A movie's more often than not defined by its cast. Some of the best features ever made consist of large ensemble casts, numerous extras, and stunt people. These are no doubt made all the better by other aspects, from directors and writers to music composers and editors.
Sometimes those working behind the scenes team up to ensure just one actor on set delivers a compelling story. Next to large ensembles, many great movies have proven that one performer is enough to make a lasting impact. Among the most recent movies in this style is Inside starring Willem Dafoe, which premieres in the United States on March 17. Before him, though, many superstars embarked on carrying a feature solo.
1 'Inside' (2023)
Willem Dafoe is a fantastic actor, but many already know that. He acted in minimal settings before, like in The Lighthouse with Robert Pattinson, but this time, in Inside, he's doing it solo. He plays Nemo, a high-end art thief on a job to steal artwork from a New York penthouse. But, the place is heavily secured, so Nemo becomes stuck, trying to find a way out and spiraling.
Although there are several other cast members included on the IMDb page, they show up very little. It's all about reveling in the wildness and talent of the insurmountable Dafoe; initial reactions are a mixed bag, but a public release is expected in the US on March 17, so the reviews are yet to really flock in. A fun fact: the movie's tagline is: "This is not Willem Dafoe."
2 'Locke' (2013)
Locke is an underrated one-man spectacle. It stars Tom Hardy and was written and directed by Steven Knight, the genius creator behind shows like Peaky Blinders and See. Hardy plays the titular character, Ivan Locke, who embarks on a two-hour drive from Birmingham to London. This is among Tom Hardy's most essential features.
During this two-hour drive, Locke interacts with several people integral to his private and professional life; events unfold through conversations, and Hardy's left to show emotion on his own. Locke is a drama riddled with suspense and shocking twists. Interestingly, other cast members only appear as voices, but they include Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, and Andrew Scott.
3 'Buried' (2010)
In Buried, Ryan Reynolds acts out what could possibly be half the global population's worst nightmare. The idea of being buried alive is terrifying, so the movie could be a slight trigger for highly claustrophobic people. Reynolds plays Paul, an American truck driver working in Iraq, who wakes up groggily only to realize he's stuck in a wooden coffin underground.
Paul has his phone and a lighter; the premise would probably be very different (or not even exist) if Paul didn't have these. But, considering he was still alive, his captors likely wanted to scar his life instead of ending it. Reynolds delivers the performance of a lifetime in Buried.
4 'All Is Lost' (2013)
Robert Redford is completely alone in All Is Lost. Because he's all alone, no one's there to say his name, and viewers end up knowing Redford's character as just Our Man. The script was only 32 pages long and contains barely any dialogue.
Our Man is on a beautiful boat at sea, but after a collision with a shipping container, nothing's idyllic anymore. He's left to fight the elements, tame his beloved boat, and question his life until that point. Redford's experience makes him the ultimate powerhouse choice for such a strong feature film. It reportedly got a 9-minute standing ovation at its Cannes Film Festival screening.
5 'The Shallows' (2016)
Ryan Reynolds isn't the only one in his household that can hold a feature-length film on his own; his wife Blake Lively did the same in The Shallows. This suspenseful female-led survival thriller sees Lively as Nancy, a surfer coming to a secret beach in Mexico in honor of her mother. But Nancy ends up in a cat-and-mouse (or surfer-and-shark) game with a big shark that lurks around her.
Nancy's stuck on a fairly small rock, around 200 feet from the shore; the shark senses her fear and comes back every time she attempts to escape. It's a game of wits and pure survival, and although the ending is clear, getting to it is what's stressful. The Shallows is one of Blake Lively's best roles to date and a great display of her underrated talents.
6 'I Am Legend' (2007)
Does a dog count as an actor next to Will Smith? Because, if so, give that adorable German Shepard its accolades! Jokes aside, Will Smith carries I Am Legend, although other cast makes appearances throughout, in flashbacks and dreams, at first. Smith plays Dr. Robert Neville, who navigates the desolate streets of New York City with his dog, Sam.
Robert and Sam are sometimes chased by creatures called The Darkseekers. Robert's been playing a radio transmission for several years, hoping someone might respond. But while he waits, he does whatever it takes to survive the cruel conditions. I Am Legend could regain popularity since numerous survival shows and movies are winning over viewers these days.
7 'Gravity'
Technically, Sandra Bullock isn't alone during the entire movie – George Clooney is there for about two minutes. With a 91-minute runtime, though, that's enough to call this highly praised feature a one-woman show. Bullock plays the astronaut Ryan Stone, who becomes separated from her colleague Matt Kowalski (Clooney), ending up alone on a space station.
Gravity was written, directed, and edited by Alfonso Cuarón. Despite obvious sci-fi and thriller aspects, Cuarón told the BBC that Gravity is a "drama about a woman in space." It was nominated for ten Oscars at the 2014 ceremony and won seven.
8 'Moon' (2009)
Moon is a cruelly underappreciated sci-fi thriller with Sam Rockwell in one of his best performances. Before Sandra Bullock flew around space looking for answers, Sam Rockwell jogged on a treadmill as the only astronaut on the Moon. But besides outer space and incredible solo performances, Gravity and Moon have little in common.
Rockwell plays Sam Bell who is nearing the end of his three-year stay on a Lunar mining base. He's accompanied by an AI called GERTY (voiced by Kevin Spacey) with which he communicates in anticipation of returning home. The movie is a clever and mystery-filled exploration of the human condition, but it's best to let the plot unravel itself.
9 '127 Hours' (2010)
James Franco displayed excellent acting skills and fervor for making a one-man movie spectacular. In combination with director Danny Boyle, Franco made 127 Hours into a fantastic survival-based adaptation of real-life events that happened to mountain climber Aron Ralston. Franco's performance was so brilliant, he was nominated for an Oscar that year.
Aron (Franco) embarks on a canyon hike in Moab, Utah. The scenes of him walking between boulders show the movie's fabulous cinematography and foreshadow an upcoming disaster. His arm gets stuck under a boulder during a mishap, and he remains stuck there, completely alone, for 127 hours. This interesting survival film is essential viewing for lovers of the genre.
10 'Cast Away' (2000)
There are numerous one-actor movies, but when people are asked about the one that made the most impact on pop culture and film, they think of Tom Hanks and Cast Away. This well-known feature shows Hanks for the biggest part of the movie, but there's plenty of dialogue - he talks to a cutout volleyball cleverly named Wilson, by the brand whose logo is imprinted into it.
This exciting drama explores modern man's exposure to the pure and unfiltered wilderness; it's no Survivor, but it's quite close to what the reality show offers. Isolation proves to be the worst factor in surviving the elements, and despite the skill and prowess some characters display, just like Hanks's Chuck, they're not immune to craving socialization. It's only human nature.