Some actors go under the Hollywood radar even though they’ve worked on some really great productions, and I think Miles Teller is one of those stars. Teller has impressed fans time and time again with his performances and now that he has starred opposite Tom Cruise in the 2022 new release film Top Gun: Maverick, I expect his star to continue to rise in the years to come. In fact, he’s already completed Spiderhead opposite Marvel star Chris Hemsworth. In anticipation of a career of continued bangers, here’s what you can watch if you like Teller and how you can watch them.
Top Gun: Maverick
Miles Teller may be slept on by a lot of people, but hopefully that changhes now that he has portrayed OG character Goose’s son in Top Gun: Maverick, over 35 years after the original Top Gun’s release. The recently released revival centers on Tom Cruise's character Maverick returning to the Top Gun training program to train young recruits, including Teller’s character.
Tom Cruise put Miles Teller through the wringer with training for Top Gun: Maverick, and it certainly shows in one particular shirtless scene. Abs aside, Teller’s performance in the highly anticipated film is pretty spectacular, as well as the rest of the cast. It stands up next to the original, iconic film and puts Teller in a great position in his career. While it’s exclusively in theaters right now, those with a Paramount Plus subscription will presumably be able to catch the film at home once it goes to streaming.
The Spectacular Now (Showtime)
A film that will totally hit you in the feels, The Spectacular Now centers around Miles Teller’s character Sutter, who is an outgoing guy who likes to party, and a quiet and down to Earth girl played by Shailene Woodley. The two opposites are drawn to one another, and the relationship slowly changes Sutter’s philosophy on life, which was previously to live in the “spectacular now”. The two stars are joined by an all star cast of Kyle Chandler, Marvel’s Brie Larson, and Bob Odenkirk.
The Spectacular Now was near the beginning of Miles Teller’s movie career and the great A24 film earned him some serious recognition. He has come a long way since then, but fans will still enjoy looking back at the coming-of-age romance from the actor because both he and Shailene Woodley put on an honest, touching performance together that is full of chemistry.
Stream The Spectacular Now on Showtime.
Buy/Rent The Spectacular Now on Amazon.
Whiplash (Showtime)
Brilliantly and appropriately named, Whiplash will give you just that. It’s an intense film, much more so than you would expect a film about a student drummer to be. Miles Teller plays a young aspiring drummer who attends a cut-throat music school and falls under the guidance of a mentor, played by J.K. Simmons, who will do practically anything to see Teller’s character fulfill the potential he sees in him.
Whiplash was the first film that I ever saw Miles Teller in that made me think of him as a very serious, incredibly intense actor. I thought I was going to burst a blood vessel just watching him pour his soul into the film, and I feel like it opened the door for him to appear in more intense movies over the years. Whiplash won three Oscars, one of which was taken home by J.K. Simmons.
Stream Whiplash on Showtime.
Buy/Rent Whiplash on Amazon.
Project X (Netflix)
Project X is a typical High School movie in that it centers around three outcast friends who try to make a name for themselves, but it separates itself in creating one of the biggest blow out parties that was pretty much hero-worshipped by millennials and became somewhat of a mythical golden standard. This film is massively underrated, but to the kids who were seniors going into college at the same time of the movie releasing, it is legendary and nostalgic.
Miles Teller plays a small supporting role in the film, but his presence is felt throughout. Fans of the star will love seeing his influence on the film in a time before he was getting big roles. This is one of those films that you can’t trust the Rotten Tomatoes rating, as it received a sad score of 28% from critics, which was less than half the rating given to the film by the audience. It’s a niche film, but those who were becoming adults around 2012 know the film to be absolutely legendary.
Stream Project X on Netflix.
Buy/Rent Project X on Amazon.
Footloose (Amazon Rental)
A direct remake of Kevin Bacon’s 1984 film of the same name, Footloose is about a city boy who goes to a small town where rock music and dancing have been outlawed. He falls for a preacher’s daughter and works to make dancing and music legal again. The remake features Dennis Quad as well as professional dancer Julianne Hough.
Footloose was Miles Teller’s very first big role in a wide film, and he plays a supporting role. The musical is something different from Teller, and worth checking out to see him awkwardly dance along to a bunch of 8 year olds singing on a Barbie karaoke machine.
The Divergent Franchise (Amazon Purchase)
Based on the best selling series, the Divergent franchise puts Miles Teller back opposite Shailene Woodley, along with Theo James, Kate Winslet, and Zoë Kravitz in this dystopian action film. Woodley’s character is what is referred to as “divergent”, as she doesn’t fit in with the world’s plan. Once she uncovers a plot to kill off all divergent people, she sets off on a journey to stop the people in charge.
Fans of Miles Teller would find something a little different in his role in Divergent, as he plays a straight-up bad guy. He is the antagonist of Shailene Woodley’s main character in all three of the franchise’s films, and he does a great job in the role, starting out as downright cruel in the first film and seeing some character growth later on.
Buy the Divergent franchise on Amazon.
War Dogs (Netflix)
Starring Jonah Hill alongside Miles Teller, War Dogs is about two friends who score a multi-hundred-million dollar weapons contract to arm U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The contract requires them to hustle their way through the deal in a twisted web of lies. Loosely based on a true story, it’s a tale of greed and opportunity.
Both Miles Teller and Jonah Hill are pretty amazing in War Dogs, and it is the film that begins a number of other war and/or military centric films for Teller.
Stream War Dogs on Netflix.
Buy/Rent War Dogs on Amazon.
Thank You For Your Service (Amazon Rental)
An important one of these military-centric films featuring Miles Teller is Thank You For Your Service. The film is about a group of soldiers who come home from the war and struggle to acclimate back to civilian life. The film is a sobering reflection of what real life war vets go through.
Miles Teller’s performance in Thank You For Your Service is powerful and helps bring attention to a very real problem that veterans have when returning home after their service. It is definitely worth a watch, however make sure you’re ready for a heavy story before diving into it.
Buy/Rent Thank You For Your Service on Amazon.
Bleed For This (Amazon Rental)
Bleed For This is based on the true story of boxer Vinny Pazienza who, after a horrific car crash, makes an incredible recovery and comeback in the boxing world. Miles Teller plays the inspiring boxer and acts opposite Aaron Eckhart and Katey Sagal.
Miles Teller’s portrayal of Vinny Pazienza in Bleed For This is phenomenal, and really honors the icon that he is portraying. It is an emotional watch and Teller puts on a gripping performance.
Buy/Rent Bleed For This on Amazon.
The Offer (Paramount Plus)
The Offer is a biographical drama series about how the iconic Godfather film got made by producer Al Ruddy. Miles Teller plays a young Ruddy during the development and production of the famous gangster film. Matthew Goode, Dan Fogler, and Giovanni Ribisi also make up some of The Offer cast.
While not all 10 episodes of Season 1 are yet available, The Offer seems to be another example of audiences appreciating something more than the critics apparently did, based on the Rotten Tomato scores. With a whopping 96% from the audience so far, people seem to adore Miles Teller as the Oscar winning producer.
Stream The Offer on Paramount Plus.
Rabbit Hole (HBO Max)
Rabbit Hole was Miles Teller’s first feature film, and it was a whopper of one. He acts opposite Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, and Dianne Weist in the film about a couple’s life after the tragic death of their son.
Miles Teller has one hell of a film debut in Rabbit Hole, a movie that handles the tough topic of loss and grief. He plays a teenage boy that Nicole Kidman’s character takes comfort in, even though he was the one who was accidentally responsible for the death of her 4-year-old son. It’s a complicated and emotional role that Teller knocks out of the park.
Stream Rabbit Hole on HBO Max.
Buy/Rent Rabbit Hole on Amazon.
Miles Teller has pretty much proven he is a serious actor, as he has shown range while also bringing an intensity to his roles that pretty much forces your attention to him. With Top Gun: Maverick absolutely killing it in theaters, I can’t wait for what the next few years hold for Teller.
