20 Great Movies About Outcasts Everybody Needs To See

Regardless of the context, there's an intrinsic part of human nature that always roots for the underdog, and those considered outcasts or misfits are often the ones we gravitate toward the most. As a result, films that focus on average Joes and people outside the fringes of society are often the perfect subjects for captivating stories.

Not only are outcasts often the easiest to relate to, but there's something much more emotionally rewarding about someone who isn't supposed to succeed proving everyone wrong. In these characters, we can often see something of ourselves, and it creates instant empathy and a desire to watch them overcome the barriers that life tries to put in their way.

Across a wide spectrum of genres, movies have given us some of the best examples of these misfits. Whether you're looking for a story about lovable outsiders who just want to belong or complex, darker characters who've been maligned by society and pushed to the edge, these are some of the greatest movies about outcasts that everybody needs to check out.

Shining a light on the world of competitive collegiate a cappella, "Pitch Perfect" focuses on the image-obsessed Barden Bellas as they recover from an unfortunate on-stage vomiting incident. With the very public embarrassment threatening to tarnish their carefully curated reputation as the poised and polished all-female representatives of their college, they're forced to cast the net wider in order to recruit new members. Controlling leader Aubrey (Anna Camp) is particularly resistant to change, but her right-hand woman, Chloe (Brittany Snow), sees the potential in angsty wannabe DJ Beca (Anna Kendrick) and outspoken Australian Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson) and pushes the Bellas to diversify their ranks and change not just their image but their whole sound.

With a killer soundtrack and spirited performances from the talented cast, "Pitch Perfect" is a surprisingly uplifting feel-good film about a lovable band of outcasts coming together to create something wonderful. Endlessly quotable and with a strong message that people shouldn't be judged on their appearances but by what they can bring to the table, "Pitch Perfect" is an "a-ca-awesome" ensemble comedy that is hard not to be charmed by.

Loosely based on the remarkable true story of Jamaica's first national bobsled team and their aspirations for Olympic glory, "Cool Runnings" is a classic feel-good sports comedy about unlikely underdogs and the defiant strength of the human spirit. The film focuses on Jamaican sprinting hopeful Derice (Leon), who enlists former champion Irving Blitzer (John Candy) to train him and three fellow islanders to compete as a bobsled team in the Winter Olympics after he fails to qualify to represent his country at the Summer Games.

Met with a mixture of fascination and disbelief by their friends, family, and fellow competitors, Derice, Sanka (Doug E. Doug), Yul (Malik Yoba), and Junior (Rawle D. Lewis) go from complete novices to unlikely contenders under the careful guidance of Irving — the former medalist and reluctant coach with his own checkered career. The team may be lacking in the same sleek and polished equipment that the other countries have, but they more than make up for it with bravery.

With a cast of likable characters, it's easy to root for these unlikely heroes as they swap the sunshine of Jamaica for the snow of Calgary. While the tone of "Cool Runnings" is undoubtedly light-hearted, it does have occasional reflective moments when it's clear this group of outsiders is at a huge disadvantage with seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their way. But whether or not they win the medal, they win something much more important — the respect of their fellow competitors.

While the name of this 2004 comedy may imply it's based on real events, that isn't the case. Instead, the clever play on words emphasizes this is a story about the "true" underdogs. The film focuses on Peter LaFleur (Vince Vaughn) — the owner of run-down gym Average Joe's — facing the prospect of losing his gym for good when he fails to pay the bills.

Threatened with foreclosure, Peter has just 30 days to raise the $50,000 needed to keep the gym out of the hands of White Goodman (Ben Stiller) — the arrogant owner of the flashy Globo Gym — who plans to turn it into a parking lot. After brainstorming some fundraising ideas, Peter and his friends settle on entering a dodgeball tournament that offers a cash prize of the exact amount they need. Determined not to let Average Joe's have a shot, Walt forms his own team to try and humiliate them even further.

"Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" is a film that really leans into its silliness, and it feels like a wonderful throwback to '80s sports comedies like "Caddyshack." While deliberately outlandish and delightfully profane, it also has a sweeter side to it. Average Joe's represents a place where those who feel they have nowhere else to go can feel welcomed and safe, and in the image-focused world of fitness, it's a joy to see the proudly normal being celebrated.

Based on the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, Edgar Wright's genre-bending film sees unassuming slacker Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) facing the ultimate test in his quest to date the mysterious Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). Unlike his character in "Superbad," Michael Cera's Scott has no problems getting the girl — but getting rid of her troublesome ex-partners proves to be a different story as he squares off against seven of them in a series of video game-style battles.

Few people play dorky and awkward as well as Michael Cera, and despite the fantastical elements of the story, he's able to make Scott a deeply relatable and empathetic character. Particularly in his pursuit of Ramona — the archetypal "manic pixie dream girl" — the emphasis is on his inadequacy in comparison to the rogues' gallery that makes up her exes, and this is something that makes us want to root for him even more through the various battle stages.

With dazzling visuals and an array of Easter eggs for fans of video games, comic books, and pop culture, "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" is a bold and energetic film with the unlikeliest of heroes at its center. Scott embodies so much of what makes us gravitate towards the outcasts and the losers, and the lengths he's willing to go to in order to get the girl makes him an underdog for the ages.

Many films about outcasts take the more comedic route, but some offer a darker exploration, such as Martin Scorsese's "Taxi Driver." Here, Robert DeNiro plays Travis Bickle — an insomniac cab driver who works the late-night shift on the sleazy streets of '70s New York. It's here that Travis experiences the lack of humanity, and driven to despair by the "filth and scum" he sees around him, he spirals down a path of violence and destruction.

Even before he begins his one-man vendetta to clean up the streets, it's clear Travis is different from those around him. Despite his social awkwardness, Travis manages to score a date with the beautiful Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), but things come to a premature end when he takes her to see an adult film. Perhaps the last person who could've pulled Travis back from the brink, Betsy's decision to have nothing more to do with him pushes Travis over the edge and warps his mind further.

"Taxi Driver" isn't just violent and dark — it's thematically rich with an uneasiness to it that becomes more apparent as Travis grows even more detached from reality. With Travis' existential inner thoughts providing the narration, we're placed uncomfortably close to his fractured psyche, resulting in an experience that's equally disquieting and enthralling. Scored by frequent Alfred Hitchcock collaborator Bernard Herrmann and anchored by an electric performance from DeNiro, "Taxi Driver" is a dark fable about what those on the fringes of society are capable of when pushed.

While the presence of the terrifying Pennywise looms large over this Stephen King adaptation, at its core, there's a coming-of-age story about a group of outcasts from Derry, Maine, who come together to confront their worst nightmares. Following the death of his 6-year-old brother, 12-year-old Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Martell) is struggling to come to terms with the trauma. After Bill realizes some of the other children in the town are being terrorized by the same terrifying being, the kids band together to battle the thing they now refer to as "It."

With the entity only emerging every 27 years to prey upon the children of Derry, the kids — now calling themselves "The Losers Club" — face a race against time to defeat the evil force before it's too late. As well as being bullied by their peers, some of the Losers face difficulties at home at the hands of abusive or oppressive parents or having to deal with unspoken traumas from their past. Chillingly, this is something It utilizes to its advantage, and in taking the form of their worst fears, it psychologically manipulates the kids.

"It" is undeniably terrifying and not for the faint-hearted — particularly if you have a phobia of clowns — but there's also a deeply affecting story about how trauma manifests and the great strength that lies in a group who can support each other to overcome this. The Losers Club is a charmingly mismatched gang who, despite their differences, are able to unite against unimaginable evil.

When Daniel (Ralph Macchio) moves to Southern California, he finds himself targeted by a gang of karate-practicing bullies whose prowess in the martial arts places Daniel at an immediate disadvantage. After he forms an unlikely friendship with kindly repairman Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) — who also happens to be a skilled martial arts master — Daniel learns that karate is about a lot more than just being able to fight back.

Through his training with Mr. Miyagi — which initially just appears to be household chores — Daniel not only learns some key defensive moves, but he's taught to find peace and balance at a tumultuous time in his life. What makes "The Karate Kid" so enjoyable is that it isn't just a film about the bullied kid fighting back — it's one that has a strong message that fighting isn't always the answer and often the greater fight can be in finding the restraint not to.

Undeniably formulaic and cheesy, "The Karate Kid" nonetheless remains a heart-warming and triumphant underdog story with the central relationship between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi being the highlight. The timelessness of the story has ensured it remains a classic, enduring over the decades through a number of sequels, reboots, and the popular "Cobra Kai" TV series.

Arguably the greatest of John Hughes' high school movies, "The Breakfast Club" is a surprisingly insightful character drama offering a glimpse at a group of teen archetypes as they bond during Saturday morning detention. 

While referred to as "a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal," this film sets out to prove that the five key characters are much more than the reductive labels they're given. Made up of the rebellious John (Judd Nelson), the stuck-up Claire (Molly Ringwald), outcast Allison (Ally Sheedy), nerdy Brian (Anthony Michael Hall), and jock Andrew (Emilio Estevez), the disparate group soon starts to realize they have more in common than they thought, and this fleeting day they're spending with each other just might change their futures. 

There are plenty of warm and funny moments, but what "The Breakfast Club" has that gives it an edge is in the way it breaks down these perceived stereotypes, as well as its subtly woven message of inclusivity and unity rather than division. Tasked with writing an essay on "who you think you are" while in detention, the conversations and moments the teens share with each other help them to realize that being reduced down to just one quality or adjective doesn't do justice to who they really are, and the open-ended conclusion prompts the audience to question how we view others as well.

Proving that the best stories are timeless, teen comedy "10 Things I Hate About You" is loosely inspired by the William Shakespeare play "The Taming of the Shrew," and it charts the complicated love lives of sisters Kat (Julia Stiles) and Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). Older sister Kat plays by her own rules and embraces her reputation of being "tempestuous" as she has little interest in fitting in or dating anyone. Bianca, on the other hand, is desperate to date, but her over-protective father stipulates his youngest daughter will only be allowed to date when Kat has a boyfriend.

With this setup, the sisters find themselves at the center of a scheme in which bad boy Patrick (Heath Ledger) is coerced into wooing the feisty Kat, allowing the smitten Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to make his move on Bianca. Patrick's desire to date Kat initially comes with an ulterior motive, but he quickly succumbs to her unique charms, and Kat's previously frosty exterior begins to break down.

Bolstered by the sharp script and the sparkling chemistry from Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles, "10 Things I Hate About You" is a fresh, funny, witty teen comedy. Where the film succeeds is in the way it makes the outcast the star of the show and proves that nobody is truly unlovable or undateable. While Kat may be unlikable to her classmates, her no-nonsense attitude and refreshing honesty are what make the audience — and Patrick — fall in love with her.

Set in the early 1800s — yet with a modern musical soundtrack — "The Greatest Showman" blends story and spectacle as it tells the heavily embellished tale of real-life showman and businessman P.T. Barnum. Hugh Jackman stars as Barnum, a man with a natural theatrical flair and a talent for putting on a show. Desperate to pull his family out of financial ruin, Barnum recruits a group of misfits and so-called "freaks" to create a circus that will enthrall and delight its visitors.

There are questionable elements to Barnum's actions, and employing those considered different as circus acts could be seen as exploitative. This is something the film addresses to a degree, with some people highly critical of Barnum's show, but it barely scratches the surface of some of the darker elements of the real story. However, the film's decision to be more optimistic in tone is something that works in its favor, and the overriding message is one of acceptance, inclusion, and hope.

"The Greatest Showman" may have scored surprisingly low with critics, but the passionate fan enthusiasm for the film saw it become a genuine phenomenon and one of the most successful live-action movie musicals of all time. One of the criticisms was that it glossed over Barnum's real story, but audiences fell in love with its likable cast of characters and the way they were able to overcome discrimination to shine like the stars they are.