Best 2025 Movies for character development

#1 Mayday
3.8

Nikolai and Troy get meaningful growth and a believable friendship, but some critics find Troy or the supporting family arcs thin, rushed, or underdeveloped.

Pros: sexual content level, acting performance

Cons: score quality, family friendliness

#2 Wicked: For Good
3.3

Glinda’s expanded arc earns substantial praise, while several supporting characters are criticized as rushed or underdeveloped. The result is strong growth at the center but uneven attention around the ensemble.

Pros: makeup quality, special effects quality

Cons: cultural representation, screenplay quality

#3 The Housemaid
3.0

Several reviewers appreciate the characters' hidden layers, while others find Millie thin and supporting roles underused.

Pros: lead performance, costume design

Cons: soundtrack quality, editing quality

#4 A Merry Little Ex-mas
3.0

Character work lands unevenly. Supporters like the no-villain approach and the extra room given to side characters, while detractors call key figures thin, stereotyped, inconsistent, or too easily redirected by...

Pros: directing quality, world-building

Cons: suspense, rewatch value

#5 Avatar: Fire and Ash
2.9

Character work is uneven. Jake, Neytiri, Quaritch, and parts of the younger ensemble gain welcome depth, while Spider, Varang, and several family arcs often feel underwritten or repetitive.

Pros: supporting cast performance, chemistry between characters

Cons: tonal consistency, dialogue quality

#6 Goodbye June
2.4

Characterization is one of the most repeated weaknesses. Many critics call the siblings archetypal, thin, or too neatly defined, though a few find real texture in the family roles and...

Pros: lead performance, supporting cast performance

Cons: originality, plot originality

#7 My Secret Santa
2.4

Character depth is one of the most disputed areas. Taylor earns praise for emotional texture and some arcs show growth, but many reviewers found supporting characters thin, underwritten, or rushed...

Pros: special effects quality, practical effects quality

Cons: plot originality, plot clarity