10 Best Movies Set In Florida, Ranked

When it comes to sunshine, tans, and crystal-clear waters, it's hard to beat Florida. With consistently warm weather, vibrant colors, and a bustling nightlife, the Sunshine State — particularly Miami — offers plenty to admire. It remains a top destination for beachgoers looking to unwind and soak up the laid-back atmosphere.

Hollywood has long taken notice of Florida's exemplary conditions, consistently using the state's magnetic glow as a backdrop for countless films. Many of these movies have achieved monumental success. But what are the 10 best movies set in the state? We're glad you asked! We've compiled a list of our favorite films that not only take place in Florida but often make the state a central figure in the story.

Keep in mind, these aren't just movies shot in Florida, like, say, Harold Ramis' "Caddyshack." Each film on this list is set in or around the Sunshine State, using its unique character to enhance the narrative.

Michael Bay's explosive — and personal – follow-up to 1995's "Bad Boys" sees narcotics cops and lifelong pals Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) taking on Hector Juan Carlos "Johnny" Tapia (Jordi Mollà), a dangerous Cuban drug dealer operating in Miami, Florida. As tensions mount and the body count rises, our heroes must put everything on the line to stop this new threat, particularly after Tapia kidnaps Marcus' sister.

Don't worry; it's not that dramatic. Instead, "Bad Boys II" offers peak Bay-hem, demonstrating the director's propensity for gnarly violence and unapologetically over-the-top humor. This blockbuster sequel is loud, occasionally obnoxious, juvenile, and crass, but it's also a helluva lot of fun. Smith and Lawrence once again display the free-flowing chemistry that made the duo's first outing such a blast, while Bay and screenwriters Ron Shelton and Jerry Stahl come up with myriad excuses to squeeze in as many car chases, fight sequences, and shootouts as possible. The results are a bloated but always entertaining summer action spectacle that takes full advantage of Miami's bikini-clad, key lime scenery.   

Mike Nichols' riotous comedy "The Birdcage" follows a gay couple, Armand (Robin Williams) and Albert Goldman (Nathan Lane), happily running a drag club in South Beach. Problems arise when their son Val (Dan Futterman) begins dating Barbara Kelsey (Calista Flockhart), daughter of ultra-conservative Republican Senator Kevin Keeley (Gene Hackman), particularly when the latter wishes to meet his soon-to-be in-laws. To help their son and ensure the senator doesn't get caught in more controversy following a previous scandal, Armand and Albert agree to hide their relationship, creating a comedy-fueled series of events that quickly spirals out of control.

While interiors were filmed primarily in Los Angeles, Nichols crafted several exterior scenes set around the Art Deco section of South Beach, Miami, capturing the colorful locale's lively atmosphere. This luscious scenery becomes a key component of the film as the flamboyancy gets trapped behind the sterile, drab decor propped up by Armand and Albert to appease Keeley and his wife (Dianne Wiest).

Overall, "The Birdcage" is an engaging, often hilarious comedy featuring delightful performances from Williams (who did plenty of improvising on the set), Lane, and Hackman, as well as a message of acceptance that resonates even more today.   

Denzel Washington stars in "Out of Time," a 2003 thriller with enough twists and turns to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The film follows Matt Lee Whitlock (Washington), the chief of police presiding over Banyan Key in Florida, who gets in over his head after gifting his girlfriend Ann (Sanaa Lathan) $485,000 from a drug bust. The situation becomes dire when the money vanishes after Ann dies in a fire, leaving Matt on the run from the law — including his homicide detective wife (Eva Mendes) — as he unravels an intricate plot designed to take him down.

Director Carl Franklin (who also directed Washington in the terrific "Devil in a Blue Dress") elevates a straightforward script into a tense, twist-filled thriller. He also makes the most of his tropical setting, giving viewers a taste of the state's glorious beaches and flower-shirt-wearing, khaki-adorned citizens.

Also, Eva Mendes. Enough said, right? 

Raw and powerful, "The Florida Project" is an engaging and incredibly moving look at the problematic world as seen through the eyes of a group of children. Moonee (Brooklynn Kimberly Prince) lives with her poverty-stricken mother (Bria Vinaite) in a cheap motel by Disney World in southern Florida. There, she plays with her friends, annoys the manager (Willem Dafoe), and goes on a series of adventures, utterly oblivious to the problems facing the adults around her. Eventually, reality encroaches on Moonee's fantasy, threatening to take her from her friends and family.

This slice-of-life experience doesn't follow the traditional Hollywood formula. There are no easy answers, and the ending may induce more head scratches than tears. As he did with 2015's "Tangerine," director Sean Baker shows us ordinary people stuck in terrible circumstances in "The Florida Project," except this time, they live right next to the happiest place on Earth. We're not meant to judge, only observe.

Beautifully acted (particularly by Dafoe), this seminal work looks past the glitz and glamor of southern Florida and shows the families living in the cracks. It's a difficult, sometimes humorous, but rewarding experience.  

"Body Heat," Lawrence Kasdan's stylish, sexy film noir, pairs a red-hot Kathleen Turner with William Hurt as Matty Walker and Ned Racine — an adulterous couple who plot to kill the former's husband. Deception abounds, as do several steamy, saxophone-driven sex scenes, all captured under southern Florida's lush, sultry, treacherous landscape — which means everyone is hot, sweaty, and in dire need of a shower. Still, the climate matches the characters' unbridled passion and carnal desires and drenches everyone in dark shadows that contrast sharply with the rich, colorful hues of the oceanside.

Ultimately, "Body Heat" is a classic tale of deception, and something of a guilty pleasure, featuring a brilliant, layered script and plenty of intrigue. Hurt and Turner shine in this fascinating character study, portraying morally bankrupt characters ripped straight from the Alfred Hitchcock playbook. We watch their poor decisions give way to even poorer ones, leading to a handful of shocking twists and a delicious ending that'll make you think twice about falling in love with a mysterious stranger at a bar.      

"Moonlight," 2016's Best Picture winner, chronicles the hardships faced by Chiron, a young black man discovering his identity and sexuality through various stages of his life in a rough Miami neighborhood. We watch him grow from a young boy (Alex R. Hibbert) to a troubled teenager (Ashton Sanders) and, finally, a man (Trevante Rhodes) guided by a drug dealer-turned-father figure named Juan (Mahershala Ali). The film explores concepts of love, family, and acceptance, rendered remarkably by James Laxton's dreamlike photography and Barry Jenkins' sturdy direction.

As it did in "The Florida Project," Miami's exotic beaches and rich landscape contrast with the rugged world inhabited by our main characters. Liberty City contains poverty, drugs, and systemic challenges despite lingering next to a city full of wealth and opulence. The location becomes a central figure in the story, highlighting the ongoing economic disparity facing many Americans today. This powerful story of self-discovery is a journey worth taking. 

A list of Best Films Set in Florida requires a shoutout to Michael Mann's underappreciated "Miami Vice," the 2006 adaptation of his classic television series about two police detectives taking on drug traffickers in Miami. Colin Farrell, who apparently dislikes the film, takes over the role of Sonny Crockett from Don Johnson. At the same time, Jamie Foxx kicks butt as Ricardo Tubbs, a part formerly played by Philip Michael Thomas on the TV show. Together, they deliver their brand of law and order while dealing with love in all the wrong places. 

In the film, our duo goes undercover to expose a drug operation headed by a ruthless international kingpin, Arcángel de Jesús Montoya (Luis Tosar), and his second-in-command, Yero (John Ortiz). During their operation, Sonny falls for Montoya's financial advisor, Isabella (Gong Li), and winds up neck-deep in a dangerous web of deception and betrayal. 

Gorgeous to look at, thanks to Miami's neon-clad cityscapes and deep blue coastline, this wicked epic deserves far more attention among the film community for its lavish production values, top-tier directing, and thrilling action.

Ron Howard's charming sci-fi fantasy spins a fanciful Fountain of Youth tale around an alien adventure, delivering remarkably stirring and heartwarming results. Boasting an all-star cast of veteran actors — including Wilford Brimley, Don Ameche (who won an Oscar for his performance), Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, and Jessica Tandy — alongside the always charismatic '80s icon Steve Guttenberg, Cocoon tells the story of a group of seniors who stumble across a pool imbued with the life-giving energy of benevolent extraterrestrials. Magically, the water restores their youthful vigor and cures their ailments, reinvigorating their love for life. However, when the aliens discover their uninvited guests, they enlist the seniors' help to rescue their companions who were left behind in the ocean long ago.

Shot in St. Petersburg, "Cocoon" beautifully captures the essence of Florida – its breezy beaches, stunning ocean views, and dolphin-filled waters. Howard conveys the retirement community atmosphere, highlighting the older residents living in dimly lit homes all the while residing oh-so-close to abundant adventure hidden in the ocean depths. Aided by James Horner's delectable score, and a bittersweet ending, "Cocoon" is top-tier family entertainment.

Oh man, if you're looking for high-flying entertainment, look no further than James Cameron's "True Lies." Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis, this 1994 feature sees superspy Harry Tasker (Arnold) taking on a dangerous terrorist (Art Malik) in possession of nuclear weapons. Pretty standard stuff, right? Well, the twist here is that Harry's wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis), is unaware of her husband's double life, assuming he works as a computer salesman. Eventually, she learns the truth, and the couple is whisked away on a dangerous (but fun!) adventure that rekindles their love for one another.

"True Lies" expertly blends humor, action, and heart, making for a sensational popcorn epic with jaw-dropping stunts, amazing special effects, and strong supporting turns from Tom Arnold and the almighty Bill Paxton.

Now, much of the film takes place in Maryland before our heroes are kidnapped and taken to an island in the Florida Keys. This results in a series of sensational set pieces that culminate with Harry piloting a Harrier jet over a Miami skyscraper. Cameron pushes his $100 million budget to the limit in "True Lies" and ensures you get your money's worth and delivers another action classic. 

You can't spell Florida without Tony Montana. Well, you can, but, well, you know what I mean. No film captures the luxurious lifestyle enjoyed by Miami's rich and famous better than "Scarface." Here, in southern Florida, is where Al Pacino's notorious drug lord builds his empire, only to let it slip away via greed, violence, and his own self-destructive tendencies, leading to the infamous "Say hello to my little friend" line.

There aren't many movies like Brian De Palma's controversial epic. Violent, bloody, and extravagant (almost to a fault), this sensational crime drama goes hard on the camp, style, and flair, with Pacino, in particular, gobbling up the screen with his larger-than-life performance. De Palma stages Montana's rise from a lowly refugee to a dangerous kingpin as though it were a Shakespearean tragedy and uses Miami's lush scenery as a stark contrast to the darker happenings in the gritty underworld. The style and scope are impressive; the style-over-substance approach is memorable. Engrossing and stylish to boot, "Scarface" is a timeless classic.