10 Best Alexander Payne Movies, According to IMDb

Alexander Payne is the wonderful filmmaker behind gems like Election, Sideways, Nebraska, and, most recently, The Holdovers. His movies usually boast a blend of dark humor, insightful storytelling, and keen observations on the human condition. Few directors are as good at simultaneously delving into bleak material and keeping the narrative enjoyable. Payne generally writes (or at least co-writes) his own scripts as well, and has twice won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

“I want to be a student of classical film style, well-acted with good literate storylines, elegantly and efficiently made,” Payne has said of his approach to filmmaking. This could be the thesis statement for his filmography. Crucially, he emphasizes fleshed-out characters. Perhaps as a result, he’s an actor’s director and has directed seven actors in Oscar-nominating performances, including heavy hitters like Jack Nicholson, George Clooney, and Kathy Bates. Given the recent success of The Holdovers, now is a good time to dive into his body of work.

10 ‘Downsizing’ (2017)

IMDb: 5.8/10

This quirky sci-fi explores the concept of shrinking humans to combat overpopulation and environmental issues. The story revolves around Paul Safranek (Matt Damon), and his wife, Audrey (Kristen Wiig), who undergo a revolutionary procedure that reduces them to five inches tall. However, after Paul has been shrunk, he learns that Audrey has backed out at the last minute and is leaving him. Initially enticed by the promise of a better life in a miniaturized community where their money would stretch further, Paul soon discovers that downsizing comes with its own set of challenges.

It’s a fascinating premise rendered with fantastic visual effects, but ultimately the film doesn’t live up to its promise. In particular, many viewers were disappointed by the somewhat muddled tone, especially since Downsizing had been marketed as a straight comedy. Payne was clearly aiming for technology-inspired social satire along the lines of The Truman Show, but the result is more After Earth than Black Mirror.

Watch on Netflix

9 ‘The Passion of Martin’ (1991)

IMDb: 6.5/10

This 49-minute black comedy was Payne’s MFA thesis project at UCLA Film School, and it’s rather impressive for a student film. It centers on Martin (Charley Hayward), a lonely photographer who spends a night with a woman named Rebecca (Lisa Zane) and immediately comes to believe that she is his soulmate. However, when he wakes up to find that Rebecca has disappeared, Martin’s infatuation morphs into obsession. He begins stalking her and engaging in increasingly frightening behavior to get her attention.

The Passion of Martin pulls no punches, striding confidently into dark and twisted subject matter. The ending is especially well done, playing out like a sick joke. It’s a simple concept but deftly executed, boasting a surprising depth of emotional awareness. As a result, the film was acclaimed on the indie circuit and drew Payne significant attention. It went a long way toward establishing him as a feature director.

Watch On YouTube

8 ‘Citizen Ruth’ (1996)

IMDb: 7.0/10

Citizen Ruth was Payne’s feature debut, and he hit the ground running, taking aim at a host of live-wire issues. It stars Laura Dern as Ruth Stoops, a homeless and substance-addicted woman who finds herself at the center of a legal and political storm when she is arrested for endangering her unborn child. The judge recommends that Ruth has an abortion, but an evangelical couple try to convince her otherwise and take her into their home. In the process, Ruth becomes an unwitting pawn in the abortion debate as rival factions, both pro-life and pro-choice, attempt to manipulate her for their own agendas.

The narrative takes unexpected twists and turns as Ruth navigates the absurdity of the situation, exposing the hypocrisy and extremism on both sides of the ideological spectrum. This is a tricky balancing act to pull off, but the film succeeds thanks to Payne’s sharp, irreverent storytelling and Dern’s compelling performance. Almost three decades since its release, Citizen Ruth may now be more relevant than ever.

Watch on Apple TV

7 ‘Paris, je t’aime’ (2006)

IMDb: 7.2/10

Paris, je t’aime is an anthology movie consisting of eighteen segments directed by a total of twenty-two filmmakers, including the Coen Brothers, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Tom Tykwer, and Payne. Payne directed the final segment, entitled 14e arrondissement, referring to a district on the left of the River Seine. It stars Margo Martindale as an American postal worker on holiday in France who explains, in shoddy French, why she loves the City of Light.

Although the segments vary a lot in quality, the film makes for an immersive and affectionate portrait of the city in its various guises. It was followed by more city-centric anthologies, like New York, I Love You and, most recently, Berlin, I Love You. Payne’s short was one of the most acclaimed of the collection, with praise for Martindale’s endearingly blunt performance and the surprisingly thoughtful examination of what it means to be a tourist.

Watch on Kanopy

6 ‘About Schmidt’ (2002)

IMDb: 7.2/10

Jack Nicholson leads this comedy-drama as Warren Schmidt, a recently retired insurance executive who embarks on a soul-searching journey after the sudden death of his wife (Kathy Bates). Feeling disconnected and adrift, Schmidt sets out in his Winnebago to attend his estranged daughter Jeanie’s (Hope Davis) wedding. He intends to prevent her marriage to waterbed salesman Randall (Dermot Mulroney), believing that she can do better. At the same time, she’s shaken by the discovery of love letters that his wife wrote during an affair years prior.

It’s one of Payne’s best character studies, smartly exploring Schmidt’s reflections on his past, his strained relationships, and the search for meaning in the twilight of his life. Nicholson delivers a nuanced performance, capturing all of Schmidt’s vulnerability and existential angst with depth and authenticity. About Schmidt balances moments of humor and melancholy, making for a thoughtful commentary on aging, regret, and the possibility of redemption.

Rent on Amazon

5 ‘Election’ (1999)

IMDb: 7.3/10

Perhaps Payne’s funniest movie, Election is a satire of politics in general and high school politics in particular. It revolves around the ambitious and overzealous Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), as she runs for student body president at a suburban high school. Opposite her is Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), a civics teacher who becomes entangled in the election process. He dislikes Flick and sets out to sabotage her campaign, leading to a darkly comic chain of events. Both of the leads are fantastic; Witherspoon, especially, has never appeared more unhinged.

Here, Payne flexes his talent for witty dialogue and stylistic flourishes, including freeze frames, voice-overs, flashbacks, and showing scenes from various characters’ points of view. Although not a huge commercial success, Election received rave reviews, was nominated for the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, and has become something of a cult film. Payne even claims that Barack Obama told him that Election was his favorite movie about politics.

Watch On Max

4 ‘The Descendants’ (2011)

IMDb: 7.3/10

George Clooney is Matt King, a Hawaiian landowner and attorney, who must grapple with life-altering decisions after his wife falls into a coma following a boating accident. Most of all, he must reconnect with his daughters, ten-year-old Scottie (Amara Miller), who bullies other kids, and seventeen-year-old Alex (Shailene Woodley), a rebel with a history of drug abuse. Matt also discovers that his wife has been having an affair, adding an extra layer of emotional turmoil to an already challenging situation.

The Descendants is not flashy, nor does it boast a particularly enticing premise. Rather, it’s a small, intimate story about the struggles of one family. And yet smart writing and fantastic performances elevate it into a true gem. The whole thing is so confidently made; Payne is not trying to prove himself at all. Rather, his focus is on the characters and the unexpected ways they come together in the face of adversity. Bonus points for the gorgeous Hawaiian backdrops.

Rent on Amazon

3 ‘Sideways’ (2004)

IMDb: 7.5/10

Sideways follows two friends on an alcohol-fueled road trip through California wine country. Paul Giamatti plays Miles Raymond, a depressed and struggling writer, while Thomas Haden Church is Jack Cole, a former soap opera actor celebrating his upcoming wedding. Miles, a wine enthusiast, hopes to introduce Jack to the finer points of the beverage. However, the trip becomes an unexpected journey of self-discovery and reckoning, involving love, infidelity, and a series of chance encounters.

The movie is a brilliant exploration of friendship, passion, and midlife crises, anchored by fantastic performances across the board. Giamatti, in particular, absolutely shines. This is him at his raw, funny, self-loathing best, most evident in his wonderful, heartbreaking scene with Maya (Virginia Madsen). Miles is a deeply flawed character. He drinks too much, hides his true feelings, and lacks the courage to be honest with Maya, whom he has loved in secret for years. But in Giamatti’s hands, he’s also endlessly lovable.

Rent on Amazon

2 ‘Nebraska’ (2013)

IMDb: 7.7/10

Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) is an elderly man who believes he has won a million-dollar sweepstakes prize and sets out on foot to claim it in Nebraska. His skeptical son, David (Will Forte), decides to accompany him on the journey, providing an opportunity for father and son to reconnect. They traverse the Midwest, encountering quirky characters and revisiting Woody’s past, while David tries desperately to keep his hard-drinking dad out of too much trouble.

Nebraska is funny (Forte can’t help but be hilarious) but there’s a strong undercurrent of melancholy, emphasized by the bleak black-and-white cinematography. Like Sideways, it’s a road trip movie, but the focus here is on the bittersweet bonds of family rather than friendship. This is Payne at his most naturalistic and restrained, focusing on character and allowing his stars to do the heavy lifting. Dern is wonderful; this performance gave him a big late-career boost and ranks among his all-time best work.

Watch on Hoopla

1 ‘The Holdovers’ (2023)

IMDB: 8.0/10

Hands down the best Christmas movie to come out of 2023, The Holdovers takes place at a New England boarding school where despised classics professor Paul Hunham (Giamatti) is tasked with looking after the students who must stay on campus over the holidays. Eventually, it’s just Hunham, janitor Danny (Naheem Garcia), cafeteria administrator Mary (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), and the lone student, Angus (Dominic Sessa). They’re all grieving in their own ways, and they become a kind of makeshift family – although one that still bickers a lot.

The Holdovers feels like an Alexander Payne Greatest Hits collection in the best way. It features the fractured family dynamics of Nebraska, the high school comedy of Election, and Sideways‘s sensitive treatment of alcoholism. It’s also an immersive period piece, recreating the look and feel of 1970 in exquisite detail. The turbulence and idealism of that time is always there, just off-screen. Funny, sad, and heartwarming, The Holdovers is sure to become a holiday classic. It may be Payne’s most accomplished work yet.

Rent on Amazon

NEXT: The 10 Best Movies Recommended by the Coen Brothers