The 2000s are usually remembered for franchise builders like The Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, and Spider-Man. Those movies never really left the rotation. What did slip away were the smaller, stranger, or more grown-up films that critics loved but audiences either missed in theaters or never circled back to once streaming took over. Some of the best work of the decade is hiding in that pile.
If you are ready to go beyond the obvious early 2000s favorites, here are ten underrated 2000s movies you may have forgotten about, but are absolutely worth revisiting.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005)
Before the superhero run redefined his career, Robert Downey Jr. starred in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, a fast-talking Los Angeles neo noir that plays like a crime novel filtered through stand-up comedy. Downey Jr. plays a thief who stumbles into an acting gig and a murder plot, while Val Kilmer steals scenes as a world-weary private investigator. The script is packed with clever narration, running jokes, and genuine mystery. It never found a big audience in theaters, but it became a cult favorite for anyone who stumbled across it on DVD.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Children of Men (2006)
Alfonso Cuarón’s Children of Men is one of the most impressive science fiction films of the 2000s, yet a surprising number of people have still never seen it. Set in a near future where humanity has become infertile, it follows a disillusioned bureaucrat played by Clive Owen who is drawn into protecting the first pregnant woman in years. The film is bleak, but the long takes and grounded world-building are stunning. It has influenced a decade of dystopian storytelling, yet never quite broken into the mainstream the way it deserves.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
In Bruges (2008)
In Bruges is a dark comedy about two hitmen laying low in the Belgian city of Bruges after a job gone wrong. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson play off each other beautifully as their forced sightseeing tour turns into a meditation on guilt, salvation, and escalating trouble. The film balances sharp dialogue with bursts of violence and genuine emotion. It was well reviewed on release, but for many viewers, it is still a title they have heard of more than a film they have actually watched.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher’s Zodiac is a meticulous, slow-burning thriller about the investigation into the Zodiac killings in California. Rather than offering easy answers, it follows journalists and investigators over the years as the case consumes their lives. Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo lead a strong ensemble, and the film’s attention to detail makes it feel unnervingly real. It never performed like a typical thriller at the box office, and it took time for its reputation to grow. Today, many directors and critics rank it among Fincher’s best, even if casual audiences still overlook it.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
The Proposition (2005)
Written by musician Nick Cave and directed by John Hillcoat, The Proposition is a harsh Australian western set in the late nineteenth century outback. A lawman captures two outlaw brothers and offers a brutal bargain to the middle brother, played by Guy Pearce. If he kills his older sibling, the youngest will go free. The film is violent, poetic, and full of haunting imagery. It barely made a dent in the United States on release, but it stands as one of the most distinctive westerns of the decade.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
The Lookout (2007)
The Lookout stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a young man whose life and memory were damaged by a car accident. Working as a night janitor at a bank, he is targeted by criminals who see him as a weak link they can exploit in a heist. The movie blends crime-thriller elements with a sensitive character study, and Gordon-Levitt’s performance anchors it. It is a small film that came and went quietly, which is precisely why it fits this list so well.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold digitally.
Brick (2005)
Rian Johnson’s debut feature Brick takes the language and structure of classic hardboiled detective stories and drops them into a modern high school. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a loner investigating the death of his ex-girlfriend, navigating cliques and secrets as if they were rival crime families. The stylized dialogue takes a few minutes to lock into, but once it does, the film becomes a tense, inventive mystery. It is frequently cited in film circles, yet it remains off the radar for a lot of casual 2000s nostalgia watchers.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold digitally.
Warner Bros. Pictures
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is a long, contemplative western that examines celebrity, obsession, and betrayal. Brad Pitt plays Jesse James as a wary, paranoid legend, while Casey Affleck’s Robert Ford is the awkward admirer who grows jealous and resentful. The film moves at a deliberate pace and is filled with painterly images and a mournful score. It was too slow for many mainstream audiences in 2007, but it has since developed a reputation as one of the most beautiful and thoughtful westerns of its era.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Directed by Jonathan Demme, Rachel Getting Married is a family drama presented in a loose, handheld style that feels almost like a home movie. Anne Hathaway plays Kym, a recovering addict who returns home for her sister’s wedding and brings years of unresolved pain with her. The family arguments feel painfully real, and Hathaway’s performance is intense and raw. Critics loved it, but it did not become a long-term part of the 2000s conversation, which is a shame given how strong the work is.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
The Prestige (2006)
Christopher Nolan’s The Prestige often gets overshadowed by Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Inception, but it is one of his most tightly constructed films. Set in the world of rival stage magicians in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, it follows Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as their professional competition escalates into dangerous obsession. The movie plays fair with its twists, rewarding repeat viewings without relying on cheap tricks. For anyone who missed it the first time or treated it as a minor Nolan entry, it is well worth another look.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Why These 2000s Movies Are Worth Revisiting
The 2000s were packed with massive franchise movies, but that same decade quietly produced some of the most interesting thrillers, dramas, and genre experiments of the modern era. Films like Children of Men, Zodiac, and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford pushed visual and narrative boundaries, while titles like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Brick played with genre in clever ways that still feel fresh. Going back to these underrated 2000s movies is a reminder that the decade’s best work was not always in the biggest releases.
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