Each month, it’s become routine for us to offer movie recommendations across the best streaming services that have been smash hits on Rotten Tomatoes with the critics. However during the time I’ve spent scouring the movie rating site, I’ve come to realise that some of the critics’ opinions of certain movies can be for lack of a better term, just plain wrong. In that case, I’ve decided to compile a list of movies that I enjoy in spite of their terrible Rotten Tomatoes scores.
When it came to selecting these movies, I based my choices purely on the personal level of enjoyment I feel when watching these supposed movie flops. Most of my picks are cult classic rom-coms, which are poorly rated on Rotten Tomatoes in general, but a childhood favorite with Steve Martin and scandalous cult classics bulk up my selection.
While I’m mature enough to admit where these movies go wrong, I’ve done my best to find the middle ground and shed light on why these movies aren’t all that bad. And the best part about it is that they’re available to stream across Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and Max – and even some of the best free streaming services. The moral of the list is: movies don’t have to be thought-provoking and overly complicated and can be made to be a little awful.
Coyote Ugly (2000)
RT score: 23%
Director: David McNally
Age rating: PG-13
Running time: 100 minutes
Where to stream: Hulu (US); Disney Plus (UK and Australia)
Coyote Ugly packs all the cliché elements that define a typical early ’00s girl-meets-boy romance, not to mention that its soundtrack is incredible – thank you, LeAnn Rimes.
Set in New York City, young New Jersey girl Violet Sanford (Piper Perabo) ventures to the Big Apple to fulfil her dream of becoming a successful singer and songwriter, however, the hardships of being in the big city surface quickly and she’s faced with no choice but to take a job at a bar called ‘Coyote Ugly’. Totally pushed out of her comfort zone, the other barmaids (named ‘Coyotes’) are hired to bring high energy performance to their jobs while teasing the bar’s predominantly male clientele.
Watch the trailer for Coyote Ugly on YouTube
Showgirls (1995)
RT score: 23%
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Age rating: NC-17
Running time: 131 minutes
Where to stream: Tubi, Pluto TV (US)
How far would you go for fame? It took me three watches for me to devise my final verdict of Showgirls, and while I recognize that the movie is an eyesore made by men and for men only, it has a solid rags-to-riches plotline and some of the most incredible dancing talents I’ve seen. Not to mention it has some of the most cynical characters in film which I can’t help but admire.
In this cult classic, aspiring dancer Nomi Malone (Elizabeth Berkley) lands in Las Vegas hoping to become a top showgirl. She finds a friend in Molly (Gina Ravera) who works at the Stardust hotel, assisting resident dancer and top showgirl Cristal Connors (Gina Gershon). When she lands a job as a swing in Cristal’s show, Nomi leaves her job at a sleazy strip club and starts dancing professionally, but when starts to rise to the top she questions whether this life of luxury is worth it.
Watch the trailer for Showgirls on YouTube
But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
RT score: 43%
Director: Jamie Babbit
Age rating: R
Running time: 81 minutes
Where to stream: Tubi, Plex (US); Pluto TV (UK); Prime Video (UK and AU)
To all those who gave this queer classic a low rating, I call homophobia. For a low-budget movie, it packs a slew of names that have gone on to achieve big in show business, with Natasha Lyonne and Clea Duvall leading the pack and RuPaul, Cathy Moriarty, and Melanie Lynskey.
Typical American teenager Megan (Lyonne) has it all: a football boyfriend, good grades, and a spot on the cheerleading team. When she develops a confusion regarding her sexuality, her parents send her off to True Directions – a conversion camp that seeks to alter the sexual orientations of teenagers. During her stay, she meets Graham (Duvall), an unashamed lesbian teenager for whom she starts to develop feelings for.
Its overt satire and comedy sheds light on the serious issue with conversion therapy and the religious radicalism that enforces it.
Watch the trailer for But I’m a Cheerleader on YouTube
Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)
RT score: 24%
Director: Shawn Levy
Age rating: PG
Running time: 108 minutes
Where to stream: Disney Plus (US, UK and AU)
I refuse to sit here and accept this offensive score on one of my favorite childhood movies. I mean, who doesn’t love a Steve Martin comedy anyway? And the added bonus of Hilary Duff as Lorraine Baker makes it all the more enjoyable.
Levy’s early ’00s family comedy is a remake of the 1950 movie of the same name, following Tom (Martin) and Kate Baker (Bonnie Hunt) who have been raising a family of 12 children. Tom, a high school football coach, is offered a job at college level and the family move from their hometown to start a new life. At the same time, Kate is approached by her publisher who offers to buy her memoir and the family dynamic starts to shift drastically.
Watch the Cheaper by the Dozen trailer on YouTube
Pretty Woman (1990)
RT score: 64%
Director: Garry Marshall
Age rating: R
Running time: 116 minutes
Where to stream: Max (US); Disney Plus (UK & AU)
Despite Pretty Woman being the highest rated movie in my list, it’s 64% Rotten Tomatoes score is unjust for a classic rom-com. The chemistry between Julia Roberts and Richard Gere is unmatched, and Rotten Tomatoes critics should be embarrassed for their lack of taste. Big mistake, huge.
An LA escort Vivian (Roberts) is picked up by wealthy entrepreneur Edward (Gere) while in town on business. When a spark ignites between the two, Edward hires Vivian to accompany him during his time in town, bringing them closer together. As their relationship grows stronger their worlds collide, resulting in a complex romance where the two find themselves bridging that significant gap.
Watch the trailer for Pretty Woman on YouTube
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
RT score: 38%
Director: Wayne Wang
Age rating: PG-13
Running time: 105 minutes
Where to stream: Netflix (US); Netflix, Prime Video (UK); Hoopla (AU)
Rom-coms often bear the brunt of the bad Rotten Tomatoes scores, and Maid In Manhattan is just one example. In its critic reviews, it’s been described as having an “embarrassing lack of chemistry” but in my humble opinion, isn’t that what makes this film the ultimate guilty pleasure? Besides, throw together a stellar cast featuring Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Stanley Tucci, and Jennifer Lopez, and you can forgive everything else.
Single mother Marisa (Lopez) works as a maid in a luxury Manhattan hotel. When she meets senatorial candidate Christopher (Fiennes) – a guest at the hotel – he mistakes her for a member of high society and a connection blossoms between the two. As things become more complicated and Marisa’s true identity is exposed, and they must navigate their relationship being from two completely different worlds.
Watch the trailer for Maid in Manhattan on YouTube
Cruel Intentions (1999)
RT score: 54%
Director: Roger Kumble
Age rating: R
Running time: 107 minutes
Where to stream: Freevee (US); Prime Video (UK); Prime Video, Tubi (AU)
The ’90s was the age of rom-com and drama movies based on classic literature. We had Clueless (1995) based on Emma by Jane Austen, 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) inspired by Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and of course She’s All That (1999) which retells Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw.
Cruel Intentions is no different, retelling Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ Dangerous Liaisons and becoming a cult classic since its release. Set in New York at an elite Manhattan private school, Sebastian (Ryan Phillippe) is a manipulative womanizer who has his eyes set on the new headmaster’s daughter Annette (Reese Witherspoon). With the help of his equally manipulative step-sister Kathryn (Sarah Michelle Gellar) they devise a plan to lure in Annette, getting much more than what they both anticipated.
Watch the trailer for Cruel Intentions on YouTube
