Just when you thought Adrien Brody’s year couldn’t get any better, the actor has earned himself a spot among Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. The American actor is the true definition of Hollywood success. He has won the Best Actor Oscar twice, first for playing Polish pianist Władysław Szpilman in The Pianist and then for playing the Hungarian brutalist architect László Tóth in The Brutalist. Brody has also been showered with numerous other major accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a BAFTA Award, and nominations for three Emmy Awards.
From Blonde to The Grand Budapest Hotel, most of Brody’s movies are well-known. He has also done extensive work on television, notably in Peaky Blinders, where he portrayed the mobster Luca Changretta. Unfortunately, some of Brody’s best work has gone unnoticed, especially in cinema. This is primarily tied to the fact that he has a penchant for drama-themed movies, which aren’t normally granted heavy marketing like popcorn flicks.
For this list, we look at Adrien Brody’s underrated movies with high critics’ scores that neither won any major awards nor performed well at the box office.
10
‘Oxygen’ (1999)
Oxygen
- Release Date
-
November 12, 1999
- Runtime
-
92 minutes
- Director
-
Richard Shepard
- Producers
-
Andrew Farkas, Carole Curb Nemoy, Jonathan Stern, Karen Lauder, Marcus Ticotin, Mike Curb
A housewife has been abducted and buried alive by a killer calling himself Harry Houdini (Adrien Brody) in Oxygen. Detective Madeline Foster (Maura Tierney) is assigned the case and ordered to find the culprit quickly. Worse still, there are only 24 hours left before the victim’s oxygen runs out. Will Madeline free her and put cuffs on Houdini before it’s too late?
Taunting the Police
Director Richard Shepard has had more success directing TV episodes than movies, but his big-screen work isn’t to be ignored. Oxygen overflows with off-kilter twists and endless tension. Maura Tierney hits all the right notes as our brave but bewildered law enforcement hero. Still, Brody comes off as the better actor in the tricky role of villain who is all about mind games. One of the smartest movie serial killers? Not quite, but close.
9
‘Bullet Head’ (2017)
- Release Date
-
December 7, 2017
- Runtime
-
93 minutes
- Director
-
Paul Solet
- Producers
-
Avi Lerner, Beth Bruckner O’Brien, Raphael Swann, Victor Shapiro, Bill Bromiley, Ness Saban, Shanan Becker, Miloš Đukelić, Yariv Lerner, Boaz Davidson, Mark Gill, Lonnie Ramati, Trevor Short, Rick Benattar, Les Weldon, John Thompson
In Bullet Head, three criminals (one portrayed by Brody) take refuge in a desolate warehouse after a heist gone wrong. But this isn’t the safe spot they thought it would be. A vicious mastiff fighting dog that was abandoned by its owner is prowling the building, and it clearly doesn’t like humans anymore. Men Vs. Animal thus gets underway.
Instant Comeuppance
This wildly inventive Bulgarian crime thriller has a claustrophobic feel that will make you uncomfortable, but keep you trapped like the robbers. Brody’s unrivaled performance — continually torn between his softer, conventional side and his unhinged side — should have netted him an award, but nothing came. But we bet he’ll forever be proud of the work he did here.
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8
‘Liberty Heights’ (1999)
Set in 1950s Baltimore, Liberty Heights is a coming-of-age story about two Jewish brothers, Van (Adrien Brody) and Ben Kurtzman (Ben Foster). The film tracks them as they navigate wavy romantic waters and family drama stemming from the activities of their father, who runs an illegal numbers racket.
Turbulent Times in Turbulent Years
This heartwarming drama toggles back and forth between personal moments and broader challenges, preventing any monotony. Brody is all stiff-upper-lip, but Foster nearly steals the spotlight as a sulking, but progressive Ben who tears through racial barriers to date a black classmate. Overall, the great work of the two leads, coupled with suspenseful (and hardly overplayed) plotting, places this film far above others of its kind.
7
‘Wrecked’ (2010)
In Wrecked, an unnamed man (Adrien Brody) wakes up in a wrecked car at the bottom of a ravine. His right leg is broken, and there are two dead bodies nearby. Even worse, he has amnesia. As he tries to figure out who he is, he does his best to survive the harsh wilderness conditions, including the threat of a mountain lion roaming the land.
Fighting for Survival
Using a single location and a thin cast is always a great idea when the budget is small, so director Michael Greenspan should be lauded for setting his film at a location where there is no threat of anything looking cheap. Initially, it seems like this is going to be a Man Vs. Creature film, but pleasant twists await. It’s also worth admitting that another actor might have struggled in a scenario like this, where time moves slowly, and facial reactions are everything. Not Brody. He looks very comfortable (unlike his character).
6
‘Dummy’ (2002)
Dummy is the story of Steven Schoichet (Adrien Brody), a ne’er-do-well man who decides to pursue his dream of becoming a professional ventriloquist. His family remains indifferent to his passion. Luckily, Steven gets a job through Lorena (Vera Farmiga), an attractive unemployment counselor. Soon, signs of a romance emerge.
Striving To Be Better
Brody burns through the screen by delivering more emotionally charged dialogue scenes than ever. The story maintains a thick atmosphere, making us feel the oppressive heat that stems from striving to make it, and having to deal with people who do not believe in us. If you’re in the mood for a tender drama about the little things in life, sign up for Dummy.
5
‘The Brothers Bloom’ (2008)
Bloom (Adrien Brody) is tired of swindling people in The Brothers Bloom. His brother, Stephen (Mark Ruffalo), convinces him to do one last job, but we all know how that usually goes. Things become even more complicated when Bloom surrenders himself to the charms of a siren.
Weird Brotherhood
The Brothers Bloom might lean too much into Broadway-like theatrics (to prove the actors can really perform), but it’s a great movie. First, the film establishes the personality and moral framework of its main characters, and then jumps to their endless questionable choices. The cast is truly superb. You’ll be divided regarding which deserves more praise between Brody and Ruffalo.
4
‘Clean’ (2022)
Clean’s titular character is a reclusive garbage collector, quietly doing his job in New York City. His reserved nature has a genesis. Clean is still grieving his daughter. He is also haunted by memories of his violent past. With time, Clean forms a bond with a young girl in the neighborhood. When he tries to protect her from a gang assault, he ends up crossing paths with a ruthless crime boss.
Clean Strikes
Brody wrote Clean himself, but perhaps he should have delegated that part of the film’s manufacturing process. The story isn’t the best part. The action is. Great things always happen when drama actors star in an action movie. We saw it with Bob Odenkirk in Nobody. Brody comes close to such magnificence, beating up miscreants in ways that would make John Wick jealous.
3
‘Bread and Roses’ (2000)
- Release Date
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September 14, 2000
- Runtime
-
110 Minutes
- Director
-
Ken Loach
- Writers
-
Paul Laverty
Bread and Roses takes us to Los Angeles, where illegal Mexican immigrant Maya (Pilar Padilla) has found work as a janitor with the help of her sister, Rosa (Elpidia Carrillo). Their company isn’t registered under a union, so conditions are bad. Eager to keep her job, Rosa doesn’t complain, but Maya soon starts listening to the pro-union activist Sam Shapiro (Brody). Will this movie yield ripe fruits or ruin her?
Everyone Needs Better Working Conditions
This refreshingly down-to-earth drama dares to tackle both the fears of immigrants and the pain of oppressive labor laws. From health insurance to low wages, every issue gets analyzed. Pilar Padilla is also a marvel here, playing a desperate, yet fierce woman eager to make sure her professional life flows smoothly. Brody is excellent, too, so take a seat and watch what the pairing of the two main characters leads to.
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2
‘Restaurant’ (2000)
Restaurant
- Release Date
-
January 28, 2000
- Runtime
-
107 minutes
- Director
-
Eric Bross
- Writers
-
Tom Cudworth
- Producers
-
Galt Niederhoffer, Gary J. Palermo, H.M. Coakley, Mark D. Severini, Michael Brysch
Restaurant is set in a Hoboken eatery in New York City, where most of the staff members are aspiring artists. Chris Calloway (Brody), the bartender, is looking to make it big as a playwright. He soon falls for Jeanie (Elise Neal), the latest addition to the staff, but complications arise when his unfaithful ex-girlfriend shows up. So does the man she cheated with.
Work and Play
This heartwarming work-and-romance rings true because of uniformly fine performances and a delicious atmosphere pervading the proceedings. The cast has a few famous names, so expect to point at the screen and shout, “I know her!” There are no wild twists here, just a smooth-flowing tale of work and romance. This is the kind of picture Brody was born for.
1
‘Detachment’ (2011)
Substitute teacher Henry Barthes (Adrien Brody) has had a smooth ride so far in his short-term teaching stints. But his newest one-month job is about to be the toughest test of his career. The students don’t listen, and one even threatens to harm him. Will he still be in this hellish institution when Detachment closes? No spoilers.
Never Giving Up
This gaudy, powerful drama leverages inventive editing techniques to project a moving human story of frustration and resilience. Images of students and staff members (all with different opinions) come quickly and ferociously, conveying the pent-up anger after years of never performing well. Still, the curious camera knows when to linger on Brody’s expressive face. As he gazes at his students, his expression betrays a mix of disappointment and optimism that could only come from a passionate teacher. With stars like Bryan Cranston and Christina Hendricks helping, this unsung fil surely deserves a wider audience.