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5 underrated movies on Netflix you need to watch in April 2025

Ryan Gosling gazes while on a motorcycle in The Place Beyond the Pines.
Focus Features

Unsurprisingly, Netflix has gotten off to a strong start in television in 2025. The British drama series Adolescence has shattered viewership records on its way to becoming the No. 4 most popular English-language TV show. This month, Black Mirror season 7 and Pulse season 1 will sit in the weekly top 10 for the foreseeable future.

April does have one noteworthy movie, Havoc, premiering at the end of the month. It stars Tom Hardy as a detective who fights to stay alive and protect a corrupt politician’s son. While Havoc is a premier offering, Netflix has thousands of movies to stream, many of them hidden on their respective genre pages. Luckily, we picked out five to watch this month.

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We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland (2016)

Alan Ritchson is one of the most recognizable action heroes on television thanks to his starring role in Reacher. 15 years ago, Ritchson broke out for his comedic work in the TV show Blue Mountain State. The raunchy comedy about a college football team became a cult favorite. Five years after the show ended, the show’s creators crowdfunded a movie, Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland.

Quarterback Alex Moran (Darin Brooks) has one thing on his mind for senior year: partying. However, a new dean on campus threatens to upend Alex’s plans when he threatens to buy the Goat House, the football team’s off-campus headquarters. Needing money to save the house, Alex calls Thad Castle (Ritchson), a former Blue Mountain State player who moved on to the NFL. Thad agrees to buy the house if Aled throws the party of the century. Be careful what you wish for, Alex.

Stream Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland on Netflix.

Draft Day (2014)

To some football fans, the draft brings them more excitement than the games. Every player, employee, and fan of a team believes their franchise can change with one good draft. Ivan Reitman’s Draft Day attempted to dramatize a day in the life of an NFL general manager during the NFL Draft.

Sonny Weaver Jr. (Kevin Costner) is the general manager of the Cleveland Browns. With the No. 7 pick in the first round, the organization wants Sonny to make a splash and trade up to No. 1. After following orders and trading for the top pick, Sonny immediately has second thoughts and tries to offset his mistake with a series of risky decisions. Draft Day is a bit too melodramatic for a football movie, but it’s still an entertaining, safe sports drama.

Stream Draft Day on Netflix.

Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)

Comparing Sicario to Sicario: Day of the Soldado is an unfair fight. Denis Villeneuve’s masterful thriller is on a different playing field. However, take Stefano Sollima’s sequel at face value, and it’s a gritty, tense thriller with an effective leading performance by Benicio del Toro.

After a terrorist attack on U.S. soil, the government enlists the CIA’s Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) and assassin Alejandro Gillick (del Toro) to ignite a drug war between the Mexican drug cartels to flush out the group that smuggled the terrorists across the border. The plan backfires after the government orders the CIA to kill a top kingpin’s daughter (Isabel Merced), whom they kidnapped. Refusing to take an innocent life, Gillick goes rogue and protects the girl as he fights his way back into the United States.

Stream Sicario: Day of the Soldado on Netflix.

The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)

Derek Cianfrance makes movies for the sad boys. The Place Beyond the Pines forces you to examine the personal relationship with your father, which won’t be easy for some. The film is split into three parts. The first follows Luke Glanton (Ryan Gosling), a motorcycle stuntman who begins committing robberies to provide for his ex-lover Romina Gutierrez (Eva Mendes) and child.

Part two explores Avery (Bradley Cooper), a cop whose life-changing decision affects Luke. Finally, the third part investigates Luke’s son (Dane DeHaan) and Avery’s son (Emory Cohen), who must live with the repercussions of their fathers’ actions. Cianfrance takes a family drama and injects it with ambition and scope in this moving crime film.

Stream The Place Beyond The Pines on Netflix.

For Love of the Game (1999)

The start of April means baseball has begun. In Hollywood, one actor is most associated with baseball: Kevin Costner. From Field of Dreams to Bull Durham, Costner knows his way around a diamond. The Oscar winner spent most of his time at the pitcher’s mound in For Love of the Game.

Veteran pitcher Billy Chapel (Kevin Costner) is on his final run as a ballplayer with the Detroit Tigers. On the field, Chapel has one more start before he’s forced out of the game. At home, Chapel’s girlfriend, Jane Aubrey (Kelly Preston), might leave him. As he faces the Yankees, Billy has flashbacks to his tumultuous relationship. This distraction leads Billy to pitch freely, so much so that he has a perfect game heading into the final innings.

Stream For Love of the Game on Netflix.

Dan Girolamo
Dan is a passionate and multitalented content creator with experience in pop culture, entertainment, and sports. Throughout…
3 action movies on Netflix you need to watch in April 2025
Robert De Niro holds and points a gun while carrying a man.

In preparation for the summer movie season, Netflix is releasing a new action movie from Gareth Evans at the end of the month. Havoc stars Tom Hardy as a weathered detective who must rescue the son of a corrupt politician from a seemingly impossible situation. With Evans behind the camera and Hardy as the lead, expect a lot of highly choreographed and brutally violent action sequences.

Havoc streams on April 25. To keep you satisfied until then, this guide provides three action recommendations that can be streamed right now. Our picks include a Michael Mann classic, a heist sequel, and a survival thriller.

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3 underrated movies on Hulu you need to watch in April 2025
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What's new on Hulu in April? Several notable franchises have been added to the streamer, including The Karate Kid and Jurassic Park. Other notable movies joining Hulu this month include The Wolf of Wall Street, 21 Jump Street, Superbad, The Equalizer, and Arrival.

Beyond the popular IP adventures and notable sequels, a dearth of underrated movies is available on the genre pages. Our three picks for underrated movies in April include a slapstick comedy, a survival thriller, and a British crime caper.

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3 rom-coms on Netflix you need to watch in April 2025
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Romance continues to be one of the most popular genres on Netflix. One of our recommendations this month happens to be a new release, The Life List. Since its debut on March 28, The Life List has remained in the top 10 for most popular movies on Netflix. Frankly, it will likely stay on that list for a few weeks.
That's only one of many rom-coms to watch on Netflix. There are two more recommendations below. Admittedly, one is more drama than comedy. The other is an iconic, raunchy rom-com. All three movies are worth your time.
We also have guides to the best movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Life List (2025)

The Life List is part rom-com and part quarter-life crisis. Alex (Carry-On's Sofia Carson) was once an aspirational kid. Unfortunately, she forgot about her dreams once she hit adulthood. After her mother dies of cancer (Connie Britton), Alex learns that the will has a major stipulation: Alex must complete the bucket list she made as a teenager. If Alex completes it, she will receive her inheritance.
What does a 13-year-old's bucket list look like? Some of the list includes a one-on-one basketball game, an open mic night, and a trip to her childhood home. The more activities she crosses off, the more Alex realizes how much she has lost herself over the years. This list is a chance for rediscovery and, much to her surprise, a shot at love.
Stream The Life List on Netflix.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Pride & Prejudice - 20th Anniversary Release Official Trailer - Only in Theaters April 20
Pride & Prejudice is a romance with more drama than comedy. Is it a rom-com? Probably not, but hey, the movie is about to get rereleased for the 20th anniversary, so why not talk about it? The best Pride & Prejudice adaptation belongs to Joe Wright, who took the iconic Jane Austen novel and made Keira Knightley an Oscar nominee thanks to her excellent portrayal of Elizabeth "Lizzy" Bennet.
Elizabeth and her four sisters face pressure from their overbearing parents to find a suitable husband. Elizabeth, the most straightforward out of the group, wants to marry for love, not for wealth or social status. When she meets Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), Elizabeth has her reservations. Over time, Elizabeth starts to see Darcy's true colors, culminating in an iconic scene that will warm your heart.
Stream Pride & Prejudice on Netflix.

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