The 10 Most Underrated Joaquin Phoenix Movies, Ranked (from Least to Most Underrated)

Joaquin Phoenix has built a filmography packed with complex characters, collaborations with distinctive directors, and performances that span intimate dramas to unconventional thrillers. Beyond the widely known titles, there’s a deep bench of projects that show different sides of his craft—often in films that slipped under the radar or were overshadowed by bigger releases the same year.

Each entry below includes concise context—who made it, what it’s about, where it premiered, and notable production or awards details—so you can quickly see what makes it stand out in Phoenix’s career. Subheadings use the exact release years, and the write-ups focus on verifiable information about each film’s story, collaborators, and release history.

‘Mary Magdalene’ (2018)

Directed by Garth Davis, ‘Mary Magdalene’ features Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus and Rooney Mara in the title role, with Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peter. The film presents events from the New Testament through Mary’s perspective, depicting her joining the disciples and following Jesus through Judea. Principal photography took place in Italy, including locations in Matera and Sicily, with production backed by See-Saw Films and Porchlight Films.

The score was composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson with additional composition by Hildur Guðnadóttir; it was among Jóhannsson’s final film works. The film released internationally with distribution varying by territory; in the United States it had a limited release window. The screenplay is by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett, and the film’s dialogue emphasizes Aramaic-influenced naming and setting details across its period design.

‘The Yards’ (2000)

‘The Yards’ is a crime drama written and directed by James Gray, starring Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron, and James Caan. Set around corruption in New York City’s rail-car contracting world, the story follows competing loyalties inside a Queens family and its political connections. The production was shot in and around New York, capturing rail yards and city interiors to underline the municipal contracting backdrop.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in competition. Miramax distributed it in North America, with an ensemble that also includes Ellen Burstyn and Faye Dunaway. The narrative structure intertwines public-works bidding, patronage networks, and a homicide investigation, situating Phoenix’s character within the mechanics of city procurement and family-run businesses.

‘Buffalo Soldiers’ (2001)

Directed by Gregor Jordan, ‘Buffalo Soldiers’ adapts Robert O’Connor’s novel and stars Joaquin Phoenix alongside Ed Harris, Anna Paquin, and Scott Glenn. Set on a U.S. Army base in West Germany shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall, it centers on black-market schemes within the barracks. Production shot in Germany, with locations and base facilities used to recreate the late-Cold-War garrison environment.

The film’s release was delayed and staggered across territories, with a limited rollout that reflected sensitivities around its satirical military subject matter. It screened at festivals before broader distribution, and its soundtrack and period details anchor the timeline to the final years of the Cold War. Phoenix’s role places him amid the logistics of contraband supply chains and base-level command dynamics.

‘Inherent Vice’ (2014)

‘Inherent Vice’ is written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson from Thomas Pynchon’s novel, featuring Joaquin Phoenix as private investigator Larry “Doc” Sportello. Set in Southern California at the turn of the 1970s, the story connects a missing real-estate magnate to a web involving surf culture, law enforcement, and a shadowy syndicate. The ensemble includes Josh Brolin, Katherine Waterston, Owen Wilson, Benicio Del Toro, and Reese Witherspoon.

The film’s production design reconstructs period Los Angeles through wardrobe, signage, and live-location work, with Warner Bros. and Ghoulardi Film Company producing. It earned major awards attention for adapted screenplay and costume design. The soundtrack mixes original score cues with era-specific tracks, and the release included festival play before its North American theatrical run.

‘The Immigrant’ (2013)

Written and directed by James Gray, ‘The Immigrant’ stars Marion Cotillard as a newly arrived Polish immigrant in 1920s New York, with Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner in principal roles. The narrative follows processing at Ellis Island, Lower East Side tenements, and vaudeville venues as it traces the legal and financial pressures facing new arrivals. The production recreated period New York through sets, practical locations, and costuming to evoke the early-20th-century city.

The film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. Distribution included a U.S. release through The Weinstein Company and international partners across Europe and beyond. Darius Khondji’s cinematography emphasizes tungsten-lit interiors and amber palettes, and the score by Chris Spelman incorporates period instrumentation aligned with the depicted decade.

‘You Were Never Really Here’ (2017)

Lynne Ramsay wrote and directed ‘You Were Never Really Here’, adapted from Jonathan Ames’s novella, with Joaquin Phoenix as a war veteran and former FBI agent tracking missing children. The production shot in New York, often using natural light and minimal setups to follow the character through subways, motels, and safe houses. The cast includes Ekaterina Samsonov, Alessandro Nivola, and Judith Roberts.

The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where Joaquin Phoenix received Best Actor and Lynne Ramsay shared Best Screenplay. The score by Jonny Greenwood uses percussive and electronic textures to mirror the protagonist’s fragmented memory. Amazon Studios handled U.S. distribution, and the film released theatrically after the festival circuit.

‘We Own the Night’ (2007)

Also directed by James Gray, ‘We Own the Night’ stars Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Wahlberg, Eva Mendes, and Robert Duvall. Set in late-1980s New York, it traces the conflict between a nightclub manager with ties to the Russian underworld and his family of police officers. The film stages raids, pursuits, and surveillance sequences across outer-borough locations, integrating period vehicles and wardrobe.

The project premiered at Cannes before its wide release. It was produced by 2929 Productions and Columbia Pictures, with cinematography by Joaquín Baca-Asay. The soundtrack curates late-1980s chart tracks to mark the timeframe, and the screenplay structures its plot around precinct strategy, organized-crime distribution routes, and inter-agency coordination.

‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ (2018)

Directed by Gus Van Sant, ‘Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot’ dramatizes the life of Portland cartoonist John Callahan, with Joaquin Phoenix portraying Callahan. The cast includes Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara, and Jack Black. The narrative spans rehabilitation, support-group meetings, and the development of Callahan’s cartooning career, drawing on his memoir for its timeline and events.

The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Amazon Studios distributed it in North America, and production utilized Portland locations associated with Callahan’s life and work. The score features contributions from Danny Elfman, and the film incorporates reproductions of Callahan’s cartoons, licensing artwork that tracks with the chronology shown on screen.

‘Two Lovers’ (2008)

‘Two Lovers’ reunites Joaquin Phoenix with director James Gray in a contemporary Brooklyn romance co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw. The story follows intersecting relationships anchored in Brighton Beach, with apartment interiors, rooftops, and neighborhood storefronts used extensively during production. The script by Gray and Ric Menello incorporates Russian-Jewish family dynamics and engagement customs specific to the setting.

The film premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was released by Magnolia Pictures in the United States, with international distribution across Europe and other territories. The cinematography by Joaquín Baca-Asay favors practical light and desaturated palettes, and the runtime focuses on everyday routines—work shifts, family dinners, and medical consultations—to structure its scene sequence.

‘C’mon C’mon’ (2021)

Written and directed by Mike Mills, ‘C’mon C’mon’ casts Joaquin Phoenix as a radio journalist traveling across U.S. cities to record interviews with children about the future. The film co-stars Woody Norman and Gaby Hoffmann, and it was photographed in black and white by Robbie Ryan. Production took place on location in Los Angeles, New York, Detroit, and New Orleans, incorporating real interviews into the narrative framework.

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival and continued through a fall festival run before theatrical release by A24. Woody Norman received major award nominations for his supporting performance, and the film’s sound design foregrounds documentary-style recordings gathered during production. The score by Aaron and Bryce Dessner complements the travel structure with recurring piano and ambient motifs.

If you’ve seen any of these, share which titles you’d add—or swap—in the comments.