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While all movie fans have different opinions, there are some movies that many agree are universally terrible. The last 25 years have provided particular examples of dramas that failed in every way possible. Sometimes, it is hard to pinpoint what makes a movie so disappointing. It could be a wasted premise, wasting the talent of incredible actors, or having a clear lack of vision. Dramas are particularly susceptible to falling victim to some of the worst movie tropes.
Some movies, like Glitter, highlight the problem of assuming that a talented artist in one area can simply succeed in another. Other movies, like The Room, are so bad because they are a total package of terrible dialogue, terrible performances, and terrible stories. Dramas are at risk of getting bogged down, and taking themselves too seriously. The worst dramas of the past few years have a unique blend of awful that makes them both difficult and hilarious to watch.
10 'Glitter' (2001)
Directed by Vondie Curtis-Hall
Image via 20th Century Fox
Glitter follows the story of aspiring singer Billie Frank (Mariah Carey), who is also a club dancer. The movie follows Billie and her friends, who are also trying to succeed as artists. Glitter is evidently meant to be a 1970s period piece and a meditation on how art was evolving in America at this time. Instead, it is a chaotic mess of a story that loses itself in a stilted script and inconsistent performances.
What makes Glitter one of the worst movies of the last 25 years is the fact that it wastes Carey's talents and tries to make her into something she isn't by trying to make her a dramatic actor. Ultimately, the movie comes across as extremely exploitative since it was released in the lead up to Carey being hospitalized. Additionally, Glitter's soundtrack was released on September 11, 2001, which added to the chaos of the movie's release. As a whole package, the movie is a spectacular failure.
9 'Crossroads' (2002)
Directed by Tamra Davis
Image via Paramount Pictures
Crossroads is a teen comedy-drama that follows a group of friends who embark on a road trip. The movie stars Britney Spears, Zoë Saldaña, and Taryn Manning as three best friends from a small town in Georgia who use a road trip to reconnect after they become distant after graduating. Crossroads comes across as a vanity project, designed to do nothing else other than advertise the careers of well-known stars.
Crossroads is another example of a movie that fails because it fails to tap into the natural stardom of its protagonist. Britney Spears is a bright spot in an otherwise thoroughly lackluster movie. This movie is also one of the worst dramas of the last 25 years because it fails to make use of its charming premise. Crossroads had the chance to be a charming story about friendship and self-discovery. Unfortunately, it fails to live up to its potential at every turn.
Crossroads
Release Date February 15, 2002
Director Tamra Davis
Runtime 99 Minutes
8 'A Beautiful Life' (2008)
Directed by Alejandro Chomski
"A Beautiful Life". Image Courtesy of New Films International.
A Beautiful Life is the story of Maggie (Angela Sarafyan), a woman running away from her abusive father. She meets and falls in love with David (Jesse Garcia), an illegal immigrant to the United States from Mexico who is working as a dishwasher. What follows is a sexually sadistic story that was evidently meant to be a dark, character-driven narrative. A Beautiful Life is a story that meanders into some truly bizarre territory for no reason.
There are so many aspects of A Beautiful Life that make it one of the worst dramas of the last 25 years. The story elements could have come together to create a dark love story that had a poignant message for today's political climate. Instead, A Beautiful Life has nothing substantive to say. Even worse, the story is consistently an exploitative mess that is only made worse by genuinely horrifying camera work.
A Beautiful Life
Release Date October 2, 2009
Director Alejandro Chomski
Runtime 81 minutes
7 'United Passions' (2014)
Directed by Frédéric Auburtin
United Passions chronicles the formation of FIFA, the global football governing association. The movie is meant to be an inspiring look at how FIFA came to be after years of it not being taken seriously. Evidently, the goal of the movie was to make FIFA seem like a unifying force in the world by using a beloved sport to bring professionals and fans together. Unfortunately, it is clear that the movie leaves out FIFA's glaring issues were present from its very beginning.
United Passions is a uniquely tone-deaf drama that was released when FIFA was in the middle of several scandals. These real-life problems make it difficult to see FIFA in a positive light. Aside from the controversies, however, United Passions paints the rosiest picture of an organization that was always deeply flawed. The movie's wooden performances and stale dialogue does the overall story no favors.
United Passions
Release Date June 19, 2014
Runtime 110 minutes
6 '365 Days' (2020)
Directed by Barbara Białowąs and Tomasz Mandes
Image via Netflix
365 Days is meant to be a romantic thriller with a dark premise. It is based on the Polish novel of the same name by Blanka Lipińska. The story centers around a man who confines a woman he meets on a beach and gives her exactly one year to fall in love with him. If this doesn't sound suspicious enough, the characters become more deeply entangled in often dangerous situations. There is nothing to root for in what is supposed to be a dark romance.
What makes 365 Days so terrible is the fact that it is so unapologetically exploitative in an era when many discussions are being had about rape culture and how it impacts daily life. The movie misses the opportunity to tell a dark story with commentary on the nature of exploitation, mainly as it exists in relationships. 365 Days could have been a truly dark romance, a genre with many fans. Unfortunately, the fact that it consistently chose exploitation makes it unwatchable.
365 Days
Release Date February 7, 2020
Director Barbara Bialowas
Cast Michele Morrone , Anna Maria Sieklucka , Bronislaw Wroclawski , Otar Saralidze , Magdalena Lamparska , Natasza Urbanska
Runtime 114 minutes
5 'Fateful Findings' (2012)
Directed by Neil Breen
Image via Neil Breen Films
Fateful Findings is a sci-fi drama that follows a bizarre plot involving a magic stone and a strange novelist. The movie stars and was written and directed by Neil Breen. The story itself borders on incomprehensible. It's political commentary, which is a hallmark of the movie, is cryptic and nonsensical. Fateful Findings doesn't even have a fun and silly premise that could otherwise make it worth watching.
An argument can be made that Fateful Findings is a movie that is so bad, but it's good. This genre welcomes movies like this one that lean into their eccentric stories and odd characters. Unfortunately, Fateful Findings makes it difficult to get beyond the simply bad aspects of the movie. There is absolutely a place for movies that are fun to watch because they are fun to make fun of and discuss. This movie simply doesn't have enough to invest in.
Fateful Findings
Release Date May 23, 2013
Director Neil Breen
Cast Klara Landrat , Neil Breen , Jennifer Autry , David Silva , Gloria Hoffman , Danielle Andrade , Victoria Viveiros , John Henry Hoffman , David Scott , Steven Nelson , Richard Hunsacker , JR Thompson , Ryan Collis , Jaime Reborn , Jack Batoni , Brianna Borden , Mark Bettencort , Jesse Mendez , Monique Batoni , Steve Silverstein , Greg Hobbs , Morgan Villanueva , Tim Duclos , Dasey Cameron , David Miranda
Runtime 100 minutes
4 'Titanic: The Legend Goes On' (2000)
Directed by Camillo Teti
Image via Titanic Cartoons SRL Roma
Titanic: The Legend Goes On is an animated movie that recounts the sinking of the TItanic. Unlike James Cameron's masterpiece, Titanic, this movie is silly and irreverant. There was an opportunity to tell this tragedy in a way that was targetted at younger viewers in a sensitive way. Titanic: The Legend Goes On could also have leaned fully into the tragedy of the pets that were on board the Titanic, and the fact that many did not survive.
What makes Titanic: The Legend Goes On one of the worst dramas made is the fact that it is so tone-deaf. While many movies have recounted this tragedy successfully, this movie lacks any semblance of emotional resonance. Titanic: The Legend Goes On can't decide if it wants to be a silly cartoon for children, or a serious reflection on a real-life tragedy. A single good power ballad can't save this movie from itself.
3 'Fifty Shades of Grey' (2015)
Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson
Image via Universal Studios
Fifty Shades of Grey is based on the book of the same name by E.L. James. Like the book, the movie chronicles the story of Ana Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). Grey, a 20-something billionaire, quickly introduces Ana to his world of BDSM. Along the way, the two explore their relationship and the dynamics that continue to shift as they explore this intense and complicated relationship style.
Fifty Shades of Grey could have been an examination of the way relationship dynamics have evolved into the modern age. Instead, like the book, the movie features characters who are never fully fleshed out. The real flaw of Fifty Shades of Grey is that it never stops glorifying a toxic and abusive relationship. There is never a moment where it seems like the two protagonists are meant to be together. Instead, they both bumble through anything resembling a love story.
Release Date February 13, 2015
Runtime 125 Minutes
2 'Ben & Arthur' (2002)
Directed by Sam Mraovich
Image Courtesy of Ariztical Entertainment.
Ben & Arthur follows a couple, Ben Sheets (Jamie Brett Gabel) and Arthur Sailes (Sam Mraovich), who face obstacles when trying to get married. After same-sex marriage is legalized in Hawaii, Ben and Arthur work towards getting married themselves. Instead of being a poignant romance or a topical drama, Ben & Arthur is a strange example of terrible filmmaking and bad storytelling. The movie could be considered an example of one that is so bad, it's good.
Ben & Arthur is a low-budget movie that always feels its lack of resources. The performances are wooden, and the overall narrative makes little sense. The continuity errors might not have been so glaring if there was anything holding this movie together. Ben & Arthur is another example of a movie that wastes a solid premise. The movie takes itself far too seriously and ultimately creates a chaotic story that is impossible to invest in.
Ben & Arthur
Release Date September 9, 2002
Director Sam Mraovich
Cast Jamie Brett Gabel , Sam Mraovich , Michael Haboush , Bill Hindley , Julie Belknap , Gina Aguilar , Arthur Huber , Oto Brezina , Richard Hitchcock , Bruce Lurie , Buck Elkin , Nick Bennet , Loretta Altman
Runtime 85 minutes
1 'The Room' (2003)
Directed by Tommy Wiseau
Image via Chloe Productions
The Room was written and directed by Tommy Wiseau, who also stars in the movie. It is a melodramatic love story that follows Johnny (Wiseau), a banker, and his fiancée Lisa (Juliette Danielle). The movie takes place in a single room (hence the title), which gives the movie an overall claustrophobic feeling. With iconic lines, like "You're tearing me apart, Lisa!", The Room has earned a cult following in the years since it was released.
What makes The Room the worst movie of the last 25 years is the fact that is a vanity project from beginning to end, that offers nothing to the audience. The plot is tedious, the script is laughable, and the performances are by actors who are all acting as if they are in different projects. While The Room is beloved by many, it is not a particularly interesting romance. It fails to be a fun and poignant character study that it could be.
English (US) ·