We all need a little drama in our lives. From gritty crime thrillers to heartfelt romances to riveting real-life stories, these dramatic movies pack a punch.
Just on Netflix alone—whether it's the platform's Originals library, or one of its quality acquisitions—dramas are very well-represented.
These are the 10 best dramas on Netflix, including The Irishman, All Quiet on the Western Front, The Power of the Dog, The Kindergarten Teacher, and much, much more.
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
IMDb RATING: 7.2/10
Director: Oliver Stone
Stars: Tom Cruise, Bryan Larkin, Raymond J. Barry
Born on the Fourth of July is a 1989 American biographical anti-war film that is based on the 1976 autobiography of Ron Kovic. The film depicts the life of Kovic over a 20-year period, detailing his childhood, his military service and paralysis during the Vietnam War, and his transition to anti-war activism.
The film received various awards and nominations, with special recognition for the script, Cruise's performance, Stone's direction, and John Williams' score. The National Board of Review named it one of the "Top 10 Movies of 1989", ranking it number one. The film received five Golden Globe Award nominations and won four awards for Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director and Drama Best Original Score, while Williams was nominated for Best Original Score.
The King (2019)
IMDb RATING: 7.3/10
Director: David Michôd
Stars: Tom Glynn-Carney, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher
The King is a 2019 epic historical film. The film focuses on Henry V's rise as king after his father's death as he must also navigate palace politics, the war his father left behind, and the emotional strings of his past life.
The film had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival on September 2, 2019. It screened at the BFI London Film Festival on October 3, 2019, and received a limited release on October 11 2019 before being released on Netflix, for digital streaming, on November 1, 2019.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 71% of 148 critics' reviews are positive, strong source material and engaging performances make this a period drama worthy of praise.
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
IMDb RATING: 6.7/10
Director: Sara Colangelo
Stars: Maggie GyllenhaalGael ,García BernalAto, Blankson-Wood
The Kindergarten Teacher is a 2018 American drama film. Maggie Gyllenhaal's presence in anything elevates its quality—and she fired on all cylinders in this unsettling starring role. In The Kindergarten Teacher, she plays a teacher who develops an obsession with a five-year-old student who she believes is a poetry prodigy.
The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 19, 2018. It was released on October 12, 2018, by Netflix in the United States and Canada.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 90% of 103 critics' reviews were positive. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 75 out of 100, based on 21 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
IMDb RATING: 7.1/10
Director: Barry Jenkins
Stars: Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Brian Tyree Henry, Colman Domingo, Michael Beach, Teyonah Parris, Aunjanue Ellis
If Beale Street Could Talk is a 2018 American romantic drama film. The film follows a young woman who, with her family's support, seeks to clear the name of her wrongly charged lover and prove his innocence before the birth of their child.
Beale Street Could Talk had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, 2018, and was released in the United States on December 14, 2018, by Annapurna Pictures. It was praised for its acting, Jenkins' script and direction, cinematography, and musical score. It was selected by both the National Board of Review and the American Motion Picture Institute as one of the top 10 films of 2018. The film received numerous awards, including a Best Supporting Actress award for King at the Oscars and Golden Globes. It was also nominated for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay at the 76th Golden Globe Awards, and Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Score at the 91st Academy Awards.
The Disciple (2020)
IMDb RATING: 7.1/10
Director: Chaitanya Tamhane
Stars: Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave
The Disciple is a 2020 Indian Marathi-language drama film. The film is about Sharad Nerulkar who devoted his life to becoming an Indian classical music singer, diligently following the traditions and discipline of his old masters, guru and father. But as the years passed, Sharad began to wonder whether it was really possible to achieve the excellence he had always strived for.
The movie was entered into the main competition section at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, becoming the first Indian film since Monsoon Wedding (2001) to compete at the festival. At Venice, the film won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize presented by the International Federation of Film Critics and the Best Screenplay award. It was also screened at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was named a winner of the Amplify Voices Award. Netflix acquired the distribution rights of the film and it was released through the streaming platform on 30 April 2021.
The Master (2012)
IMDb RATING: 71./10
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern
The Master is a 2012 American psychological drama film. It tells the story of Freddie Quell, a World War II Navy veteran struggling to adjust to a post-war society, who meets Lancaster Dodd, the leader of a cult known as The Cause. Dodd sees something in Quell and accepts him into the movement. Freddie takes a liking to The Cause and begins traveling with Dodd's family to spread his teachings.
The Master was later ranked #1 on The A.V. Club's list of best films up to April 2015, and was named one of the top 50 films of the decade so far by The Guardian. The film won the Silver Lion for Best Director and the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 69th Venice International Film Festival.
The Squid and the Whale (2005)
IMDb RATING: 7.3/10
Director: Noah Baumbach
Stars: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline, Anna Paquin
The Squid and the Whale is a 2005 American independent comedy-drama film. The film is named after the giant squid and sperm whale diorama housed at the American Museum of Natural History, which is seen in the film. The film was shot on Super 16 mm, mostly using a handheld camera.
Borrowing themes from his previous films—children of failed marriages; characters whose bookish smarts seem to work against them; a floating sense of fatalism—The Squid and the Whale creeps ever closer to Noah Baumbach’s own tempestuous past. His parents’ faltering union isn’t just a detail used to add depth to a certain character. It’s the whole story—a gorgeous, candid portrait of the messy car crash of divorce, from all angles.
At the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, the film won awards for best dramatic direction and screenwriting, and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. Baumbach later received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. The film received six Independent Spirit Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations. Baumbach became one of the few screenwriters to ever sweep "The Big Four" critics awards (Los Angeles Film Critics' Association, National Board of Review, National Society of Film Critics, and New York Film Critics' Circle).
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
IMDb RATING: 6.9/10
Director: George C. Wolfe
Stars: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, Michael Potts
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a 2020 American drama film. Inspired by the career of Ma Rainey, an influential blues singer and the title character, the film dramatizes a turbulent recording session in 1920s Chicago.
The film received five nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Best Actress, and won two awards: Makeup and Hairstyling and Costume Design. Additionally, the film received eight Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations and nine NAACP Image Award nominations, including Outstanding Motion Picture.
The film was theatrically released in select theaters on November 25, 2020, before beginning to stream on December 18, on Netflix. Netflix also released a 31-minute making-of documentary Ma Rainey's Black Bottom: A Legacy Brought to Screen alongside the film. Upon its digital release to Netflix, the film was the most-watched item over its opening weekend.
The Hand of God (2021)
IMDb RATING: 7.3/10
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Stars: Filippo Scotti, Toni Servillo, Teresa Saponangelo, Marlon Joubert, Luisa Ranieri, Renato Carpentieri, Massimiliano Gallo, Betti Pedrazzi, Biagio Manna, Ciro Capano
The Hand of God is a 2021 Italian drama film. It revolves around family and the passions and ambitions of a young man from Naples.
The Hand of God had its world premiere on September 2, 2021 at the 78th Venice International Film Festival and was released worldwide by Netflix on the streaming platform on December 15. 2021. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, The Hand of God has a positive rating of 83% based on reviews from 133 critics, with an average score of 7.30/10. The Hand of God is not Sorrentino's best work, but this coming-of-age film with beautiful scenes sings a gentle yet attractive melody. On Metacritic, the film's average score is 76/100 based on 36 reviews.
Carol (2015)
IMDb RATING: 7.2/10
Director: Todd Haynes
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson
Carol is a 2015 romantic drama film, based on the 1952 romance novel The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith. Set in New York City in the early 1950s, Carol tells the story of a love story between an aspiring female photographer and an older woman who has just gone through a difficult marriage.
On review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 94% based on 304 reviews, with an average score of 8.6/10. Carol satisfies expectations with its own creative juices." Rotten Tomatoes named Carol among the best critically acclaimed romances of 2015 at their annual Golden Tomato awards. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 94 out of 100, based on 45 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim", and is a "must see". Carol is also a critically acclaimed film. Best of 2015 for this site.
Watch more: