dani, played by Reese. Her father is pretty strict, her mother pregnant with her fourth child and her beautiful sister is preparing to move to Duke in autumn.

Dani’s days are boring until finally something starts happening when a 17-year-old Court moves into the vacant farmhouse with his widowed mother and two little brothers. 

Wildflower (1991)

In this tv movie, directed by Diane Keaton, Reese plays Ellie who stumbles into a cabin with her brother Sammy where they find Alice, a partially deaf girl with epilepsy who is being kept by her abusive stepfather. 

They soon become friends and start planning how to get her out of this situation and provide her with a much-needed education. But Alice’s stepfather will soon find out about their gatherings and the aftermath will be anything but pleasant. 

Desperate Choices: To Save My Child (1992)

This heartbreaking drama brings the story of a cheerful 16-year-old Cassie whose life is going to drastically change when she finds out she has leukaemia. Her only way to survive is to find a bone marrow donator and they soon find a match, her half-brother Willy.

Cassie’s father and stepmother are facing the toughest situation in their life and have to decide whether they are willing to risk the life of one child to save the life of the other since Willy almost died the last time he had an operation.

A Far Off Place (1993)

This is an adventure drama about Nonni and the stuck-up Harry who are the only survivors after a gang of poachers killed the gamekeeper’s family on his remote farm in the savanna. They are now on the run as the only witnesses. 

They have no means of transport and the only way to escape is through two thousand kilometres of the big Kalahari desert with help of an African bushman named Xhabbo. It will be a months-long journey during which they will become good friends and learn that everyone has certain skills important to survive.

Jack the Bear (1993)

Danny DeVito is John Leary, a single father whose wife has died in a car accident and now he is left to take care of his two young sons. Since John has problems with alcohol, the boys are mostly on their own and have to be more independent than they should be at that young age.

S.F.W. (1994)

Cliff is a carefree guy who doesn’t care about anything and one day finds himself hostage at a store for 36 days. The terrorists demand that everything is broadcast on television and when Cliff takes a bullet for his fellow hostage Wendy, he becomes a national hero.

Cliff and Wendy are the only survivors of this horrible situation and their lives are about to change completely. The media is tormenting them and instead of getting closer to her, Cliff finds himself being pushed further away from Wendy.

Freeway (1996)

Vanessa is a 15-year-old girl who finds herself alone after her mother and stepdad are arrested and instead of going to another foster home, she decides to find a grandmother she’s never met and live with her. 

When her car breaks down, she is picked up by Bob Wolverton who soon gains her trust and makes her talk about her stepdad’s sexual abuse. Soon, Vanessa discovers he is a wanted killer and tries to escape but finds out that she is trapped in his car.

Fear (1996)

Nicole is a young woman who meets David, a charismatic, charming and handsome man who appeared to be perfect for her. But soon, David will show his darker side and Nicole’s world will start crumbling down when his love turns into obsession and she begins to fear him.

Twilight (1998)

This mystery crime drama tells the story of a retired ex-cop and private detective Harry Ross who lives with a rich actor and his actress wife Catherine. His life will be turned upside down when he gets entangled in a twenty-year-old case about the disappearance of Catherine’s former husband.

Pleasantville (1998)

David Wagner is a teenage boy obsessed with the 1950s and a sitcom called Pleasantville. Pleasantville is a simple place where everyone is happy and worry-free and where the word violence doesn’t exist. One evening his life takes an unexpected turn when he and his irritating sister Jennifer find themselves in this perfect fictional little town. 

Cruel Intentions (1999)

This is a romance drama about two vicious step-siblings, Katherine and Sebastian, who always get what they want and rarely care about the consequences of their deeds. One of their latest missions is a bet where Sebastian must sleep with Annette, a virgin and devoted Catholic. 

If Katherine wins, she will get Sebastian’s vintage Jaguar and if he wins, he will get her, the only girl he’ll never have. But the things between Sebastian and Annette will become something so much more than he expected.

Election (1999)

Tracy Flick is an ambitious and obnoxious teenage girl who is convinced she is going to win the new Class President election, unopposed. But her teacher Jim McAlister has completely different plans and convinces jock Paul Metzler to run, starting a series of interesting and unexpected events.

Best Laid Plans (1999)

Bryce meets his old friend Nick on a night he comes back to his hometown and they go out for a drink where Bryce meets a flirty blonde Kathy who he takes home at the end of the night. In the morning Kathy informs him that she is underage and that she will go to the police and accuse him of rape. This event will be the trigger for many other very bad and dangerous situations.

American Psycho (2000)

Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, this thriller is about a psychopath who hides his sadistic fantasies from his coworkers. Patrick Bateman is a successful New York City investment banking executive, but behind his perfect facade hides a narcissistic and disturbed egomaniac who spends his days thinking of getting rid of the people he finds disgusting.

Little Nicky (2000)

Little Nicky is the son of an angel mother and a devil father whose two evil brothers have just escaped from Hell and are causing problems on earth. It is now Nicky’s job to save his father who is disintegrating and all of humanity before one of his brothers becomes the new Satan.

The Trumpet of the Swan (2001)

Reese voices Serena, a cute swan in this family drama cartoon about Louie, a mute trumpeter swan who receives a trumpet as a gift and finds his own voice.

Legally Blonde (2001)

One of Witherspoon’s most memorable roles is the one of Elle Woods, a quirky and intelligent Harvard law student who is never taken seriously due to her unusual behaviour, unusual fashion choice and excellent knowledge of all trivial things.

When she gets accepted to Harvard, she begins to change and realises that there is so much more to her than just her looks.

The Importance of Being Earnest (2002)

Based on Oscar Wilde’s play, this period comedy-drama takes us back to 1890 London where two young gentlemen, Algy and Jack use the same pseudonym (Ernest). This doesn’t cause problems for them until they fall in love with the same woman which begins to cause problems in this story of mistaken identities.

Sweet Home Alabama (2002)

Melanie Carmichael is a fashion designer in New York City with a great career and a handsome fiancee. When he proposes to her she remembers that she has a husband back home in the South and that he is refusing to give her a divorce. She travels home to make things straight but soon finds out that she is much happier here than in NYC.

Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde (2003)

In this sequel, Elle Woods is completely dedicated to fighting for animal rights and even puts her nuptial plans on hold so she can travel to Washington D.C. to try and get an anti-animal testing bill passed. She will be introduced to the capital and finds herself in many new adventures.

Vanity Fair (2004)

Reese plays Becky Sharp, a well-educated and intelligent orphaned girl who leaves a girl home to be a governess. She is beautiful and speaks fluent French but society is not allowing her to flourish in any way. We follow twenty years of her life and witness many pleasant and unpleasant situations.

Walk the Line (2005)

Witherspoon plays June Cash in this masterful biography drama about Johnny Cash, an Oscar-winning role she will be remembered for. It is a chronicle of his life, from his childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm to his rise as a country star in Memphis. 

Just Like Heaven (2005)

This adorable romantic comedy brings us the story of a lonely landscape artist who falls in love with the ghost of a woman who used to live in his new apartment. Mark Ruffalo and Reese Witherspoon have a chemistry that makes this movie even better and it is a delight watching the initial misunderstandings that will guide them to a sweet love story full of emotions.

Penelope (2006)

This is a story of a young girl Penelope’s journey, her family’s secret and love and its power. Penelope must break her family’s curse and find love with someone like her. She is hidden in her family’s estate and meets suitors who are enchanted by her until the curse is revealed.

When Lemon, a mischievous tabloid reporter hires Max to be Penelope’s new suitor, only to have her photos, he is not remotely aware that Penelope’s destiny might be connected to Max.

Rendition (2007)

Anwar is an Egyptian chemical engineer who flies from South Africa to his wife in the USA after the killing of 19 civilians in a bombing in North Africa, where some American lost their lives, as well.  He is arrested upon his arrival and disappears without a trace. His devastated wife Isabella will turn to the US senator and ask him to help her find her husband. 

Four Christmases (2008)

Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn have been going out for three years without any intention of getting married. It is Christmas morning and they are on their way to Fiji to do some charity work but through a fluke, they will find themselves on their way to visit their divorced parents.

This journey will be an eye-opener for them and they will start questioning many decisions made and even their own relationship.

Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)

Witherspoon is Susan Murphy, a woman who has been transformed into a giant after being struck by a meteorite on her wedding day. She joins a team of monsters sent in by the U.S. government to help destroy an evil genius who wants to take over Earth.

How Do You Know (2010)

Lisa is a former softball player who has recently been cut out from her team and is beginning to reflect on and evaluate her life. She finds herself in a love triangle when a corporate expert starts to compete with her current boyfriend, a baseball player she thought was similar to her.

Water For Elephants (2011)

Jacob Jankowski is a broke and homeless vet after his parents’ death and after many circumstances, he decides to join a circus as its veterinarian. His unstable boss August is feared by the employees and his wife Marlena as well who will soon find herself in Jacob’s arms as they fall madly in love.

This Means War (2012)

This is a romantic action-comedy about two CIA agents and best friends, played by Tom Hardy and Chris Pine, Tuck and FDR who have been benched together because someone is after them.

Tuck is divorced and FDR is a ladies’ man and soon they will find themselves in a love triangle with Lauren, who is attracted by both of them. They decide to make her choose but can’t help using their skills to win her over.

Mud (2012)

This is a difficult drama about two best friends who set out on an island on the Mississippi River where they find an unusual boat in the trees, full of food and fresh footprints. Soon they meet Mud, a superstitious man with dirty clothes and befriend him, learning that he is on the run after killing a man in Texas, but his biggest concern is how to reunite with his longtime love Juniper. 

Devil’s Knot (2013)

This is a crime drama based on real-life events when three boys were savagely murdered in West Memphis, Arkansas in 1993. Three teenagers are brought to trial to be questioned and punished for the crimes they have allegedly committed. Ron Lax is an investigator who has to find the truth between their guilt and the town’s need for justice.

Wild (2014)

This brilliant adventure biography drama tells the story of Cheryl Strayed who is completely lost after her mother’s death and the ending of her marriage. After years of reckless behaviour, she decides to hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, without any experience and alone.

It will be difficult, but extremely powerful journey for this sad and depressed young woman who needs to heal from the outside and the inside.

The Good Lie (2014)

Another biographical drama with Witherspoon in the leading role in this drama about four Sudanese children who are orphaned after a massacre in their village.

They decide to reach a refugee camp in Kenya and on their way they will have to face many tragedies, including death and various sacrifice. Many years later they will move to the USA and once again have to adapt to the ruthless environment around them.

Inherent Vice (2014)

Based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel, this is a drama set in the psychedelic 1960s and 1970s where Larry “Doc” Sportello and his former girlfriend decide to kidnap her current billionaire boyfriend, his wife and her boyfriend. Nothing will go as planned in this crazy adventure full of unusual and quirky characters. 

Hot Pursuit (2015)

Witherspoon is a serious and uptight cop who has to protect the outgoing, attractive and talkative widow of a drug lord. This is a hilarious comedy about two completely different women who will have to gather their strengths to race through Texas to escape cops and gunmen.

Sing (2016)

This cute cartoon tells the story of a theatre impresario who wants to save his theatre with a singing competition. He gathers many animals from the animal-inhabited town and makes them compete, which results in a grand competition that will change all their lives.

Home Again (2017)

Alice is a single mother of two whose life becomes more interesting but also complicated when three young filmmakers move into her guest house. Her husband will ruin everything when he appears at her door with a suitcase in his hand, just as she has started a new romantic relationship with one of the house’s residents.

A Wrinkle In Time (2018)

This fantasy movie based on one of the most beloved children’s books is the story of a young girl Meg who embarks on a journey with her brother and friend to find her missing father.

They will have to join forces with three magical beings – Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who and Mrs Which to travel across the universe and save him from a great evil.

Sing 2 (2021)

The even more successful sequel of the excellent Sing introduces us to Buster Moon who runs a successful theatre company but dreams of even bigger things. His dreams are shattered when a talent scout dismisses their work and he has to prove her wrong. 

What is the best way to watch those movies?

Her movies can be seen on various movie platforms, such as Hulu, STARZ, Amazon, Netflix, HBO and many more.