Last Updated on February 25, 2024
YouTube is the world’s leading video-sharing platform. The platform teems with thousands of scintillating video contents, from amateur footages of live tragedies to fly-on-the-wall documentaries.
YouTube also maintains a vast library of some of the best movies ever made. What’s more, there are plenty of films on the platform that you can watch for free, without needing a subscription or paying anything over and above your standard internet rates.
The following are the top 10 movies on YouTube that you can watch for free.
1. The Escort (2016)
How far can journalists go in their quest to uncover the saucy gossip and inside intrigues in an industry that has largely remained obscured from the public limelight? Well, far enough for most journalists. But when you are Mitch (Michael Doneger), the sky is virtually the limit.
In this 2016 sensational drama, Mitch’s desperation for a good story from the escort industry has him brushing shoulders with a Stanford-educated escort, Natalie (Lyndsy Fonseca).
He convinces Natalie to allow him write a story on the escort industry for a magazine. However, Natalie leverages Mitch’s interest in the industry and uses him as her own bodyguard. The plot thickens as the business proposition evolves into something that neither the two protagonists initially imagined.
2. 4 Minute Mile (2014)
When you’re going through adversity, you never know where your help might come from. That’s why it’s always prudent to look in every direction, as your deliverance might come from some of the most unlikely sources. No movie on this list captures that wisdom better than the 4 Minute Mile.
A poverty-stricken teen (Kelly Blatz) is at his worst juncture in life when a reclusive coach driver (Richard Jenkins) comes along and changes his life for the better. The driver recognizes the teen’s athletic talent and tells him that running fast is really his only ticket out of poverty. The boy eventually winds up as a world-class runner.
3. Better Off Dead (1985)
Better Off Dead received some pretty bad ratings when it was released. Even the producer, John Cusack, wasn’t quite convinced that the film would wind up as a cult classic. But after watching the movie several times, most of those reviewers, including John Cusack himself, have since had a change of heart.
The teen comedy revolves around the lead character who is determined to end his own life after a breakup. One of the reasons behind the movie’s success and popularity is how delicately it handles the element of dark humor. The incorporation of a weird tone makes for an even more scintillating watch.
4. Mad Money (2008)
Mad Money was partially inspired by the 2001 British film, Hot Money. The movie stars Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, and Diane Keaton, a group of greedy women who rob the Federal Reserve Bank in Kansas City. It all starts when Bridget (Diane Keaton) lands a janitorial job at the Federal Reserve Bank.
Her new job means that Bridget now encounters huge sums of money that are not necessarily his own. She is consumed with greed and hatches a plot to steal damaged currency while it’s being transported to the shredder. Though Mad Money’s script is reasonably predictable, you won’t see its end coming.
5. Rain Man (1988)
Most of us would be pretty comfortable with the daring stunts deployed by the Mad Money trio in trying to rob the Federal Reserve Bank. After all, that’s government asset and it would probably be recovered in a matter of seconds.
But when greed has you turning against your own family, then you know you’re beyond hope. Worse yet, if the said relative is your own autistic brother.
That’s what Rain Man is all about. The movie features Tom Cruise as a mean sports-car dealer who kidnaps his own autistic brother and attempts to manipulate him out of his father’s inheritance. This is one movie that all parents must watch before writing their wills.
6. Out of Time (2003)
Denzel Washington has treated the world to some of the most riveting films, ranging from action dramas like Man on Fire to thought-provoking movies like The Great Debaters. Set in the Florida Keys, Out of Time is about a respected police boss in Banyan Key, named Matt Lee Whitlock (Washington).
For the better part of his career, Whitlock has been a master in averting as well as solving crimes. But he’s now facing a vicious double homicide that threatens to make or break his career. He must move fast and crack the case. Otherwise, he will become one of the prime suspects. To get to the bottom of the truth, Whitlock decides to stay ahead of everyone else, including those he trusts.
7. The Magic of Belle Isle (2012)
The Magic of Belle Isle by Rob Reiner is an excellent recommendation for an all-family movie. The film is a welcome exception to most of Morgan Freeman’s movies that are known for their deep concepts. In this film, Morgan Freeman plays a famous writer who also happens to be an incurable alcoholic.
Due to his drinking habits, he is unable to write. So, he retreats to a remote village, ostensibly to rediscover his writing passions. He stumbles upon a single mom of three children who attempts to rekindle his writing passions while helping him to piece his life back together.
8. The Pink Panther (2006)
You’ve most likely watched a movie or two from The Pink Panther franchise. If you haven’t, well, here’s one movie to get you started. This 2006 comedy-mystery film is the tenth installment in The Pink Panther series. It revolves around an inspector whose next assignment involves solving the murder of a famous football coach, as well as the theft of a famous Pink Panther diamond.
The inspector encounters numerous roadblocks in his quest to crack the cases. At one point, he is framed with attempting to smuggle weapons at an airport, an ordeal that leads to negative media publicity. Though these setbacks derail him, the inspector somewhat remains focused.
9. Kung Fury (2015)
The title of the movie is reminiscent of Kung Fu action films of the ‘80s. And though the movie was released in 2015, it certainly lived up to its hype. The movie stars David Sandberg, who also happens to be the film’s director, as detective Kung Fury.
The detective encounters a double tragedy when a bolt of lightning strikes him and then he is bitten by a cobra. Luckily for him, it’s not a tragedy per se, as the experience leaves him with superhuman combat skills.
Kung Fury decides to use his newly-acquired fighting abilities to clean up the crime-ridden Miami streets. However, his Kung Fu skills are put to the test when he encounters one of the finest fighters.
10. The Road Within (2014)
The Road Within is about three teenagers that escape from a clinic for children with special needs. Vincent (Robert Sheehan) has Tourette syndrome, Alex (Dev Patel) suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, while Marie (Zoe Kravitz) is recovering from an eating disorder.
Diverse in their characters, personalities, and disorders, the three children embark on their life-changing journey towards the ocean, where Vincent intends to scatter his mother’s ashes.
Along the way, some chemistry develops between Marie and Vincent. And as they head to the ocean, Marie collapses and is hospitalized. In a sudden twist, Vincent meets his dad who apologizes for treating him badly.
Conclusion
YouTube teems with thousands of movies, and picking the best isn’t a click and watch kind of experience. Trawling the site’s vast collection is easier if you know what you’re looking for. The above-reviewed films are a great start if you’re looking for some of the most entertaining, sobering, yet free YouTube movies.
