Winona Ryder’s Top-Rated Movie on Rotten Tomatoes

Ranking a certain actor’s work by their Rotten Tomatoes scores often leads to surprises. For instance, Sean Connery’s finest film, according to the site, is “Darby O’Gill and the Little People,” and Hugh Jackman’s acclaimed performance in 2013’s “Prisoners” is only ranked eighth. Similarly, Tim Burton’s highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes isn’t even one he directed. Such discrepancies highlight that the Tomatometer isn’t always the most accurate guide, especially for straightforward rankings.

Sometimes, however, examining an actor’s filmography on Rotten Tomatoes can bring attention to lesser-known roles that deserve top spots. Take Winona Ryder, for example, who first teamed with Tim Burton in 1988’s “Beetlejuice” as Lydia Deetz. This role helped establish Ryder as a goth icon early in her career and remains one of her most recognizable characters, especially for those not introduced to her through “Stranger Things.”

Around the same time that “Beetlejuice” premiered, Ryder starred in another dark comedy that, while not as popular as the Burton classic, similarly showed off her darker acting chops. This cult classic is now at the top of her Rotten Tomatoes rankings.

Winona Ryder will soon be reprising her role as Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s highly-anticipated sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” This time, Lydia is a mother to Jenna Ortega’s Astrid Deetz, passing the goth icon torch to a new generation. While many look forward to this sequel, there’s still a yearning for a sequel to Ryder’s 1989 film “Heathers.”

Directed by Michael Lehmann, “Heathers” debuted at film festivals in 1988 and was released in the U.S. in March 1989. Incidentally, Tim Burton also debuted the first of his Batman movies that same year. Notably, Daniel Waters penned both “Heathers” and 1992’s “Batman Returns,” providing an intriguing connection.

In this dark comedy, Ryder played Veronica Sawyer, a student at Westerburg High School, Ohio. Veronica befriends the three most popular girls, all named Heather. Finding their cruelty repulsive, Veronica and her boyfriend J.D. (Christian Slater) accidentally poison one of the Heathers. As it turns out, J.D. is intentionally killing students, forcing Veronica to stop his murderous spree.

Despite its now-iconic status, “Heathers” was a box office flop, grossing just $982,614 globally. However, it has since become a cult classic and remains Ryder’s highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes.

“Heathers” is notable for its darkly comedic subversion of typical high school and adolescence portrayals, sharply contrasting the wholesome narratives often seen in teen comedies of that time. Despite its box office failure, critics lauded its morbid humor.

Janet Maslin of the New York Times described “Heathers” as “snappy and assured as it is mean-spirited.” Todd McCarthy from Variety hailed it as “a super-smart black comedy about high school politics and teenage suicide showcasing promising young talents.” Desson Howe of The Washington Post reviewed it as “the nastiest, cruelest fun you can have without actually having to study law or gird leather products.” As a result, the film boasts a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 58 reviews, placing it at the top of Winona Ryder’s rankings.

Close behind “Heathers” is 2009’s “Star Trek,” in which Ryder played Amanda Grayson, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94%. While “Star Trek” grossed almost $400 million worldwide, “Heathers” did not, making its critical acclaim even more impressive. Granted, “Star Trek” has 356 reviews compared to “Heathers'” 58, but it’s still heartening to see “Heathers” receiving recognition in 2024.