Nancy Meyers’ 10 Best Movies and TV Shows

Since debuting as a screenwriter in 1980, the filmmaker Nancy Meyers has built an incredible career that has ensured she is considered one of the most financially successful screenwriters, directors and producers working in Hollywood today. Born in Philadelphia in 1949, Meyers entered the entertainment industry as a production assistant at CBS, working in The price is right.

She eventually moved to Los Angeles, where she quickly found work in the late 1970s as a story editor for the Motown record company’s film division. His big break came in 1980, when one of his scripts was picked up by Warner Bros, becoming the hit comedy. Soldier Benjamin. From there, Nancy Meyers’ creative input led to box office hit after box office hit, and Nancy Meyers’ best films include some of the most memorable comedy films of the last few decades.

10

The Holiday (2006)

Nancy Meyers wrote, directed and produced

2006 The holiday was the third film written, directed and produced by Nancy Meyers, and although it is among her best films, it is far from her most celebrated work. This is despite having an all-star cast that includes Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black as well. The romantic comedy focuses on the house swap between Iris (Winslet) and Amanda (Diaz), who swap homes during the holidays, leading the two to find unexpected romance.

The holiday is a relatively by-the-numbers romantic comedy, though it still makes for exciting seasonal viewing during the holiday season. Meyers’ script for The holiday It may not have reinvented the Christmas romantic comedy wheel, but it ticked every box viewers could want in an incredibly solid way. As is common with Nancy Meyers’ best films, it was also a box office success, doubling its $85 million budget to gross more than $205 million worldwide. (through Mojo Box Office).

9

Irreconcilable Differences (1984)

Nancy Meyers wrote and executive produced

1984 Irreconcilable differences was the second film in Nancy Meyers’ career as a filmmaker. The 1984 comedy was directed by Charle Shyer, who co-wrote the screenplay alongside Myers, and starred Ryan O’Neal and Shelley Long alongside a young Drew Barrymore in her fourth film appearance as Casey.

The plot of Irreconcilable differences it was incredibly unique. The comedy focused on Barrymore’s Casey as she embarked on a legal battle to divorce her own parents. It was hilarious thanks to Meyers’ incredible writing skill, although it was nowhere near the box office success that his later films would be. The 1984 film grossed just $12 million at the box office internationally, barely meeting its $10 million budget. (through Mojo Box Office). However, led to Golden Globe nominations for Shelley Long and Drew Barrymore.

8

Father of the Bride Part II (1995)

Nancy Meyers wrote and produced

While it may not be as highly regarded as the 1991 comedy, it is a sequel, Father of the Bride Part II is still considered by many to be one of Nancy Meyers’ best films and a highlight in the careers of two of the filmmaker’s frequent collaborators – Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. Resuming four years later Father of the bride, Father of the Bride Part II focuses on Steve Martin’s George as he experiences a series of comical mishaps while dealing with the discovery that he is going to become a grandfather.

Nancy Meyers co-wrote the script alongside Charles Shyer, with whom she worked on Father of the Bride. Father of the Bride Part II was a box office success for studio Touchstone Pictures, doubling its $30 million budget with a worldwide gross of $76 million. (through Mojo Box Office). This level of financial success was already becoming a hallmark of Nancy Meyers’ career, and it’s no surprise that she would find herself in the director’s chair for her next film, 1998. The Parent Trap.

7

What Women Want (2000)

Nancy Meyers directed and produced

Nancy Meyers typically directs films based on scripts she wrote or co-wrote, but that’s not always the case — nor are the filmmaker’s skills harmed when bringing someone else’s story to the big screen. This is proven in 2000 What women want, the only film directed by Nancy Meyers for which she did not also write the screenplay.

Although reviews for the romantic comedy were mixed, audiences fell in love with the fantastical plot of What women want, especially with the performances of stars Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt under the direction of Nancy Meyers. What’s more, the 2000 film was once again a box office success for the filmmaker, grossing $374 million globally against a budget of $70 million. (through Mojo Box Office).

6

It’s Complicated (2009)

Nancy Meyers wrote, directed and produced

2009 It is complicated builds on creative foundations laid by the likes of 2003 Something has to give, and shows Nancy Meyers’ incredible abilities to find all the humor that hides in romances later in life. Starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Nancy Meyers’ frequent collaborator Steve Martin, the title It is complicated perfectly sums up the hilarious love triangle that the filmmaker’s script brings to the screen.

As far as his skills as a screenwriter are concerned, It is complicated is easily one of the best scripts Nancy Meyers has created – as evidenced by its Golden Globe nomination for Best Screenplay as well as Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy in the same year. Although the film was well received by critics, it was also not as successful at the box office as many of Nancy Meyers’ other films, grossing $220 million worldwide against a budget of $85 million. (through Mojo Box Office).

5

The Intern (2015)

Nancy Meyers wrote, directed and produced

2015 The intern is the sixth film directed by Nancy Meyers and the most recent film she has directed. The light-hearted dramedy may not be as well-known as others Father of the bride or The parent trap, although that doesn’t stop it from being ranked among Nancy Meyers’ best films, especially given the hilarious performances the filmmaker managed to extract from stars Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway.

The intern it also stands out among Nancy Meyers’ best films for being a workplace comedy – making it something of an anomaly in relation to her broader work (which generally deals with family life or romance). Her most recent directorial effort garnered the AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Comedy, as well as a Teen Choice Award nomination for Nancy Meyers in the Comedy category.

4

Father of the Bride (1991)

Nancy Meyers wrote and produced

Of all the films made by Nancy Meyers starring regular collaborator Steve Martin, few are as highly regarded or beloved by viewers as 1991’s. Father of the Bride. The romantic comedy focused on Martin as George Banks alongside Diane Keaton (who Meyers, of course, also worked with regularly) as his wife Nina. The light-hearted plot followed George’s various struggles as his daughter, Annie (Kimberly Banks) prepares for her wedding day.

While not a critical success or an awards magnet like some of Nancy Meyers’ other films, the legacy of Father of the bride It’s impossible to deny. The film was also a huge box office success, grossing $129 million against a budget of $20 million. (through Mojo Box Office), cementing Nancy Meyers’ reputation as a creator of safe bets and timeless comedies that virtually guarantee high levels of profits for studios.

3

Something’s Gotta Give (2003)

Nancy Meyers wrote, directed and produced

Many of Nancy Meyers’ best films are those in which the filmmaker serves as writer, director, and producer, and this is the case with 2003. Something has to give. The early 2000s romantic comedy was a breath of fresh air for the genre during the decade as it focused on an older couple rather than teenagers or lovers in their 20s. Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton starred, and both received praise for their performances – including an Oscar nomination for Best Actress and a Golden Globe win for Keaton.

This, of course, would not be possible without the incredibly accurate script written by Nancy Meyers for Something has to give. Like many of the filmmaker’s projects, Something has to give It was a phenomenal financial success during its theatrical run as well, grossing over $265 million worldwide against a budget of $80 million. (through Mojo Box Office).

2

Private Benjamin (1980)

Nancy Meyers wrote and produced

Nancy Meyers may have had a film career spanning over four decades, but her debut is still considered by many to be one of her best films. Coming 18 years before taking the director’s chair, Nancy Meyers co-wrote (alongside Charles Shyer and Harvey Miller) and produced 80’s Soldier Benjamin. Directed by Howard Zieff and starring Goldie Hawn, Soldier Benjamin It was a box office success when it hit theaters.

Nancy Meyers’ debut grossed more than $69 million worldwide (via Mojo Box Office), and received several accolades. These include Oscar nominations for Best Actress (Goldie Hawn), Best Supporting Actress (Eileen Brennan) and Best Writing – Direct-to-Screen Writer (for Meyers, Shyer and Miller). While the script co-written by Meyers may have missed out on the Oscar, she and her writing partners won the same category at the Writers Guild of America Awards the same year.

1

The Parent Trap (1998)

Nancy Meyers wrote and directed

Although she has directed several films since then, her directorial debut in 1998 The Parent Trap still remains Nancy Meyers’ best film to date. A remake of the 1961 film of the same name, Nancy Meyers co-wrote The Parent Trap alongside David Swift and Charles Shyer. The film is best remembered for then-child star Lindsay Lohan’s performance as twins Hal and Ann, and the many clever tricks used to ensure both sisters could appear on screen at the same time still defy belief to this day.

Nancy Meyers was praised for this in her capacity as director, as well as for her work modernizing the plot of the 1960s original for 1990s audiences. Nancy Meyers‘films remain timeless classics in the eyes of fans, few have a following as consistently strong as The parent trap. Iis still considered one of the best live-action films Disney has ever madeand it was a career-defining project not only for Meyers but also, of course, star Lindsay Lohan.