Sometimes you watch a movie and instantly fall in love. Things just immediately click. However, other times a film can take a while to grow on one. It’s not uncommon to hate a movie on first watching, only to find things to appreciate on subsequent viewings.
On r/movies, the largest film subreddit, Redditors got together to discuss some of the movies they despised on first watch, but later came to love. Their picks include a lot of terrific movies that might be a little hard to digest at first, but which reward rewatching.
10 ‘Insomnia’ (2002)
Insomnia is a psychological thriller directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Al Pacino as seasoned detective Will Dormer. He is sent to a remote Alaskan town to investigate the murder of a teenage girl. As he hunts for the killer, Dormer becomes plagued by insomnia and begins to unravel under the weight of the case and his own personal demons.
“Originally didn’t just hate it, I hated it with a passion,” u/AChocolateHouse says. “Years later, desperate for a comfort movie set in winter, I played it again. It was perfect. The reason for my change was I began watching with subtitles and already knew some of the plot. The extremely dense plot and dialogue was more understandable by me on a 2nd viewing, and now it’s grown to be one of my favorite movies.”
9 ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ (1994)
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Four Weddings and a Funeral is a charming and witty romantic comedy starring Hugh Grant as the bumbling but endearing lead character, Charles. It follows Charles and his group of friends as they navigate a series of weddings and funerals, each event bringing new surprises and romantic entanglements.
With its clever script, sharp humor, and memorable characters, Four Weddings and a Funeral became a cultural phenomenon. However, one Redditor couldn’t stand it at first. “I thought all romantic movies were lame so I hated ’em for no reason except toxic upbringing expectations that were put on me,” says u/MarkoMrky. “Rewatched a bunch recently and these are just some of the ones I loved.”
8 ‘Mulholland Drive’ (2001)
Mulholland Drive is a mind-bending movie directed by David Lynch about a hopeful actress named Betty (Naomi Watts) who arrives in Los Angeles to pursue her dreams. She befriends a mysterious woman named Rita (Laura Harring) who has lost her memory. Together, they embark on a surreal journey through the underbelly of Hollywood, encountering bizarre characters and experiencing strange and unsettling events.
Lynch’s signature style of dreamlike storytelling is very much on display, along with stunning visuals and a haunting score. It defies easy categorization and continues to intrigue audiences two decades later. “HATED it the first time I saw it years ago,” says u/andro_7. “I love that move now and I still don’t completely understand why.”
7 ‘The Fifth Element’ (1997)
This action sci-fi directed by Luc Besson stars Bruce Willis as Korben Dallas, a retired military operative turned cab driver in a futuristic version of New York City. He becomes embroiled in a dangerous mission to save the world from an ancient evil that threatens to destroy all life.
Willis flexes his action-star prowess in the role. The supporting cast is equally impressive, with memorable turns from Milla Jovovich as the otherworldly Leeloo, Gary Oldman as the eccentric villain Zorg, and Ian Holm as the wise priest Vito Cornelius. “I just couldn’t get into it. Or through it, to be honest. I fell asleep on my first three viewing attempts. Then one day, I tried again. Everything fell into place, and I loved it,” says u/AndyFaumanSentMe.
6 ‘Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom’ (1984)
The second Indiana Jones follows the iconic archeologist and adventurer (Harrison Ford) as he travels to India to retrieve a precious stone and ends up entangled in a dangerous quest to rescue enslaved children from a cult.
“I always had a much lower opinion of it than its predecessor or successor,” says u/Beefcat. “After a recent rewatch, I came to the conclusion that this film, and the third act in particular, might be Spielberg‘s best action work to date. The conveyor belt fight and the bridge scene both really stood out to me with their pacing, tension building, and how well Spielberg conveys the constantly shifting geography.”
5 ‘Prometheus’ (2012)
Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, and Charlize Theron star in this Alien origin story directed by Ridley Scott. A team of scientists and explorers set out on a mission to a distant planet to uncover the origins of humanity. As they explore the planet, they encounter deadly creatures and uncover a conspiracy that threatens the fate of the human race.
“I thought there were some scenes/ideas that were complete crap. Sending a bunch of half-wits to visit a new planet. The terrible mapping technology they used after managing to navigate to and land on an alien world. The terrible quarantine procedures. Just letting that guy straight onto the ship,” u/Sonic320 says. “When I watched it again I put that to the back of my mind and just enjoyed the story and the gory scenes. I really enjoyed it.”
4 ‘The Lodge’ (2019)
The Lodge is a psychological horror starring Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell, and Lia McHugh. It tells the story of a soon-to-be stepmother who finds herself trapped with her fiancé’s children in a remote winter cabin during a snowstorm. As the days go by, strange and terrifying events begin to occur, and the family begins to fall apart as they confront their deepest fears and darkest secrets.
Keough delivers an emotionally charged performance as the traumatized Grace, while Martell and McHugh are believable as the children struggling to come to terms with their own grief and trauma. The result is a chilling and atmospheric film that explores the dark corners of the human psyche and the dangers of isolation.
3 ‘Drive’ (2011)
Drive is a neo-noir crime thriller directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, featuring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, and Bryan Cranston. Gosling plays a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. He falls for his neighbor and soon becomes involved in a heist that goes wrong and puts their lives in danger.
“The first time I saw Drive was in the theater with three friends, who all absolutely hated it. I thought it was average at best,” says u/SeattleMan123. “Watched it again a few years later, great f—ing movie.”
2 ‘A Serious Man’ (2009)
A Serious Man is Joel and Ethan Coen at their offbeat finest. Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a physics professor in a Midwestern university whose life begins to come apart when his wife leaves him for his best friend and his job is threatened by anonymous letters. As he struggles to find answers to his problems, he seeks guidance from rabbis, but their advice only confuses him further.
“I was so annoyed and frustrated by the movie, especially by the ending. I couldn’t stop thinking about it and found more and more things I did actually like about it,” wrote u/Tupperwaretooth. “Now it’s one of my favorite movies.”
1 ‘Winter’s Bone’ (2010)
This drama directed by Debra Granik was a breakout role for star Jennifer Lawrence. She plays Ree Dolly, a young woman living in the Ozark Mountains who must find her missing father or risk losing her family’s home. As she navigates a dangerous and poverty-stricken world of drugs and violence, Ree confronts family secrets and cultural traditions that threaten to destroy her.
Granik’s direction and the haunting cinematography create a sense of foreboding that perfectly complements the film’s stark and bleak setting. However, it clearly didn’t connect with all viewers on first viewing. “I thought Winter’s Bone was so boring and slow the first time I watched it and then was really engaged the second time I watched it (now I think it’s one of the better movies of its decade),” wrote u/AbleInfluence1817.