10 Underrated Cameron Diaz Movies You Must See

Cameron Diaz built a career that moves easily across comedy, drama, thriller, and action, with box office hits like ‘There’s Something About Mary’, ‘Charlie’s Angels’, and ‘Shrek’. Beyond those crowd favorites, her filmography includes smaller projects and genre experiments that show different sides of her work and often get overlooked when people revisit her career.

This list pulls together ten titles that many viewers miss on first pass. You will find directors, co stars, roles, and story details for each pick so you can decide what to watch next without any guesswork.

‘The Last Supper’ (1995)

This dark comedy is directed by Stacy Title and centers on a group of idealistic graduate students who invite controversial dinner guests and make lethal choices when debates turn extreme. Cameron Diaz plays Jude among a tight ensemble that includes Ron Eldard, Annabeth Gish, Courtney B Vance, and cameo turns from Bill Paxton and Ron Perlman.

The film uses a single house setting and a garden plot as key visual motifs while the script examines political certainty and group dynamics. Production leans on intimate staging and escalating dinner scenes that let the actors drive the tension.

‘She’s the One’ (1996)

Edward Burns writes and directs this New York story about two brothers whose romantic lives tangle with career ambitions and family expectations. Cameron Diaz plays Heather, whose relationships with the brothers complicate the film’s crisscrossing love stories alongside performances from Jennifer Aniston, Mike McGlone, and John Mahoney.

The soundtrack is composed and performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and functions like a narrative guide for the city mood. Street level locations and handheld camerawork give the film a lived in feel that matches its small scale character focus.

‘Head Above Water’ (1996)

This remake of a Norwegian thriller places Cameron Diaz on a quiet island getaway where a night of bad decisions leads to a body and a dangerous cover up. She headlines with Harvey Keitel, Billy Zane, and Craig Sheffer as shifting loyalties test every character.

The plot unfolds in and around a beachfront house that becomes a puzzle box location for twists and reversals. Its cat and mouse structure emphasizes timing, props, and entrances so the suspense rises without heavy spectacle.

‘A Life Less Ordinary’ (1997)

Danny Boyle directs this offbeat crime romance about a struggling janitor who kidnaps his boss’s daughter and discovers that two hard pushing angels are determined to make the couple fall in love. Cameron Diaz plays Celine opposite Ewan McGregor, with Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo as the celestial enforcers.

The film blends road movie energy with pop myth elements and uses stylized set pieces like a karaoke number and a ransom exchange gone sideways. John Hodge’s screenplay keeps the tone playful while Boyle’s visual choices favor saturated color and brisk cutting.

‘Very Bad Things’ (1998)

Peter Berg makes his feature directing debut with this jet black comedy about a bachelor party in Las Vegas that ends in a death and a panicked effort to hide the crime. Cameron Diaz plays Laura, a meticulous bride planning a suburban wedding while the groomsmen unravel under pressure.

The story contrasts domestic rituals with spiraling criminal choices and keeps the stakes rising through a series of cover ups. Sharp ensemble work from Jon Favreau, Christian Slater, Jeremy Piven, and Leland Orser supports a tight timeline that never leaves room to breathe.

‘Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her’ (2000)

Rodrigo García writes and directs an ensemble drama told through interlocking vignettes about women in Los Angeles. Cameron Diaz appears among a cast that includes Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Kathy Baker, Calista Flockhart, Amy Brenneman, and Valeria Golino, with each segment standing alone while also reflecting the others.

The production uses restrained camera moves and quiet scenes to foreground everyday decisions about work, love, family, and health. Its structure rewards patient viewing since small details in one story deepen the emotional impact of another.

‘The Invisible Circus’ (2001)

Based on Jennifer Egan’s novel, this drama follows Phoebe as she retraces the European journey of her older sister Faith after a mysterious death abroad. Cameron Diaz plays Faith, whose letters and memories lead Phoebe across cities and into the orbit of a former lover played by Christopher Eccleston.

The film cuts between past and present and uses location shooting to mirror the emotional distance between siblings. Politics and counterculture serve as background context while the narrative focuses on how grief and idealism shape a family.

‘In Her Shoes’ (2005)

Curtis Hanson adapts Jennifer Weiner’s bestseller about two sisters with very different lives who reconnect with a grandmother they barely know. Cameron Diaz plays Maggie Feller opposite Toni Collette as Rose and Shirley MacLaine as Ella, with the story exploring literacy challenges, work setbacks, and family repair.

Philadelphia and South Florida settings provide a clear contrast between fast paced city scenes and a retirement community where the characters reset their routines. The film highlights therapy, reading programs, and new daily habits as practical tools for change.

‘The Box’ (2009)

Richard Kelly crafts a science fiction thriller from Richard Matheson’s short story, with a locked room decision at its core. Cameron Diaz plays Norma Lewis, who receives a device from a mysterious visitor played by Frank Langella and must decide whether to press a button that will change a stranger’s fate and her own.

The story is set in suburban Virginia with period details tied to aerospace research and communication experiments. Sound design and recurring visual patterns support a moral puzzle that expands from a single choice to a wider plan.

‘Gambit’ (2012)

Michael Hoffman directs this remake of the heist comedy that first starred Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine. Cameron Diaz plays PJ Puznowski, a Texas rodeo queen who teams up with an art expert played by Colin Firth in a scheme aimed at an arrogant collector portrayed by Alan Rickman.

The screenplay is by Joel and Ethan Coen and builds a con around a forged Monet and a series of double crosses. London landmarks, hotel suites, and gallery spaces provide sleek backdrops while the plot leans on timing mishaps and etiquette slipups.

Share your own overlooked Cameron Diaz picks in the comments so other readers can find their next watch.