10 Most Underrated Movies of 2024, Ranked

2024 was an extraordinary year for cinema, and those that say otherwise simply haven’t seen enough films to justify their negativity. Although it can be a little disappointing to see that blockbusters titles like Deadpool &Wolverine and Wicked dominated the popular culture conversation, many of the year’s highest grossing films were quite good, such as Dune: Part Two and The Wild Robot. When looking at the smaller films that will likely be in the Academy Awards conversation, it would be hard to complain about a year that featured The Brutalist, Anora, A Real Pain, Challengers, Nickel Boys, and Hard Truths among others.

That being said, some of the best films of 2024 didn’t get the audience that they deserved, as it can often be very hard to market arthouse projects in a marketplace that is so dominated by prequels, sequels, and comic book adaptations. Here are the ten most underrated films of 2024.

10

‘The Order’ (2024)

Directed by Justin Kurzel

Jude Law, standing in his uniform, as Terry Husk in The Order
Image via Vertical

The Order is an electrifying crime thriller that speaks to many of the most important issues of today with its examination of race relations and the rising militarization of far-right militia groups. Although Jude Law showed his more comical side this year when he popped up on the Disney+ Star Wars adventure show Skeleton Crew, he was able to prove once again why he is one of the best actors of his generation with his terrific performance as a grizzled FBI agent in The Order.

The Order features one of the best villainous performances of the year from Nicholas Hoult, who sheds his inherent charisma to play a ruthless white nationalist. The final showdown between Hoult and Law that comes at the end of The Order is a climax worthy of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino at the very end of Heat.

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9

‘Bird’ (2024)

Directed by Andrea Arnold

Nykiya Adams as Bailey laying back in the water in Bird.
Image via Cannes

Bird is another extraordinary coming-of-age drama from Andrea Arnold, who first rose to prominence making intimate stories about struggling young families, such as Fish Tank and American Honey. Although Bird touches on many of the same themes that will be familiar to fans of Arnold’s past work, the inclusion of some surprising supernatural imagery allows the film to succinctly unpack what it can be like to understand the world from the perspective of a child.

Bird is a nuanced portrayal of adolescents and economic realities, and does not shy away from the difficulties that today’s youth population faces. However, Barry Keoghan’s performance as an erratic, yet well-meaning young father certainly ranks among the kindest and most empowering film characters of 2024. Bird is a reminder of the best of what indie cinema can be, as it allows its viewers to fully invest in a lifestyle and experience that may be different from their own.

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8

‘Good One’ (2024)

Directed by India Donaldson

Sam (Lily Collias) in the woods with Chris (James Le Gros) in 'Good One'
Image via Metrograph Films

Good One is a brilliant, micro-sized character drama that explores the unique pressures put on the young girl Sam (Lily Collias) when she agrees to go on a camping trip with her father, Chris (James Le Gros), and his best friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). What begins as a rather pleasant vacation becomes much more thrilling when Sam realizes that she is forced to be the only responsible member of the group.

Good One is an incredibly impressive first feature for writer/director India Donaldson, whose ability to capture realistic dialogue and explore the human experience is reminiscent of great directors like Noah Baumbach, Richard Linklater, and Kelly Reichardt. Although Collias was also a relative unknown before she was cast in the film, it is safe to say that she has a very exciting future ahead of her within the next few decades.

good-one-movie-poster.jpg

Good One

During a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, 17-year-old Sam navigates the clash of egos between her father and his oldest friend.

Release Date

January 21, 2024

Director

India Donaldson

Cast

Lily Collias
, Sumaya Bouhbal
, James Le Gros
, Danny McCarthy

Runtime

90 Minutes

Writers

India Donaldson

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7

‘Exhibiting Forgiveness’ (2024)

Directed by Titus Kaphar

Andre Holland and Andra Day sit next to each other while looking at a painting in an art gallery
Image via Sundance

Exhibiting Forgiveness is a very powerful examination of paternal relationships that explores how challenging it can be for a father to reconnect with his son. Although the film employs an unusual narrative device that includes flashbacks to the past, the main crux of the film focuses on the life of an artist (played extraordinarily by Andre Holland) as he tries to express the difficulties of his youth through painting.

Exhibiting Forgiveness is certainly a film intended for fans of “slow cinema,” as there is an extraordinary amount of detail that goes into showing the painting process. That being said, the revelations that the film makes about generational trauma, the realities of parenting, and the impossibility of reshaping the past are quite profound. It’s quite impressive that Titus Kaphar was able to pull off such an incredibly succinct project in his first feature.

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6

‘Didi’ (2024)

Directed by Sean Wang

Izaac Wang as Chris, running away from a security guard in Didi
Image via Focus Features

Didi is a delightful coming-of-age comedy in which writer/director Sean Wang drew from his own experiences of growing up in the mid-2000s. At the center of the film is an extraordinary performance by the breakout star Izaac Wright, who plays the 13-year-old Tainwanese boy Chris. In the summer before he prepares to go into high school, Chris begins to wonder what side of heritage he will need to accept in order to fit in for the next four years of his education.

Didi does a great job at capturing the hilarious, uncomfortable, and scary moments that come with growing up, and may actually be too realistic in some moments for viewers to watch without feeling entirely embarrassed. Although there is a lot of levity that comes from Chris’ goofy escapades, Didi also features an emotionally affecting performance by Joan Chen as Chris’ mother.

Watch on Peacock

5

‘Snack Shack’ (2024)

Directed by Adam Rehmeier

Mika Abdalla as Brooke the lifeguard smiling at someone in the snack shack
Image via Paramount

Snack Shack is a hilarious throwback to classical coming-of-age stories that is unique because of the two characters at its center. The film focuses on the high school slackers A.J. Carter (Conor Sherry) and Moose Miller (Gabriel LaBelle), who are tasked with fixing up a retail joint nearby a local pool in their community.

Snack Shack is surprisingly quite insightful in how it shows the challenges that come with starting a business, and the general plasticity of the characters distinguishes it from many of the other coming-of-age stories that have taken off within the last few years. Although it gets quite raunchy at times when dealing with teenage relationships and love triangles, Snack Shack pulls off a surprising dramatic twist in its final act that makes the entire experience way more emotional than it ever would have been before.

Watch on Prime Video

4

‘Fancy Dance’ (2024)

Directed by Erica Tremblay

Fancy Dance
Image via Sundance

Fancy Dance is another film that spotlights the brilliance of Lily Gladstone, the actress who received so much acclaim last year for her performance in Martin Scorsese’s historical epic Killers of the Flower Moon. While Fancy Dance sadly did not get much of a theatrical release before it was unceremoniously dumped on Apple TV+ with little fanfare, Gladstone would be getting serious awards buzz for another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress if enough Oscar voters had actually seen the film.

Fancy Dance explores the intersection between heritage and generational trauma, yet still manages to succeed as an exciting chase film. Although it is rare to see a film that is so specific in detailing the realities of the Native American experience, the way the film was able to end on such a contemplative note makes the entire experience feel more empowering.

Watch on Apple TV+

3

‘Oh, Canada’ (2024)

Directed by Paul Schrader

Young Leonard Fife, played by actor Jacob Elordi, with a mustache in plaid on a field holding a camera in Oh, Canada.
Image via Foregone Films

Oh, Canada is another triumph for writer/director Paul Schrader, who has proven in the last few years with First Reformed, The Card Counter, and Master Gardener that he hasn’t lost any of the brilliance that made him such an iconic filmmaker within the “New Hollywood” era. Schrader’s latest examines the life of a documentary filmmaker (Richard Gere), who looks back at his experiences as a young man (Jacob Elordi) as he considers whether or not he made the right decision to draft dodge during the Vietnam War.

Gere’s performance is one of the best of his career, and should put him in serious contention to get an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Schrader’s films tend to be quite dark and disturbing, but Oh, Canada is certainly a more thoughtful and considerate story about the realities of being an aging artist.

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2

‘I Saw The TV Glow’ (2024)

Directed by Jane Schoenbrun

Owen walks down a hallway with pink windows on one side and blue on the other in I Saw the TV Glow
Image via A 24

I Saw The TV Glow is an extraordinary achievement by director Jane Schoenbrun, who crafted an emotional coming-of-age story about the teenage loner Owen (Justice Smith), who begins to discover his identity through his obsession with a fictionalized television show known as The Pink Opaque.

I Saw The TV Glow serves as a director metaphor for the transgender experience, and examines how media can be instrumental within allowing people to see their true selves. The references to classic teen adventure shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer strengthen the film’s connection to nostalgia of the late 1990s, and give the film an emotional specificity that it may not have had otherwise. While the film has an extremely surrealist tone that feels in many ways like the work of David Lynch, it reaches such heartbreaking truths about living in denial that it easily becomes very devastating to watch.

Watch on Max

1

‘Ghostlight’ (2024)

Directed by Alex Thompson and Kelly O’Sullivan

Keith Kupferer as Dan and Tara Mallen as Sharon laying on a bed in Ghostlight.
Image via IFC

Ghostlight is a film that was very easy to overlook this year, as it was a very small independent film released in the middle of the summer, and contained almost no movie stars. While this truly does feel like the “type of movie that isn’t made anymore,” Ghostlight features such a life-affirming story about recovering from trauma and repairing a fractured family that it would be hard to find viewers that were not able to find a personal connection to its subject.

Ghostlight centers on a grieving father who recovers from the death of his son by taking part in a meager production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. In addition to telling a relatable story about dealing with loss, Ghostlight makes the argument that being involved in a creative field can help someone break free from a very dark period within their own life.

Watch on AMC+

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