The Best Mumblecore Movies
“What are the best Mumblecore movies ever made?” We looked at 120 of the top Mumblecore films and ranked them so we could answer that very question!
The top 23 films, all appearing on 2 or more “Best Mumblecore” movie lists, are ranked below by how many times they appear. The remaining 90+ movies, as well as the sources we used, are in alphabetical order on the bottom of the page.
Happy Scrolling!
Top 23 Best Mumblecore Movies
23 .) Breaking Upwards (2009)
Lists It Appears On:
- Rain Dance
- Rate Your Music
- Vulture
Breaking Upwards’ explores a young, real-life New York couple who, four years in and battling codependency, decide to intricately strategize their own break up. Based on an actual experiment devised by director/actor Daryl Wein and actress Zoe Lister-Jones, the film loosely interprets a year in their lives exploring alternatives to monogamy, and the madness that ensues. An uncensored look at young love, lust, and the pangs of codependency, ‘Breaking Upwards’ follows its characters as they navigate each others’ emotions across the city they love. It begs the question: is it ever possible to grow apart together?
22 .) Frances Ha (2012)
Lists It Appears On:
- Decider
- Rain Dance
- Ranker
An aspiring dancer moves to New York City and becomes caught up in a whirlwind of flighty fair-weather friends, diminishing fortunes and career setbacks.
21 .) Happy Christmas (2014)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Rain Dance
- Ranker
After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son.
20 .) My Effortless Brilliance (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
Lynn Shelton’s “My Effortless Brilliance” is a study in the relationship between cocky, fussy, thoroughly-city-mouse author Eric (Sean Nelson) and his ex-best-friend, the tersely powerful journalist and wood-chopper Dylan (Basil Harris). Dylan, fed up with Eric’s self-involved antics, dumps him and disappears to live in a log cabin in the woods of Eastern Washington; two years later, Eric arrives (sporting a Prius, white sneakers, and a fear of spiders) to mend the friendship.
19 .) Quiet City (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
Jamie is 21. She’s from Atlanta. She’s come to Brooklyn to visit her friend Samantha, but she can’t find her. Jamie meets a stranger named Charlie on the subway and spends 24 hours hanging out with him.
18 .) Red Flag (2012)
Lists It Appears On:
- Decider
- Rate Your Music
- Vulture
Writer/director/star Alex Karpovsky, a familiar face to indie filmgoers, reveals his sterling comic chops in this close-to-the-bone comedy. Teasing the line between fiction and reality, he plays an indie filmmaker named Alex Karpovsky who, dumped by a longtime girlfriend fed up with his refusal to marry, takes to the road with a reluctant old pal for a misbegotten mini tour screening his movie on college campuses and independent cinemas.
17 .) Slacker (1991)
Lists It Appears On:
- Decider
- MUBI
- Rate Your Music
Austin, Texas, is an Eden for the young and unambitious, from the enthusiastically eccentric to the dangerously apathetic. Here, the nobly lazy can eschew responsibility in favor of nursing their esoteric obsessions. The locals include a backseat philosopher who passionately expounds on his dream theories to a seemingly comatose cabbie, a young woman who tries to hawk Madonna’s Pap test to anyone who will listen and a kindly old anarchist looking for recruits.
16 .) Team Picture (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
A realistic character study of a young man in his early 20s negotiating a disintegrating relationship with an ambitious artist/photographer girlfriend and an ascending fling with an adventurous floater, as well as pressures from his family and society to go to college/make steps toward success, all the while becoming increasingly interested in the questionably viable life of playing guitar.
15 .) The Color Wheel (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
JR has broken up with her professor. She enlists her nervous and obnoxious younger brother Colin to take a short road trip in order to help move out her belongings. They bicker and fight, with one another and pretty much anybody they encounter, before being brought to a place of togetherness and understanding as a result of being pushed away by everybody in their lives except one another.
14 .) Uncle Kent (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
A pothead kid’s show cartoonist in Los Angeles spends a weekend trying to sleep with his visiting house guest – a woman from New York who he met on Chatroulette.
13 .) Cyrus (2010)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- Vulture
With John’s social life at a standstill and his ex-wife about to get remarried, a down on his luck divorcée finally meets the woman of his dreams, only to discover she has another man in her life – her son. Before long, the two are locked in a battle of wits for the woman they both love-and it appears only one man can be left standing when it’s over.
12 .) In Search of a Midnight Kiss (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
Broke and alone on New Year’s Eve, Wilson just wants to spend the rest of a very bad year in bed. But, when his best friend convinces him to post a personal ad, he meets a woman bent on finding the right guy to be with at midnight.
11 .) LOL (2006)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
The relationships of three men are examined through their use of technology.
10 .) Medicine for Melancholy (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- MUBI
- Rate Your Music
- Vulture
Waking from a one-night stand that neither remembers, Micah and Joanne find themselves wandering the streets of San Francisco, sharing coffee and conversation and searching for a deeper connection.
9 .) Nights and Weekends (2008)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
A man and woman must face the tension that builds between them during a long-distance relationship.
8 .) Silver Bullets (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
An actress and her filmmaker boyfriend experience turbulence in their relationship when she accepts a role in a werewolf film.
7 .) Humpday (2009)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Decider
- MUBI
- Rain Dance
- Rate Your Music
Imagine your life is somewhat complete with a house, job, and wife but then your best friend from college comes knocking at your door at 2 AM. During a pot-induced hedonistic party, a plan is hatched between the two friends to create an Art Film of “two really straight men having sex.” If they only knew how much this would affect all of their lives.
6 .) Tiny Furniture (2010)
Lists It Appears On:
- Decider
- MUBI
- Rain Dance
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
After graduating from film school, Aura returns to New York to live with her photographer mother, Siri, and her sister, Nadine, who has just finished high school. Aura is directionless and wonders where to go next in her career and her life. She takes a job in a restaurant and tries unsuccessfully to develop relationships with men, including Keith, a chef where she works, and cult Internet star Jed.
5 .) Your Sister’s Sister (2011)
Lists It Appears On:
- MUBI
- Rain Dance
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- Vulture
Iris invites her friend Jack to stay at her family’s island getaway after the death of his brother. At their remote cabin, Jack’s drunken encounter with Hannah, Iris’ sister, kicks off a revealing stretch of days.
4 .) Funny Ha Ha (2002)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Indie Ethos
- MUBI
- Rain Dance
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
Unsure of what to do next, 23-year-old Marnie tries her best to navigate life after college in this romantic comedy. Still partying like there’s no tomorrow, Marnie drags herself out of bed for her miserable temp job and can’t decide whether she’s wasting her time going after best buddy Alex, who doesn’t seem to be interested.
3 .) Mutual Appreciation (2005)
Lists It Appears On:
- Decider
- Indie Ethos
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
Alan is a musician who leaves a busted-up band for New York, and a new musical voyage. He tries to stay focused and fends off all manner of distractions, including the attraction to his good friend’s girlfriend. Film of the “Mumblecore” genre.
2 .) The Puffy Chair (2005)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Decider
- MUBI
- Rain Dance
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
Josh’s life is pretty much in the toilet. He’s a failed NYC indie rocker, and a failing booking agent. But he finds the potential of a small victory in a really bad idea. He decides to purchase a 1985 Lazy Boy on eBay, just like the one his dad had when Josh was a kid. He’ll drive cross-country for the chair, staying with Emily at his brother’s house on the way, and deliver it to his father as a surprise birthday gift. But when Rhett ends up coming along for the ride, it’s three people and a giant purple puffy chair in a too-small van… and one of them has to go before the trip’s end.
1 .) Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007)
Lists It Appears On:
- BFI
- Decider
- Indie Ethos
- MUBI
- Ranker
- Rate Your Music
- The Cinemaholic
Hannah is a recent college graduate interning at a Chicago production company. She is crushing on two writers at work, Matt and Paul, who share an office and keep her entertained. Will a relationship with one of them disrupt the delicate balance of their friendship?
The 90+ Additional Best Mumblecore Movies
| # | Movies | Lists |
| 24 | Alexander the Last (2009) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 25 | Art History (2011) | BFI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 26 | Baghead (2008) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 27 | Bass Ackwards (2010) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 28 | Beeswax (2009) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 29 | Cold Weather (2010) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 30 | Daddy Longlegs [Go Get Some Rosemary] (2009) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 31 | Dance Party, USA (2006) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 32 | Drinking Buddies | Ranker |
| – | – | Vulture |
| 33 | Frownland (2007) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 34 | Harmony and Me (2009) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 35 | Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 36 | Kissing on the Mouth (2005) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 37 | Lovers of Hate (2010) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 38 | Luke and Brie Are on a First Date (2008) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 39 | Open Five (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| – | – | Vulture |
| 40 | Shadows (1959) | Decider |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 41 | Sorry, Thanks (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| – | – | The Cinemaholic |
| 42 | The Do-Deca-Pentathlon (2012) | Indie Ethos |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 43 | The Exploding Girl (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| – | – | The Cinemaholic |
| 44 | The Freebie (2010) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 45 | The GoodTimesKid (2005) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 46 | The Pleasure of Being Robbed (2008) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 47 | The Zone (2011) | BFI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 48 | Yeast (2008) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 49 | You Won’t Miss Me (2009) | MUBI |
| – | – | Rate Your Music |
| 50 | All the Light in the Sky (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 51 | All the Real Girls | Ranker |
| 52 | Audrey the Trainwreck (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 53 | Autoerotic (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 54 | Bad Fever (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 55 | Be Good (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 56 | Caitlin Plays Herself (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 57 | Carter (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 58 | Creative Nonfiction (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 59 | Damsels in Distress | MUBI |
| 60 | Empire Builder (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 61 | Everyone Else | MUBI |
| 62 | Everyone Says I Look Just Like Her (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 63 | Everything Must Go (2010) | The Cinemaholic |
| 64 | Exit Elena (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 65 | Festen [The Celebration] (1998) | Rate Your Music |
| 66 | Four Eyed Monsters (2005) | Rate Your Music |
| 67 | Gabi on the Roof in July (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 68 | George Washington (2000) | Rate Your Music |
| 69 | Green (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 70 | Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench | MUBI |
| 71 | Hamilton (2006) | Rate Your Music |
| 72 | Helena From the Wedding (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 73 | Hohokam (2007) | Rate Your Music |
| 74 | Holy Land (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 75 | I Am Not a Hipster (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 76 | Impolex (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 77 | It Was Great, But I Was Ready To Come Home. (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 78 | Littlerock (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 79 | Lola Versus (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 80 | Marriage Material (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 81 | MDMA (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 82 | Momma’s Man (2008) | Rate Your Music |
| 83 | Mumblecore (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 84 | Nancy, Please (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 85 | Nashville (1975) | Rate Your Music |
| 86 | New Jerusalem (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 87 | No Matter What (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 88 | Nobody Walks (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 89 | Northeast (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 90 | Oh! My Dear Desire (2003) | Rate Your Music |
| 91 | Open Five 2 (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 92 | Orphans (2007) | Rate Your Music |
| 93 | Pickpocket (1959) | Rate Your Music |
| 94 | Present Company (2008) | Rate Your Music |
| 95 | Putty Hill (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 96 | Quietly on By (2005) | Rate Your Music |
| 97 | Registered Sex Offender | MUBI |
| 98 | RSO [Registered Sex Offender] (2008) | Rate Your Music |
| 99 | Safety Not Guaranteed | MUBI |
| 100 | Some Days Are Better Than Others (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 101 | Somebody Up There Likes Me (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 102 | Stranger Than Paradise (1984) | Rate Your Music |
| 103 | Sun Don’t Shine (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 104 | Supporting Characters (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 105 | Terri (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 106 | The Builder (2010) | Rate Your Music |
| 107 | The Comedy (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 108 | The Forest for the Trees | MUBI |
| 109 | The Hole Story (2006) | Rate Your Music |
| 110 | The House of the Devil (2009) | Decider |
| 111 | The Human War (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 112 | The Lie (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 113 | The Mountain, the River and the Road (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 114 | The Off Hours (2011) | Rate Your Music |
| 115 | This Is Spinal Tap (1984) | Rate Your Music |
| 116 | Tiger Tail in Blue (2012) | Rate Your Music |
| 117 | Uptown (2009) | Rate Your Music |
| 118 | Wah Do Dem | MUBI |
| 119 | Wanda (1970) | Rate Your Music |
| 120 | Woodpecker (2008) | Rate Your Music |
9 Best Mumblecore Film Sources/Lists
| Source | Article |
| BFI | Where to begin with mumblecore |
| Decider | Decider Essentials: Top 10 Mumblecore Films To Stream |
| Indie Ethos | An Essential Guide to Mumblecore |
| MUBI | We Need to Talk… Comprehensive Mumblecore |
| Rain Dance | Mumblecore Movies From The Low Budget Genre: 8 Essentials |
| Ranker | Best Mumblecore Movies | Top Low Budget Indie Films |
| Rate Your Music | A Guide to “Mumblecore” Cinema: 2002-2012 |
| The Cinemaholic | Mumblecore Movies | 12 Best Mumblecore Films of All Time |
| Vulture | 8 Mumblecore Films to Scratch Your Rom-Com Itch |
