The 10 Best Mike Newell Movies, Ranked

Mike Newell is an English filmmaker who got his start directing for TV in the 1960s before gaining critical attention with his 1981 movie Bad Blood. A low-budget thriller about a real-life New Zealand killer, Bad Blood boosted Newell’s profile and is now regarded as a classic of New Zealand film. From there, Newell helmed a few more modestly successful features and directed some episodes of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. Newell’s mainstream breakthrough was the smash-hit Four Weddings and a Funeral, released in 1994.

Based on the strength of that film, Newell was enlisted to direct several big-budget Hollywood projects, eventually working on blockbusters like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. An intriguing director, equally at home with small, reflective projects and high-budget spectacles, Newell’s projects lean toward historical drama but are often shot through with magical realism. That said, he’s also a remarkably versatile director, trying his hand at numerous films with differing results. These are Mike Newell’s best movies, an eclectic combination of genres, themes, and sensibilities that prove his gifts behind the camera.

10 ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time’ (2010)

Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Alfred Molina

“All the pain in the world will not help you find something that does not exist.” It’s impressive that Newell immediately followed Love in the Time of Cholera with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, demonstrating that he’s equally comfortable adapting video games as world literature. In this one, Jake Gyllenhaal takes on the lead role of Dastan, a warrior who gains possession of a dagger that can turn back time.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time could have crashed and burned, but instead, it’s a solid action adventure. Some fans complained that it didn’t pay enough homage to the games but, on the flip side, this means that the movie is accessible to viewers who never played the source material. Sure, the characters are generic, and the plot points are overdone, but well-executed action scenes and a wealth of impressive imagery more than compensate for it. Prince of Persia was a decent commercial performer, holding the title of highest-grossing video game adaptation ever until Warcraft surpassed it in 2016.

9 ‘Love in the Time of Cholera’ (2007)

Starring: Javier Bardem, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Benjamin Bratt, Catalina Sandino Moreno

“Think of love as a state of grace.” Newell seems to seek out challenging literature to adapt. In this case, he set his sights on the legendary novel by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. Love in the Time of Cholera chronicles the decades-long love story between Florentino Ariza (Javier Bardem) and Fermina Daza (Giovanna Mezzogiorno). Despite their deep affection for each other, Fermina marries a wealthy doctor. Heartbroken, Florentino vows to wait for Fermina, a promise he keeps for the next 50 years.

This is one of Newell’s least successful adaptations, at times coming across like by-the-numbers Oscar bait – or worse, a big-budget telenovela. The plot is slow, and the movie occasionally becomes too serious, straining for the book’s profundity. That said, striking cinematography is at a premium here, Bardem’s performance is typically top-notch, and Newell deserves credit for keeping the theme of forbidden love front and center. The author himself is said to have enjoyed it, reportedly exclaiming “Bravo!” after a screening.

8 ‘Mona Lisa Smile’ (2003)

Starring: Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal

“He painted what he felt, not what he saw.” Julia Roberts stars in this 1950s-set drama as art history professor Katherine Watson, who takes a position at Wellesley College, an all-female institution known for its traditional values. Upon arrival, Katherine challenges the attitudes of both her students and colleagues, but her unconventional methods spark controversy and resistance.

Mona Lisa Smile is well-made, if not especially memorable. For a film about breaking barriers, it’s decidedly run-of-the-mill, which could make it a disappointing entry in Newell’s filmography. Fortunately, the likable and compelling leads do a lot of heavy lifting, especially the ever-reliable Maggie Gyllenhaal. Roberts is also charming, though the script lets her down, painting her character as rather two-dimensional and simply too good, papering over the flaws and foibles that might have made her more interesting. Still, she’s a likable movie teacher, and her chemistry with the young cast is more than enough to support the film’s themes.

7 ‘Into the West’ (1992)

Starring: Gabriel Byrne, Ellen Barkin, Ciarán Fitzgerald, Rúaidhrí Conroy

“There’s a bit of a traveler in everybody, Tito. But very few of us know where we’re goin’.” One of Newell’s best magical realist films, Into the West is a kind of modern fairy tale about two young brothers, Ossie (Ciarán Fitzgerald) and Tito (Rúaidhrí Conroy), who reside in the urban sprawl of Dublin. Their lives take an unexpected turn when a magnificent white horse mysteriously enters their lives. They bond with the animal, embarking on a wondrous adventure, evading the authorities and reconnecting with their Traveller heritage.

The film is a celebration of imagination, anchored by a terrific script from Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot, In The Name of the Father). The final piece of the puzzle that really elevates Into the West is the warm performance from Gabriel Byrne as the boys’ father. He’s strong and dignified despite the challenging circumstances of their lives. Byrne brings welcome depth to the role; not for nothing, he has been described as one of the best actors never to have received an Oscar nomination.

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6 ‘Great Expectations’ (2012)

Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Holliday Grainger

“London, what a place… Course, I wouldn’t keep a pig in it myself.” Another one of Newell’s specialties is literary movies, and here he takes on the challenge of adapting one of Charles Dickens‘s most famous novels. Great Expectations centers on Pip (Jeremy Irvine), an orphan who encounters the mysterious Miss Havisham (Helena Bonham Carter) and her beautiful but cold-hearted ward, Estella (Holliday Grainger). Estella toys with Pip’s emotions, leading him to aspire to a life beyond his humble beginnings.

Great Expectations
more than makes up for its changes from the course material with its wealth of gorgeous images and memorable turns by the star-studded cast.

This version is more of a psychological take on the source material, delving deep into Pip’s personality and motivations. “What we’ve tried to do is to make it work as a love story without sentimentalizing the book,” Newell explains. Not all viewers enjoyed this aspect, viewing it as an unwelcome deviation from the novel. Nevertheless, Great Expectations more than makes up for its changes from the course material with its wealth of gorgeous images and memorable turns by the star-studded cast, including Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, and Sally Hawkins.

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5 ‘Enchanted April’ (1991)

Starring: Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker, Joan Plowright

“I’ve wasted so much time being beautiful.” In 1920s England, Lottie Wilkins (Josie Lawrence) and Rose Arbuthnot (Miranda Richardson) impulsively decide to rent a secluded castle in Italy for a month, seeking solace from their respective marriages. They are joined by the elegant Lady Caroline Dester (Polly Walker) and the pragmatic Mrs. Fisher (Joan Plowright), who are also yearning for a change of scenery. Their stay changes them deeply, reigniting lost passions and forcing them to confront long-buried fears.

Newell draws strong performances from
Enchanted April
‘s cast, particularly Plowright, who received an Oscar nod for her efforts.

Though Enchanted April gets a little schmaltzy at times, fundamentally, it’s feel-good entertainment done right. Viewers looking for scenic locales and a heartwarming tale of friendship and romance won’t be disappointed. Newell draws strong performances from the cast, particularly Plowright, who received an Oscar nod for her efforts. Not to mention, the recreation of the period is sumptuous and detailed. The costume design alone is a fantastic snapshot of the era’s fashion.

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4 ‘The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society’ (2018)

Starring: Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown Findlay

“Do you suppose it’s possible for us to already belong to someone before we’ve met them?” Newell’s most recent project is this historical romance featuring the endlessly charming Lily James as writer Julie Ashton. In the years after World War II, she receives a letter from a member of the titular society on the island of Guernsey. Intrigued by their story, Juliet travels to Guernsey to learn more about the society and its members, who formed a book club as a cover during the German occupation.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a terrific blend of a love story and a detective mystery, as well as a love letter to literature. It’s nostalgic and picturesque, idealistic rather than realistic, but this is precisely its charm. Unabashedly escapist, the film promises to tug on the heartstrings while being fundamentally optimistic and life-affirming. Not everyone will appreciate its coziness, of course, but for the right kind of viewer, it’ll be the perfect comfort watch.

3 ‘Donnie Brasco’ (1997)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Michael Madsen, Bruno Kirby

“A wise guy’s always right; even when he’s wrong, he’s right.” Yet another outlier in Newell’s body of work, Donnie Brasco is based on a true story. Johnny Depp plays undercover FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone, operating under the alias Donnie Brasco. Assigned to take down the Bonanno crime family, Donnie befriends Lefty Ruggiero (Al Pacino), a low-level mobster who becomes his mentor and guide into the world of organized crime.

Donnie Brasco succeeds thanks to subtle, committed performances from the leads and a rich script by Paul Attanasio, adapted from Pistone’s autobiography. The result is a hard-edged crime tale replete with violence, backstabbing, deception, and unexpected friendship. Indeed, despite the fundamental dishonesty of their arrangement, Pistone and Lefty grow to respect each other. Donnie Brasco is a vivid portrait of a teacher/student relationship, and Pistone’s underlying deception creates an interesting tension. It’s like a ticking bomb, just waiting to go off.

2 ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (2005)

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon

“No spell can reawaken the dead, Harry.” Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire takes a darker turn as the boy wizard (Daniel Radcliffe) finds himself unexpectedly chosen as one of the champions in the Triwizard Tournament. Meanwhile, the Death Eaters rise in strength and the Dark Lord (Ralph Fiennes) schemes in the shadows. Goblet of Fire was a difficult book to adapt, especially since it was considerably longer than the previous three and with far more subplots. Nevertheless, Newell rose to the occasion, producing one of the strongest installments in the franchise.

In fact, the producers, worried about the unwieldy source material, initially considered splitting Goblet of Fire into two films. Newell reportedly landed the directing gig because he came up with a vision of telling the story in a single movie. “I read the book very carefully and I felt that there was a way of making one film, which was as a thriller,” Newell has said. “As soon as I could see that I felt that I could stay true to the book and keep the length down.” Like its predecessor, Goblet of Fire is a bridge between the more childish first two entries and the last three more mature movies. It’s intense, gripping, and ridiculously rewatchable, and a major triumph in Newell’s filmography.

1 ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ (1994)

Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow

“Why am I always at weddings and never actually getting married?” Newell’s defining film is the romantic comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral. A then-34-year-old Hugh Grant leads the cast as Charles, a witty and affable Englishman who repeatedly crosses paths with an American woman named Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at various social events, including, as the title suggests, four weddings and a funeral. Charles falls for her, but endless obstacles stand in the way of their relationship.

The film boasts a sprawling ensemble cast, but Newell handles them with the confidence of a seasoned conductor. The performances are uniformly wonderful, particularly Grant, who became an international star thanks to the film. He would go on to play similar characters to varying degrees of success, but here, he’s still fresh and dynamic. A huge hit on both sides of the pond, Four Weddings and a Funeral has since been ranked by some publications as one of the greatest British films of all time, cementing its place as Newell’s best effort to date.

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