Summary
- Kevin Costner’s film career spans over 50 movies, showcasing his versatility in both Western and non-Western genres.
- Costner’s underrated films, like Mr. Brooks and The Company Men, deserve more appreciation and a critical reassessment.
- Despite some failures, such as The Postman and 3000 Miles to Graceland, Costner’s acting talent remains a highlight in each film.
Kevin Costner has had a vast film career with many significant hits and several underrated films that deserve more love. Appearing in over 50 films, Kevin Costner is best known for his Western movies, though he has dabbled in many genres throughout his career. The actor’s first role was in the 1981 film Malibu Hot Summer. Costner, who has been acting for over 40 years, has become a significant Hollywood celebrity over the past four decades, starring in both television and film.
Apart from film, Costner also had a country music and sporting career, the latter giving Kevin Costner influence in the sports movie genre. Some of Costner’s films, like Waterworld, are infamous flops, though they are still considered well-known in popular culture. Some of Costner’s underrated films, however, were hidden or overlooked over the years and deserve another watch and more love from modern audiences.
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10 Mr. Brooks (2007)
Dir. Bruce A. Evans
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The movie is a psychological thriller about Mr. Brooks, played by Costner, a businessman with a murderous alter ego (played by William Hurt), who takes a protégé after being blackmailed. Detective Atwood, played by Demi Moore, begins digging deep into the case, putting pressure on Brooks. The movie has lots of twists and subplots, almost to the point of being overdone and too tropey. However, it toes the line well.
The movie received mixed reviews from critics, with a 55% on Rotten Tomatoes. It had a more successful audience reception. Mr. Brooks profited with $48.1 million at the box office on a $20 million budget. Some audiences consider the film a future cult classic, though it has yet to reach that level. Not only does the movie deserve a rewatch and a critical reassessment, but it could also benefit from more world-building in the form of a sequel or prequel.
9 The Postman (1997)
Dir. Kevin Costner
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The Postman R Where to Watch
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Director Kevin Costner Release Date December 25, 1997 Runtime 177 Mins
Costner directed, produced, and starred in The Postman, performing as the titular postman. Released in 1997, The Postman is a post-apocalyptic adventure epic set in the year 2013. The movie follows Costner, a post-apocalyptic drifter who dons a postman’s suit and inspires hope in a “Restored United States of America.” Some found it strange that Costner chose to cast himself in the role, though he is able to execute the Western nomadic vibe well.
The movie is based on David Brin’s 1985 book of the same name.
Released on Christmas Day in 1997, The Postman made only $30 million on a $80 million budget and was a commercial failure. Despite its critical faults, Costner has publicly spoken about his pride in the movie. The film arguably hurt Costner’s career, with him not appearing in another movie until 1999. For better or worse, The Postman remains one of Costner’s most infamous films and deserves another watch.
8 Rumor Has It… (2005)
Dir. Rob Reiner
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Rumor Has It… PG-13ComedyDramaRomance Director Rob Reiner Release Date December 22, 2005 Runtime 97 minutes
Rumor Has It… is a romantic comedy starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Aniston, Shirley MacLaine, and Mark Ruffalo. In the rom-com, Costner plays Beau Burroughs, a wealthy technician in Silicon Valley who becomes entangled with multiple generations of a family of women. The plot is a little outlandish, as a woman learns her family might have been the inspiration for the novella The Graduate, upon which the famous 1967 film is based. On a $70 million budget, Rumor Has It… made $88.9 million at the box office.
Led by infamous rom-com director Rob Reiner, many consider the movie intelligently written, directed, and acted, though audiences tend to be split on the merits of the film. Unfortunately, the movie received only a 21% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite some underlying morality issues brushed over in the movie, the all-star cast and comedic premise make Rumor Has It… better than it might initially seem.
7 The Company Men (2011)
Dir. John Wells
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The Company Men RDrama
Director John Wells Release Date October 21, 2010 Runtime 104 Minutes Writers John Wells Main Genre Drama
The Company Men follows a rising star who is laid off at a shipping and manufacturing company. He and his coworkers must redefine their lifestyles and reassess their priorities. Costner plays the main character’s blue-collar brother-in-law, who hires him after the layoff. Though often depressing in tone, the film is made better by a stellar cast. Starring alongside Costner are Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, and Chris Cooper, among many others.
The Company Men explores the crushing grind of capitalism juxtaposed against the power of employees. The drama connects with audiences emotionally, especially those who have ever lost a job, exploring the reactions and behaviors that often follow. The film shows its biases but doesn’t go overboard or become preachy. While critical reception of the film is on the higher end, with a 68% Rotten Tomatoes score, the audience score is significantly lower at just 55%. This doesn’t mean that the film is an acquired taste, only that it might deserve reevaluation from a non-critical or theoretical lens.
6 The New Daughter (2009)
Dir. Luiso Berdejo
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Costner’s only horror film, The New Daughter, follows a family haunted by an evil presence after moving to a new home. Costner plays a recently divorced writer whose daughter begins to change in unexpected ways, which are determined to be related to the strange mound near their house. It is both an exploration of horror monsters and a family drama about a post-divorce family. The film has a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of 40%.
For better or worse, the film follows many horror movie tropes, including researching important backstories on the property and multiple jumpscares. Though The New Daughter can still satisfy the genre by creating a good enough horror film, it doesn’t do much original storytelling. However, all hope for The New Daughter is not lost. What sets The New Daughter apart is the novelty of seeing Costner play in the horror genre.
5 The Highwaymen (2019)
Dir. John Lee Hancock
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The Highwaymen R Where to Watch
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Director John Lee Hancock Release Date March 29, 2019 Runtime 132 minutes Main Genre Drama
The Highwaymen is based on the true story of Bonnie and Clyde’s final days, told from the perspective of the men who killed them. The titular highwaymen include Costner as Texas Ranger Frank “Pancho” Hamer and Woody Harrelson as Ben Maney Gault. Kathy Bates also has a significant role in the film. The Highwaymen was filmed in many real-life locations in the Bonnie and Clyde story and includes several factual details.
With a 76% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is generally liked among audiences. However, the critics’ score is lower, with many noting that the film is relatively generic. The film had a limited theatrical release, with its wide release on Netflix. With two big stars in the lead, the movie promised to be a Western outlaw action film, and it was able to deliver. Despite middling critics’ reviews, audiences agree the film is lovable and perhaps a future classic.
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4 3000 Miles to Graceland (2001)
Dir. Demian Lichtenstein
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3000 Miles to Graceland (2001) R
Director Demian Lichtenstein Release Date February 23, 2001 Runtime 125 Minutes Main Genre Action
Costner starred alongside Kurt Russell in the action film 3000 Miles to Graceland, where the two play Elvis impersonators attempting a major Las Vegas heist. The men and their team attempt to steal over $3 million and leave many casualties behind. The movie is considered one of Russell’s worst films, though Costner’s acting is seen as better-than-average. The film received a mere 15% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film made $18.7 million at the box office, less than half of its $47.4 million budget.
The film was significant in Costner’s career as he attempted to break out of the wholesome all-American image he had developed in previous movies. Costner and Russell feuded over 3000 Miles to Graceland’s tone, with Costner’s suggestion of a violent film winning. Costner attempted to change his persona to that of a villainous rebel, though the movie’s lack of success failed to change his reputation. Upon rewatch, the film, with its interesting premise and iconic performances, might still have the ability to alter Costner’s public persona.
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3 Wyatt Earp (1994)
Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
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Wyatt Earp (1994)
Director Lawrence Kasdan Release Date June 24, 1994 Runtime 190 Minutes
Wyatt Earp is one of Costner’s less successful Western films. The movie focuses on the titular Arizona law Marshall, whose feud led to the O.K. Corral gunfight. A main criticism of the film is its bloated runtime, which is over three hours. However, fans of the genre often find this satisfies their Western shootout needs. The film was added to many “worst of” lists in 1994, which definitely diminished its prominence on Costner’s resume. However, the film is still an exciting and dramatic take on an important historical figure.
The market for Earp-related films is highly saturated. Wyatt Earp was released shortly after Tombstone, another movie about Earp and Doc Holliday, lessening its box office appeal and hurting the film’s profits. Costner was supposed to be involved in Tombstone, but an argument about Earp’s prominence in the film led to his movie’s creation a year later. Ultimately, because of the premiere date and runtime, Costner’s film lost the Tombstone versus Wyatt Earp battle. However, that doesn’t diminish the quality or effort put into Costner’s performance in the movie, which has more positive overall Rotten Tomatoes reviews than not.
| Movie | Budget | Worldwide Box Office |
| Tombstone (1993) | $25 million | $73.2 million |
| Wyatt Earp (1994) | $63 million | $25 million |
2 Dragonfly (2002)
Dir. Tom Shadyac
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Costner stars in Dragonfly as a grieving doctor whose patient’s near-death experiences seem to be messages from his dead wife. Costner’s performance is notably well-done, adding to the movie’s charm. Though the film has a mere 7% of critics on Rotten Tomatoes, the audience reviews are much more optimistic, with 62%. The movie only made $52.3 million on a $60 million budget.
Though
Dragonfly
has a darker tone, it becomes a good and refreshing watch and take on grief.
Dragonfly blends genres as a supernatural mystery thriller. However, many find that the story is a classic story told rather simply, which adds to its charm. Some viewers praised the film for being heartwarming and touching, specifically towards those who have lost a loved one. Though Dragonfly has a darker tone, it becomes a good and refreshing watch and take on grief. The movie also has an interesting twist ending, making it worth another watch and perhaps a reassessment.
1 A Perfect World (1993)
Dir. John Lee Hancock
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A Perfect World (1993) PG-13
Director Clint Eastwood Release Date November 24, 1993 Runtime 138 minutes Main Genre Crime
Costner stars alongside Clint Eastwood in this crime thriller. Costner plays Robert “Butch” Haynes, an escaped convict who takes a young boy hostage. Eastwood is Chief “Red” Garnett, the Texas Ranger in pursuit of the criminal. Despite complaints that the film was rambling and Costner couldn’t accurately pull off the villain character, the film’s critical reception was largely positive. Critic Roger Ebert gave it four stars and called it “a film any director alive might be proud to sign.”
The movie had a mediocre domestic box office, though it made three times as much overseas, grossing a total of $135 million worldwide. In retrospect, Costner said he knew the film was high risk and probably disappointed many, though he still felt it was an opportunity to grow as an actor. The film is considered an acting success from Kevin Costner and one of Eastwood’s better films. The film received a good amount of worldwide love at the time of its release but should be recirculated into discussions of modern pop culture.
Source: Roger Ebert.