S. E. Hinton’s novel “The Outsiders” is a book I read over and over in middle school. Hinton started writing the book when she was 15 and published it at the age of 18. It’s one of many books about teens who didn’t follow the same path as their peers. I bring this up as I’m about to dive into the best movies about losers and outcasts.
What is the definition of a “loser” or “outcast?” Merriam-Webster defines a “loser” as “someone who loses especially consistently. Also from Merriam-Webster, an “outcast” is “someone who society refuses to accept.” They’re both labels that I’m not particularly fond of. Author Mark Twain described Huckleberry Finn as an outcast that other boys shouldn’t play with.
Being a “loser” or “outcast” isn’t a bad thing. In fact, being an individual is a positive trait in my eyes. If I look at where some of my classmates labeled “outcasts” or “losers” by their peers are now, some turned into successes. One ended up as a regular on the National Geographic reality show “Life Below Zero.” Your path as a kid doesn’t show where you’ll wind up, and that’s why I love to root for the outcasts.
We’re looking at the best movies about losers and outcasts. The characters in these movies have unique personalities and aren’t always accepted by their peers or society in general. Does it make them bad people? I don’t think so. Many of them are endearing with quirky personalities. (Find more examples of outcasts and losers in The Most Hated TV Characters of the 1960s.)
To determine the best movies about losers and outcasts, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of May 2024, weighting all ratings equally. Only movies with at least 1,000 reviews on IMDb were considered, and documentaries were not excluded. Director information is from IMDb.
Here is the list of the best movies about outcasts:
49. The Outsiders (1983)
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (79,779 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (138,456 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (41 reviews)
- Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola
48. Adventureland (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (156,258 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (252,975 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (219 reviews)
- Directed by: Greg Mottola
47. About a Boy (2002)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (178,824 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 55% (31,164,074 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (187 reviews)
- Directed by: Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz
46. The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (188,638 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (136,561 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (193 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Anderson
45. Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (39,290 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (21,107 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 78% (36 reviews)
- Directed by: Woody Allen
44. Elephant (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
Source: Courtesy of Fine Line Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (92,824 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (59,193 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 73% (161 reviews)
- Directed by: Gus Van Sant
43. Clueless (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (197,848 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (556,160 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (116 reviews)
- Directed by: Amy Heckerling
42. Dumb and Dumber (1994)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (366,415 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (1,028,448 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 68% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly
41. School of Rock (2003)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (290,076 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 64% (32,784,354 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (200 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Linklater
40. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
Source: Courtesy of Code Red
Source: Courtesy of Code Red
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (144,732 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (35,418 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (210 reviews)
- Directed by: Lynne Ramsay
39. Slacker (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
Source: Courtesy of Orion Classics
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (20,844 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (10,323 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (43 reviews)
- Directed by: Richard Linklater
38. Barfly (1987)
Source: Courtesy of The Cannon Group
Source: Courtesy of The Cannon Group
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (19,618 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (7,698 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (24 reviews)
- Directed by: Barbet Schroeder
37. Let Me in (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Overture Films
Source: Courtesy of Overture Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (116,390 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (66,958 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (237 reviews)
- Directed by: Matt Reeves
36. The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (413,205 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (102,540 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (189 reviews)
- Directed by: Judd Apatow
35. Knocked Up (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (358,939 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (2,085,028 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (252 reviews)
- Directed by: Judd Apatow
34. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (401,541 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (142,303 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (273 reviews)
- Directed by: Edgar Wright
33. Polyester (1981)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (7,677 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (6,776 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (27 reviews)
- Directed by: John Waters
32. Female Trouble (1974)
Source: Courtesy of Saliva Films
Source: Courtesy of Saliva Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (8,882 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (7,387 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (26 reviews)
- Directed by: John Waters
31. Hairspray (1988)
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
- IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (20,835 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (64,169 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (42 reviews)
- Directed by: John Waters
30. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (276,644 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (256,148 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (211 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Anderson
29. The Full Monty (1997)
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (102,609 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (180,151 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Peter Cattaneo
28. Happiness (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Good Machine
Source: Courtesy of Good Machine
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (68,366 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (41,756 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (48 reviews)
- Directed by: Todd Solondz
27. Raising Arizona (1987)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (132,298 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (89,264 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (58 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
26. Ghost World (2001)
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
Source: Courtesy of United Artists
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (117,647 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (73,554 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (162 reviews)
- Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
25. Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia TriStar Home Video
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Columbia TriStar Home Video
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (33,165 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (33,510 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (50 reviews)
- Directed by: Todd Solondz
24. Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (99,183 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (70,021 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (79 reviews)
- Directed by: Kimberly Peirce
23. Zombieland (2009)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (541,908 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (643,581 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (257 reviews)
- Directed by: Ruben Fleischer
22. Superbad (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (543,101 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (634,860 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (209 reviews)
- Directed by: Greg Mottola
21. Adaptation. (2002)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (194,759 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (188,786 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (211 reviews)
- Directed by: Spike Jonze
20. American Splendor (2003)
Source: Courtesy of HBO Films
Source: Courtesy of HBO Films
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (48,914 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (44,582 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (187 reviews)
- Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
19. Clerks (1994)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (216,399 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (285,512 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Kevin Smith
18. Juno (2007)
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (503,178 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (549,586 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (217 reviews)
- Directed by: Jason Reitman
17. High Fidelity (2000)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (173,740 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (211,818 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (165 reviews)
- Directed by: Stephen Frears
16. Barton Fink (1991)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (117,023 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (45,410 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (61 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
15. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Source: Courtesy of Avenue Pictures Productions
Source: Courtesy of Avenue Pictures Productions
- IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (37,868 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (22,934 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (28 reviews)
- Directed by: Gus Van Sant
14. The Big Lebowski (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Gramercy Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (766,228 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (356,600 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (109 reviews)
- Directed by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
13. Rushmore (1998)
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Buena Vista Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (176,013 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (186,244 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (105 reviews)
- Directed by: Wes Anderson
12. The Breakfast Club (1985)
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (372,267 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (556,906 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (65 reviews)
- Directed by: John Hughes
11. The Social Network (2010)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (708,395 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (204,423 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (329 reviews)
- Directed by: David Fincher
10. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (454,829 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (427,295 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (218 reviews)
- Directed by: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris
9. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (461,303 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (1,033,117 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (60 reviews)
- Directed by: Tim Burton
8. Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
- IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (530,779 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (498,702 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (213 reviews)
- Directed by: Edgar Wright
7. American Beauty (1999)
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
Source: Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution
- IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (1,104,561 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (660,797 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (190 reviews)
- Directed by: Sam Mendes
6. Groundhog Day (1993)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (595,765 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (416,991 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (84 reviews)
- Directed by: Harold Ramis
5. Trainspotting (1996)
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
Source: Courtesy of Miramax
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (706,493 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (314,027 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (89 reviews)
- Directed by: Danny Boyle
4. Stand by Me (1986)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (380,190 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (270,467 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (57 reviews)
- Directed by: Rob Reiner
3. The Elephant Man (1980)
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (243,632 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (64,618 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (53 reviews)
- Directed by: David Lynch
2. Paris, Texas (1984)
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
N/A
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
- IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (112,195 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (24,479 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (51 reviews)
- Directed by: Wim Wenders
1. Taxi Driver (1976)
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
- IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (761,825 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (260,919 votes)
- Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (94 reviews)
- Directed by: Martin Scorsese