Direction: Alexander Payne

The best movies, series, and documentaries directed by Alexander Payne. Explore exceptional titles that showcase a unique filmmaking vision.


Nebraska

2013 · Movie · 115 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Bruce Dern · Will Forte · Stacy Keach · Bob Odenkirk

Plot "NEBRASKA" is a father and son road trip, from Billings, Montana to Lincoln, Nebraska that gets waylaid at a small town in central Nebraska, where the father grew up and...

7.4

30K votes

7.4

30K votes

The Holdovers

2023 · Movie · 130 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Paul Giamatti · Dominic Sessa · Da'Vine Joy Randolph · Carrie Preston

Plot Nobody likes teacher Paul Hunham -not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go...

7.3

10K votes

7.3

10K votes

Paris, je t'aime

2006 · Movie · 119 min. · France

Direction Olivier Assayas · Frédéric Auburtin · Gérard Depardieu · Gurinder Chadha

Cast Natalie Portman · Fanny Ardant · Elijah Wood · Nick Nolte

Plot In Paris, love is everywhere: in its bars and cafés, under the Eiffel Tower, and even in the Metro running beneath its streets. In Paris, je t'aime, prepare to see...

6.8

20K votes

6.8

20K votes

Sideways

2004 · Movie · 123 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Paul Giamatti · Thomas Haden Church · Virginia Madsen · Sandra Oh

Plot Writer-director Alexander Payne's fourth feature film (following CITIZEN RUTH, ELECTION and ABOUT SCHMIDT) starts with two old friends setting off on a wine-tasting road trip . . . only to...

6.7

43K votes

6.7

43K votes

The Descendants

2011 · Movie · 110 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast George Clooney · Shailene Woodley · Amara Miller · Nick Krause

Plot With his wife Elizabeth on life support after a boating accident, Hawaiian land baron Matt King (George Clooney), takes his two daughters -Scottie (Amara Miller) and Alexandra (Shailene Woodley)- on...

6.5

44K votes

6.5

44K votes

Election

1999 · Movie · 98 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Matthew Broderick · Reese Witherspoon · Chris Klein · Mark Harelik

Plot Reese Witherspoon plays Tracy Flick, a straight-A go-getter determined to be president of Carver Highs student body. Popular teacher Jim McAllister decides to derail Tracys obsessive overachieving by recruiting an...

Max

6.5

7K votes

6.5

7K votes

Citizen Ruth

1996 · Movie · 102 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Laura Dern · Swoosie Kurtz · Kurtwood Smith · Mary Kay Place

Plot Ruth Stoops is a poor indigent drug-user (a huffer - inhaling glue and paint for a high) whose down and out existence is complicated once more by becoming pregnant (she...

6.4

436 votes

6.4

436 votes

About Schmidt

2002 · Movie · 124 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Jack Nicholson · Dermot Mulroney · Hope Davis · Kathy Bates

Plot Warren Schmidt has led a safe, predictable life working in the insurance industry in Omaha, Nebr. for many years, yet now faces retirement. At the same time he is forced...

6.4

20K votes

6.4

20K votes

Hung (TV Series)

2009 · Series · 30 min. · United States

Direction Dmitry Lipkin · Colette Burson · Alexander Payne · Daniel Attias

Cast Thomas Jane · Jane Adams · Anne Heche · Charlie Saxton

Plot TV Series (2009-2011). 3 Seasons. 30 Episodes. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Ray Drecker's situation couldn't be much tougher. The former high school sports legend turned middle-aged high...

Max

6.2

2K votes

6.2

2K votes

Downsizing

2017 · Movie · 135 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Matt Damon · Christoph Waltz · Hong Chau · Kristen Wiig

Plot A social satire in which a guy realizes he would have a better life if he were to shrink himself.

5.3

9K votes

5.3

9K votes

4.4

69 votes

Inside Out III

1992 · Movie · 93 min. · United States

Direction Nigel Dick · Alexander Payne · Paul Rachman · Bernard Rose

Cast Deke Anderson · Linden Ashby · Collin Bernsen · Alison Brooks

Plot Playboy does to softcore sex films what HBO's Tales from the Crypt did for horror. Contains the stories: "Dogs Playing Poker"; "The Branding"; "The Portal"; "The Perfect Woman"; "Within Ten...

Not rated

Not rated

Inside Out

1991 · Movie · 89 min. · United States

Direction Jeffrey Reiner · Lizzie Borden · Adam Friedman · Linda Hassani

Cast Varda Appleton · Gavin Atkins · Terrence Atkins · Parley Baer

Plot Playboy does to softcore sex films what HBO's Tales from the Crypt did for horror. Contains the stories: "Brush Strokes"; "Shrink Rap"; "Doubletalk"; "The Leda"; "My Secret Moments"; "Life Is...

Not rated

Not rated

Tracy Flick Can't Win

2025 · Movie · min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Reese Witherspoon

Plot A sequel to the 1999 cult "Election", also directed by Alexander Payne.

Not rated

Not rated

The Passion of Martin

1991 · Movie · 49 min. · United States

Direction Alexander Payne

Cast Charley Hayward · Lisa Zane · Lauren Tuerk · Joe Marinelli

Plot A lonely photographer gradually develops a rather unhealthy obsession for a young woman he met once by pure chance.

Not rated

Not rated