13 Great Films with Minimal Action

      Here are 13 remarkable films where not much occurs.

      Or does it?

      There aren't many car chases, murders, sexual scenes, or explosions, yet lives are subtly transformed.

      **Lost in Translation (2003)**

      Focus Features – Credit: C/O

      Newlywed Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) and exhausted actor Bob (Bill Murray) cross paths at a hotel in Tokyo, where they converse and sing karaoke. The atmosphere is tinged with melancholy and striking beauty.

      We find ourselves wondering if they might leave their spouses — and somehow feel thankful when they don't. Sofia Coppola's *Lost in Translation* honors the significance of fleeting, deep encounters that we may never experience again, and perhaps shouldn't.

      In the final scene, Bob locates Charlotte in a crowd. They share a gaze, embrace, and he whispers something inaudible. They kiss in a manner that feels devoid of sexual tension. They are friends.

      **The Power of the Dog (2021)**

      Netflix

      Jane Campion’s drama seemed poised for a Best Picture win in 2022 before *CODA* unexpectedly claimed the title in a pandemic-affected year.

      At first glance, it tells a slow, heavy story about a widow (Kirsten Dunst), her kind suitor and eventual husband (Jesse Plemons), her sensitive, intellectual son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and her harsh brother-in-law (Benedict Cumberbatch).

      For most of the film, it appears to be a sensitive Western, possibly critiquing the modern theme of “toxic masculinity.” However, by the conclusion, we recognize it's been a different kind of film all along — and more unforgiving than we anticipated. It makes a daring, clever shift in genre, earning our respect.

      **Dazed and Confused (1993)**

      Gramercy Pictures – Credit: Gramercy Pictures

      The quintessential hangout movie, *Dazed and Confused* tracks a group of high schoolers on graduation night as they roam around, planning to attend a party at the Moontower. There are fights, bullying, flirting, and some mailboxes suffer damage. Football star Randall “Pink” Floyd (Jason London) grapples with whether to sign a pledge against drug use.

      And that's about it. No deaths, no explosions, and no grand heists. Yet it's pure joy, launching the careers of Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, and Matthew McConaughey, and remains the ultimate hangout film. Quentin Tarantino has called it his favorite movie of the 90s.

      *Dazed and Confused* is one of several deceptively simple films by Richard Linklater, where ordinary days and nights emerge as the most unforgettable experiences.

      And, since we mentioned Tarantino…

      **Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019)**

      Sony Pictures Releasing

      This film presents a slice of life centered around real actress Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), her weary actor neighbor Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), and Dalton’s friend-stuntman-assistant Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt).

      The story leisurely follows three days in their lives — including Sharon's solo trip to the movies — but writer-director Quentin Tarantino knows that minimal action is needed to propel the plot…

      … Because we remain on edge, aware of the horrific fate that befell the real Sharon Tate, anticipating it onscreen. It’s horrifying.

      There are minor instances of violence before the climactic event as Cliff engages in fights with both Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) and Tex Watson (Austin Butler).

      And when the grim conclusion arrives… it is unexpectedly different from what we anticipated.

      **Perfect Days (2023)**

      Koji Yakusho and Arisa Nakano in *Perfect Days*. DCM

      The latest film on our list, *Perfect Days* follows a Tokyo bathroom custodian named Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho) as he navigates his simple daily life, influenced by mixtapes, good books, and his passion for photography.

      It’s an intriguing, captivating film about finding fulfillment in a seemingly straightforward existence. Individuals enter his life, seemingly poised to cause dramatic change, but he finds comfort in his routines.

      Its notable credentials include a premiere at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d’Or and won both the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Best Actor Award for Yakusho. It was also nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

      **Before Sunset (2004)**

      Warner Independent Pictures

      Another film from Linklater, and a sequel to his charming *Before Sunrise*, which could also belong on this list. Jesse and Celine (Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, who co-wrote the film with Linklater and Kim Krizan) reunite in Paris nearly a decade after their night together in Vienna featured in *Before Sunrise*