The 10 Most Underrated Andrew Garfield Movies, Ranked (From Least to Most Underrated)

Andrew Garfield has built a filmography that jumps from intimate character studies to sweeping awards contenders. He has played real people, literary figures, and pop culture icons, often disappearing into roles that ask for range and precision. Even with high profile work, several projects in his catalog still fly under the radar for many viewers.

This list spotlights ten titles that deserve a closer look. You will find studio releases, festival discoveries, and streaming premieres that showcase different sides of his craft. Each entry includes essential details about the story, Garfield’s role, and the creative teams behind the camera, so you can decide what to queue up next.

‘Mainstream’ (2020)

Gia Coppola directs this cautionary tale about internet fame, with Garfield playing a chaotic performance artist who crashes into a small video creators life. The film follows the rise of a viral brand that feeds on pranks and spectacle, then shows how a manufactured persona starts to swallow everyone involved. Maya Hawke and Nat Wolff co star, and Jason Schwartzman appears in a key supporting role.

Shot largely in Los Angeles, the production uses real locations and live street interactions to capture the feel of chasing clicks in public spaces. IFC Films released the feature in the United States, and the soundtrack mixes pop and original cues to mirror the characters obsession with trends and metrics.

‘Under the Silver Lake’ (2018)

Writer director David Robert Mitchell crafts a neon soaked mystery set in Los Angeles, with Garfield as a drifting neighbor who follows cryptic clues after a woman vanishes from his apartment complex. The story threads together vintage comics, forgotten zines, secret codes, and old Hollywood landmarks as it builds a conspiracy that crisscrosses the city.

A24 handled the films domestic release, and the production leans into real neighborhoods like Silver Lake and Echo Park to ground the paranoia in familiar streets. Cinematography emphasizes long nights and sun bleached afternoons, while the score by Disasterpeace nods to classic noir and mid century thrillers.

‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’ (2021)

Michael Showalter directs this biographical drama about televangelists Tammy Faye Bakker and Jim Bakker. Garfield portrays Jim Bakker while Jessica Chastain plays Tammy Faye, charting the rise of their television ministry and the legal and financial scandals that followed. The film recreates broadcasts, music numbers, and behind the scenes meetings with period accurate sets and costumes.

Searchlight Pictures released the film, and the production shot in North Carolina and other locations that doubled for the ministries headquarters and studios. Jessica Chastain earned major awards recognition for the title role, and the hair and makeup team received widespread acclaim for detailed prosthetics and design work.

’99 Homes’ (2014)

Directed by Ramin Bahrani, this drama follows a young Florida father who loses his house in a foreclosure and then goes to work for the real estate broker who evicted his family. Garfield plays Dennis Nash, a construction worker who learns the mechanics of flipping seized properties and faces the cost of staying afloat in a broken system. Michael Shannon co stars as the ruthless broker whose operation profits from the housing crisis.

The film shot on location around Orlando, using real neighborhoods to depict empty cul de sacs and sudden evictions. Broad Green Pictures released the movie in the United States, and the script draws on reporting about predatory practices, legal loopholes, and the paperwork churn that enabled mass displacement.

‘Silence’ (2016)

Martin Scorsese adapts Shūsaku Endō’s novel about two Jesuit priests who travel to Japan to find their missing mentor and serve covert Christian communities. Garfield plays Father Rodrigues alongside Adam Driver as Father Garupe, with Liam Neeson as the vanished teacher. The narrative focuses on faith under persecution, moral doubt, and the cost of bearing witness.

Principal photography took place in Taiwan, where the crew built villages, coastal outposts, and mountain paths that stand in for Edo period Japan. Paramount Pictures handled the films U.S. release, and the production design, sound, and language coaching reflect extensive historical research into rituals, dress, and local governance.

‘Never Let Me Go’ (2010)

Mark Romanek directs this adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel about three friends raised at a secluded English school who slowly uncover the purpose behind their upbringing. Garfield plays Tommy, with Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley as Kathy and Ruth, as the story moves from childhood to adulthood across dorms, cottages, and coastal towns.

DNA Films produced the feature, and Fox Searchlight Pictures released it in North America. The movie filmed around Norfolk and other parts of the United Kingdom, using windswept beaches and old school buildings to match the novels melancholy tone. Rachel Portman’s score and period specific production design help anchor the story in a quietly altered version of modern Britain.

‘Boy A’ (2007)

John Crowley directs this drama about a young man released from prison after serving time for a crime committed as a child. Garfield plays Jack Burridge, who tries to build a new identity while working a delivery job and forming new relationships, all under the threat of public exposure. The screenplay is based on Jonathan Trigell’s novel of the same name.

Produced for Channel 4, the film blends social realism with a focus on rehabilitation and media scrutiny. Garfield received the BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor for this performance, and the production uses Manchester and nearby areas to depict both the anonymity and the pressure of life after incarceration.

‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ (2021)

Lin Manuel Miranda makes his feature directing debut with this adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s autobiographical stage work. Garfield plays Larson, a composer in New York City who juggles diner shifts, a long running friendship, and the pressure of a workshop deadline while trying to break into musical theater. The film includes performances of Larson’s songs and reimagined stage numbers that move through apartments, rehearsal rooms, and city streets.

Netflix distributed the film after a limited theatrical run. The production features choreography that blends theater blocking with handheld camera movement, and the recordings capture live vocals in several sequences. Garfield earned major awards nominations and won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Larson.

‘The Social Network’ (2010)

David Fincher directs this chronicle of the founding of a social media company, drawn from Ben Mezrich’s book. Garfield plays Eduardo Saverin, a co founder whose relationship with Jesse Eisenberg’s Mark Zuckerberg fractures as the company expands and new partners enter the picture. The screenplay by Aaron Sorkin structures the story around depositions, with crosscut timelines that track coding sprints and legal battles.

Columbia Pictures released the film, and production took place across Massachusetts and California, with Harvard scenes recreated at locations that matched campus architecture. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross composed an electronic score that won major awards, and the film collected multiple Oscars across writing, editing, and music categories.

‘Hacksaw Ridge’ (2016)

Mel Gibson directs this World War II drama about U.S. Army medic Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector who served without carrying a weapon. Garfield leads the cast as Doss and the story follows basic training, military tribunals, and the brutal battle for Okinawa. The film depicts medical rescues under fire and the chain of command decisions that shaped the unit’s push up a fortified escarpment.

Lionsgate released the film in the United States, and principal photography took place in Australia, where large scale sets recreated battlefields and ridge lines. The movie won two Academy Awards and received nominations that included Best Picture and Best Actor, with sound design and editing highlighted for their work in the combat sequences.

Share your own picks for Andrew Garfield performances that deserve more attention in the comments.