Photo Credit (Pixabay)

Not all star-studded releases are surefire hits, but some films are surefire hits for A-list performers. Even the most well-known Hollywood production companies can sometimes fail to deliver on their promises, even when the films are truly underrated masterpieces. These underappreciated films are frequently just forgotten.

Any performer can suffer from appearing in a film that is underappreciated and performs poorly. Halle Berry and Leonardo DiCaprio are two actors that have both box office successes and failures. Ultimately, not all movies can replicate Titanic’s success. These ten underappreciated films with A-list stars should have received higher praise when they were first released.

Ryan Reynolds’s voice in the song

Prior to being well-known as an investor and entrepreneur, Ryan Reynolds was well-known for his roles as Deadpool, the Marvel anti-hero, and for romantic comedies like The Proposal. But 2015’s The Voices is a lesser-known movie of his that also features Anna Kendrick. The comedy-thriller centers on schizophrenic Jerry Hickfang, who struggles with an angel-versus-devil-on-his-shoulder dynamic in which his dog attempts to persuade him to act morally while his cat urges him to commit murder. Reynolds has referred to the picture as one of his favorite works of his and expressed disappointment that it didn’t receive the recognition it deserved. The film garnered largely excellent reviews.

Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson’s “Changing Lanes”

Combining Samuel L. Jackson (Goodfellas, Jurassic Park, and Pulp Fiction) with Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting) in the early 2000s appeared to be a surefire way to succeed. However, Changing Lanes, the duo’s 2002 effort, unjustly and mysteriously remained unnoticed. The actors in the movie engage in a savage feud over a stolen file and a fender incident. The story is tight and well-written, and the movie got good reviews when it came out, despite its comparatively low box office performance, which took slightly more than twice its $45 million budget. Changing Lanes is hence a thriller from the 2000s that is underappreciated.

Never Give Up – Viola Davis

In Won’t Back Down, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s Jamie Fitzpatrick and Viola Davis’s Nona Alberts collaborate to change the future of education by repairing their children’s inner-city Pittsburgh school. Despite not being as well-known as Davis’s other works, the film conveys an important story that is highly applicable to communities in real life. Although the film’s somewhat overbearing melodrama drew criticism from some reviews, Davis plays the lead character convincingly, and the film was well-liked by many who watched it.

Tom Hanks, The ‘Burbs

From Toy Story to Forrest Gump, Tom Hanks has starred in many well-known movies. The ‘Burbs, a 1989 horror-comedy, is an unjustly vilified black point on his career, nevertheless. Throughout the film’s horrific plot, Hanks’ character Ray Peterson learns that his neighbors are murderers and sets out to prove it. Major magazines like The New York Times gave the movie bad reviews, although it’s much less empty than many critics claimed. Despite not having the same cultural influence as Hanks’ other films, The ‘Burbs is still a powerful and underappreciated horror-comedy.

With his performance in Romeo and Juliet, Leonardo DiCaprio captured the hearts of people everywhere. Marvin’s Room, his other 1996 offering, was much less well-liked. Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, and Robert De Niro co-star with DiCaprio, who portrays a 17-year-old who tries to burn down his home and ends up in a mental facility. Despite having a $23 million budget, the movie only made $12.8 million at the box office. However, DiCaprio won a Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor for Marvin’s Room, which received high praise from critics.

The Burning Man by Denzel Washington

Man On Fire, a compelling revenge story, is a cult favorite among viewers despite being controversial with critics. John Creasy, portrayed by Denzel Washington, is a depressing former secret service agent who is tasked with protecting Dakota Fanning’s Lupita in Mexico City. Creasy goes on a homicidal rampage to defend his charge after a shooter kidnaps her. Though it may not have received the recognition it merited, the picture, which was stylishly directed by the late Tony Scott, is an intense thriller that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats from beginning to end.

Pizza Mystic by Julia Roberts

Prior to securing her place as a mega-star, Julia Roberts, who won an Oscar for Pretty Woman, went unnoticed in Mystic Pizza. She also revived romantic comedies with George Clooney in 2022’s Ticket To Paradise. Roberts portrays Daisy, who works at a Mystic, Connecticut, pizza place. Following the highs and lows of their relationship, Daisy falls in love with a wealthy man named Charles in the coming-of-age movie. Despite becoming a bit of a cult classic, Mystic Pizza is deserving of the same level of recognition as songs like Steel Magnolias and Notting Hill.

Will Smith’s Six Degrees of Separation

Will Smith in a promotional image for Six Degrees of Separation with Stockard Channing and Donald Sutherland.

Will Smith played Paul in Six Degrees of Separation three years prior to Independence Day, during his time as the star of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Smith portrays a scam artist who poses as a friend of two New York socialites’ Ivy League kids. Although the couple soon learns the truth, his scheme strengthens their bonds with those who have been subjected to Paul’s deceptive behavior. It’s a compelling tale, and it’s remarkable that it hasn’t received as much recognition as Smith’s other movies given the presence of actors Ian McKellen and Stockard Channing from Grease.

Kate Winslet’s Little Children

Unfairly overlooked at the 2006 box office, Little Children is a dark thriller that is very different from Winslet’s hugely successful romance film Titanic. The story of a sexual offender is entwined with Kate Winslet’s character’s affair with a married man. Despite having a $28 million budget, the movie only generated $14.8 million, possibly as a result of its contentious theme. Nonetheless, Little Children made it onto a number of critics’ “Top 10” lists, and they all agreed that the movie was a compelling look at suburban life.

Halle Berry’s Call

The Call was a sleek, low-budget thriller that did not receive the same level of praise as many of A-list actor Halle Berry’s previous films. In the Taken-style film, Berry co-stars with Abigail Breslin, helping to save Breslin’s kidnapped Casey. Although The Call was undoubtedly just as gripping and far less ridiculous than the Liam Neeson juggernaut, film didn’t achieve the same level of success. As a result, The Call is among Halle Berry’s most underappreciated films.