20 Best Movie Performances Of 2018

9. Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place)

Emily Blunt and her director-co-star-hubby John Krasinski both did splendid work in this tightly-wrought suspense thriller, though it's Blunt's performance which ultimately carries A Quiet Place through its toughest moments.

As a pregnant mother fighting to keep her family safe during an extraterrestrial invasion, Blunt's Evelyn is an easy picture of empathy, but she's no mere victim, and Blunt's forthright work is consequently one of the year's most powerful depictions of motherhood (no matter the genre).

Yes, there are a few dramatic hoops to jump through plausibility-wise, but accepting that, A Quiet Place is an uncommonly well-crafted genre offering that shines a spotlight on Blunt's oft-underappreciated talents.