If your Netflix queue is starting to feel a little too predictable, it’s time to dig deeper. Sure, the streaming giant loves to highlight the latest blockbusters and guide viewers to their buzzy originals, but tucked away behind all the big names are some seriously underrated gems that are easy to miss. These underrated flicks may not have topped the charts, but they are certainly worth your time.
Whether you’re in the mood for a heavy historical drama, a heartbreaking international pick, or a unique sports film, there’s something for every kind of viewer among Netflix’s underrated movies. Why settle for the same old choices? Get cozy this weekend and add these underappreciated Netflix movies to your watchlist — you might just find a new favorite before Monday comes around.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Mudbound (2017)
In How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, M (Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul), a university dropout and aspiring video game streamer, sees an opportunity for financial gain when his grandmother, Mengju (Usha Seamkhum), is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Inspired by his cousin Mui’s inheritance after caring for their grandfather, M volunteers to be Mengju’s caregiver, hoping to secure her Bangkok home in the will. Initially driven by greed, M’s relationship with his grandmother evolves as he takes on her daily routines, including running her congee stall. As he becomes closer to his grandmother, M realizes that there’s a ton of family drama he doesn’t know about and soon learns his place in it.
Directed by Dee Rees and based on Hillary Jordan’s eponymous 2008 novel, Mudbound explores an unlikely friendship in an era of brutal racial injustices. Set in a racially divided South, it veers away from melodrama, instead successfully delivering a compelling character-driven examination of the country’s racial history and the shared traumas of war. Rachel Morrison’s cinematography captures the Delta’s oppressive atmosphere, rightly earning her a historic Oscar nomination—the first for a woman in that category. Despite its accolades, including four Academy Award nominations, Mudbound remains underappreciated, perhaps due to the war drama’s Netflix release when streaming films struggled for recognition in traditional award circuits.
Mudbound is streaming on Netflix.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024)
In How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies, M (Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul), a university dropout and aspiring video game streamer, sees an opportunity for financial gain when his grandmother, Mengju (Usha Seamkhum), is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Inspired by his cousin Mui’s inheritance after caring for their grandfather, M volunteers to be Mengju’s caregiver, hoping to secure her Bangkok home in the will. Initially driven by greed, M’s relationship with his grandmother evolves as he takes on her daily routines, including running her congee stall. As he becomes closer to his grandmother, M realizes that there’s a ton of family drama he doesn’t know about, and soon learns his place in it.
Director Pat Boonnitipat’s debut feature was a hit in Thailand and would go on to be selected as the country’s entry for Best International Feature Film at the 97th Academy Awards, becoming its first submission to advance to the 15-film shortlist. Despite this positive reception, it’s still criminally overlooked by Western audiences, who have yet to fully appreciate the tearjerker. The 2024 film is a heartbreaking drama that examines the things that really matter in life: love, connection, and family.
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is streaming on Netflix.
Hustle (2022)
Adam Sandler stars in an against-type role as Stanley Sugerman, a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia 76ers scout in 2022’s Hustle. When Stanley discovers a gifted basketball player in Spain, Bo Cruz (Juancho Hernangómez), he brings him to the U.S. without his team’s approval. Stanley believes his career can be revived if he helps Bo reach the NBA. As they train, Bo faces skepticism from the basketball team and the establishment, and he has to lean heavily on Stanley to overcome hurdles and take his one shot at greatness.
Directed by Jeremiah Zagar, Hustle is a heartfelt sports drama that uses a predictable underdog narrative but maximizes those familiar tropes. It soars thanks to a surprisingly dramatic performance from Sandler, who abandons his comedic roots and portrays a more vulnerable and emotional character. Even those who don’t enjoy sports movies will likely be moved by the connection between the two main characters, whose different hopes and determination despite it all are reflected by an undeniable chemistry between the two leads. Its quiet release on Netflix turned it into an instant hidden gem that anyone looking for an inspiring story will be glad to find.
Hustle is streaming on Netflix.
