Voiceover in movies often gets dismissed as lazy storytelling, and it definitely can be. You can probably think of several that don't quite work, or it feels hamfisted or uncomfortable. (For me, that would be the botched Blade Runner voiceover that Harrison Ford essentially phoned in.) Voiceover sometimes feels forced because it doesn't add anything to our understanding of the characters or stories. For that reason, beginning writers should probably avoid it until they get comfortable with the basics.
But when done right, it becomes an invitation into a character's inner world. It helps the audience connect to their life and the events of the story.
If you're looking to include voiceover in your next script, you should study the films in which it's done well. These films are among the strongest examples of narrative voiceover.
The Batman
Script exerpt from The Batman
This iteration of the Caped Crusader gave us a hard-boiled noir-style Batman. Robert Pattinson's reading of journal entries anchors Matt Reeves' Batman in moodiness. You've probably heard some of this audio used ironically in a TikTok or two, but in the film, the narration gives us exposition and an emotional roadmap, tracking Batman's evolution from a cynical vigilante to a more heroic figure.
Fight Club
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Edward Norton's unnamed narrator takes us on a descent into chaos, presenting a voiceover that initially seems trustworthy but eventually proves unreliable. The film's brilliance lies in its use of voiceover to deliberately mislead the audience, culminating in one of the most shocking plot twists in cinema.
The Shawshank Redemption
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In The Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman's Red tells the story in warm narration and gives the audience a view of the inmates that is familiar and caring. Being in this perspective also keeps the audience out of the loop so that the final-act twists are truly a surprise. Red's perspective transforms what could be a straightforward prison drama into something more profound.
Goodfellas
Script exerpt from Goodfellas
Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) takes audiences on a ride through the world of organized crime with effortless charisma. His first-person account provides authoritative insight into mob life. Liotta's voiceover grants access to Hill's strategies, emotions, and regrets as he navigates this dangerous world.
American Psycho
Script exerpt from Psycho
If there's a movie where voiceover is absolutely necessary, it's probably this one. Christian Bale's internal monologue as Patrick Bateman reveals the mindset of a character who admits he has no emotions beyond greed and disgust. This character, cosplaying humanity, wouldn't dare share these insights out loud. The voiceover adds dark humor, too, making the story even more chilling.
Clueless
Script exerpt from Clueless
Alicia Silverstone's Cher Horowitz provides the perfect entry point into Beverly Hills teen culture with a voiceover that's both endearingly naive and insightful. Amy Heckerling's adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma works because, with Cher providing voiceover updates throughout the film, viewers are able to see that the lovable fashionista is far sharper than her image may convey. It's also genuinely funny, and her voice is entertaining and distinct from her opening lines.
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Script exerpt from Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
In a film playing with the genre conventions of pulp mysteries, it makes sense to include Robert Downey Jr.'s Harry Lockhart giving a voiceover. But in this case, it's funny, with the character breaking the fourth wall and addressing the audience directly. Harry has lines like, "I don't see another goddamn narrator, so pipe down." Shane Black's screenplay uses voiceover as a comedic device rather than an expositional crutch, although we get plenty of self-aware info dumps, too.
Taxi Driver
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Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle provides lonely, desperate monologues that offer direct access to an increasingly unstable mind. The voiceover explores Bickle's gradual dissociation. It's hard to imagine this movie without Bickle's internal commentary. The voiceover is essential to understanding how isolation can warp a character's perception and reality.
