10 Underrated Films by Natalie Portman You Must See

Natalie Portman’s filmography stretches far beyond the blockbuster titles most people already know. Across drama, sci fi, historical epics, and intimate indies, she has chosen projects with distinctive directors, unusual settings, and demanding roles that showcase range and craft. Many of these releases arrived quietly at festivals or in limited runs, which makes them easy to miss if you were not watching the release calendar closely.

This list brings together ten feature films with notable production stories, strong collaborators, and specific details about the characters she plays. You will find where they premiered, who directed them, which novels or historical events they draw from, and how they were made. It is a practical path through lesser discussed work that helps you map what to watch next.

‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’ (2015)

Portman made her feature directing debut with this Hebrew language adaptation of Amos Oz’s bestselling memoir. She also stars as Fania Oz, the writer’s mother, with the production shooting on location in Jerusalem to recreate the period neighborhoods described in the book. The film premiered out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival and later opened in the United States after a festival run.

Dialogue is entirely in Hebrew, and the screenplay focuses on the family’s immigration story, literary influences, and the early years of the State of Israel. Wardrobe and production design reflect the austerity of postwar life, and the narrative structure follows episodes from the memoir with classroom scenes, domestic spaces, and scenes drawn from Oz’s recollections.

‘Vox Lux’ (2018)

Brady Corbet directs this portrait of a pop star’s career with Portman playing Celeste in the later timeline. Raffey Cassidy plays both the teenage version of the character and the daughter in the present day timeline, while Jude Law appears as the manager across decades. The original songs were written by Sia, and the score was composed by Scott Walker, with the film premiering at Venice before screening at Toronto.

The story is divided into movements that track early notoriety, industry machinery, and a tightly choreographed arena performance. Choreography and vocal preparation are presented as part of Celeste’s routine, and the camera follows rehearsals, press events, and security details. The production uses concert scale staging and contemporary media elements to document how the character’s public image is constructed.

‘Annihilation’ (2018)

Alex Garland adapts Jeff VanderMeer’s novel with Portman leading an ensemble that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, Gina Rodriguez, and Oscar Isaac. The film was released theatrically in North America, while international territories received a direct streaming debut, which shaped how audiences encountered it. Location work and sound design emphasize the environment known as the Shimmer, with practical effects blended with visual effects to depict its transformations.

The narrative centers on a scientific expedition into a quarantined zone where biology behaves unpredictably. Field journals, samples, and video logs are used as in story documentation tools, and the plot tracks the group’s progress by way of mapped markers and abandoned facilities. The score by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow incorporates electronic textures that align with the altered ecology featured in the story.

‘Hesher’ (2010)

Portman appears as Nicole, a supermarket clerk who becomes an unlikely ally to a grieving family, and she also serves as a producer through her company Handsomecharlie Films. The film premiered at Sundance and later received a limited release, with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Rainn Wilson in key roles. Music clearances include tracks by Metallica, which are integrated into several scenes.

Production took place in suburban settings that emphasize everyday spaces like parking lots and small homes. The screenplay uses a series of encounters to track a household coping with loss, and props such as a burned car and a swimming pool are used as recurring visual anchors. Camera placement favors medium close shots to capture conversations that drive the plot forward.

‘Goya’s Ghosts’ (2006)

Directed by Miloš Forman, this historical drama casts Portman in dual roles as Inés, a young woman caught up in the Spanish Inquisition, and Alicia, a related figure in the later timeline. Javier Bardem and Stellan Skarsgård co star, and the production filmed extensively in Spain with attention to period architecture and costume. The cinematography references Francisco Goya’s paintings through lighting choices and composition.

The story spans shifts in Spanish society from religious tribunals to the upheaval under Napoleon. Court documents, workshop scenes, and military occupations are staged to show how public events intersect with private lives. Artwork and printing presses appear in key sequences to connect the narrative to the historical figure whose name frames the film.

‘The Other Woman’ (2009)

Also released under the title ‘Love and Other Impossible Pursuits’, this adaptation of Ayelet Waldman’s novel stars Portman as Emilia Greenleaf. Don Roos directs, with Lisa Kudrow and Scott Cohen in supporting roles, and the film screened at Toronto before opening in select theaters. The script keeps the New York City setting and incorporates legal workplace scenes to reflect the character’s professional background.

Family law, custody schedules, and school routines are central to the plot, and much of the dialogue occurs around pick ups, doctor visits, and classroom events. The film uses flashbacks to document critical events in the family’s history, and it intercuts present day negotiations with earlier decisions to build a complete timeline of the relationships.

‘Jane Got a Gun’ (2016)

Gavin O’Connor directs this Western with Portman as Jane Hammond, a frontier wife preparing to defend her home. The production experienced well documented changes in director and cast during pre production, after which principal photography proceeded in New Mexico. Joel Edgerton and Ewan McGregor co star, and the finished film reached theaters after those changes were resolved.

Plot turns revolve around supply shortages, travel distances, and shifting alliances, and the script incorporates period firearms and transportation details. Scenes include the reinforcement of a homestead, the planning of escape routes, and the staging of a final confrontation, all shot with emphasis on practical sets and open landscapes that match the setting.

‘Planetarium’ (2016)

Rebecca Zlotowski’s period drama pairs Portman with Lily Rose Depp as American sisters who perform spiritualist séances in 1930s Paris. The film premiered at Venice and screened at Toronto, with production based in France and Belgium. Languages alternate between English and French, and the art direction recreates studios, apartments, and cabaret spaces from the era.

A film producer within the story hires the sisters, which introduces scenes involving early soundstage technology and laboratory effects. Costumes follow interwar silhouettes, and props include prewar cameras, microphones, and projection equipment. Historical references to political changes are integrated through newspaper headlines and public events that appear in the background.

‘Free Zone’ (2005)

Amos Gitai directs this road drama set between Jerusalem and the Jordanian Free Zone. Portman plays an American who shares a taxi with an Israeli driver and a Palestinian businesswoman, and the film premiered at Cannes, where Hana Laszlo received the Best Actress award. Dialogue shifts among English, Hebrew, and Arabic, reflecting the multilingual setting.

The camera often remains inside the vehicle as the characters navigate border checkpoints and commercial areas. The plot uses real locations such as highways, the Dead Sea region, and industrial lots to anchor the journey. Long takes record conversations in real time, and the story unfolds through exchanges that reveal why each passenger is traveling.

‘Where the Heart Is’ (2000)

Adapted from Billie Letts’s novel, this drama casts Portman as Novalee Nation, a teenager who starts over in a small Oklahoma town. The production filmed in multiple states to depict both the roadside beginning and the community she later builds, and the cast includes Ashley Judd and Stockard Channing. The release brought the source material to a wider audience with a screenplay that keeps the central locations and relationships.

The narrative tracks key milestones such as childbirth, employment, and education, and it shows how community services and local institutions shape the character’s decisions. Set pieces include a library, a hospital, and a photography studio, which together chart a path from temporary shelter to long term stability. Time jumps are marked by holidays and school years that keep the chronology clear.

‘Brothers’ (2009)

Jim Sheridan directs this American remake of the Danish film ‘Brødre’, with Portman as Grace Cahill opposite Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. The production updates the original’s setting to contemporary military deployments and domestic life in the United States. Scenes alternate between a Midwestern home front and overseas sequences that present the source of the family’s strain.

The film uses family gatherings, school events, and home renovation to show changes in the household while addressing the impact of service and recovery. Phone calls, letters, and official visits appear as plot devices that move the story from uncertainty to resolution. The score and sound design underline the contrast between everyday suburban spaces and the experiences that return with the characters.

Share the underrated Natalie Portman film you plan to watch next in the comments.