It’s not the destiny of every film to go on to become either a blockbuster or a classic. More often than not, movies come and go and barely get remembered years or even decades later. But in the streaming age, movies that could have been lost to oblivion are still with us, even on Paramount+.
After looking over everything new on Paramount+ this month, we’ve put together the following list of three underrated movies that you have to watch in April. Our first pick is a thriller from director James Mangold, while the second was the breakout film for Game of Thrones‘ Peter Dinklage. And our third choice featured the acting debut of the late Tupac Shakur.
Identity (2003)
Before moving on to comic book movies and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, James Mangold helmed the twisty thriller, Identity. The story follows ten strangers, including a former cop named Ed Dakota (John Cusack), a secretive correctional officer, Samuel Rhodes (Ray Liotta), and a sex worker, Paris Nevada (Amanda Peet), who just wants to leave her old life behind.
While stranded at a hotel in the middle of nowhere, Ed and the others realize they have some unsettling things in common. More pressingly, one of the strangers is a murderer who is picking off the rest one by one. And if Ed can’t solve this mystery, then no one will check out of this hotel alive.
Watch Identity on Paramount+.
The Station Agent (2003)
The Station Agent was Peter Dinklage’s first leading role in a film, which paved the way for him to achieve greater stardom in Game of Thrones and beyond. Dinklage is absolutely riveting as Finbar McBride, a man suffering from dwarfism who would rather retreat from the world than subject himself to verbal abuse from strangers.
After inheriting a home near an abandoned train depot, Finbar finds himself drawn into the lives of his neighbors, Olivia Harris (Patricia Clarkson) and Joe Oramas (Bobby Cannavale). Finbar also befriends a young woman named Emily (Michelle Williams). But the closer that Finbar becomes to others, the more he leaves himself open to being emotionally hurt.
Watch The Station Agent on Paramount+.
Juice (1992)
Rapper Tupac Shakur showed a lot of promise as an actor in Juice, a crime drama that cast him in one of the leading roles as Roland Bishop. Omar Epps leads the cast as Quincy “Q” Powell, the best friend of Bishop, Raheem Porter (Khalil Kain), and Eric “Steel” Thurman (Jermaine Hopkins). The guys are closer than brothers until Bishop convinces them to participate in a robbery so they can finally get some respect in their neighborhood.
The robbery quickly goes wrong, leaving blood on Bishop’s hands, which alienates him from the rest of the group. Q and the others attempt to keep their distance when Bishop discovers he has a taste for killing. But when Bishop feels that his friends have become disloyal to him, even the bonds of friendship won’t be enough to save them.
Watch Juice on Paramount+.
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