Redditors recently got together onr/movies, the largest film subreddit, to discuss the best lesser-known movies starring famous actors. Despite boasting major star power, these films made a loss at the box office, flew under the radar, or faded from public consciousness.
The Reddit users came up with several solid picks, from tense thrillersto biting comedies. These movies may not be that well-known but they are more than worth watching. In some cases, they shine an interesting light on their stars in light of the success they would go on to have.
10’The War of the Roses' (1989)
Danny DeVitodirected this comedy about Oliver (Michael Douglas) and Barbara Rose (Kathleen Turner), a married couple who, over the years, descend into a bitter and acrimonious divorce battle. A seemingly simple separation escalates into a full-blown war, with the Roses fighting ruthlessly for possession of their opulent home.
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The comedy is pitch-black, offering a searing take on materialism and relationship strife. Solid performances by the leads elevate the film above other similar, more mediocre far. “Romancing the Stonegets heralded more butWar of the Rosesis by far the better film in my eyes. Danny DeVito did such a good job directing it and it’s still funny today,” saidRedditor LeGaffe.
9’Sea of Love' (1989)
Al Pacinostars in this neo-noir thriller as Detective Frank Keller, who is investigating a series of murders of men who have placed personal ads in a newspaper. Alongside his partner Sherman Touhey (John Goodman), Keller dives into the seedy world of New York’s singles scene to catch the killer. During his investigation, Keller becomes romantically involved with Helen Cruger (Ellen Barkin), a woman who fits the profile of the killer’s potential victims. As Keller’s feelings for Helen grow, he faces a moral dilemma.
The film was a box office success but has since faded into relative obscurity. “When I was growing up, my sisters hadSea of Loveon VHS and we watched it a lot in our house. It’s such a brilliant thriller and John Goodman is excellent in it, but I don’t hear it mentioned much,” saiduser LeGaffe.
8’Pacific Heights' (1990)
Young couple Patty (Melanie Griffith) and Drake (Matthew Modine) purchase a stately Victorian house in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. To help cover the mortgage, they rent out a spare apartment to a tenant named Carter Hayes (Michael Keaton). However, Carter’s true intentions become increasingly sinister: he uses legal loopholes to torment the couple and jeopardize their investment.
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Pacific Heightsis worth checking out just for Keaton’s off-kilter villain performances. “Keaton is absolutely disturbing and super creepy inPacific Heights,” saidRedditor LeGaffe. “It came out in between the twoBatmanfilms and was such a 180 [degree] turn on how he is as Bruce Wayne.”
7’Breakdown' (1997)
BreakdownfeaturesKurt Russellas Jeff Taylor andKathleen Quinlanas his wife, Amy. While driving cross-country, their car breaks down in a remote New Mexico desert. A seemingly kind-hearted truck driver (J.T. Walsh) offers to help, but when Amy vanishes after accepting the ride to a nearby diner, Jeff begins a relentless and harrowing search to uncover the truth.
Russell delivers an intense and committed performance, carrying much of the film on his own. “From the very beginning,Breakdownnever really lets up. It has a sense of unease and dread throughout and is one of my favorite underrated films from the ’90s,” saidRedditor LeGaffe.
6’Intermission' (2003)
This dark comedy follows several characters living in Dublin, including a disillusioned supermarket worker (Cillian Murphy) who plans a misguided heist, a down-on-his-luck detective (Colm Meaney) dealing with a cheating wife, a bus driver (Colin Farrell) struggling with anger issues, and a waitress (Shirley Henderson) trying to break free from an abusive relationship.
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The film is lean and gritty, shot in a mock documentary style, and all of its lead characters are damaged and flawed. It’s rather niche but is intriguing in light of the stardom that Farrell and Murphy would go on to attain.User Suarayescalled it “an Irish cult classic.”
5’The Drop' (2014)
In this crime drama,Tom Hardyplays Bob Saginowski, a quiet bartender who works at a bar owned by his cousin Marv (James Gandolfini). The bar serves as a money drop for local gangsters, and when it becomes the target of a heist, Bob is drawn into a dangerous web of crime and deception.The Dropis notable for beingGandolfini’s final film role, released after his death in 2013.
“[The Drop] got passed over due to [its] somber storytelling, and maybe a bunch of other movies releasing around the same time [but it] boosted my love for Tom Hardy in a huge way,” saiduser oddball3139. “The Dropmight be my favorite Gandolfini movie,” addedRedditor JangusCarlson.
4’Kalifornia' (1993)
Kaliforniafollows Brian Kessler (David Duchovny), a journalist researching serial killers, and his photographer girlfriend Carrie Laughlin (Michelle Forbes), as they embark on a journey to document the crime scenes of infamous murderers. To offset the costs of their trip, they invite two strangers along: Early Grayce (Brad Pitt) and his girlfriend Adele Corners (Juliette Lewis). Little do they know, Grayce is himself a serial killer.
“Both Brad Pitt and Juliette Lewis knock it out of the park in this film. David Duchovny and Michelle Forbes hold their own punch-for-punch, too. It’s a great film with great performances, and I wish more people brought it up,” saiduser The_ZombyWoof. “This was the movie that made me realize Pitt was a good actor,” saidRedditor MrBlahg.
3’A Perfect World' (1993)
Kevin Costneris Butch Haynes, a convicted murderer who escapes from prison and takes a young boy named Phillip Perry (T.J. Lowther) as his hostage. However, in the process, a complex and unexpected bond forms between the fugitive and the boy. Meanwhile, Texas Ranger Red Garnett (Clint Eastwood) pursues Butch with determination, joined by criminologist Sally Gerber (Laura Dern).
“It was a gusty role for [Costner], who was at the height of his career as a leading man,” saiduser HoselRockit. “Nobody mentions this film and I can’t understand why. It’s not a timeless masterpiece, but it’s a damn solid piece of filmmaking, and Costner and Eastwood both step up to the plate and deliver in roles they both could have easily phoned in,” addedRedditor The_ZombyWoof.
2’Wonder Boys' (2000)
Wonder Boysdelves into the chaotic life of Grady Tripp (Michael Douglas), a college professor and once-promising author struggling with writer’s block and a tangled personal life. The film unfolds over a single weekend at a writers' conference, where Grady must deal with his sordid love life, his editor Terry Crabtree (Robert Downey Jr.), and his talented but troubled student, James Leer (Tobey Maguire).
Frances McDormand,Katie Holmes,Rip Torn, andAlan Tudykalso appear, andBob Dylaneven wrote an original song for the film. “[It’s a] great coming-of-age dark comedy,” saiduser Wishilikedhugs. “Douglas has some incredible dry and dark comedic timing and it’s very different from what he and those other main actors are known for.”
1’Out of the Furnace' (2013)
Out of the Furnaceis another star-studded thriller that flew under the radar, makinga loss at the box office. It centers on Russell Baze (Christian Bale), a steel mill worker who is devoted to his brother Rodney (Casey Affleck), an Iraq War veteran struggling with PTSD. Rodney becomes entangled in a dangerous underground fight club run by a ruthless criminal (Woody Harrelson) and mysteriously disappears, so Russell sets out to find his brother and seek justice.
Forest Whitaker,Willem Defoe,Zoë Saldana, andSam Shepardalso appear in supporting roles, and the film was co-produced byLeonardo DiCaprio. “Out of the Furnace[…] made me appreciate Casey Affleck as an actor way more than I ever did before [and] did the same for me and Bale,” saiduser oddball3139. “Excellent movie with a great cast all around,” addedRedditor aviation_knut.
