It is undeniable that making a film requires a lot of work. From the plot to the production, we need a lot of people and resources to produce a successful movie. Some films need a huge cast to act in one scene, while others just need one singer star to express its whole meaning. Apparently, the acting skill of that star must be excellent enough to attract the audience and the critics. We’ve compiled 14 movies that relied on a single star but it’s a flying color. Let’s see who they are!
#1. Cast Away (2000)
Source: © Cast Away / Twentieth Century Fox
Cast Away (2000) is an American survival drama film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis. The main cast of the film included Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, and Nick Searcy. It’s a journey of Tom Hanks, who plays a FedEx troubleshooter stranded on a deserted island after an airplane crash.
The film was a roaring success when it was the third-highest-grossing film of 2000. The major factor in its success is Hanks’ performance. Thanks to this film, he won Best Actor- Motion Picture Drama at 58th Golden Globe Awards.
#2. I Am Legend (2007)
Source: © I Am Legend / Warner Bros.
I Am Legend (2007) is an American action thriller film based on a novel of the same name. It’s about an unknown virus that wiped out most of mankind. The film stars Will Smith as US Army virologist Robert Neville. Neville is the last human in New York and the only human that is immune to the virus. He tries to develop a cure while defending himself against zombies.
The film isn’t a flop. It was the seventh-highest-grossing film of 2007. Smith’s performance was acclaimed and he received various awards after acting in this film.
#3. Rear Window (1954)
Source: © Rear Window / Paramount Pictures
Rear Window is a mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It’s about a professional photographer, who got over a broken leg. He can’t leave his house so he spends most of his time in a wheelchair and watches his neighbors through a rear window. Many stories start to occur in the neighborhood.
The film is a big success when it received four Academy Award nominations. The most impressive role belongs to Grace Kelly, who attracted many viewers for the films.
#4. Moon (2009)
Source: © Moon / Sony Pictures Classics
Moon (2009) is a science fiction film produced by Duncan Jones. The film stars Sam Rockwell as Sam Bell, who has a psyche after living nearly 3 years on the Moon to look for a rare gas called helium-3. The film received numerous positive reviews from critics and one of the main attractions is Rọckwell’s performance.
#5. Falling Down (1993)
Source: © Falling Down / Alcor Films
Falling Down (1993) is an American action film directed by Joel Schumacher. From its name, we can guess the content of the film. The film stars Michael Douglas in the lead role of William Foster. He is a divorced and unemployed engineer. He encounters a series of bad luck and ends up having depressing look at his life. The acting skill of Michael Douglas is a major part in the successful production of the film.
#6. The Truman Show (1998)
Source: © The Truman Show / Paramount Pictures
The Truman Show (1998) is an American psychological science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir. In the film, Jim Carrey acts as Truman Burbank, a man who grew up living a quiet life in a small city. However, one day, Truman realizes that everything around him is not real and every person around him is a professional actor. The film is a success when it earned numerous nominations at the 71st Academy Awards, 56th Golden Globe Awards, etc.
#7. Phone Booth (2002)
Source: © Phone Booth / Fox 2000 Pictures
Phone Booth (2002) is an American psychological thriller film about Stu Shepard, an arrogant publicist who thinks he has the whole world in his hands. Every single day, he uses the same phone booth to call the woman he is having affair with. But on the last day, before this phone booth is pulled down, Stu receives a phone call from an invisible sniper who knows everything about him, including his relationships. Now Stu’s life is at risk, the stranger demands him to confess everything to his wife.
The acting skill of Colin Farrell is excellent and he got many positive reviews from the critics.
#8. The Machinist (2004)
Source: © The Machinist / Filmax Group
Trevor Reznik (2004) is a psychological thriller film directed by Brad Anderson. It’s about a machinist who struggled with guilt and paranoia after one year of insomnia. In the end, he was escorted to a prison, where he can sleep for a year. Christian Bale, who acts as the main actor, has to lose 63 pounds. He received many praises for his performance.
#9. Man Push Cart (2005)
Source: © Man Push Cart / Noruz Films
Man Push Cart (2005) is a bare expose of the life of a push cart worker, trying to sell coffee and bagels from his pushcart on the streets of Manhattan. He encounters many kinds of people on his way. The film was nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards and was on Roger Ebert’s list of the top 10 movies of 2006.
#10. The Martian (2015)
Source: © The Martian / Twentieth Century Fox
The Martian (2015) is a science fiction film about an astronaut named Mark Watney (Matt Damon), who is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind on Mars. Surprisingly, Watney has survived and finds himself alone on a hostile planet. He finds a way to plant trees, survives and sends signals to Earth. His crew on the Earth receives his signal and works tirelessly to bring Mark home. The Martian (2015) got positive reviews for its visual effects, musical score, and Damon’s performance. It was nominated for several awards.
#11. Gravity (2013)
Source: © Gravity / Warner Bros.
Gravity (2013) is directed by Alfonso Cuarón, a Mexican filmmaker. It’s about American astronauts, who are stranded in space after the destruction of their Space Shuttle and their attempt to return to Earth. The producers had to spend more than 3 years creating most of the film’s visual effects.Considered one of the best films of 2013, it appeared on numerous critics’ year-end lists and was selected by the American Film Institute in their annual Movies of the Year list.
#12. Bronson (2008)
Source: © Bronson / Vertigo Films
Bronson (2008) is a British biographical film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. It’s about Peterson (Tom Hardy), who was born in a respectable middle-class family but became known as one of the United Kingdom’s most dangerous prisoners. He was sentenced to only 7 years in prison but ended up staying in prison for 34 years. Tom Hardy’s performance receives many praises from the audience and makes the film popular.
#13. Into the Wild (2007)
Source: © Into the Wild / Paramount Vantage
Into the Wild (2007) is about a young man who hiked across North America into the Alaskan wilderness. His trip went through ups and downs and he learned many things from the trip.It received critical acclaim and grossed $56 million worldwide thanks to the main actor’s performance.
#14. 127 Hours (2010)
Source: © 127 Hours / Fox Searchlight Pictures
127 Hours is a 2010 survival drama film produced and directed by Danny Boyle. In the film, the main actor, Ralston, must find a way to escape after he gets trapped by a boulder in an isolated slot canyon. It takes him 127 hours to get out of the boulder and save his life. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Franco and Best Picture.