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10 Most Underrated Movies Made In The Last 20 Years

By Rick Gonzales | Published

10 Most Underrated Movies in the Last 20 Years

Over the past 20 years, including the COVID pandemic, cineplexes have seen their fair share of the good and the bad. Blockbusters and box office disasters have been the norm, both making the same amount of noise. Among these hits and non-hits have been some quality films that for one reason or another are vastly underrated.

So, what exactly is an “underrated” movie? The films from the last 20 years we are listing did not fare well at the box office, but they are films that were a lot better than they were given credit for. So, here are the 10 most underrated movies made in the last 20 years.

10. Cloud Atlas (2012)

Cloud Atlas is a very underrated movie written and directed by the Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer. They based their epic on the 2004 David Mitchell novel of the same name. The film is at once sprawling and ambitious, weaving together multiple narratives across different time periods.

Cloud Atlas stars Tom Hanks, Jim Sturgess, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, and Hugo Weaving, all of whom play a part in each of the film’s six narratives. Joining them are Ben Whishaw, Susan Sarandon, Keith David, and James D’Arcy, who appear at different junctures. The film might be a bit too ambitious for some but stick with it. The film pays off with some amazing visuals and a narrative that will give viewers a reason to ponder.

9. Short Term 12 (2013)

Short Term 12 is a deeply moving drama by Destin Daniel Cretton, who wrote and directed this underrated film. Cretton based his film on his experiences working with teenagers in a group facility. The film stars Brie Larson and John Gallagher, Jr. who won their respective roles after auditioning for Cretton over Skype. Larson’s role was the first leading role of her career.

The movie also stars Rami Malek, Kaitlyn Dever, Lakeith Stanfield, and Stephanie Beatriz. The film did nothing at the box office, bringing in only $2.3 million, but while it wasn’t seen by many, it was critically well-received and considered to be one of the best films to be released in 2013.

8. In Bruges (2008)

Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson starred in their first film together, In Bruges, a 2008 underrated black comedy crime thriller. The film was written and directed by Martin McDonagh and tells the story of Ray (Farrell) and Ken (Gleeson), two hitmen who are hiding out in Bruges, Belgium after Ray, an inexperienced hitman, kills his target (a priest at a confessional). But while performing his deadly deed, he also accidentally kills a young boy.

Farrell and Gleeson give outstanding performances as the hitmen and McDonagh, in his rookie turn as writer/director proves that he has a great eye for film and a sharp pen for comedy. The pairing of Farrell and Gleeson was a great match that saw them team up one more time for the 2022 hit The Banshees of Inisherin.

7. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)

Another highly underrated film, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford stars Brad Pitt as Jesse James in this epic western from Andrew Dominik that speaks directly to fame and obsession. Casey Affleck played Robert Ford and both performances were given fine critical reviews. The film, unfortunately, did not fare well at the box office, only bringing in $15 million on a $30 million budget.

Although the film did not score big box office money, critics felt the film, based on the true story of Robert Ford shooting Jesse James in the back of the head and killing the famed outlaw, as one of the best of the year. It has since gained a following and appreciation, becoming one of the more underrated westerns.

6. Coherence (2013)

Filmed in 2013, Coherence is a twisty science fiction thriller from James Ward Byrkit that requires one to follow along carefully. The film tells the story of eight Northern California friends who come together for a dinner party on the night that Miller’s Comet is passing the Earth. But as it passes it causes a tear in reality. Alternate versions of the eight friends appear and with them alternate realities.

This mind-bending indie film stars no one worth noting, but instead a group of improv actors who were given the basic idea of the story Byrkit wanted to tell. It is a very underrated film for the lack of a big cast and one that will keep you guessing until the very end.

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5. The Nice Guys (2016)

Set in 1977 Los Angeles, The Nice Guys stars Russell Crowe as Jackson Healy, a tough guy for hire, and Ryan Gosling as private eye Holland March. They reluctantly team up to find porn star, Misty Mountain, whose aunt claims to have seen her after she was presumed dead.

The film comes from Shane Black, who directed the movie as well as co-wrote it. If you know anything about Shane Black movies, then you know the type of film you are going to get – witty dialogue and tons of action. The film delivers on all accounts. With Crowe and Gosling starring you would have thought that the movie would have done better at the box office, especially with the favorable critic’s reviews.

4. Chloe (2009)

Chloe is what you get when you pair Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore together with Amanda Seyfried and all three play against type. The film, directed by Atom Egoyan, is based on the French film, Nathalie, and is an erotic thriller that has Neeson playing a college professor whose wife (Moore) suspects of having an affair.

When she hires Chloe (Seyfried) to help her find out if her husband is cheating, the film turns into a Fatal Attraction-type movie, and actually does it very well. It is strange watching Neeson, Moore, and Seyfried (especially Moore and Seyfried) in an erotic thriller, but Egoyan is more than up to the task in this underrated film.

3. Warrior (2011)

Warrior is a gripping sports action film that stars Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as two estranged brothers who use the battleground of MMA to settle their differences. The Gavin O’Connor-directed fight film is a gripping sports drama that explores the complexities of family dynamics and if the horrors of the past are going to continue into the future.

Warrior was not a big box office film but has that fighting spirit that makes it very underrated.  Is the rift between brothers too much to overcome? Will Tommy ever make amends with his father? This film is very well made with some fantastic MMA fighting sequences.

2. Moon (2009)

Sam Rockwell puts on a bravura performance as Sam Bell in Moon, an underrated science fiction film from first-time director Duncan Jones. The film follows astronaut Bell as he is nearing the end of his three-year stint on the far side of the moon, where he has been harvesting the ever-important helium-3 for use as an alternative fuel.

As he is getting closer to leaving the moon for good, a crash on the lunar rover causes Sam to fall unconscious. When he wakes and heads out to his crash site, he finds an unconscious man who looks exactly like him. Moon is thought-provoking that will have you questioning our future with artificial intelligence.

1. The Fall (2006)

The power of storytelling is in full force in The Fall, an underrated adventure fantasy film from Tarsem Singh. The Fall tells the story of stuntman Roy Walker, who has been hospitalized after a stunt went wrong. While in the hospital, he meets a young patient, Alexandria, who is there recovering from a broken arm. Roy begins to tell her a tale of Alexander the Great, in which Alexandria begins to imagine all the characters coming to life.

The Fall is not only about the power of storytelling, but it is also about friendship and what friends will do for each other. Although not a commercial success, the film only made $3.7 million on a $30 million budget, it’s a visually stunning film that goes right to the heart of filmmaking – telling a story.