Whether we want to believe it or not, having good actors is key to a film’s success. No matter how solid a plot or theme is, if your actors can’t perform, then the film is not likely to succeed. While some movies rely on ensemble casts like the Fast & Furious franchise, others require thousands for their cast like the fantasy epic Lord of the Rings. It’s arguable that one of the most challenging types of movies to make is one in which there is only one cast member that takes up most of the screen-time and therefore carries the entire film’s narrative.
While films with only one actor are few and far between, there is a good reason why. Managing to keep an audience entertained with only one actor is an incredible challenge and takes a combination of an intriguing plot and outstanding acting to keep the film afloat. Facing the challenges of a lack of dialogue, as seen in All is Lost, the film must make up for what it lacks in other areas, like the sound, visuals, and, most of all, the actor’s facial expressions and physicality. These are the best movies starring only one main actor.
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7 127 Hours
Fox Searchlight Pictures
Based on the incredible true story of mountaineer Aron Ralston, 127 Hours tells the story of how one day he became trapped when a boulder fell on his arm. Over the course of five days, Ralston is faced with the horrifying reality of his situation and how he must amputate his arm in order to survive. James Franco plays the part of Aron Ralston, and his performance shook his fellow actors as this was one of Franco’s first serious lead roles that gained him a great deal of acclaim. Arguably one of Danny Boyle’s best movies, 127 Hours was nominated for over 100 awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actor and earned Franco an Independent Spirit Award for Best Actor.
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6 Locke
Shoebox Films, IM Global
Starring Tom Hardy as the only character to ever be seen on-screen, Locke follows Ivan who leaves a construction site at a crucial time to be present at the birth of a child conceived during a one-night stand. During the long drive, Ivan makes a total of 36 phone calls to those in his life to explain his actions and through these phone calls, he is fired from his job and thrown out by his wife. Locke takes place almost entirely inside a BMW X5 and features only Hardy on-screen. This one-man show is a sight to behold and is beautifully executed thanks to the performance from Hardy, which won him the Best Actor Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association.
5 Zulo
Discóbolo Films
Zulo is a diamond in the rough. Following two kidnappers who keep Miguel (Juame Garcia Arijia) in a well, tossing down single cigarettes, candles, and the occasional scrap of food, Miguel soon discovers that he knows his captors. While Zulo is a Spanish film with limited release and distribution, that doesn’t make it any less of a wondrous film with only one actor to keep the plot rolling. Zulo received a number of awards including Best Film at the Festival Abycine.
4 I Am Legend
Warner Bros.
The last man on Earth, scientist Neville wanders New York City with his dog, searching for other possible survivors of the man-made plague. Starring Will Smith as Neville, I Am Legend is based on the 1954 novel of the same name and while it began development in 1994, the final film was not released until 2007. I Am Legend was a box-office smash with special praise for Smith’s performance, earning him a Saturn Award for Best Actor. It was recently announced that a sequel is in development with Smith reprising his role as Neville and the addition of Michael B. Jordan to the cast.
3 The Shallows
Columbia Pictures
Starring Blake Lively, The Shallows follows student Nancy Adams who travels to a secluded beach in Mexico to find solace and mourn the recent death of her mother. When Nancy makes the decision to surf alone, a great white shark forces her to retreat to a giant rock. Injured and stranded far from the shore, Nancy must fight off the shark to return to the safety of land. The Shallows was a box office success, thanks to the timing of its release in the summer of 2016. Lively’s performance earned her a nomination for the Teen Choice Award for Choice Summer Movie Star: Female.
2 All is Lost
Lionsgate Films
On a solo voyage, a veteran mariner finds his ship taking on water after a collision with a shipping container. With no radio or navigation equipment to aid him, the mariner sails into the unknown and comes across a violent storm. Managing to survive the storm, the mariner is forced to face his own mortality as the reality of his situation begins to set in. All is Lost stars Robert Redford, the only person ever shown on screen, and has a total of 51 English words spoken. The film received a great deal of praise and earned Redford a New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor.
1 Cast Away
20th Century Fox
When FedEx executive Chuck’s plane crashes on his way to Malaysia, he becomes stranded on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. As every attempt to escape the island fails, Chuck adapts to his situation and learns to survive on the island for years with the help of his homemade Volleyball friend Wilson. Tom Hanks stars in the lead role of Chuck and was highly praised for his outstanding performance, which earned him a nomination for Best Actor at the Academy Awards and the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture. Cast Away was not only a critical and box-office success, but the film has gained so much popularity that it has been referenced and parodied countless times.
