Foreign Blockbusters Americans Loved
It takes a special sort of foreign-made or foreign-language film to take off in American cinema—most don't do well because of their lack of distribution across the country, or the use of subtitles which seems to turn most people off. You'll likely see the occasional foreign-language movie on Netflix. but they mostly remain under-the-radar. Except for these films that became sensations in American cinema.
Dangal
Directed by Nitesh Tiwari, this Hindi-language biopic about a former amateur wrestler, Mahavir Phogat, who coached his daughters into becoming wrestling phenoms received an 88% approval rating at Rotten Tomatoes and grossed over $300 million internationally, with a respectable $13.1.million U.S. box office gross.
Run Lola Run
From 1999, Run Lola Run depicts a thriller from three different versions of the same premise—after her criminal boyfriend loses stolen merchandise, Lola (played by Franka Pote) has just 20 minutes to come up with the cash. This German-made thriller by Tom Tykwer would gross $13.2 million in the U.S., receive a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and lead to Tykwer directing A Hologram For The King (2016) and Cloud Atlas (2012), both starring Tom Hanks.
Kagemusha
Our first Japanese-language flick on this list is from legendary Japanese director Akira Kurosawa. Depicting a petty thief impersonating a powerful warlord so convincingly that he has to play the part full-time at the height of Japanese feudal wars, Kagemusha (1980) grossed $13.6 million in the U.S. and scored 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
La Vie En Rose
One of the best movies of the early 2000s, La Vie En Rose (2007) is a biopic about the life of French singer, Edith Piaf (played by Marion Cottillard in her breakthrough role), who rose to fame after beginning life in a brothel. La Vie En Rose won two Academy Awards, grossing $13.7 million in the U.S., but over $100 million internationally.
Seducing Doctor Lewis
Who'd have thought that a French-Canadian comedy would perform so well in America? Seducing Doctor Lewis (2003) did just that. Telling the trials and triumphs of a small fishing village in Quebec that can only qualify for the construction of a local factory if they have a resident practicing doctor, so they attempt to entice plastic surgeon, Dr. Lewis to join their small community through a series of comedic schemes. Americans must have liked the slapstick nature of the movie, though, it grossed $14.2 million domestically.
CPTC, Seducing Doctor Lewis (2003)
Talk To Her
Spanish director Pedro Amoldóvar takes the reigns in Talk To Her (2002), a romantic thriller about the overlapping sagas of four separate characters, told through flashbacks. It grossed $14.7 million in the U.S. and was listed in Time's 100 Best Films Ever Made in 2005.
All About My Mother
Another Pedro Amoldóvar movie from the late 90s, All About My Mother (1999) depicts the struggle of a mother losing her son to an accident, then searching for the boy's transgender second mother. A groundbreaking movie that won an Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film, scored 98% on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed $15 million in the United States.
El Deseo, All About My Mother (1999)
The Lives Of Others
The 2007 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Film, The Lives Of Others (2007) was the feature directorial debut of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, this spy thriller sees a Stasi government agent assigned to spy on his own wife, who's a writer in East Berlin in 1984. The Lives Of Others grossed $15 million in the U.S.
Arte, The Lives of Others (2006)
The Wedding Banquet
This Chinese rom-com takes place in Manhattan and makes up one part of Ang Lee's acclaimed "Father Knows Best" trilogy. The Wedding Banquet (1993)follows a gay landlord, afraid to come out to his parents, who arranges a marriage-of-convenience with one of his Taiwanese tenants. Things are going great, until the parents decide to throw a huge ceremony of celebration. The Wedding Banquet grossed $15.3 million in the U.S.
Good Machine, The Wedding Banquet (1993)
Spirited Away
Some animated movies can struggle at the Box Office, but that's not the case for Spirited Away (2002), which sees a young girl thrown into an underworld where humans can become beasts. It won the Academy Award For Best Animated Feature, grossed over $500 million internationally and grossed $15.9 million domestically.
Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away (2001)
Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown
Another Spanish directorial masterpiece from Pedro Amoldóvar, Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown (1988) is an adaptation of a French play. It stars Antonio Banderas and depicts the life-changing journey of a woman after a breakup. Bringing Amoldóvar and Banderas to international acclaim, the movie grossed $16 million in the U.S.
El Deseo, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
Under The Same Moon
A heartbreaking drama about a young boy who illegally crosses the Mexican-American border to search for his mother, Under The Same Moon (2008) was the directorial debut of Patricia Riggen and features two separate storylines to beautifully depict the struggles of undocumented immigrants to the U.S. It performed well at the American box office, too, grossing $16.1 million.
Searchlight Pictures, Under the Same Moon (2007)
House Of Flying Daggers
Doesn't that just sound like a fun action movie? It was. House Of Flying Daggers (2004) is a historical action drama about a daring escape of a political prisoner during the last days of the Tang Dynasty in Ancient China. Directed by Yimou Zhang, House Of Flying Daggers grossed $16.3 million domestically.
Elite Group Enterprises, House of Flying Daggers (2004)
Eat Drink Man Woman
Ang Lee is on the docket again with Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). Exploring the themes that affect multi-generational traditional families through the eyes of a semi-retired chef and his three daughters, who gather every Sunday for a family dinner. Eat Drink Man Woman grossed $16.4 million in the United States and was part of Lee's "Father Knows Best" trilogy.
Good Machine, Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)
The Protector
If you like movies with lots of fighting, The Protector (2006) might be perfect for you. Depicting a man who travels from Thailand to Australia to retrieve an elephant that was stolen from him, starring Tony Jaa in the lead role. The Protector grossed $16.8 million domestically.
Sahamongkol Film, The Protector (2005)
Brotherhood Of The Wolf
Following two men in the hunt for a murderous wolf in rural France in the 18th century, Brotherhood Of The Wolf (2002) was quoted by critic Roger Ebert as having "it's heart in the horror-monster-fantasy-special-effects tradition". High praise? Probably. He did give it a three-star review. The movie grossed $17.8 million in the United States.
StudioCanal, Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001)
Volver
Following a woman (Penelope Cruz) back to the small town of her upbringing to confront the tragedy of her past, Volver (2006) was another excellently-directed movie from Pedro Amoldóvar. The drama-comedy grossed $18 million at the American box office.
Shall We Dance?
This Japanese drama-comedy sees a married accountant exit his comfort zone of computers and numbers to enter the world of ballroom dancing. Directed by Masayuki Suô, Shall We Dance (1997) was the second-highest grossing Japanese movie that year and grossed $19 million in the U.S.
My Life As A Dog
This Swedish movie from director Lasse Hallström might have been the beginning of his making of movies with dogs. Depicting a young boy's return to a small town in the 1950s, where he's exposed to a different way of life, My Life As A Dog (1987) grossed $19.6 million at the box office. Director Lasse Hallström also directed Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) starring Richard Gere.
SF Studios, My Life as a Dog (1985)
Fanny And Alexander
Directed by the legendary Ingmar Bergman, Fanny And Alexander (1983) tells the story of two highly-privileged siblings and their all-too-eccentric family's antics. It's Bergman's autobiographical drama and was one of the highest-grossing films of the era, along with winning four Academy Awards. It grossed $19.7 million in the U.S.
Gaumont, Fanny and Alexander (1982)
Baahubali 2: The Conclusion
Bringing to an end the Baahubali saga, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017) is both a prequel and sequel to Baahubali: The Beginning (2015), one of the best Telugu cinematic features of the 2010s. Centering on a story of vengeance as a young warrior seeks to avenge his father's death at the hands of his uncle, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion broke North American box office records for an Indian film and grossed $20.6 million in the U.S.
Arka Media Works, Baahubali 2: The Conclusion (2017)
Y Tu Mamá También
Y Tu Mamá También (2002) is a coming-of-age drama that sees two friends embark on a roadtrip with an older lady on a rather consequential roadtrip. It saw director Alfonso Cuarón return to his Mexican roots after having found success with English-language movies in Hollywood. The movie grossed $21.9 million in America.
Twentieth Century, Y tu mamá también (2001)
Monsoon Wedding
A dramedy feature from Indian director Mira Nair, Monsoon Wedding (2002) is all about the elaborate nature of arranged marriages, acclaimed for it's "radical tone shift" by one critic, Monsoon Wedding grossed $21.9 million in the U.S.
USA Films, Monsoon Wedding (2001)
La Cage Aux Folles II
Directed by Éduoard Molinaro, La Cage Aux Folles II (1981) was a sequel to La Cage Aux Folles (1978), which depicted a drama-comedy featuring a gay couple. The high success of that movie led to this one—which set the same pairing from the first movie against the backdrop of a spy thriller. Hugely popular in France, the movie also performed well in the U.S., grossing $22.9 million.
United Artists, La Cage aux Folles II (1980)
Iron Monkey
Interpreting Robin Hood through the lens of martial arts would take some creativity. But that's where Woo-Ping Yuen from Hong Kong shines. Iron Monkey (1993) didn't reach North American theaters until 2001, but still managed to gross $23.8 million in the United States.
Golden Harvest, Iron Monkey (1993)
Kung Fu Hustle
Kung Fu Hustle (2005) is a Cantonese and Mandarin-language depiction of David versus Goliath, as a small village unites to protect itself against an invading gang. Set in the 1940s, the movie is almost cartoonish with it's effects and eccentric characters, but something must have endeared it to American audiences, as it grossed $24.4 million.
Columbia, Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
The Motorcycle Diaries
The epic tale of the life of Che Guevara was always going to be on our list. The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) tells how a motorcycle trip throughout South America in the early 1950s transformed Che into a revolutionary. Starring Gael Garcia Bernal as Guevara for the second time on-screen, The Motorcycle Diaries grossed $24.8 million in the U.S.
FilmFour, The Motorcycle Diaries (2004)
Cinema Paradiso
This Italian drama from Giuseppe Tornatore is a part-autobiography of Tornatore's early formative years in the Sicilian village of his youth and how he fell in love with filmmaking. Cinema Paradiso (1990) grossed $26 million at the American box office and won an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Boat
Wolfgang Petersen's WWII drama, The Boat (1984) brings the viewer aboard a German submarine, exploring life aboard a German U-Boat in WWII through an at-times bored and at-times terrified crew. It was later made into a mini-series that was 300 minutes long, but The Boat's cinematic run in the U.S. grossed $34 million.
Fearless
Starring Jet Li, Fearless (2006) is the story of real-life Huo Yuanjia, one of China's most famous martial artists and fighters. Fearless grossed $34 million domestically and $60.7 million internationally.
China Film Group, Fearless (2006)
The Postman
Not to be confused with the 1997 sci-fi movie starring Kevin Costner, The Postman (1995) sees an Italian postie who's aided in wooing the woman of his dreams by exiled poet, Pablo Neruda. Tragically, the film's star actor, Massimo Troisi, died after principal photography wrapped up on the set, but The Postman still grossed $46 million in the U.S.
StudioCanal, The Postman (1994)
Like Water For Chocolate
Mexican director Alfonso Arau flirted with all sorts of forbidden love in Like Water For Chocolate (1993), adapting the movie from the screenplay written by his then-wife, Laura Esquival. Grossing $47.9 million in the U.S., Like Water For Chocolate was the highest-grossing foreign-language film in the country at the time of it's release.
Miramax, Like Water for Chocolate (1992)
Instructions Not Included
Kids don't come with a handbook. That's the premise of Instructions Not Included (2013), when a newborn baby is left on the doorstep of a freewheeling bachelor. Instructions Not Included is fraught with the trials of parenthood and a heartbreaking turn of events. It grossed a stunning $50.1 million in the United States.
Pantelion Films, Instructions Not Included (2013)
Pan's Labyrinth
Winner of three Academy Awards, Pan's Labyrinth (2006) was directed by Hollywood directorial rockstar, Guillermo del Toro. Set in the Franco era in Spain, Pan's Labyrinth sees a young girl thrust into a dark underworld who must find her way back to the light. One of the best animated movies of the year, Pan's Labyrinth grossed $52.6 million at the American box office.
Warner Bros., Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
Parasite
Directed by Bong Joon-ho, Parasite (2019) is still being talked about in movie lover circles. All about an impoverished family worming their way into an upper-class household, Parasite grossed $53.4 million in the United States and won an Oscar for Best Picture, being the first non-English-language film to do so.
CJ Entertainment, Parasite (2019)
Amélie
Starring Audrey Tautou as the titular character, this light-hearted, good-natured French movie is all about the impact you can have on the world around you. Now known as a French classic, Amelie (2001) grossed $53.9 million at the American box office and was France's highest-grossing movie of the year.
La Cage Aux Folles
You've seen it's sequel on our list already, so you know what to expect. La Cage Aux Folles (1978) depicts a gay couple who have to "play straight" for their in-laws. Inspiring not only a sequel but an English-language remake The Birdcage (1996) starring Gene Hackman and Robin Williams, La Cage Aux Folles grossed $75.7 million in the U.S.
MGM, La Cage aux Folles (1987)
Hero
This huge action flick from Yimou Zhang starred Jet Li, it focused on a single event from multiple angles and an interesting narration technique. Despite being a bit all-over-the-place, Hero (2004) was "one of the best films to be released in the United States" according to New Republic critic, Christopher Orr. It grossed $79.2 million in sales in the U.S.
Life Is Beautiful
Bring the tissues for this one. Life Is Beautiful (1998) is set in a concentration camp in the Holocaust and depicts a father's struggle to protect his son, by pretending that all of the horrors are merely an elaborate game. A tragic comedy with more tragedy than comedy, Life Is Beautiful grossed an astonishing $111 million of well-deserved ticket sales in the U.S and won three Academy Awards.
Miramax, Life Is Beautiful (1997)
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
From director Ang Lee comes a Mandarin-language masterpiece that's considered a piece of cinematic history. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) tells the story of two warriors searching for a stolen ancient sword in the days of the Qing Dynasty in China. It won four Academy Awards and is the highest-grossing foreign film in American cinema history, with a stunning $217.7 million domestic gross.
Columbia, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
The Minari-Golden Globes Controversy
In 2021, Minari was released by American filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung, telling the story of South Korean immigrants who move to the United States in the 1980s, to an Arkansas farm in search of a new life. Much of the movie's dialogue is in Korean, despite the film being set in the United States. This was enough for the Golden Globes to slot the movie into the Best Foreign Film category, rather than Best Drama. It won in the Best Foreign Film category and may have won in Best Drama, too. This spurred controversy and accusations of racism. "There's not a more American film than Minari this year," said director Lulu Wang. She then called for a change to antequated rules that depict Americans as only English-speaking.
