Celebrities are often remembered for their most famous roles in equally renowned films, but their careers include many films, some of which can often be forgotten because of the time they were released or the genre they most closely resembled. However, Despite being easily forgotten, these films can still be extremely satisfying to watch and revisit years after their release.
From period dramas to romantic comedies and dramas, this list spans multiple genres and decades. While some films may only include a few A-list actors, others have so many that it’s easy to question why they’ve been overlooked, especially considering how intense, twist-filled, and generally great the films are.
10
Working Girl (1988)
Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford and more
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford and Melanie Griffith, 1988 Working girl It works as a romantic comedy and a corporate drama. The trio’s relationships are compelling, with Griffith’s Tess and Ford’s Jack having a dreamy dynamic as both business and romantic partners, and Weaver’s Katherine functioning as a perfect villain to defeat.due to his dismissive attitude towards Tess and generally shark-like behavior in stealing her idea. Working girl It received several Oscar and BAFTA nominations, winning four Golden Globes, but it’s still unfairly easy to forget when thinking about the filmographies of Weaver, Ford or Griffith.
9
The Remains of the Day (1993)
Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson and Hugh Grant
Based on the Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, 1993 The remains of the day stars Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson as butler Stevens and housekeeper Miss Kenton of Darlington Hall, respectively. Their connection is palpable throughout the drama, but Stevens refuses to acknowledge or consider anything that might distract him from his duty as a butler. Easily among Anthony Hopkins’ best films, The remains of the day is often overlooked in comparison to other of his most successful films, but it nevertheless remains one of his most moving.
8
California (1993)
Brad Pitt, David Duchovny and more
Starring David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes as journalist Brian and photographer Carrie, respectively, the road thriller California focuses on his trip to California with strangers Early Grayce (Brad Pitt) and Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis). Praised by some critics at the time for its aesthetic qualities and criticized for its violence, the performances were widely praised despite the film’s mixed reception and box office failure. Pitt’s disturbing portrayal of Grayce is effective in conveying Brian’s serial killer messagedoing California unjustly forgotten, even just for its positive qualities.
7
Fallen (1998)
Denzel Washington, James Gandolfini and more
Denzel Washington has played many police officers in his long and fruitful career, but his role as Detective John Hobbes in 1998 Fallen stands out mainly for the peculiarity of the psychological thriller. Mixing the police procedural and demonic horror genres makes Fallen Washington’s Most Underrated Filmreevaluated over the years, but which is still relatively forgotten when thinking about his filmography, unfairly given the thriller’s completely satisfying ending.
6
The Hours (2002)
Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep and more
Linking its three protagonists to those of Virginia Woolf Mrs.2002 The hours stars Nicole Kidman as Virginia Woolf, Julianne Moore as Laura and Meryl Streep as Clarissa. The film’s structure mirrors that of Woolf’s work, telling the characters’ stories over the space of one day, revealing their real-life connections and how Mrs. changes their lives – Woolf because she is writing, Laura because she saves her by abandoning her family, and Clarissa because she embodies Woolf’s protagonist. The hours Being a period drama that partially adapts a literary work may make it forgettable, but its execution makes it still excellent.
5
Prime (2005)
Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep
The early 2000s were a treasure trove of career-defining Meryl Streep films, making 2005’s Better easily forgotten, despite the romantic comedy starring two celebrities, with her and Uma Thurman playing Dr. Lisa Metzger and Rafi respectively. Although Rafi and David’s romance is at the center of BetterIt’s Lisa and Rafi’s relationship as therapist and patient that makes the comedy shineespecially in the moments when Lisa knows that Rafi is dating her son David and still tries to support her, but Rafi is completely in the dark.
4
The Last Station (2009)
Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer and more
Biographical drama The last station focuses on the last months of Leo Tolstoy’s life, chronicling the fierce fight for the copyright of the philosopher’s works between his wife Sofya and his disciple and stalwart Tolstoy, Vladimir Chertkov. Starring several A-listers such as Helen Mirren, Christopher Plummer, Paul Giamatti and James McAvoy, 2009 The last station brilliantly conveys Sofya and Leo’s love for each other and the struggle between Tolstoy’s later, more radical beliefs and his responsibility to his familymaking the drama too moving to forget.
3
McFarland USA (2015)
Kevin Costner, Maria Bello and more
Based on a true story, the 2015 sports drama McFarland USA sees Kevin Costner play Jim White, a disgraced football coach forced to move his family to McFarland, California for his new job at the local high school. As Jim struggles to form connections with his students, his idea to create a cross-country club for professional gain eventually makes them a team, telling an inspiring story about overcoming great adversity and the importance of community.
2
Maggie’s Plan (2015)
Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke and more
Underrated romantic comedy Maggie’s plan stars Greta Gerwig as the main character, but the 2015 film also revolves around Julianne Moore’s Georgette and Ethan Hawke’s John. Moore’s prolific career makes Maggie’s plan just one of his several films released in 2015, but the romantic dramedy is great in its own right. Focusing on Maggie and John’s unplanned romance that ended his and Georgette’s marriage, the film turns into something much messier involving their merged families.resolving in an unexpected but still satisfying ending.
1
Made in America (2017)
Tom Cruise, Jesse Plemons and more
2017 Made in America follows the thread of forgotten films involving celebrities inspired by a true story. Starring Tom Cruise as the film’s protagonist Barry Seal, a real TWA pilot who became a drug trafficker for the MedellÃn cartel before becoming a DEA informant to avoid arrest, the action comedy is full of shocking twists and action spectacular. Relatively niche to be included among the best Tom Cruise films Made in America however, it delivers due to how expertly excessive it is.