10 Worst Oscar Bait Movies of the Last 25 Years, Ranked

The Academy Awards celebrate the best in film, but not every movie chasing a trophy hits the mark. Some movies are created with one goal: to win Oscars. Dubbed “Oscar bait,” these films are designed to attract the Academy’s attention with heavy themes, grand performances, outstanding production design, or self-serious storytelling. Instead of feeling genuine, many come off as awkward attempts to impress voters.

Over the years, plenty of these films have missed the mark. They rely on forced drama, shallow messages, or exaggerated acting. A few managed to snag awards, but most were met with criticism – or even nominated for razzies. Here’s a look at the ten worst Oscar-bait movies from the past 25 years.

10

‘Back to Black’ (2024)

Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson

Back to Black tells the story of the legendary Amy Winehouse, focusing on her rise to fame, struggles with addiction, and toxic relationships. Marisa Abela delivers a strong performance as Amy, capturing her vulnerability and charm, while the film tries to explore her personal life and artistry. Unfortunately, the narrative prioritizes her relationship drama over her musical achievements, offering an unbalanced portrayal of her legacy.

Some important milestones of Winehouse’s life, like her Back to Black album success and collaboration with Tony Bennett, are either rushed or omitted. Instead, the film leans too heavily on Amy’s relationship with Blake, simplifying her legacy and focusing on the toxic influences in her life. The decision to present Amy’s music out of chronological order further confuses the timeline, making it hard to understand her career milestones. Back to Black had the potential to honor Amy’s life and music and to win awards as a great biopic, but it delivers a narrow and incomplete portrayal of a once-in-a-generation talent.

9

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ (2021)

Directed by Stephen Chbosky

Based on the Tony-winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen explores themes of mental health, grief, and connection, with songs offering moments of emotional uplift. It would be expected to generate some buzz for awards, since it was a massive success as a play and had great female performances, like Amy Adams and Julianne Moore. Unfortunately, the film stumbles under the weight of its premise, leaving a troubling narrative about exploiting tragedy for self-gain.

Ben Platt’s return as Evan, despite his obvious miscasting at 26, undermines the story’s sincerity. The film’s attempt to balance empathy with critique feels shallow and awkward, resulting in a muddled message. Instead of inspiring, Dear Evan Hansen comes across as cringeworthy and tone-deaf.

8

‘The Son’ (2022)

Directed by Florian Zeller

Following his success in The Father, Florian Zeller thought he could do it again. The Son is the kind of heavy-handed drama that screams “Oscar bait.” Tackling themes like depression and family dysfunction, it follows a father (Hugh Jackman) struggling to help his son, Nicholas (Zen McGrath), through a mental health crisis. Despite its weighty subject and a cast that includes Jackman, Laura Dern, and Vanessa Kirby, the film’s portrayal of depression lacks depth and sensitivity, leaning on clichés instead of authentic storytelling.

The Father was a huge success, and it’s easy to understand why: it was such an accurate and personal story about a father-daughter relationship, combined with strong performances by Olivia Colman and Anthony Hopkins, that led this movie to win 2 Oscars. However, The Son follows a different path, with a melodramatic tone and manipulative twists that turn an important topic into a shallow spectacle. Intended as a profound awards contender, The Son ultimately alienates viewers with its hollow emotional beats, making it a clear misfire in the Oscar-bait genre.

7

‘Amsterdam’ (2022)

Directed by David O. Russell

David O. Russell is one of those directors that seems to be in the movie business to win Oscars, but lately, he’s been missing the target. Amsterdam is a huge mess: it follows three friends, played by Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington, as they uncover a secret plot with ties to one of America’s most outrageous conspiracies. Featuring an A-list ensemble cast, elaborate sets, and a hefty $80 million budget, the film seemed destined for awards season glory. However, its overly ambitious plot and lack of cohesion left viewers disconnected.

Despite its Oscar-bait trappings—period drama, star power, and a weighty premise—the movie failed to captivate. Critics pointed out its convoluted narrative and inconsistent pacing, while audiences found it dull. Instead of a contender, Amsterdam became a costly disappointment, losing its studio millions of dollars.

6

‘Diana’ (2013)

Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel

Princess Diana remains an icon of compassion, strength, and tragedy, making her life a frequent target for award-driven biopics. Diana focuses on her romance with Dr. Hasnat Khan in the years before her untimely death. The film aims to portray her as a woman seeking independence and love while grappling with global fame. With Naomi Watts in the lead and Oliver Hirschbiegel directing, it had the makings of an Oscar contender. However, instead of an insightful look at Diana’s life, it delivers a shallow, melodramatic love story.

The film’s script reduces Diana’s legacy to a bland romance, sidelining her humanitarian work and complexity. Misguided dialogue, underdeveloped characters, and stilted performances waste any potential for nuance. Instead of celebrating her impact, Diana feels like a superficial attempt to capitalize on her enduring fame.

5

‘Hillbilly Elegy’ (2020)

Directed by Ron Howard

Hillbilly Elegy aimed for prestige, adapting vice-president J.D. Vance’s memoir. Ron Howard thought he was making a winning combination here, with Amy Adams and Glenn Close as lead actresses and a story inspired by true events. The film portrays the struggles of a family, focusing on J.D., a Yale law student navigating his troubled past and his mother’s addiction. With its themes of poverty, family dysfunction, and resilience, it seemed designed to attract awards attention. However, the film failed to deliver the nuanced exploration its weighty subject deserved.

Instead of empathy or insight, Hillbilly Elegy relies on caricatures and melodrama, with Adams giving a very exaggerated and bizarre performance. Despite Close’s strong performances, the script and direction turn a complex story into a simplistic, condescending narrative. Hillbilly Elegy is a shameless Oscar-bait movie, coming off as exploitative and hollow.

4

‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (2024)

Directed by Todd Phillips

After the critically acclaimed Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux was one of 2024’s most anticipated releases. The film dives into Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) life in Arkham Asylum, where he meets Harleen Quinzel (Lady Gaga), a fellow patient drawn to his fractured psyche. With a musical twist, their shared madness unfolds through song, delving deeper into Arthur’s chaotic identity and his infamous persona.

However, the sequel failed to recapture the magic of its predecessor. The musical numbers felt uninspired, and the story lacked focus, leaving audiences confused and disconnected. Despite its bold approach, the film alienated fans of the original, resulting in a critical and financial failure and, for sure, no nominations for awards.

3

‘Pearl Harbor’ (2001)

Directed by Michael Bay

Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbor aimed to blend romance with the devastation of one of history’s most infamous attacks, mimicking the success of Titanic. The story follows a contrived love triangle between two best friends fighter pilots, Rafe (Ben Affleck) and Danny (Josh Hartnett), and a nurse, Evelyn (Kate Beckinsale), set against the backdrop of the 1941 Japanese attack. While the film’s 40-minute bombing sequence delivers breathtaking visuals, the melodramatic love story feels clichéd and fails to connect emotionally.

Despite winning the Oscar for Best Sound Editing, the movie falters with its disjointed tone and historically inaccurate narrative. Overstuffed with over-the-top action and underdeveloped characters, Pearl Harbor delivers style over substance, making it a hollow attempt at Oscar bait.

2

‘Alexander’ (2004)

Directed by Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone’s Alexander set out to chronicle the life of Alexander the Great, focusing on his military conquests and personal relationships. Colin Farrell starred as the legendary figure, supported by Angelina Jolie as Alexander’s mother. The film showcased great battle sequences, but struggled with uneven pacing and melodramatic storytelling. While the movie attempted to explore Alexander’s complexities, it often felt overstuffed and lacking focus.

Hyped as a potential Oscar contender, Alexander failed to impress critics or audiences. Its historical inaccuracies, awkward performances (especially Jolie’s accent), and bloated runtime overshadowed its visual spectacle. Despite multiple re-edits to salvage its reputation, the film remains a cautionary tale of ambition exceeding execution, earning little acclaim or awards recognition.

1

‘Cats’ (2019)

Directed by Tom Hooper

Cats, directed by Tom Hooper, adapts Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s beloved stage musical about Jellicle cats competing for a chance to ascend to their version of heaven. Featuring a star-studded cast, including Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Hudson, the film promised to be a heavy Oscar-bait musical. Instead, it delivered a visually unsettling spectacle, with its infamous “digital fur technology” turning its actors into weird humanoid felines.

Intended as a prestigious musical, Cats became a cinematic horror story. Its nonsensical plot, disorienting editing, and awkward sound mixing, turning this into one of the worst movies of all time. Despite the cast’s full commitment, the film’s bizarre execution turned it into a critical and financial disaster, more meme-worthy than award-worthy.

Next: 10 Essential Movies That Got Zero Oscar Nominations