20 underrated movie performances

If we’re being real, Shia LaBeouf has been underrated his entire career. The man can act, and he’s been proving it since his Disney Channel days. But perhaps his most severely underrated performance is American Honey. 

If Mia Wasikowska is in a film, you know she’s going to be spectacular. Nevertheless, she’s flown under the radar for most of her career, aside from her turn as the title character in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Her work in The Kids Are All Right is severely underrated. 

What does Jake Gyllenhaal need to do to get an Oscar? Sure, he was nominated for the award for Brokeback Mountain, but he deserves more recognition for all he’s given to cinema. A prime example of his underrated talent is his performance in Nightcrawler. 

Margot Robbie will get her Oscar one day. Long before she was robbed of an acting nomination for her work in Barbie, she was snubbed for her performance in The Wolf of Wall Street. Robbie was in her early 20s when she filmed that movie. Marinate on that for a moment. 

Kevin Bacon’s work in Footloose is iconic, but his work goes far beyond that. He deserves more credit for his acting performances rather than just his dancing. 

Cicely Tyson was nominated for an Oscar for her work in Sounder, but just a nomination isn’t enough for how great of a performance she gave. Tyson was underrated at just about every turn in her career. 

Nicole Kidman won an Oscar for her work in Moulin Rouge!, but Ewan McGregor didn’t even get nominated. It’s a travesty if there ever was one. Kidman was fantastic, but McGregor was just as good. 

Shelley Duvall was nominated for a Worst Actress Razzie for her work in The Shining, which was a bad decision. The nomination was rescinded about 40 years later, which was a good decision. 

It’s hard to feel bad for a man with two Oscars, but will Ben Affleck ever get recognized by the Academy for his acting? He clearly knows cinema, and Gone Girl benefited from his performance. 

Everyone knows how good of an actress Emma Stone is, but her work in La La Land and Poor Things is all anyone can ever talk about. She deserves more credit for the film that is actually her best, Easy A. 

One day, the world will look back at all that Miles Teller has given to the film community and be forced to issue an apology for not recognizing him sooner. Teller’s work in Whiplash has gone particularly underrated. 

What more does Patricia Clarkson have to do to get proper recognition? She is funny, magnetic, and sincere in every role, and yet her talent is undermined by the masses. Watch The Station Agent for a prime Clarkson performance. 

Michael B. Jordan is so, so good at acting, but for some reason, he doesn’t always get the recognition he deserves. He brings passion to every role, including Fruitvale Station.  

It’s time Michelle Rodriguez gets applause for her work outside the Fast and Furious franchise. Sure, she’s great in those movies, but she’s even better in Girlfight, a role that she did not get enough credit for. 

People forget that comedic acting is indeed acting. Jonah Hill is a great actor, and his work in Superbad proved just how much talent is required to give a convincing performance as a character while still being funny. 

Let us say it again: Comedic acting is acting. Few people are as funny as Kristen Wiig, and she understands humor so well that she can imbue it into all her roles, which is no easy feat. Bridesmaids is a prime example. 

Channing Tatum’s acting talent is routinely ignored. He is good-looking and charming, both of which help his cause as an actor, but he’s also committed and genuine. He was phenomenal in Foxcatcher. 

It’s easy to dismiss Scarlett Johansson’s work in Her because she wasn’t actually on screen, but it’s a mistake to dismiss her entirely. Voice acting is not easy, and Johansson did a beautiful job as Samantha. 

Again, it’s hard to feel bad for people who already have an Oscar, but Sam Rockwell’s work in Moon might be the most underrated movie performance of all time, at least in the court of public opinion. He was vindicated years later by finally earning recognition from the Academy for his acting talent. 

Many Oscar-winning actors would agree that their best performances were not the ones for which they won Oscars. Penélope Cruz might say that about her work in Open Your Eyes.