Since 2015’s Beasts of No Nation, Netflix has made a name for itself in original drama, boasting multiple nominees in the Best Picture category at the Academy Awards each of the past few years. The streaming giant excels at dramatic offerings, mainly because of its ability to attract top talent in front of and behind the camera. However, Netflix also has excellent offerings from other studios, thanks to several well-made arrangements over the years.
Overall, Netflix has an impressive collection of dramatic movies, making it easier for you to avoid drama while searching for something to watch. To save you some time and effort, we’ve pulled together a list of the best dramas on Netflix right now.
Netflix may be a treasure trove when it comes to content, but it doesn’t have everything. Thankfully, we’ve also curated a list of the best dramas on Hulu and the best drama shows on Amazon Prime Video.
-
Emily the Criminal2022 -
- Still Alice2014
- The Power of the Dog2021
The late Mike Nichols directed an all-star cast, including Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen, in his 2004 romantic drama Closer. The story follows two couples whose romantic lives become entangled, leading to infidelity and numerous realizations about love and relationships. Portman and Owen received Oscar nominations for their performances in this movie, based on the 1997 play of the same name.
Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in 1976’s Rocky, a sports drama now considered an American classic. The film follows Rocky Balboa, an Italian-American small-time club fighter who receives a once-in-a-lifetime chance to challenge the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed. Rocky received ten Oscar nominations and won three, including Best Picture at the 1977 Oscars. It spawned a massive franchise, including five sequels and the highly-successful Creed spin-off trilogy.
Jeymes Samuel makes his feature directorial debut with The Harder They Fall, starring Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, and Lakeith Stanfield. The plot centers on an outlaw who reunites his gang upon realizing his long-time enemy will soon get released from prison. The Harder They Fall is among the few Westerns with an all-Black cast, with characters loosely based on real-life figures from the American West.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley star in Morten Tyldum’s historical drama The Imitation Game. The film chronicles the life of English cryptanalyst Alan Turing, who develops a machine capable of cracking the infamous Nazi code Enigma during World War II. The Imitation Game received eight nominations at the 2015 Oscars, including Best Picture and acting notices for Knightley and Cumberbatch; it won Best Adapted Screenplay.
If Beale Streets Could Talk, Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to the Oscar-winning Moonlight, is an adaptation of James Baldwin’s 1974 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of Clementine “Tish” Rivers, a pregnant young woman on a mission to clear her lover’s name after he was wrongly accused of a crime. If Beale Street Could Talk earned three Oscar nominations at the 2019 Oscars, winning Best Supporting Actress for Regina King’s outstanding performance.
Spike Lee directs an ensemble cast including Delroy Lindo — robbed of an Oscar nomination — Jonathan Majors, and the late Chadwick Boseman in Da 5 Bloods. The plot follows a group of four aging Black Vietnam veterans who return to the country to retrieve the remains of their squad leader and the gold treasure they buried during their war days.
Editors' Recommendations
- The best action movies on Netflix right now
- The best shows on HBO Max right now
- The best shows on Disney+ right now (March 2023)
- This Disney Plus deal ends on Monday — lock it in while you can
- The best free movies on YouTube right now (March 2023)
