Geena Davis at 70: Six Must-Watch Films Streaming Now
The Oscar-winning actress celebrates seven decades with a filmography that spans comedy, drama, and action. From supernatural comedies to groundbreaking feminist road trips, these streaming gems showcase why Davis remains Hollywood royalty.
Geena Davis hits the big 7-0 today. What a milestone for an actress who redefined what leading women could accomplish on screen. She earned an Oscar, transformed genres, and proved female stars could handle anything Hollywood threw at them.
Her career spans talking rodents to action sequences she performed herself. Davis never played it safe. Six essential films capture her incredible range, all available for streaming right now.
Political Romance Gets Personal
Speechless pairs Davis with Michael Keaton in a setup that sounds like sitcom material but delivers genuine laughs. She plays Julia Mann, a Democratic speechwriter who falls for a Republican rival without knowing his political allegiance. Their second collaboration crackles with chemistry that makes workplace romance believable.
Davis brings smart comic timing and real vulnerability to what could have been throwaway material. The 1994 film feels especially relevant given today's political climate. She proves dramatic actresses can nail comedy just as effectively.
Supernatural Comedy Gold
Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice remains one of Davis's most cherished performances. Tim Burton's ghost story threw her into a world of possession and Michael Keaton's manic energy. She grounded the supernatural chaos with genuine sweetness.
As half of a deceased couple haunting their own home, Davis balances physical comedy with heart. Barbara and Adam's failed attempts to scare new residents create mayhem only she could make sympathetic. The 1988 film launched Burton's career and cemented Davis as a versatile performer.
Breaking Barriers on and off the Field
Dottie Hinson catching fastballs for the Rockford Peaches became an instant cultural icon. A League of Their Own doesn't just feature Davis playing baseball - she becomes a ballplayer, radiating athletic confidence in every scene. The World War II drama about America's first all-female baseball league gives her space to explore sisterly rivalry with Kit.
Tom Hanks delivers quotable lines as their alcoholic coach, but Davis owns the diamond. The film experienced a major revival recently thanks to the TV adaptation, introducing new audiences to this important story. Her performance anchors a movie about women proving themselves in a man's world.
Stuart Little sounds ridiculous on paper - a family adopts a talking mouse. Davis makes it feel completely natural. Playing Eleanor Little, she treats Stuart's adventures with the same maternal warmth any parent would show their child, regardless of species.
The 1999 family film could have drowned in cuteness, but Davis anchors everything with genuine parental instinct. Millennials who grew up watching Stuart remember Eleanor as the mom who actually listened and supported her kids through chaos.
The Performance That Changed Everything
Thelma & Louise earned Davis her second Oscar nomination and transformed Hollywood forever. Playing a docile housewife who becomes a gun-wielding outlaw after a weekend trip goes catastrophically wrong, she charts one of cinema's most thrilling character transformations.
After Louise kills a man attempting to assault Thelma outside a bar, the two flee across the country, picking up a young Brad Pitt along the way. Ridley Scott's 1991 film sparked massive debates about feminism and violence, but nobody questioned Davis's fearless work. Her chemistry with Susan Sarandon burns bright - these feel like real friends, not actresses hitting marks.
The Accidental Tourist brought Davis her Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1989, and the performance absolutely earned it. As quirky dog trainer Muriel Pritchett, she enters the life of grief-stricken travel writer Macon Leary with energy and unexpected emotional depth.
Muriel could have been a one-dimensional free spirit, but Davis makes her fully human. Funny, vulnerable, messy, and deeply alive. Her relationship with Muriel's son adds layers that hit hard, while her scenes opposite William Hurt sizzle. This represents Davis at her absolute peak - a performance that showcases every tool in her considerable arsenal.