10 Underrated Films by Eddie Redmayne You Must See

Eddie Redmayne’s career spans intimate indies, historical dramas, and large scale genre projects, and a surprising number of his most interesting turns sit outside the usual highlights. Beyond headline roles in titles like ‘The Theory of Everything’ and ‘The Danish Girl’, his filmography includes smaller projects and ensemble pieces that reveal how wide his range has been from the very beginning.

This list gathers ten films that many viewers miss when they look back at his work. You will find early breakthroughs, festival discoveries, and roles tucked inside bigger casts, along with clear details on who made them, what they cover, and where Redmayne fits into each story.

‘Like Minds’ (2006)

This psychological thriller is written and directed by Gregory J. Read and released in some regions under the title ‘Murderous Intent’. The story follows a forensic psychologist played by Toni Collette who is called to evaluate a privileged student after the death of his classmate at an elite boarding school. Eddie Redmayne plays Alex Forbes, whose tense relationship with Nigel Colby portrayed by Tom Sturridge drives the investigation.

The film focuses on the interview process and the evidence collected inside the school. It leans on the dynamic between Redmayne’s character and the adults trying to piece together what happened, and it uses the closed setting to explore rivalry, manipulation, and the reach of family influence.

‘The Good Shepherd’ (2006)

Directed by Robert De Niro, this espionage drama traces the early formation of American intelligence from prewar university societies through the rise of the CIA. Eddie Redmayne appears as Edward Wilson Jr., the son of the central figure played by Matt Damon. The family thread anchors several scenes that show the toll of clandestine work on private life.

The film builds its timeline through key historical episodes and organizational milestones. Redmayne’s role intersects with sequences about recruitment, secrecy, and the personal consequences of national service, which helps link the family story to the broader political backdrop.

‘Savage Grace’ (2007)

Based on the nonfiction book by Natalie Robins and Steven M. L. Aronson, this drama examines the Baekeland family and the events surrounding Barbara Daly Baekeland. Julianne Moore plays Barbara, and Eddie Redmayne plays her son Antony Baekeland, whose relationship with his mother frames the film’s major turns across multiple countries and social circles.

Director Tom Kalin structures the narrative around documented incidents that marked the family’s history. Locations in the United States and Europe trace their moves, and the production uses period design to detail the settings of each chapter while keeping focus on the legal and medical records that inform the story.

‘The Yellow Handkerchief’ (2008)

Adapted from a story by Pete Hamill, this road drama follows three travelers who share a ride through coastal Louisiana. William Hurt plays a recently released man hoping to reconnect with his past, Kristen Stewart plays a teenager trying to escape home, and Eddie Redmayne plays Gordy, a drifting young man who joins them on the journey. The film is directed by Udayan Prasad.

The narrative unfolds through conversations and stopovers that reveal why each character is on the road. Shooting locations across Louisiana give the trip a specific sense of place, and the script links the trio’s changing plans to the landscape as they head toward a reunion that the older lead hopes to secure.

‘Powder Blue’ (2009)

This ensemble drama interweaves the lives of several Los Angeles residents during the holiday season. Eddie Redmayne plays Qwerty Doolittle, a gentle mortician whose storyline intersects with characters played by Jessica Biel, Forest Whitaker, and Ray Liotta. The film is written and directed by Timothy Linh Bui.

The structure follows multiple threads that cross in hospitals, diners, and night work settings. Redmayne’s character connects the film’s scenes of grief and ritual with the practical realities of his job, and the production uses the city’s neighborhoods to map how the characters meet and affect one another.

‘Glorious 39’ (2009)

Stephen Poliakoff writes and directs this prewar thriller set within an influential British family. Romola Garai plays Anne Keyes, whose discoveries about secret recordings and political maneuvering lead her into danger, and Eddie Redmayne plays her brother Ralph. The cast includes Bill Nighy and Julie Christie, who round out the portrait of a well connected household facing the approach of conflict.

The film balances country estates and London offices as it unpacks private meetings and official pressure. Redmayne’s role helps show how the siblings respond differently to the material Anne uncovers, and the production leans on period detail to place the family’s choices inside the national debate of the time.

‘Black Death’ (2010)

Set during the first wave of the plague in England and directed by Christopher Smith, this historical thriller sends a band of soldiers to a remote village rumored to be untouched by disease. Eddie Redmayne plays Osmund, a young monk who guides the group as they search for the source of the mystery. Sean Bean leads the expedition as an agent of church authority.

The film uses forests, marshes, and a fortified settlement to show the distances the group covers and the rituals they encounter. Redmayne’s character bridges church and lay worlds, and the plot examines how superstition, leadership, and survival shape decisions inside isolated communities.

‘Hick’ (2011)

Adapted from Andrea Portes’ novel and directed by Derick Martini, this road movie follows a teenage girl who leaves a troubled home and heads west. Chloë Grace Moretz plays Luli, Blake Lively plays Glenda, and Eddie Redmayne plays Eddie, a drifter whose path crosses with Luli on the way. The story tracks the stops and encounters that change her route.

The production places the journey in motels, roadside bars, and stretches of highway that mark the distances between the characters. Redmayne’s role ties into the film’s look at vulnerable travelers and the risks they face, and the script keeps the focus on the choices the young lead must make to stay safe.

‘Jupiter Ascending’ (2015)

The Wachowskis write and direct this space opera about inheritance, corporate dynasties, and planetary resources. Eddie Redmayne plays Balem Abrasax, the head of a ruling house whose interests collide with a Chicago born protagonist played by Mila Kunis and a genetically modified ex soldier played by Channing Tatum. The cast includes Sean Bean, Tuppence Middleton, and Douglas Booth.

Large scale visual effects and elaborate production design support sequences set on industrial refineries, royal halls, and transport hubs. Redmayne’s character anchors the legal and economic stakes inside the story’s interstellar framework, and the film uses court claims and contracts to explain why multiple factions converge on Earth.

‘The Aeronauts’ (2019)

Directed by Tom Harper, this adventure drama reunites Eddie Redmayne with Felicity Jones. He plays meteorologist James Glaisher, who seeks to push the limits of atmospheric science with the help of a daredevil balloon pilot named Amelia Wren played by Jones. The screenplay draws on accounts of pioneering balloon ascents and reimagines the flight crew as this partnership.

The production stages extended set pieces in and around a gas balloon basket, with practical rigs and visual effects used to show altitude changes and weather hazards. The release paired a short theatrical window with a streaming debut through Amazon Studios, and the film includes on screen notes that place the flight within the development of modern forecasting.

Share your favorite underappreciated Eddie Redmayne performances in the comments so other readers can discover them too.