While big-budget movies are often filmed in diverse locations across the globe, low-budget movies usually take place in a single location. This allows directors to create compelling stories with minimal expenses. However, for such movies to succeed, they require a fascinating script and outstanding performances to keep the audience engaged. Below, we have compiled a list of single-location movies that have received critical acclaim and captivated audiences despite their limited settings. Here are the best single-location movies:
1.Dog Day Afternoon
Two friends, Sonny Wortzik and Salvatore Naturile, decide to rob a bank in Brooklyn. However, their plan quickly falls apart when the bank becomes surrounded by the police. Trapped inside with hostages, the duo finds themselves in an unexpected situation, alternating between being perceived as heroes and criminals. Starring Al Pacino and John Cazale, this movie is a classic example of single-location storytelling.
Information about Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
- Director: Sidney Lumet
- Cast: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Charles Durning, Chris Sarandon
- Release Year: 1975
- Duration: 125 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
- Similar Movies: Serpico (1973), Heat (1995), 12 Angry Men (1957)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Dog Day Afternoon on IMDb
2.The Breakfast Club
On a Saturday morning in 1984, five high school students are sent to detention. The group includes “criminal” John Bender, “athlete” Andrew Clark, “brain” Brian Johnson, “outcast” Allison Reynolds, and “princess” Claire Standish. Initially, they seem to have nothing in common, but as they spend the day together in the school library, they begin to discover shared struggles and form unexpected bonds. Featuring Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, and Anthony Michael Hall, this movie remains a timeless teen drama.
Information about The Breakfast Club (1985)
- Director: John Hughes
- Cast: Emilio Estevez, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy
- Release Year: 1985
- Duration: 97 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Comedy, Drama
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
- Similar Movies: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986), Sixteen Candles (1984), Dead Poets Society (1989)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: The Breakfast Club on IMDb
3.Phone Booth (2002)
Stu Shepard, a successful advertising executive, frequently uses a particular phone booth to make personal calls. One day, after completing a call, the phone in the booth rings, and Stu answers it. He quickly realizes he’s trapped by a serial killer who threatens his life unless he complies with specific demands. The movie stars Colin Farrell, Forest Whitaker, and Katie Holmes, delivering a gripping thriller set entirely in a phone booth.
Information about Phone Booth (2002)
- Director: Joel Schumacher
- Cast: Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell
- Release Year: 2002
- Duration: 81 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Crime, Thriller
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.0/10
- Similar Movies: Buried (2010), Locke (2013), Panic Room (2002)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Phone Booth on IMDb
4.Clue
Six strangers are invited to a mysterious dinner at a grand mansion. None of them knows the host or the purpose of the gathering. When the host is suddenly murdered, the guests and staff must uncover the killer’s identity before more lives are lost. With a mix of comedy and suspense, Tim Curry, Lesley Ann Warren, and Colleen Camp lead this entertaining and enigmatic movie.
Information about Clue (1985)
- Director: Jonathan Lynn
- Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd
- Release Year: 1985
- Duration: 94 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Comedy, Crime, Mystery
- Language: English
- Age Rating: PG
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
- Similar Movies: Murder by Death (1976), Knives Out (2019), The Pink Panther (1963)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Clue on IMDb
5.Reservoir Dogs
Joe Cabot assembles a group of criminals, including his son, to rob a diamond store. Each member uses a color-based code name. Despite meticulous planning, the heist goes wrong, and the group is ambushed by the police. Back at a warehouse, suspicions rise as they realize one of them might be an informant. Directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, and Harvey Keitel, this iconic movie showcases masterful storytelling in a confined space.
Information about Reservoir Dogs (1992)
- Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi
- Release Year: 1992
- Duration: 99 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 8.3/10
- Similar Movies: Pulp Fiction (1994), The Usual Suspects (1995), Goodfellas (1990)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Reservoir Dogs on IMDb
6.Pontypool: Deadly Words
Set in a small-town radio station, this movie follows Mazy and the team as they broadcast reports of violent outbreaks spreading through the community. They soon discover that the cause is a virus transmitted through the English language. With no way to escape, the team continues broadcasting in hopes of survival. Starring Stephen McHattie and Lisa Houle, this is a chilling and unique take on the horror genre.
Information about Pontypool (2008)
- Director: Bruce McDonald
- Cast: Stephen McHattie, Lisa Houle, Georgina Reilly, Hrant Alianak
- Release Year: 2008
- Duration: 93 minutes
- Country: Canada
- Genre: Horror, Thriller
- Language: English
- Age Rating: Not Rated
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
- IMDb Rating: 6.6/10
- Similar Movies: The Signal (2007), Coherence (2013), Buried (2010)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Pontypool on IMDb
7.Dredd
In a dystopian future, police officers act as judge, jury, and executioner. Dredd, one of the most skilled officers, teams up with Cassandra to investigate a murder in a high-rise controlled by Ma-Ma, a ruthless gang leader. What follows is a tense and action-packed battle for survival. Starring Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, and Lena Headey, this movie keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.
Information about Dredd (2012)
- Director: Pete Travis
- Cast: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris
- Release Year: 2012
- Duration: 95 minutes
- Country: United Kingdom, South Africa, United States
- Genre: Action, Crime, Sci-Fi
- Language: English
- Age Rating: R
- Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies
- IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
- Similar Movies: The Raid: Redemption (2011), RoboCop (1987), Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Dredd on IMDb
8.Gerald’s Game
Jessie and Gerald head to a remote lake house for a romantic getaway. During a risqué game involving handcuffs, Gerald dies unexpectedly, leaving Jessie trapped and struggling to free herself. As time passes, she begins to sense another presence in the house, turning her ordeal into a terrifying nightmare. Starring Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, and Carel Struycken, this psychological thriller masterfully utilizes its single location.
Information about Gerald’s Game (2017)
- Director: Mike Flanagan
- Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia, Carel Struycken
- Release Year: 2017
- Duration: 103 minutes
- Country: United States
- Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
- Language: English
- Age Rating: TV-MA
- Available Platforms: Netflix
- IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
- Similar Movies: 1922 (2017), The Haunting of Hill House (2018), Misery (1990)
- Trailer: YouTube Trailer
- IMDb Link: Gerald’s Game on IMDb
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