The Best Movies No One Saw in 2017

Updated August 11, 2023 6.2K votes 1.2K voters 71.5K views

Over 1.2K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Movies No One Saw in 2017

Voting Rules

Only movies released in the US during 2017

Hidden among the superhero movies, franchise reboots, and studio blockbusters are the best indie movies of 2017. Many 2017 underrated films are even considered to be some of the best movies this year. Which 2017 underappreciated movies deserve more recognition?

A growing number of Hollywood's biggest stars have been appearing in independent films and smaller projects, like Casey Affleck in A Ghost Story, Aubrey Plaza in Ingrid Goes West, and Mark Hamill in Brigsby Bear. Other 2017 underrated movies, such as indie horror film The Transfiguration, feature unknown actors. Several of the following good indie movies are also streaming on Netflix.

Vote up the best underrated movies of 2017. Feel free to add any other 2017 overlooked movies missing from the list.

If you are looking for more, be sure to check out this list of underrated 2020 movies.

Most divisive: It Comes at Night

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1
Wind River
Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Gil Birmingham
134 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Taylor Sheridan
Situated in the frosty expanses of Wyoming, Wind River is an intense crime thriller. The film follows Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner), a seasoned wildlife tracker, as he stumbles upon the frozen body of a young Native American woman on the Wind River Indian Reservation. Teaming up with rookie FBI agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olsen), they embark on a harrowing journey to unravel the mystery of her death. Directed by Taylor Sheridan, this gripping narrative explores themes of loss and survival against a backdrop of stark wilderness. Garnering praise for its performances and screenplay, Wind River also delves into pertinent social issues, making it more than just an ordinary whodunit.
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2
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell
240 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Martin McDonagh
After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby, the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command, Officer Dixon -- an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence -- gets involved, the battle is only exacerbated.
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3
The Florida Project
Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite
123 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Sean Baker
Set in the shadow of the most magical place on Earth, 6-year-old Moonee and her two best friends forge their own adventures, while Moonee's struggling mom and a kindhearted motel manager protect the kids from the harsh reality that surrounds them.
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4
Lady Bird
Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet
212 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Greta Gerwig
In the indie dramedy film Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan portrays Christine Lady Bird McPherson, a high school senior from Sacramento. She navigates her way through the trials and tribulations of adolescence, clashing with her mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf), who works tirelessly to keep their family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. The movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, is punctuated by Lady Bird's interactions with her best friend Julie (Beanie Feldstein) and her romantic interests (Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet). With five Academy Award nominations, it remains a compelling exploration of coming-of-age in early 2000s America.
- #44 of 104
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5
The Big Sick
Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
226 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Michael Showalter
Kumail is a Pakistani comic, who meets an American graduate student named Emily at one of his stand-up shows. As their relationship blossoms, he soon becomes worried about what his traditional Muslim parents will think of her. When Emily suddenly comes down with an illness that leaves her in a coma, Kumail finds himself developing a bond with her deeply concerned mother and father.
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6
I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore
Melanie Lynskey, Elijah Wood, David Yow
147 votes
- Released: 2017
- Directed by: Macon Blair
After being burglarized, a depressed woman (Melanie Lynskey) and her obnoxious neighbor set out to find the thieves, but they soon find themselves up against a group of dangerous criminals.
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Wind River

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Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

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The Florida Project

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Lady Bird

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The Big Sick

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I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore

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