The 10 Most Underrated Marisa Tomei Movies, Ranked (From Least to Most Underrated)

Marisa Tomei has moved easily between intimate indie projects and major studio releases, building a career that includes an Academy Award for ‘My Cousin Vinny’ and additional nominations for ‘In the Bedroom’ and ‘The Wrestler’. Along the way she has taken on characters who feel lived in and specific, from working class strivers to sharply observed professionals, across drama, comedy, and everything in between.

This list gathers ten films that show the range of her screen work and the many ways she deepens a story. The countdown moves from titles that fly a bit under the radar to those that still spark conversation among movie fans, highlighting where she fits into each production, who she worked with, and how the film came together behind the scenes.

‘Cyrus’ (2010)

Marisa Tomei plays Molly, a warm and self contained single mother whose relationship with John C Reilly’s character is complicated by her adult son Cyrus, played by Jonah Hill. The story balances awkward humor with family friction, using naturalistic dialogue and handheld camerawork that put conversations at the forefront.

Directed by Jay and Mark Duplass, the film premiered at Sundance and helped bring their low key style to a wider audience. It was released by Fox Searchlight in a platform rollout, with much of the shoot set in Los Angeles interiors and neighborhoods that keep the focus on the trio at the center.

‘Only You’ (1994)

Tomei stars as Faith Corvatch, a Pittsburgh schoolteacher who follows a long held romantic hunch all the way to Italy, where a chance encounter with a charming stranger, played by Robert Downey Jr, sends her on a winding search across cities and coastlines. The film leans on classic screwball rhythms, mixing missed connections with postcard ready settings.

Norman Jewison directed, drawing on locations in Rome, Venice, and the Amalfi Coast to frame the story’s travelogue structure. The cinematography by Sven Nykvist uses soft light and richly textured night scenes, and the production worked extensively on location to capture narrow streets, seaside vistas, and busy piazzas without soundstage recreations.

‘Untamed Heart’ (1993)

Tomei plays Caroline, a Minneapolis waitress whose quiet bond with Adam, a shy busboy with a serious medical condition played by Christian Slater, grows through small acts of care and routine. The film centers on working shifts, city bus rides, and late night walks, keeping the romance grounded in everyday details.

Tony Bill directed with a focus on wintry Twin Cities settings, using local diners and side streets to give the story a specific sense of place. Rosie Perez co stars as a quick witted friend, and the production relied on practical locations that shaped the look of the interiors and the muted palette of the outdoor scenes.

‘The King of Staten Island’ (2020)

Tomei plays Margie Carlin, a nurse and single mother trying to keep her family steady while her son Scott, played by Pete Davidson, struggles to find direction. The film threads family arguments and small breakthroughs into scenes that feel casual and lived in, with Tomei anchoring the home life that everything revolves around.

Directed by Judd Apatow, the project folds in elements from Davidson’s life and features a supporting cast that includes Bill Burr and Bel Powley. Location work across Staten Island gives the movie neighborhood specificity, and the release pivoted to premium video on demand with a strong at home rollout.

‘The Ides of March’ (2011)

As Ida Horowicz, a persistent political reporter, Tomei moves through campaign offices and press scrums while tracking a governor’s presidential bid. Her character works sources, tests boundaries, and forces staffers to confront uncomfortable information as the primary season accelerates.

George Clooney directed and co wrote the adaptation of the play ‘Farragut North’, with Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Paul Giamatti rounding out the ensemble. The production shot in Ohio and Michigan to capture debates and rallies, and the film earned an Academy Award nomination for Adapted Screenplay that recognized its tightly constructed structure.

‘Happy Accidents’ (2000)

Tomei plays Ruby Weaver, a New Yorker whose new boyfriend, played by Vincent D’Onofrio, insists he is from the future. The relationship plays out in therapy sessions, street corner chats, and small apartment moments, blending romance with gentle science fiction ideas that stay rooted in character.

Brad Anderson wrote and directed, keeping the story intimate with close framing and neighborhood locations. The film premiered at Sundance and built word of mouth through a limited release, with a score and sound design that support the offbeat tone without leaning on effects or spectacle.

‘Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead’ (2007)

Tomei appears as Gina Hanson, whose private life intersects with a botched robbery planned by two brothers played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke. The narrative unfolds out of order, circling back to the same day from different points of view and revealing new context with each return.

Sidney Lumet directed what would become his final feature, bringing decades of experience with New York crime dramas to a modern setting. The cast also includes Albert Finney, and the production favors real locations, tight interiors, and a restless camera that mirrors the escalating panic at the heart of the story.

‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’ (2011)

Tomei plays Kate Taffety, a schoolteacher whose brief date with Steve Carell’s character spirals into a running complication that pays off in a crowded living room showdown. The movie interweaves multiple relationship threads, with bar lessons, parent teacher conferences, and unexpected reveals snapping together in the final act.

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, the ensemble features Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, and Julianne Moore alongside Tomei. The production mixes suburban exteriors with sleek bar sets, and the choreography of the party sequence was carefully staged to land overlapping punchlines and character beats.

‘In the Bedroom’ (2001)

Tomei plays Natalie Strout, a young mother whose relationship with a local college student pulls a Maine family into a chain of grief and consequence. Her scenes turn on small town routines, shared meals, and quiet phone calls that build pressure without leaving the boundaries of a coastal community.

Todd Field directed the adaptation of Andre Dubus’s short story ‘Killings’, with Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson leading the cast. The film received multiple Academy Award nominations including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actress for Tomei, and it was shot in midcoast Maine locations that give the drama a tangible sense of place.

‘The Wrestler’ (2008)

Tomei plays Cassidy, a dancer who becomes a confidant to a fading professional wrestler played by Mickey Rourke as he weighs health, family, and the only work he knows. Their conversations unfold in dressing rooms, diners, and parking lots, with small gestures and glances carrying as much weight as the bouts in the ring.

Darren Aronofsky directed with a documentary like approach, filming at regional wrestling shows and using tight over the shoulder shots that follow characters through crowds and corridors. The film won the Golden Lion at Venice and earned Tomei an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, recognizing the precision and detail in her character work.

Share your favorite underappreciated Marisa Tomei performances in the comments and tell us which film you think deserves more love.