It can be very annoying when movies attempt to be profound. Sure, cinema has long been a powerful medium for social commentary, but not every film needs to be a grand statement. A lot of movies aim for depth but wind up making awkward, tone-deaf, or even hypocritical comments on social issues,leaving the audience groaningrather than applauding.
With this in mind, this list looks at some of the very worst movies that tried to be social commentary.The following ten projects bungled their themes with narrative problems, boring characters, underdeveloped writing, or just a surfeit of smugness.Their missteps overshadowed the intended message, sometimes making them unintentionally funny, generally just making them lame.
10’Green Book' (2018)
Directed by Peter Farrelly
“You never win with violence. You only win when you maintain your dignity.“Green Booktells the story of an unlikely friendship between Black pianistDr. Don Shirley(Mahershala Ali) and Italian-American bouncerTony “Lip” Vallelonga(Viggo Mortensen) during a concert tour through the American South in 1962. As they traverse the racially charged landscape, Tony witnesses firsthand the discrimination and hostility Dr. Shirley endures, leading both men to confront their own biases.
It’s an enjoyable, feel-good story, elevated considerably by the charm of the stars. However,the movie is certainly not as smart or deep as it perhaps makes out.It offers a sanitized and easy-to-swallow version of history, at times more like a Hallmark movie with its conventional story beats and neat conclusion. While Green Book might be a little overheated in certain quarters, it’s definitely not a weighty social statement or cutting-edge commentary on race relations.It’s more akin to a fairy tale.
Green Book
9’Crash' (2004)
Directed by Paul Haggis
“You think you know who you are? You have no idea.” One ofthe most disliked Best Picture winnersof all time,Crashpresents a tapestry of interconnected stories set in Los Angeles, exploring themes of racial and social tensions. The characters include a district attorney (Brendan Fraser) and his wife (Sandra Bullock), a Persian store owner (Shaun Toub), a violent carjacker (Ludacris), a suspicious locksmith (Michael Peña), and a prejudiced police officer (Matt Dillon). The movie tries to use these figures to comment on prejudice, butits approach is pretty heavy-handed.
The movie ultimately collapses under the weight of its own ambition. Burdened by stilted dialogue and unlikable characters, it comments on real-world problems with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer, muddling its message in the process. Rather than being incisive,Crashis simply a slog and is unlikely to be a film that viewers return to in the years to come.
8’The Life of David Gale' (2003)
Directed by Alan Parker
“Fantasies have to be unrealistic because the moment… the second that you get what you seek, you don’t… you’re able to’t want it anymore.” InThe Life of David Gale, a respected professor and anti-death penalty activist, David Gale (Kevin Spacey), finds himself on death row for the rape and murder of his colleague, Constance Harraway (Laura Linney). Gale maintains his innocence, leading journalist Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet) on a mission to uncover the truth before it’s too late.
The leads are all formidable performers, but the movie gives them woefully little to work with. The plot is clumsy and convoluted, stumbling terribly in the third act due to a series of lame twists. The conclusion is especially absurd. Worse than that,the tone is so confused that it becomes unclear whether this movie is against capital punishment or for it.For example, it depicts anti-death penalty activists in such a negative light that it also feels as if this movie was funded by the prison-industrial complex. What a bleak mess.
the life of david gale
7’Driving Miss Daisy' (1989)
Directed by Bruce Beresford
“Hoke, you’re my best friend.” In a parallel toGreen Book,Driving Miss Daisyis another movie that presents a sugarcoated portrait of race in America.Jessica TandyandMorgan Freemanlead the cast as Daisy Werthan, a wealthy, elderly Jewish widow in Atlanta, and Hoke Colburn, her chauffeur. Over the years, their interactions gradually shift from employer-employee formality to a deep, albeit complex, friendship.
Using their relationship as a vehicle, the film touches on themes of aging, independence, and the subtle undercurrents of racial and religious prejudices in the American South.Many modern critics take issue with the movie for having a “white savior” narrative, while others have panned some of the characters for being little more than cardboard cutouts. Indeed, a few of them would even have been outdated when the movie came out. Controversially,Driving Miss Daisywon Best Picture in a year that contained the far superiorDo the Right Thing, directed bySpike Lee.
Driving Miss Daisy
6’Don’t Look Up' (2021)
Directed by Adam McKay
“The truth is way more depressing. They’re not even smart enough to be as evil as you’re giving them credit for.” This satire revolves around two astronomers, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence), who discover that a comet is on a direct collision course with Earth. Faced with impending global catastrophe, they embark on a media tour to warn the world, only to be met with political indifference, media sensationalism, and outright denial.
Don’t Look Upuses this absurd premise as an allegory for climate change and humanity’s collective failure to act on existential threats. However, whereasAdam McKay’s earlier moviesThe Big ShortandVicewere fascinating, informative dramatizations of real issues,Don’t Look Upis underwhelming and not nearly as clever as it thinks it is.Oddly, it plays as if it were written a decade too late, all smug and shallow. Maybe this was by design, aiming to show how trivialized the climate change debate has become, but it doesn’t come across that way.
Don’t Look Up
5’Chappie' (2015)
Directed by Neill Blomkamp
“I’m consciousness. I’m alive. I’m Chappie.“District 9was a fun, creative sci-fi flick that rebooted alien tropes by relocating the action to South Africa and making the extraterrestrials refugees. That movie was an ingenious social statement and one of the cheekiest movies about contemporary South Africa. The same cannot be said forNeill Blomkamp’s next foray into similar territory,Chappie, about a law enforcement robot who is reprogrammed with artificial intelligence, allowing him to think and feel like a human.
This film is more cartoony than insightful.It has its moments, including some strong action sequences, but is also beset by problems and consistencies, not least the annoying performances by the band members of Die Antwoord. As a result,Chappienever fully develops its themes in a meaningful way. What could have been a thought-provoking exploration of AI and humanity instead devolves into a noisy spectacle, not that different from standard sci-fi action fare.
4’Joker: Folie à Deux' (2024)
Directed by Todd Phillips
“Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?” This musical sequel picks up whereJokerleft off, continuing the unraveling of Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) as he spirals further into insanity, now accompanied by Harley Quinn (Lady Gaga). The original was one of the most distinctive takes on the superhero genre, yetFolie à Deuxisa major disappointment. The stars deliver outstanding performances, but the film itself falls apart.
While the film attempts to explore issues of mental illness, alienation, and class disparity, none of these ideas really seem to stick.The themes are a mess, making it difficult to decipher what message—if any—the audience is supposed to take away. The movie also occasionally blurs the line between critique and celebration. Some have speculated thatFolie à Deuxwas intentionally designed to defy expectations and alienate the fanbase. While commendable in theory, this approach wound up pleasing nobody - other than, perhaps,Quentin Tarantino.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Joker: Folie à Deux explores Arthur Fleck’s ongoing struggle with his dual identity as he unexpectedly discovers love and unleashes his hidden musical talent. Set against a backdrop of societal unrest, Arthur’s journey intertwines personal transformation with chaotic encounters, leading to profound shifts in his life and the world around him.
3’Unhinged' (2020)
Directed by Derrick Borte
“I’m sorry. I’m having a difficult morning.“Unhingedis a psychological thriller about a woman named Rachel (Caren Pistorius), who becomes the target of a terrifying road rage incident after honking at the wrong man. The man, played byRussell Crowe, is already on the edge and decides to make Rachel’s life a living nightmare, chasing her through the city and escalating his violent behavior.
The film positions itself as a commentary on anger and social atomization, butit was widely panned as a glorified B-movie that sensationalized male rage rather than meaningfully examining it.The social critique is hollow, little more than a gimmick or plot device. The flick is more interested in chase sequences than sociology. On the acting front, Crowe does a good job with the character, though his intense performance creates an awkward dynamic when contrasted against the shakier Pistorius. All told,Unhingedadds up to a missed opportunity, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
2’Stonewall' (2015)
Directed by Roland Emmerich
“There’s the truth, and there’s the legend. And the legend will always be way more fun.“Stonewallattempts to dramatize the events leading up to the Stonewall Riots of 1969, a pivotal moment in the gay rights movement. The story focuses on Danny Winters (Jeremy Irvine), a gay man who finds community in Greenwich Village’s countercultural scene. He soon finds himself surrounded by prejudice, police brutality, and personal challenges.
The movie draws on an interesting historical moment, yetit approaches the subject in a shallow and tone-deaf way.DirectorRoland Emmerichrelegates all the most fascinating elements to the background, instead focusing on a run-of-the-mill coming-of-age story. He also received criticism for his creative liberties, with many finding the film to be frustratingly inaccurate. Instead of allowing the real story to speak for itself,Stonewallforce-feeds its message with cherry-picked facts and sanded-down portrayals. It’s a big waste of potential, sometimes coming off as patronizing.
1’Battlefield Earth' (2000)
Directed by Roger Christian
“Man is an endangered species.” Claiming the top spot on this list is the infamously badBattlefield Earth, a misguided adaptation ofL. Ron Hubbard’s already atrocious novel. It’s set in the year 3000, where Earth has been ruled for centuries by an alien race called the Psychlos. Jonnie Goodboy Tyler (Barry Pepper) rises up to challenge the oppressors, bringing him up against the menacing Terl (John Travolta).
The flick is a shoddy allegory for Scientology, while also trying to be a grand narrative about oppression, resistance, and the resilience of the human spirit.No one wants to hear a commentary on colonialism from a movie featuring John Travolta as an extraterrestrial.Battlefield Earthis a misfire on practically every level, from the turgid writing and weird cinematography to the scene-chewing performances and generally unpleasant vibe. Few films reach this level of awful spectacle; it’s a veritable work of anti-genius.
