Every streaming service has a big movie catalog, but Peacock vies for the title of the best. Peacock ranks as our value pick among the best streaming services for its relatively low price and excellent offerings, from movies to original shows to live sports.
But a big library also means a lot of scrolling. Nobody enjoys clicking through row after row, page after page of titles and posters. Decision paralysis is very real; so is FOMO.
That's why I've hand-picked five great underrated Peacock movies that you should see. I've seen all of them and can vouch for them. They are absolutely worth the affordable cost of a Peacock subscription. Four feature A-list stars early in their careers, while the fifth is an Oscar-nominated sports documentary. Here are the gems I dug out of the Peacock library.
Definitely, Maybe
Too many romantic comedies follow the same outline: Boy meets girl, problems arise, they figure them out, they live happily ever after. Definitely, Maybe puts a refreshing twist on that trope by following three romances —all of which you know didn’t end up working out.
Will Hayes (Ryan Reynolds) is getting divorced when his young daughter Maya asks him how he and her mother met. Through flashbacks, he divulges three important relationships with college sweetheart “Emily” (Elizabeth Banks), journalist Summer (Rachel Weisz) and longtime friend April (Isla Fisher). One of them is Maya’s mom. By the end of the story, Will has a realization about his future.
Watch on Peacock
Short Term 12
This little drama written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (who later helmed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) is stacked with talent in front of the camera. Brie Larson makes her film breakthrough as Grace, a twentysomething supervisor at a facility for emotionally disturbed, at-risk youth. She shares her passion for the work with her sweet, understanding boyfriend Mason (John Gallagher Jr.).
And that work is difficult, demanding and draining. Grace oversees a number of troubled kids, including 18-year-old Marcus (Lakeith Stanfield), who is struggling with his impending departure from the facility. Grace also bonds with a new resident, Jayden (Kaitlyn Dever), whose awful background mirrors her own.
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Half Nelson
Much like Short Term 12, Half Nelson centers on the friendship between an authority figure and a teen. In this case, though, the troubled one is teacher Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling), while his student Drey (Shareeka Epps) is the steadying force.
Dan uses an engaging, maverick style teaching history at a Brooklyn school, but he also has a drug habit. When Drey catches him freebasing cocaine, they begin to form an unlikely bond. See, Drey’s brother is in prison for dealing drugs. Dan tries to act as a mentor and protector for her, even as he continues to struggle with his inner demons. Gosling’s impeccable performance earned him his first Oscar nomination at the young age of 26.
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Easy A
Olive (Emma Stone) is a good kid at a very gossipy high school. And while she plays by the rules, Olive makes the big mistake of a tiny white lie made within the hearing of a classmate (Amanda Bynes) who talks too much. And that's how the entire school comes to think Olive had the rowdiest weekend this side of Magic Mike.
Easy A is a winner thanks to an excellent ensemble cast, most of whom you'll recognize, like Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as Olive’s parents. Lisa Kudrow is one of Olive's teachers, while Malcolm McDowell shows up as the principal. Charming and affable, and very rewatchable, Easy A is one of the first outings that proved Stone was a massive star.
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Murderball
Like any sports movie, Murderball is rousing and inspiring, yet there’s something deeper and more profound here as well. The documentary chronicles the United State quad rugby team, which is made up of athletes who are paraplegic. Using specialized wheelchairs, they play full-contact, no-holds-barred, highly competitive rugby.
The main storyline is the rivalry between the U.S. and Canadian teams leading up to the 2004 Paralympic Games. Though the athletes' bodies may be broken, their spirits are tough and their play is brutal. The different characters captivate with their honesty and determination. Murderball is one of the best documentaries of the Aughts and rightfully received an Oscar nomination. If you missed it before, now is the time to change that.
Watch on Peacock
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