Mark Rylance stars as Leonard in The Outfit, a single location movie with dramatic storytelling. The movie, which came out earlier this year, is a monumental contribution to the film style. Partially as a result of creativity in the COVID-19 pandemic, single location movies have become more accepted in cinema.
Some of the best single location movies date back to the 1940s, while some like The Lighthouse are the latest to master the style. Redditors have shared their thoughts on which single location movies are the best.
Cabin In The Woods (2011)
Cabin in the Woods is a generally satirical horror comedy, but even after its release, it was well-received as original and fun by horror fans. The majority of this film takes place in the titular cabin, where friends must fend off monsters.
A now-deleted Redditor suggests "Cabin in the Woods" in a long list of single-location films. As a single-location horror film, Cabin in the Woods has a claustrophobic sense to it. The film's ending, however, brings a more open air to it.
The Outfit (2022)
The latest movie to master the single location style is The Outfit, which takes place in a tailor's suite in 1950s Chicago, Illinois. This film, which has one of the best posters of 2022, is riddled with an impressive narrative and reliable acting, making this small setting feel much more vast.
Redditor man_z69 remarks, "I'm surprised that no one is talking about that movie. I, for one, thoroughly enjoyed it." A refreshing blend between 1950s mobster stories and single-location directing, The Outfit is an enjoyable, dramatic film so enthralling that the viewer may forget its small set piece.
12 Angry Men (1957)
One of the earliest—and still regarded as one of the best—single-location films is 12 Angry Men (directed by Sidney Lumet). The movie has an original premise for cinema: 12 jurors must decide the fate of a young boy accused of murdering his father.
User Flinion considers this movie "fantastic." Courtroom scenes are popular in many movies, but 12 Angry Men capitalizes on the setting, making it the single location of the entire, dramatic plot. Its philosophical musings and good-hearted characters make it one of the most rewatchable old Hollywood movies.
A Ghost Story (2017)
Movie fans may know David Lowery for his more recent The Green Knight, but his previous work, A Ghost Story, is a single-location work of art. A newly-deceased husband learns about the afterlife when he reappears as a ghost, watching his wife grieve.
User Sn3akyMuffin claims that A Ghost Story "certainly fits the bill and does it in a truly unique way." Sn3akyMuffin refers to how the ghost outlives his former home, as it becomes a hospital, and eventually a pile of rubble—all the while still living on. The film is original and bleak, making its use of a single location one of the most innovative.
Rear Window (1954)
One of the best murder mysteries of all time is Rear Window. The iconic Alfred Hitchcock movie takes place in an apartment that overlooks another room, where a confused, helpless man watches tragedies unfold.
Redditor rtyoda calls Rear Window their "personal favorite" single location film. The layered whodunnit is as timeless as it is confusing. It offers an approach to a mystery that makes the viewer feel as helpless in solving it as L.B. Jefferies.
Rope (1948)
Another highly regarded Hitchock-directed film is Rope, the tantalizing story of two criminals that kill their friend and host a dinner party with his family and friends. The eerie film takes place in a New York apartment and is as inescapable as it is crammed.
Redditor BENNYJANGLES writes that Rope "does a fantastic job building tension using the confines of one flat." A small flat and haunting story will make this 1948 film last forever as one of the best thriller-drama films.
The Man From Earth (2007)
Combining elements of fantasy and sci-fi with a crime drama, The Man from Earth mostly takes place in a single room, which Redditor WhereDreamsGoIWander writes that "you're so captivated by the story being told, and the reactions to the story, that the set doesn't even matter."
The Man from Earth does what many single-location films do not do: it makes sci-fi static. Most sci-fi or fantasy films rely on futuristic, massive sets, but this works its magic in a small set and small cast to its reward.
Locke (2013)
One of the most well-known single-location movies is Locke, in which Tom Hardy plays the titular character—all from behind a steering wheel. Tom Hardy delivers a career performance in one of the most underrated films of the last decade, which dares to prove that acting, sets, and storytelling can be extremely limited, yet totally free.
Replying to a discussion about single location films being a favorite sub-genre, eaglerabbit89 argues that "Locke starring Tom Hardy is great," and it deserves to be considered among favorites for single location movies.
The Lighthouse (2019)
A recent masterful contribution to the single location film sub-genre is Robert Eggers' The Lighthouse, starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. This movie defines small-set, small-cast cinema with a mere three characters and the lighthouse as its only setting.
As one of the best A24 horror movies, the film has garnered high praise from fans. Redditor Ratte005 loves the setting, claiming that "those Nova Scotia shorelines are something else!" Even though it was shot in black and white, the film depicts a beautiful shoreline at the bottom of its ghastly lighthouse.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Quentin Tarantino's star-studded film, The Hateful Eight, mostly takes place in a snowed-in cabin with a group of westerners from various backgrounds. With eight complex storylines to interweave, Tarantino makes much of the story while adding a closed-in feeling in the cabin.
Redditor Sn3akyMuffin claims that even though it takes place in one location, The Hateful Eight is "top tier Tarantino, in my opinion," and cleverly had a "great use of location." Stellar acting and chemistry by an experienced cast make The Hateful Eight stand out as a superior single-location film.