Slowly, but surely, Peacock continues to grow in popularity with each passing quarter. As of June 2023, Peacock’s paid subscribers amounted to 24 million, a 20 million increase from June 2021. With new releases from Universal, Peacock has become the streaming home for 2023 releases, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Cocaine Bear, and Renfield.
If you’re looking for an older movie you might have missed when it came out, Peacock has some underrated selections that still hold up years later. Below, we offer some undervalued suggestions to watch in August.
99 Homes (2014)
What happens when the victim becomes the perpetrator? In 99 Homes, the initial victim is Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield), an unemployed single father evicted from his home along with his mother and son. Rick Carver (Michael Shannon), the real estate businessman who evicted Dennis, takes a liking to the young father and offers him a job to work as a handyman on his properties.
Dennis accepts and later becomes Rick’s assistant, learning the schemes and loopholes used to prey on struggling homeowners. However, Dennis soon faces a moral dilemma that forces him to choose between doing the right thing and making money to buy back his house. Directed by Ramin Bahrani, 99 Homes is a poignant view into the class divide and how so many innocent people fall victim to corporate greed.
Stream 99 Homes on Peacock.
Neighbors (2014)
Zac Efron has the tools to be a proper leading man, especially in comedies. With his talent, looks, and charm, Efron should be an even bigger star than he currently is. He just needs better roles that properly utilize his skills. Neighbors is the best example of a film that lets Efron cook. Directed by Nicholas Stoller, the film stars Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne star as Mac and Kelly Radner, a married couple with a young infant who unknowingly move next door to a college fraternity led by Efron’s Teddy Sanders.
When the Radners call the cops to bust one of the fraternity’s parties, Teddy makes it his mission to ruin their lives. However, Mac and Kelly fight back as the neighboring house engages in an epic prank war to see who will move out first. Thanks to the chemistry between Rogen and Efron, and the hilarious gags (beef stew before watching The View), Neighbors remains one of the best studio comedies of the last 15 years.
Stream Neighbors on Peacock.
Short Term 12 (2013)
Grace Howard (Brie Larson) is a counselor at a home for at-risk teenagers. Though Grace preaches honesty and communication, she fails to practice what she preaches in her own life, as she struggles to cope with years of sexual abuse by her father. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Short Term 12 is an emotionally gripping story, but its lasting memory is its stellar cast.
An independent film made for $400,000 boasts a cast of future A-list stars and award winners. The ensemble features Oscar winner Brie Larson, Tony winner John Gallagher, Jr., Emmy nominee Kaitlyn Dever, Oscar nominee LaKeith Stanfield, and Oscar winner Rami Malek. Melora Walters and Stephanie Beatriz are also featured in the ensemble. Good luck finding a more accomplished cast with that small of a budget in the last decade.
Stream Short Term 12 on Peacock.
