10 Underrated Madonna Movies You Must See

Madonna’s screen career stretches across starring roles, ambitious directorial projects, and memorable ensemble pieces, and it covers everything from music infused comedies to costume rich period dramas. Beyond the chart topping soundtracks and headline moments, there is a fascinating run of projects that show her working with distinctive directors, exploring new genres, and learning the craft from both sides of the camera. These titles add useful context to her evolution as a performer and filmmaker.

This list gathers ten films that often sit outside the usual greatest hits conversation while offering plenty to discover about how the projects were made, who shaped them behind the scenes, and where they fit in the larger picture of late twentieth century and early twenty first century cinema. Each entry includes concise details on story, collaborators, production notes, and release facts so you can decide what to cue up next.

‘Dangerous Game’ (1993)

Abel Ferrara directs this meta drama with Madonna as actress Sarah Jennings opposite Harvey Keitel as an obsessive filmmaker and James Russo as her co star. The story follows a movie within a movie structure that tracks rehearsal and production as emotions spill into real life on set. The film was released in 1993 and is also known in some territories as ‘Snake Eyes’.

Ferrara’s longtime collaborator Ken Kelsch handled cinematography and the production leaned on gritty handheld work to mirror the breakdowns happening in the narrative. The film played on the festival circuit in the early nineties and reached audiences in limited release, giving viewers a look at Madonna working in an improvised and actor driven environment with a New York independent film team.

‘Filth and Wisdom’ (2008)

Madonna made her feature directing debut with ‘Filth and Wisdom’, a London set comedy drama anchored by Eugene Hütz with supporting turns from Holly Weston, Vicky McClure, and Richard E Grant. The story centers on three flatmates balancing day jobs and creative ambitions while navigating small time schemes that keep the lights on.

Shot on a modest budget with a nimble crew, the film premiered in 2008 and received a limited rollout in the United Kingdom and the United States. The project marked Madonna’s first full outing as a director and writer, and it introduced themes she revisited later as a filmmaker, including ambition, identity, and the pull between art and survival.

‘W.E.’ (2011)

‘W.E.’ is Madonna’s second feature as a director and it intertwines the romance of Wallis Simpson and King Edward VIII with a contemporary story about a woman named Wally Winthrop. Andrea Riseborough portrays Wallis Simpson and James D’Arcy portrays Edward, while Abbie Cornish leads the modern thread and Oscar Isaac appears in a key supporting role.

The film premiered in 2011 with production design and costuming that drew wide attention for period accuracy and craftsmanship. Arianne Phillips earned an Academy Award nomination for costume design and the original song ‘Masterpiece’ won a Golden Globe, underscoring the project’s careful integration of music and visual style.

‘Who’s That Girl’ (1987)

Directed by James Foley, ‘Who’s That Girl’ pairs Madonna with Griffin Dunne in a screwball setup that follows paroled New Yorker Nikki Finn as she pulls a straight laced lawyer into an escalating chase across the city. The film features a soundtrack anchored by four new Madonna tracks including ‘Who’s That Girl’, ‘Causing a Commotion’, and ‘The Look of Love’.

The movie arrived the same summer as the ‘Who’s That Girl’ world tour and included extensive location work around New York City. The soundtrack performed strongly on international charts and the film added a set of signature visuals and costumes that continued to appear in tour staging and music videos afterwards.

‘Shanghai Surprise’ (1986)

Set in 1937 Shanghai, ‘Shanghai Surprise’ teams Madonna with Sean Penn in an adventure story about an American hustler and a missionary searching for stolen opium. Jim Goddard directed the film and Handmade Films produced, with on screen appearances from George Harrison who also contributed to the music.

The production shot primarily in the United Kingdom with period sets designed to recreate prewar Shanghai streets and nightclubs. The film was released in 1986 and became a notable entry in the Handmade Films catalog, reflecting the company’s interest in star led projects with classic studio era story beats and music forward marketing.

‘Body of Evidence’ (1993)

‘Body of Evidence’ is an erotic courtroom thriller set in Portland with Madonna opposite Willem Dafoe. The plot follows a murder case in which a wealthy man dies and his younger partner is charged with killing him through a pattern of sexual encounters. Uli Edel directed and the supporting cast includes Joe Mantegna and Julianne Moore.

The film shot in Oregon locations and used local landmarks for courthouse and waterfront scenes. Released in 1993, it arrived during a wave of adult themed thrillers and was edited in different versions for various markets, which created alternate cuts with adjusted running times for theatrical and home video releases.

‘The Next Best Thing’ (2000)

Directed by John Schlesinger, ‘The Next Best Thing’ stars Madonna and Rupert Everett as longtime friends who decide to raise a child together. The story follows their changing relationship once a new partner enters the picture and a custody dispute forces everyone to evaluate what family means under the law.

The soundtrack features Madonna’s cover of ‘American Pie’ and the ballad ‘Time Stood Still’, both used to promote the film across radio and television. The release in 2000 included a wide theatrical rollout and later an extended life on home video and cable, which helped the film reach audiences interested in stories about co parenting and nontraditional households.

‘Swept Away’ (2002)

‘Swept Away’ is a remake of the 1974 Italian film of the same name and stars Madonna with Adriano Giannini. The plot tracks a wealthy vacationer and a deckhand who end up stranded on an isolated island where power reversals change their dynamic. Guy Ritchie directed and the film emphasizes a two hander structure with long dialogue passages between the leads.

The production filmed in Mediterranean locations including Malta with seaside exteriors and minimalist island sets. Released in 2002, the movie drew attention for its connection to the earlier Lina Wertmüller classic and for its stripped down approach that put most of the running time on the interplay between the central characters.

‘Bloodhounds of Broadway’ (1989)

Based on Damon Runyon stories, ‘Bloodhounds of Broadway’ is an ensemble piece set on New Year’s Eve in Prohibition era New York. Madonna plays nightclub singer Hortense Hathaway alongside Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey, Julie Hagerty, and Rutger Hauer. The narrative weaves together gamblers, showgirls, and socialites over the course of one night.

Howard Brookner directed and the production created stylized period interiors that evoke speakeasies and hotel ballrooms. The film was released in 1989 and stands as Brookner’s final feature, with music, costumes, and choreography designed to capture late twenties nightlife through a polished studio production lens.

‘Four Rooms’ (1995)

In ‘Four Rooms’, Madonna appears in the opening segment as a member of a coven during a chaotic New Year’s Eve at a Los Angeles hotel. The anthology film is divided into four parts directed by Allison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Rodriguez, and Quentin Tarantino, with Tim Roth connecting the episodes as the bellhop.

Production took place in California with each director staging a separate floor of the hotel to match the tone of their chapter. Released in 1995, the movie brought together a group of rising independent filmmakers and featured cameo heavy casting that gave many actors, including Madonna, a compact showcase within a shared setting.

‘A Certain Sacrifice’ (1985)

‘A Certain Sacrifice’ is an underground New York feature shot before Madonna became a global recording artist. Directed by Stephen Jon Lewicki, it follows a downtown character named Bruna through a series of confrontations and ritual like scenes that reflect the no budget guerrilla sensibility of early eighties independent filmmaking.

The movie was filmed on 16 mm with a small crew and nontraditional actors, then released on home video in 1985 after Madonna’s music career took off. Its production history is frequently cited in studies of how low cost independent projects moved from art spaces to video stores during that decade.

Share which lesser seen Madonna film you are adding to your watchlist in the comments.