The 10 Most Underrated Jodie Foster Movies, Ranked (from Least to Most Underrated)

Jodie Foster is known for both starring in and directing many successful and acclaimed films. However, some of her more interesting work often gets overlooked. Throughout her career, she’s consistently taken chances with different types of stories, languages, and filmmaking styles, often focusing on complex characters and narratives that don’t easily fit into typical categories. This has resulted in a series of films that subtly demonstrate her versatility – including suspenseful thrillers, deeply personal dramas, and well-made mainstream movies.

Here’s a list of ten lesser-known films featuring Jodie Foster, offering a look beyond her most famous roles. For each film, we’ll cover what it’s about, who directed it, and how Foster contributed – whether as an actress or director. If you’re a fan looking to explore more of her work, this is a great place to start and shows the range of her career.

‘Hotel Artemis’ (2018)

‘Hotel Artemis’ takes place during a Los Angeles riot and centers around a hidden, invite-only emergency room for criminals. Jodie Foster plays the exhausted nurse who runs it. The film boasts a strong cast including Sterling K. Brown, Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, Brian Tyree Henry, and Jeff Goldblum, and most of the action unfolds within the stylish, art-deco walls of the clinic. Written and directed by Drew Pearce, the movie builds tension like a pressure cooker, using strict rules, different membership levels, and a heist gone wrong to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

The film was made as a tense, moderately-priced thriller, relying on realistic sets to create a feeling of being trapped in tight spaces and themed hospital rooms. The main character, Jean Thomas, played by Foster, is central to understanding the film’s strict environment – she monitors medication, who can go where, and conflicts between patients. Instead of big special effects, the action focuses on intense, close-up fighting. The story emphasizes the hospital’s procedures, equipment, and underground dealings.

‘Flightplan’ (2005)

The movie ‘Flightplan’ follows Kyle Pratt, an aircraft engineer played by Jodie Foster, whose daughter vanishes during a flight on a plane she worked on. The film is a thriller that uses the plane’s interior – including cargo areas, technical spaces, and hallways – as a complex maze. Actors Peter Sarsgaard and Sean Bean play important crew members. Director Robert Schwentke skillfully uses the details of the plane’s layout to create a tense and continuous search story, all within a single location.

The filmmakers built incredibly detailed airplane interiors on movie sets, allowing the camera to move freely through all sections – from economy to the cockpit. The story revolves around things like passenger lists, flight manifests, and airport security procedures, focusing on the precise tracking of items – a key part of how modern air travel works. Actor Foster’s performance is carefully timed to match these realistic details, including checklists, door operations, and the kind of technical knowledge you’d expect from someone working in the aerospace industry.

‘Money Monster’ (2016)

‘Money Monster,’ directed by Jodie Foster, is a tense thriller that takes place during a live financial news broadcast. George Clooney stars as Lee Gates, the charismatic host, while Julia Roberts plays Patty Fenn, his experienced producer. The story begins when an upset investor, played by Jack O’Connell, takes over the set. The film realistically recreates a live television program – complete with headsets, control panels, and on-screen prompts – and unfolds in real-time to heighten the suspense.

Foster’s film focuses on the fast-paced process of creating a live broadcast, showing everything from planning segments and managing satellite connections to quickly verifying facts, all while the cameras are running. It blends footage from outside the studio – like trading floors and city streets – seamlessly into the live broadcast, using quick cuts that resemble live television. The film ultimately reveals how a broadcast team expertly handles unexpected challenges with technical skill and efficiency.

‘Nell’ (1994)

Jodie Foster plays Nell, a woman who was raised in complete isolation and developed a unique way of speaking due to having very little contact with others. The film follows doctors, played by Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, as they study her and disagree about whether they should interfere in her life. It explores the medical, legal, and social challenges of deciding who should care for Nell and how.

This movie is based on Mark Handley’s play, ‘Idioglossia,’ and is largely set in the countryside, emphasizing the characters’ independent lifestyles. The film’s technical aspects, especially the creation of a believable, made-up language, earned significant awards recognition. The story itself revolves around the types of tests, evaluations, and records used in medical and legal settings.

‘The Beaver’ (2011)

Jodie Foster directs and co-stars in ‘The Beaver,’ a film about a depressed toy executive (Mel Gibson) who copes with his struggles by communicating solely through a beaver hand puppet. The movie explores themes of family, work, and the process of therapy-including both progress and setbacks-as the protagonist uses the puppet to navigate life and set personal boundaries.

Kyle Killen’s screenplay carefully maps out the character’s development through established patterns of behavior and moments where they are held responsible for their actions. The director, Foster, uses details like consistent props, changes in clothing, and the pace of editing to create a distinct personality for the puppet character, as if it’s operating independently. The show visually contrasts home, work, and school settings to highlight how daily life changes as the character relies more on their coping strategy.

‘Home for the Holidays’ (1995)

Jodie Foster directs ‘Home for the Holidays,’ a film centered around a large family’s Thanksgiving celebration. The movie stars Holly Hunter and features Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Dylan McDermott, and Steve Guttenberg. It playfully explores the chaos of the holidays – the travel, cooking, seating arrangements, and familiar family routines. The family home is the main setting, with key scenes taking place in the kitchen, dining room, and basement, where conversations often overlap and repeat.

Foster’s filmmaking style relies on natural-sounding overlapping conversations and extended shots to highlight the rhythm of groups, and she uses realistic lighting often seen in homes during the holidays. The costumes and set design reflect the time of day and what people are doing – like aprons while cooking, fancy clothes for guests, or the mess after a meal. The story itself unfolds through everyday household activities, showing how families function during the busy holiday season.

‘The Brave One’ (2007)

In ‘The Brave One,’ Jodie Foster plays Erica Bain, a radio host whose life is shattered by a brutal attack. The film follows her journey through New York City and intersects with the investigation led by Detective played by Terrence Howard. The movie realistically portrays police work, showing details like reports, evidence, and surveillance. Director Neil Jordan uses real New York locations – parks, subways, and local shops – to create a believable and tense thriller.

The film uses realistic visuals and sound – like train station announcements, city noise, and police radio – to create a sense of place. It tracks the protagonist’s healing process alongside the progress of the investigation, using radio broadcasts and case reports to show the passage of time. The actress’s performance is carefully connected to this structure, with her on-air commentary mirroring the developments in the case.

‘Bugsy Malone’ (1976)

Alan Parker’s ‘Bugsy Malone’ is a unique musical where all the gangsters and characters are played by kids. Starring Jodie Foster as Tallulah and Scott Baio as Bugsy, the film cleverly replaces guns with custard-filled ‘splurge’ guns. The sets and costumes recreate the look of the Prohibition era, but everything is sized for the young cast, who lip-sync to songs by Paul Williams. You’ll see classic pinstripe suits, fedoras, and old cars, all designed for child performers in speakeasies and boxing gyms.

The film feels like a stage musical, with carefully planned song and dance numbers, performances that fit naturally into the story, and recurring musical themes. The actor’s performance blends acting and choreography, and the filmmakers worked around child labor laws with a strict schedule and on-set schooling. Over the years, the movie gained a dedicated following thanks to special screenings and re-releases of its soundtrack, which showcase its original and creative approach.

‘Maverick’ (1994)

Jodie Foster, Mel Gibson, and James Garner star in ‘Maverick,’ a film about a high-stakes poker game on a riverboat. Foster plays a con artist, Gibson a gambler, and Garner a lawman, all vying for the top prize. Directed by Richard Donner and written by William Goldman, the movie is full of twists and turns, with characters constantly trying to outsmart each other through clever cons and surprising reveals that change how you see everything that happened before.

The production team filmed on location in desert canyons and built elaborate sets resembling boats to handle large groups of people, dealers, and the complex procedures of the tournaments. The characters’ clothing – including dusters, vests, and accessories – reveals who they are and their position in this world of frontier gambling. Annabelle, played by Foster, is a resourceful character who uses travel trunks, disguises, and fake papers to help her carry out her plans.

‘The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane’ (1976)

I recently revisited ‘The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane,’ and what struck me most was Jodie Foster’s incredibly compelling performance as Rynn Jacobs. She plays this fiercely independent teenager hiding a lot, and the film really keeps you guessing. It’s based on a Laird Koenig novel, and the supporting cast, including Martin Sheen and Alexis Smith, are fantastic. What’s interesting is how much tension director Nicolas Roeg creates using just a few key locations – her house, the cellar, and spots around town. The story cleverly revolves around things like property deeds and who has legal guardianship, making for some really tight, suspenseful scenes.

The story heavily features legal documents and rules – like rental agreements, school requirements, and local regulations – which directly influence what happens. The actor Foster received praise from groups specializing in this type of storytelling, recognizing the difficulty of the role and how well they maintained suspense within limited locations. The film’s editing and camera work carefully control what the audience sees inside the house, focusing on doorways, staircases, and secret areas to build tension and move the thriller forward.

Share your own picks for overlooked Jodie Foster gems in the comments!

2025-09-19 00:16