From Disney darling to Academy Award winner, Brie Larson has carved a unique path in Hollywood. At just 30 years old, she has already acted in various movies, from small independent ones to big blockbusters. She even tried her hand at directing, with projects such as The Arm (2012), Weighting (2013), Unicorn Store (2017), The Dew Project (2021).
Her latest movie is The Marvels, in which she played Captain Marvel again. However, it didn’t perform well, partly due to criticism from fans who disliked the story or the villain. Negative reviews further compounded the issue, and there were problems with promoting the movie because of actor strikes.
Her return as Captain Marvel wasn’t the box office smash it was hoped to be, especially compared to its predecessor. But Larson’s work in these four movies might make you see The Marvels in a whole new light.
Brie Larson’s 4 Movie Misfires Beyond The Marvels
The most successful actors have missteps, and Brie Larson is no exception. Here’s a look at some of her lesser-known films that might make you appreciate her superhero persona in The Marvels even more.
Basmati Blues (2017)
Basmati Blues is a romantic comedy with musical elements. In the film, Larson plays a scientist named Linda who creates genetically modified rice. She’s sent to India to sell it to farmers, but upon arrival, she discovers the negative consequences it could have on their livelihood.
Though the film aimed to capture the essence of Bollywood, it fumbled in the execution. Despite good intentions, it has been criticized for relying on stereotypes, a predictable plot, and a “White savior” narrative.
The 2017 flick was delayed for years and riddled with clichés. Even the the chemistry between Larson and her co-star felt lacking. According to The Numbers, the film earned 15.6M worldwide and currently holds a 49% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
House Broken (2009)
Brie Larson plays a supporting role in the 2009 comedy House Broken (also known as No Place Like Home). The movie is about a dad, played by Danny DeVito, who is tired of his adult sons still living at home and leeching off him. In order to enjoy his retirement, he decides to take drastic measures to get him to move out and become independent.
Unfortunately, this lowbrow comedy fell short of expectations. The humor is predictable, the acting felt phoned-in, and the overall impression is one of a cynical cash grab. This comedy film holds a measly 42% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. There isn’t widely available information about the box office performance of House Broken.
Remember the Daze (2007)
Remember the Daze (also known as The Beautiful Ordinary) focuses on a group of several suburban teenagers on the last day of school in 1999. Each character deals with their own anxieties and excitement about the future.
This teen drama stars a young Brie Larson with Amber Heard, Alexa PenaVega, and Leighton Meester. It tries to capture the magic of past teen films but lacks originality. Many great teen films mix humor with real emotions, yet Remember the Daze neither evokes nostalgia nor offers a fresh take.
This mishmash make it feel impersonal and doesn’t measure up to classics in terms of wit or heart. The film’s audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 46%.
Sleepover (2004)
In one of Brie Larson’s early roles, she stars in this teen comedy with Jane Lynch and Steve Carell. The movie is coming-of-age story about four friends facing social pressures on the last day of 8th grade. They get challenged to a scavenger hunt by the popular kids.
The prize for winning? The coveted lunchtime spot by the high school fountain, where the cool kids hang out. And if they lose, they sit near dumpsters. The movie follows their crazy night completing challenges.
Despite trying to empower girls, Sleepover feels old-fashioned and focuses too much on the girls’ looks. The only good thing in the movie is seeing familiar faces from the early 2000s. According to the Box Office Pro, the film earned 9.21M. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 15%.
