The 10 Most Underrated John Krasinski Movies, Ranked (from Least to Most Underrated)

John Krasinski’s film work stretches far beyond the hits most people instantly name. Across acting, writing, and directing, he has stacked together studio comedies, tense true-story dramas, and small, character-driven indies. This list spotlights ten titles where he either starred or took the reins behind the camera—projects that flew a bit under the radar compared with his biggest blockbusters.

Presented as a countdown, you’ll find production details, source material, collaborators, and release context for each pick. Each entry focuses on concrete information—who made it, who’s in it, what it adapts, where it was shot, how it was released, and the real-world events that shaped it—so you can quickly place the movie in Krasinski’s broader career.

‘Something Borrowed’ (2011)

Based on Emily Giffin’s novel of the same name, this romantic comedy follows a Manhattan attorney who falls for her best friend’s fiancé, with Krasinski playing Ethan, a confidant who complicates matters as long-buried truths surface. The film stars Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, and Colin Egglesfield, and was directed by Luke Greenfield. Principal photography took place in New York City and on the beaches of Long Island, with Warner Bros. handling distribution across U.S. theaters.

The screenplay was written by Jennie Snyder Urman, adapting character arcs and plot points from Giffin’s bestseller while condensing the timeline for a feature-length runtime. Production used a mix of location shooting in recognizable Manhattan neighborhoods and staged interiors on soundstages to capture both professional and social settings central to the story’s conflicts.

‘Leatherheads’ (2008)

Set in the 1920s during the early days of professional American football, this period sports comedy was directed by George Clooney, who also co-stars alongside Renée Zellweger and Krasinski. The narrative centers on the transition from a rough-and-tumble game to a more regulated sport, with Krasinski portraying a decorated college hero whose arrival changes a struggling team’s prospects. Universal Pictures released the film following a production that built extensive vintage uniforms and equipment to match the era.

Filming took place across North Carolina and South Carolina, where stadiums and town squares were dressed to reflect Prohibition-era architecture and signage. The production design emphasized leather helmets, single-wing formations, and newspaper-driven publicity, aligning the movie’s look and on-field sequences with the historical evolution of the game.

‘The Hollars’ (2016)

Krasinski directed and starred in this family dramedy about an aspiring graphic novelist who returns to his Midwest hometown when his mother falls ill. The ensemble includes Margo Martindale, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick, Sharlto Copley, Charlie Day, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, the film was acquired and released in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics.

Production was mounted in Mississippi, doubling for small-town America with practical locations such as hospitals, churches, and family homes to ground the story in everyday spaces. The shoot emphasized intimate blocking and natural light to keep performances front-and-center, while the editing rhythm favors dialogue-driven scenes that map the family’s shifting dynamics.

‘Big Miracle’ (2012)

Inspired by the 1988 Operation Breakthrough rescue effort in Alaska, this drama chronicles the joint push by local residents, reporters, oil companies, and the U.S. and Soviet militaries to free three gray whales trapped by pack ice. Directed by Ken Kwapis, the cast features Krasinski as a small-market TV reporter, alongside Drew Barrymore, Kristen Bell, Dermot Mulroney, and Ted Danson. Universal Pictures released the film, which recreates late-Cold War cooperation in sub-Arctic conditions.

The production combined on-location work in Anchorage and Seward with tank shoots and animatronic whale effects to depict cracks opening in sea ice and the logistics of moving heavy de-icing equipment. Archival-style broadcast footage and period wardrobe help situate the story in the late 1980s, reflecting the media ecosystem and geopolitics that made the rescue a global headline.

‘It’s Complicated’ (2009)

This contemporary comedy, written and directed by Nancy Meyers, centers on a divorced couple who reconnect at a family event, with Krasinski appearing as Harley, the fiancé of the couple’s daughter who finds himself privy to their secret. The film stars Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, and Steve Martin, and was distributed by Universal Pictures following a holiday-season release strategy that placed it alongside other adult-skewing comedies.

Cinematography and production design highlight upscale residential interiors and coastal exteriors in California and New York, capturing the setting’s role in the characters’ careers and family gatherings. The film employs Meyers’ trademark attention to kitchens, workspaces, and social venues, using those environments to stage multi-character dialogue and intersecting subplots.

‘Promised Land’ (2012)

Co-written by John Krasinski and Matt Damon from a story by Dave Eggers, this drama follows two corporate representatives pitching natural-gas leases in rural communities. Directed by Gus Van Sant, the film stars Damon, Frances McDormand, Hal Holbrook, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Krasinski. Focus Features handled distribution, with the release timed for the late-year awards corridor.

The production shot in western Pennsylvania, using farmhouses, school auditoriums, and small-town storefronts to depict community meetings and door-to-door outreach. The screenplay weaves classroom scenes, town-hall debates, and local business visits into a procedural structure, while the score and sound mix foreground ambient rural soundscapes to anchor the setting.

‘If’ (2024)

Written and directed by Krasinski, this family fantasy centers on a young girl who discovers she can see other people’s imaginary friends and sets out to reunite them with their creators. The live-action cast includes John Krasinski, Ryan Reynolds, Cailey Fleming, and Fiona Shaw, with voice performances from Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and others. Paramount Pictures released the film domestically and internationally, positioning it as a four-quadrant title.

The production blends practical photography in New York City with digital character work, integrating CG imaginary companions into real locations through motion-capture and animation pipelines. Marketing emphasized original character designs and cross-promotional tie-ins, while post-production schedules coordinated VFX vendors to deliver creature interactions and environmental compositing at feature scale.

‘Away We Go’ (2009)

Directed by Sam Mendes from a screenplay by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, this road-trip dramedy follows an expectant couple traveling across North America to choose where to build their life. Krasinski co-stars with Maya Rudolph, with appearances by Allison Janney, Catherine O’Hara, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Chris Messina. Focus Features released the film after festival play, using a platform rollout in select cities before expanding.

Shooting spanned multiple states and provinces, employing a mix of handheld and steadicam work to keep transitions fluid as the pair visits friends and relatives. The production used real homes, local diners, and public parks in places like Phoenix, Tucson, Madison, Montreal, and Miami to create a patchwork of regional textures that mirror the couple’s search.

’13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi’ (2016)

This action-drama, directed by Michael Bay, dramatizes the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, following a team of private security contractors who defended the compound and nearby CIA annex. Based on Mitchell Zuckoff’s nonfiction account, the film stars Krasinski as Jack Silva alongside James Badge Dale, Pablo Schreiber, and Max Martini. Paramount Pictures distributed the movie, which was mounted with an emphasis on military hardware and extended night-battle sequences.

Filming took place in Malta and Morocco, where locations were adapted to represent urban Libyan streets, rooftops, and the annex perimeter. The production incorporated practical pyrotechnics, live-fire-simulated muzzle flashes, and vehicle stunts, while sound design and color grading were tailored to low-light engagements, surveillance imagery, and aerial-support perspectives.

‘Detroit’ (2017)

Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, this historical crime drama examines events surrounding the 1967 Detroit civil unrest, with a focus on the Algiers Motel incident. The ensemble cast includes John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore, and Hannah Murray, with Krasinski appearing as an attorney involved during the legal aftermath. The film was released by Annapurna Pictures following a summer rollout that included select-city openings and wider expansion.

Production was primarily based in Boston and Brockton, Massachusetts, where streets were redressed to replicate late-1960s Detroit storefronts and signage. The camera approach favors handheld coverage and period-accurate lenses, while costume and hair departments match uniforms and civilian styles from the era to align with archival photographs and contemporary reporting.

Have a favorite deep-cut Krasinski film I missed here? Share your thoughts in the comments!