10 Underrated Bradley Whitford Movies That Deserve More Credit

1. The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
Have you ever been in a cabin in the woods? Dull, right? Wrong. Picture this: a quintet of friends for a weekend getaway. Oh, it's every horror cliché gift-wrapped. They even get to choose their poison—quite literally, from a bunch of items that decide the monster.

Meanwhile, guess who's pulling the strings? Bradley Whitford, along with Richard Jenkins, in an underground lair. It's a bureaucrat's nightmare, all to appease some ancient gods.

2. Billy Madison (1995)
Who could forget the oldie but goodie where Adam Sandler's Billy Madison has to redo grades 1-12 to inherit his dad's hotel empire? Now, Whitford plays Eric, the slick villain of the corporate variety. He's the guy who wishes to take over Madison Hotels.

Sinister plans: check. Corporate sleaze: double check. Sandler antics make the laughs, but it's Eric's utter conniving you can't ignore. Like, the man tries to rig an academic decathlon! It's not Citizen Kane, but Eric's weasely shenanigans are worth the popcorn.

3. Little Manhattan (2005)
Aw, young love, ain't it sweet? But here's the twist: Bradley Whitford plays the dad, whose impending divorce jolts his kid, Gabe, out of innocence.

This movie isn't just about Gabe navigating the streets of New York; it's a walk through the lanes of first love and family complications. Whitford is the cherry on top—adding depth to what could have been a one-dimensional role. The dad's failings are Gabe's learnings, get what I'm saying?

4. An American Crime (2007)
Based on real events, it unfolds in 1960s Indiana and revolves around the abuse of Sylvia Likens. Bradley plays Prosecutor Leroy K. New.

The courtroom scenes? Tight as a drum, and Whitford plays a catalyst in bringing justice. He brings layers to a guy who's got to present a horror story to a courtroom, while grappling with its implications himself. Makes you ponder: what's more haunting, the crime or confronting it?

5. Destroyer (2018)
You've got Nicole Kidman as an undercover cop so deep in her role, she's lost. Enter Bradley Whitford as DiFranco, a lawyer with as much sketchy background as anyone. He's the middle man between the FBI and a gang.

But you know what's chilling? The casual menace he exudes. It's like finding a wolf dressed as your lawyer. You know something is off but can't pinpoint it until it's almost too late.

6. A Perfect World (1993)
Think you can outshine Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner? Bradley's got a smaller role in this one, but it's akin to a spiced garnish—making the entire dish come alive. He's Bobby Lee, a sharp-shooting Texas Ranger in training, but with a twist. He's less of a John Wayne and more of a conscience for Eastwood's character.

It's a chase movie where they're after Costner, an escaped convict holding a boy hostage. Yet, Bobby Lee's skepticism about the entire manhunt adds that extra zing.

7. Bottle Shock (2008)
Set in 1976, Whitford embodies Professor Saunders, a wine instructor in a flick about California wine beating French wine in a blind test. Yes, it's based on a true story! Saunders is a tad pompous, the kind of guy who swirls his wine before sniffing it. His minor role is a sobering touch to a slightly tipsy narrative.

8. The Client (1994)
Another legal drama; Whitford's got a thing for them, doesn't he? This time, he's Thomas Fink, an assistant to "Rev" Roy, played by Tommy Lee Jones. There's a young boy who knows where a recently-deceased lawyer hid a murdered senator's body.

It's a race against time to protect the boy, get the info, and bring down the mob. Fink's presence is low-key but significant; he's the gear that makes the complicated legal machinery turn smoothly.

9. Red Corner (1997)
Did you think we'd only stick to American courts? No siree! Richard Gere is framed for murder in China. Bradley's Bob Ghery is the American consul, the diplomatic tightrope walker in this messy situation.

Bob tries, oh how he tries, to navigate the murky waters of international law and diplomatic negotiations. In a movie filled with tension, he's the voice of strained reason.

10. Scent of a Woman (1992)
How about a Whitford appearance in a film where Al Pacino shouts, "Hooah!"? Whitford's Randy is a snobbish, wealthy student who plans a prank targeting the headmaster.

Pacino, playing a blind man, takes young Chris O'Donnell under his wing, and they stumble upon Randy's ill-natured scheme. Bradley's character serves as a wonderful foil, underlining the difference between wealth and class.