2011–2015: Rise to prominence and action-adventure roles
In 2011, Blunt co-starred with Matt Damon in the thriller The Adjustment Bureau, playing a dancer who is being "mysteriously kept apart" from a politician. The film earned generally positive reviews, with critics praising Blunt and Damon's chemistry. Blunt starred in the British romantic comedy-drama Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, directed by Lasse Hallström. She played a financial adviser who recruits a fisheries expert to help realise a sheikh's vision of bringing the sport of fly fishing to the Yemeni desert, resulting in a spiritual journey for both. The film premiered at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival, receiving positive reviews, as did Blunt's performance. Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times noted that "Blunt and [co-star Ewan McGregor] are two of the most gifted and attractive actors working today, able to play off each other with great style...". Blunt was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her performance. Also that year, she made a cameo appearance in Disney's The Muppets as Miss Piggy's receptionist, and starred in the independent comedy-drama Your Sister's Sister. In November 2011, Blunt was named the ambassador for the new Yves Saint Laurent fragrance Opium.
In 2012, Blunt starred in the romantic comedy The Five-Year Engagement, directed by Nicholas Stoller and co-starring Jason Segel, in which she and Segel played a couple whose relationship becomes strained when their engagement is continually extended. The film earned positive reviews, with Elizabeth Weitzman of the New York Daily News remarking that "Blunt has never been more relaxed, and she and Segel have a believably warm chemistry." She then starred in Looper, a science fiction action film directed by Rian Johnson. Blunt played Sara, a tough farm woman and single mother, who falls in love with a time-traveller. The film premiered and was the opening film at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, and earned highly positive feedback. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter credited Blunt for "effectively [revealing] Sara's tough and vulnerable sides". Also that year, she starred in the comedy-drama Arthur Newman as the troubled Charlotte, who is trying to run away from her past. The film received mixed-to-negative reviews.
In 2014, Blunt starred in Edge of Tomorrow, a film adaptation of the Japanese novel All You Need Is Kill written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. Blunt played Sergeant Rita Vrataski, a Special Forces warrior tasked with training a public relations officer to defeat invading extraterrestrials. Blunt trained three months for her role, "focusing on everything from weights to sprints to yoga, aerial wire work and gymnastics", and studying Krav Maga. The film was commercially successful, grossing $370,541,256 and earned positive reviews. Many critics took note of the atypically dominant role portrayed by Blunt, and Justin Chang of Variety noted that "Blunt is alert, energized and emotionally present in a none-too-taxing role." For her performance, Blunt won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie.
Blunt played the role of the Baker's Wife in The Walt Disney Company's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods, directed by Rob Marshall and featuring an ensemble cast. Marshall shared that he cast Blunt due to her "warmth", and believed she could ensure the emotional impact of her character's sudden demise. Ironically, Blunt was pregnant throughout filming, while playing a character who is barren throughout the film's first act. Consequently, her costuming and choreography had to be adjusted to accommodate her pregnancy. The film was a commercial success and earned generally positive reviews, with Blunt earning praise for her acting and singing. Richard Corliss of Time remarked that "When Blunt is onscreen, these woods are alive with the magic of a fractured fairy tale...". She was nominated for her second Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical for her performance.
In 2015, Blunt starred in the crime thriller Sicario, directed by Denis Villeneuve. Blunt played Kate Macer, a principled FBI agent assigned to take down the leader of a powerful Mexican drug cartel. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, where it received critical acclaim. Blunt received considerable praise for her performance, with Dan Jolin of Empire magazine calling it "nuanced", and stating that "her straight-arrow-sharp determination becomes painfully dulled", and while Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian found her character implausible, he praised Blunt for "[brazening] out any possible absurdity with great acting focus and front". Blunt was nominated for her second consecutive Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie.
