The quality of storytelling is unmatched.

The 23 best drama movies on Netflix, from Oscar winners to tragic true stories

The quality of storytelling is unmatched.

By Kevin Jacobsen and Sammi Burke

April 9, 2026 9:00 a.m. ET

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Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier in 'Train Dreams'; Fernanda Torres as Eunice Paiva in 'I'm Still Here'; Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich in 'Erin Brockovich'. Credit:

Netflix; Adrian Teijido/SPC; Everett

Drama movies might not have the kind of fervent fanbase of other genres like horror or sci-fi, but what they lack in conventions, they make up for in sheer quality of storytelling. These are films that reflect the human condition through inspirational tales of struggle, tragic true stories, life-threatening conflicts, and intimate psychological portraits.

Netflix has a huge selection of dramas streaming now, including affecting Oscar-winning sagas like *12 Years a Slave* (2013) and *I'm Still Here* (2024), and emotional human stories based on true events like *Lion* (2016) and *The Iron Claw* (2023). Ahead, find our recommendations for when you're in the mood for a powerful drama on Netflix.

12 Years a Slave (2013)

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup (center) in '12 Years a Slave'.

Jaap Buitendijk/Fox Searchlight Pictures

The true story of Solomon Northup's 12-year struggle as an enslaved man is dramatized with staggering power in this epic historical drama. Chiwetel Ejiofor stars as Northup, a violinist who is kidnapped by white men and sold into slavery. Toiling away for years without seeing his wife and kids, Northup tries to retain hope of salvation while dealing with virulent racism and abuse. Directed with sobering clarity by Steve McQueen, *12 Years a Slave* is "agonizingly magnificent," writes EW's critic, "a new movie landmark of cruelty and transcendence." The film went on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, a first for a Black director. —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *12 Years a Slave*: Netflix

**Director:** Steve McQueen

**Cast:** Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Lupita Nyong'o, Benedict Cumberbatch, Sarah Paulson

Benedict Cumberbatch as Colonel Mackenzie in '1917'. François Duhamel/Universal

Sam Mendes immerses us in the hell of war in this visceral drama set in the heart of World War I. Lance corporals William Schofield (George MacKay) and Tom Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) are tasked with relaying an important message to a superior to call off a scheduled attack that would put British troops in harm's way. Schofield and Blake traverse the precarious battlefields of northern France, and Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins' expert camerawork makes the film appear to be shot with only two uninterrupted takes. As EW's critic writes, this trick "effectively drops the viewer into the center of the story and compels them to stay there." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *1917*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Sam Mendes

**Cast:** George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch

Blue Moon (2025)

Margaret Qualley as Elizabeth Weiland and Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart in 'Blue Moon'.

Sabrina Lantos/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

What does it mean for an artist when their longtime collaborator finds further success without them? This theme is explored in bittersweet fashion in *Blue Moon*, Richard Linklater's wistful dramedy about renowned Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) as he contemplates life during one booze-soaked night at Sardi's in 1943 New York City. Hawke utterly transforms as Hart, whose bitterness over his former creative partner Richard Rodgers' (Andrew Scott) acclaim leads to an existential crisis. *Blue Moon* earned two Oscar nominations, including Hawke (his first for Best Actor) and Best Original Screenplay for screenwriter Robert Kaplow. —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Blue Moon*: Netflix

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast:** Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Scott

Boy Erased (2018)

Théodore Pellerin as Xavier and Lucas Hedges as Jared Eamons in 'Boy Erased'. Focus Features

Jared (Lucas Hedges) grapples with the horrors of a gay conversion therapy program in this sobering, underrated drama. Based on a true story, the film delves into Jared's struggle with his sexuality, his continued trauma over an incident in college, and his complicated relationship with his homophobic father. While undoubtedly a difficult watch, *Boy Erased* is ultimately a story of resilience, with an achingly vulnerable performance by Hedges.

"There's no doubt that the film’s heart is solidly in the right place," writes EW's critic. "And if there is even one confused kid — or mother or father — who sees *Boy Erased* and gains an extra ounce of understanding as a result, then it will have done a real service." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Boy Erased*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Joel Edgerton

**Cast:** Lucas Hedges, Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe, Joel Edgerton, Joe Alwyn

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich in 'Erin Brockovich'. Everett Collection

This crowd-pleasing legal drama proves the power of one woman's tenacity to change the world for the better. Based on a true story, *Erin Brockovich* follows the titular law firm worker who stumbles upon records involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company's culpability in a contamination incident. Julia Roberts has never been better, winning an Oscar among many other prizes for her audacious performances as Brockovich. The film's beats may feel familiar to other social justice dramas, but, as EW's critic notes, "Roberts, in her most forceful dramatic performance, allows us to take in every moment through fresh, impassioned eyes." —*K.J.***

Where to watch *Erin Brockovich*: Netflix

**Director:** Steven Soderbergh

**Cast**: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart**

His Three Daughters (2024)

Natasha Lyonne as Rachel, Elizabeth Olsen as Christina, and Carrie Coon as Katie in 'His Three Daughters'.

Sam Levy/Netflix

The grieving process is different for everyone, as we see in this potent indie drama. Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen star as estranged sisters who reunite at their father's apartment to prepare for his impending death. Tensions run high as one sister is accused of callously wanting to inherit the (rent-controlled) apartment, another has difficulty summing up their father's life in his obituary, and the third feels caught in the middle. Coon, Lyonne, and Olsen all make a meal of writer-director Azazel Jacobs' well-observed dialogue, evoking the unique bond of sisterhood with devastating clarity. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *His Three Daughters*: Netflix

**Director:** Azazel Jacobs

**Cast:** Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen

I’m Still Here (2024)

Fernanda Torres as Eunice Paiva in 'I'm Still Here'.

Adrian Teijido/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

This moving, Oscar-winning drama follows one woman's resilience through one of Brazil's most tumultuous eras. Based on a true story, the film focuses on Eunice Paiva (Fernanda Torres), a wife and mother whose politician husband disappears under Brazil's military dictatorship in the '70s. Spurred to find answers, Eunice goes to great lengths to find her husband and becomes a renowned activist over the ensuing decades. Torres delivers a masterclass performance, winning a Golden Globe and earning an Oscar nomination, with the film itself taking home the award for Best International Feature Film. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *I'm Still Here*: Netflix

**Director:** Walter Salles

**Cast:** Fernanda Torres, Selton Mello, Fernanda Montenegro

I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

Jesse Plemons as Jake and Jessie Buckley as Young Woman in 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things'.

Mary Cybulski/Netflix

If you're looking for structure or a linear story with a clearly defined ending, then Charlie Kaufman's *I'm Thinking of Ending Things* might not be the right film for you. Written and directed by Kaufman and adapted from Ian Reid's novel by the same name, the film is a psychological thriller that traffics in the surreal, shifting fluidly between narrative and free association, all grounded in excellent performances by the film's actors.

Jessie Buckley stars as the Young Woman — her name and occupation changing frequently — who contemplates ending her seven-week relationship during a Thanksgiving trip to meet her boyfriend Jake's (Jesse Plemons) parents at their farmhouse. There is an explanation for all the absurdity — but you might not catch it on the first viewing. *—Sammi Burke*

Where to watch *I'm Thinking of Ending Things*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Charlie Kaufman

**Cast: **Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette, David Thewlis

The Irishman (2019)

Robert De Niro as Frank Sheeran in 'The Irishman'. Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Longtime collaborators Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro reunited for this 2019 gangster epic, about the real-life hitman Frank Sheeran and his experiences working for the Mafia. Spanning several decades, the film tracks Frank's evolution from truck driver to trusted gunman for crime boss Russell Bufalino (Joe Pesci) and bodyguard for the infamous Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino). Despite his professional success, his home life deteriorates, particularly his relationship with his daughter.

While its 209-minute runtime may be daunting, the film moves along at an entertaining clip (thanks in part to master editor Thelma Schoonmaker), and the viewer's patience is rewarded with a haunting conclusion that recontextualizes all that came before. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Irishman*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director:** Martin Scorsese

**Cast: **Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin

The Iron Claw (2023)

Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw'.

The tragedy of *The Iron Claw* is in knowing it's based on real events. This heartbreaking drama follows the sons of Fritz Von Erich, owner of World Class Championship Wrestling, as they follow in their father's footsteps by competing in the dangerous sport. Haunted by the "Von Erich curse," a series of unfortunate events falls upon the family, shattering their lives forever. Written and directed by Sean Durkin, *The Iron Claw* succeeds through its deep well of empathy for its characters, and Zac Efron's never-better performance as Kevin Von Erich. —*K.J.***

Where to watch *The Iron Claw*: Netflix

**Director:** Sean Durkin

**Cast:** Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Lily James

Lion (2016)

Nicole Kidman as Sue Brierley and Sunny Pawar as Saroo Brierley in 'Lion'. Mark Rogers

Finding your way home is impossible when you don't realize you're lost. Such is the case for Saroo (Sunny Pawar), a child found in Calcutta and raised in Tasmania by adoptive parents. It's not until Saroo reached his 20s that he remembers that he isn't actually from Calcutta — he was found there after being separated from his mother and brother as a young boy. Now aware of the family that might have been missing him this whole time, Saroo embarks on a journey to find the village where he was born. **** Based on the autobiography by Saroo Brierley, *Lion* offers outstanding Oscar-nominated performances from Dev Patel, who plays Saroo as an adult, and Nicole Kidman, who plays his adoptive mother. —*S.B.*

Where to watch *Lion*: Netflix

**Director:** Garth Davis

**Cast:** Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman

Marriage Story (2019)

Scarlett Johansson as Nicole Barber, Azhy Robertson as Henry Barber, and Adam Driver as Charlie Barber in 'Marriage Story'. Wilson Webb/Netflix

Noah Baumbach reached new heights with this bittersweet examination of a relationship in the aftermath of a breaking point. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star as Nicole and Charlie, artists in the entertainment industry whose amicable separation soon turns into a nasty divorce and fight for custody over their son. The film even-handedly explores the nature of relationships and societal expectations, with two fully committed performances at its center (plus a scene-stealing, Oscar-winning turn from Laura Dern as Nicole's lawyer). EW's critic calls *Marriage Story* "a movie that somehow makes its intimacy seem like a radical act, one messy, heart-wrecking moment at a time." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Marriage Story*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Noah Baumbach

**Cast:** Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta

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May December (2023)

Natalie Portman as Elizabeth Berry and Julianne Moore as Gracie Atherton-Yoo in 'May December'.

Francois Duhamel/Courtesy of Netflix

Todd Haynes' mesmerizing film defies genre, blending psychological drama and ironic satire as it unravels. Natalie Portman stars as Elizabeth, a television actress who travels to the home of Gracie (Julianne Moore) — a woman she's set to portray in a film — to study her. Gracie was tabloid fodder in the '90s for her sexual relationship with a boy named Joe, whom she met when he was 13, while she was 36 (loosely inspired by the real-life story of Mary Kay Letourneau). All these years later, the couple is married with three kids, but the arrival of Elizabeth leads a now-grown-up Joe (Charles Melton) to reexamine his relationship, while Gracie gradually becomes resentful of the actress insinuating herself into their lives. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *May December*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Todd Haynes

**Cast:** Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton

The Outrun (2024)

Saoirse Ronan as Rona in 'The Outrun'.

Martin Scott Powell/Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Saoirse Ronan took on one of her most challenging roles to date with this quietly absorbing independent drama. The four-time Oscar nominee plays Rona, a young Scottish woman struggling with alcoholism who returns home after an extended stay in rehab. While she tries to adjust to a newly sober life, Rona is haunted by her past as she battles the urge to drink. It's a powerful showcase for Ronan, who's rarely played in such dark territory before. As EW's critic writes, she "elevates the film to a moving tale of overcoming one's demons and learning to savor life as it comes." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Outrun*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Nora Fingscheidt

**Cast:** Saoirse Ronan, Paapa Essiedu, Nabil Elouahabi, Izuka Hoyle, Stephen Dillane

The Piano Lesson (2024)

Danielle Deadwyler as Berniece and John David Washington as Boy Willie in 'The Piano Lesson'.

David Lee/Netflix

The theatrical work of August Wilson is ripe for cinematic adaptation, as proved by the Oscar-winning dramas *Fences* (2016) and *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* (2020). *The Piano Lesson* continues in that tradition of accomplished actors making meals out of Wilson's remarkable writing about the Black experience, this time with a slight horror bent. The film largely takes place in 1936 Pittsburgh, where the dysfunctional Charles family argues over what to do about their family's most treasured heirloom, a piano acquired by their enslaved ancestors.

Packed with rigorous performances — particularly by Danielle Deadwyler — *The Piano Lesson* is a stirring family saga about the tension between honoring one's history and moving forward to chart a new path. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Piano Lesson*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Malcolm Washington

**Cast:** John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Fisher, Corey Hawkins**

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter Gordon and Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank in 'The Power of the Dog'. Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Simmering with tension, Jane Campion's moody revisionist Western is a transfixing examination of power and control — and the lengths to which a boy will go to protect his mother. Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Phil, a spiteful rancher who torments his brother's (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her sensitive teenage son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), against the backdrop of 1920s Montana. As Phil plays psychological mind games on his farm's new inhabitants, Peter quietly calculates how to get back at his uncle after discovering a buried secret. The widely-acclaimed drama earned a whopping 12 Oscar nominations, including acting nominations for all four central performances, with Campion becoming only the third woman to win Best Director. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Power of the Dog*: Netflix

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Jane Campion

**Cast: **Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee

Private Life (2018)

Paul Giamatti as Richard Grimes and Kathryn Hahn as Rachel Biegler in 'Private Life'. Netflix

This emotional dramedy from Tamara Jenkins follows a middle-aged couple and their painstaking efforts to have a baby. With Richard (Paul Giamatti) having sperm issues and Rachel (Kathryn Hahn) struggling with in vitro fertilization, the couple is desperate for solutions. After their niece, Sadie (Kayli Carter), goes to live with them, Rachel considers asking her for help, leading to awkward family tension when Sadie's parents find out. Emotionally honest with just the right dash of humor, *Private Life* is a poignant slice of family drama anchored by Hahn's vulnerable performance. As EW's critic writes of the film, "It’s about perseverance, compassion, and empathy." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Private Life*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Tamara Jenkins

**Cast:** Paul Giamatti, Kathryn Hahn, Kayli Carter, Molly Shannon, John Carroll Lynch

The Room Next Door (2024)

Tilda Swinton as Martha and Julianne Moore as Ingrid in 'The Room Next Door'.

Courtesy of TIFF

Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar brought his signature flair for melodrama to this, his English-language feature debut. Tilda Swinton stars as Martha, a woman with terminal cancer who enlists her friend and former colleague, Ingrid (Julianne Moore), to join her at a country house where she plans to end her life. While the subject matter is bleak, Almodóvar balances the darkness with a tenderness and sensitivity that comes from a career of exploring women's lives at their most intimate. EW's critic praises *The Room Next Door* as "a heartfelt portrait of friendship: its cozy familiarity, deep warmth, and inevitable sense of unknowability." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Room Next Door*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Pedro Almodóvar

**Cast:** Tilda Swinton, Julianne Moore, John Turturro, Alessandro Nivola

Shiva Baby (2020)

Rachel Sennott as Danielle in 'Shiva Baby'. Utopia

Depending on who you are, this acclaimed indie will either play as a hilarious cringe comedy or an anxiety-inducing horror drama. Rachel Sennott stars as Danielle, a college student struggling to balance her chaotic life, as she attends a shiva observation. Amid dozens of prying questions from other attendees about her future, she is mortified to see her sugar daddy at the shiva with his wife, whom she did not know about. "Enter *Shiva* at your own risk," EW's critic quips of the dramedy, "a hell of Danielle's own making maybe, but still a witty, jittery trip." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Shiva Baby*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Emma Seligman

**Cast:** Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Fred Melamed, Dianna Agron

Society of the Snow (2023)

Various characters in 'Society of the Snow'.

This harrowing thriller tells the wild true story of a Uruguayan rugby team whose charter flight to Chile crash-landed in the Andes in 1972. The team was forced to survive unbearably harsh conditions within the snowy mountains, with some even resorting to cannibalism. Director J.A. Bayona depicts their struggle with bracing realism as they try to maintain their spirits and sanity as they try to make their way back to civilization. As Bayona told EW in 2023, "To me, it's more about emotional survival. It's not only physical survival. It's to understand that there's something bigger than yourself."* —K.J.*

Where to watch *Society of the Snow*: Netflix

**Director:** J.A. Bayona

**Cast:** Enzo Vogrincic, Matías Recalt, Agustín Pardella, Felipe González Otaño, Luciano Chatton

Train Dreams (2025)

Joel Edgerton as Robert Grainier in 'Train Dreams'.

Courtesy of Netflix

This elegiac indie drama may center on an ordinary laborer as he lives a quiet existence, but his life is no less meaningful than the most extraordinary of people. Joel Edgerton stars as Robert Grainier, a humble family man working construction on what will become the Spokane International Railway, tracking many decades of his life as he grapples with profound loss against the backdrop of early-20th century innovation. Intimate yet mythic in its approach, *Train Dreams* earned near-universal praise from critics and earned four Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Original Song for Nick Cave's title theme. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Train Dreams*: Netflix

**Director:** Clint Bentley

**Cast:** Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Clifton Collins Jr.

The Wonder (2022)

Florence Pugh as Elizabeth 'Lib' Wright in 'The Wonder'.

Aidan Monaghan/Netflix/Courtesy Everett Collection

Following the Great Famine in 19th-century Ireland, British nurse Lib (Florence Pugh) is called to look after a girl who has not eaten in months, claiming to be fed with "manna from Heaven." As villagers come to be in the presence of a seemingly holy girl, Lib meets a journalist (Tom Burke) who suspects it all to be a ruse.

Tackling themes of science vs. faith and family trauma, this period drama nearly tips over into gothic horror, brimming with moody atmosphere. Pugh, too, EW's critic notes, "is pretty much perfectly cast, an actress with such a keen emotional presence that she tends to cut through pretense and triviality like a hot knife." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *The Wonder*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B

**Director:** Sebastián Lelio

**Cast:** Florence Pugh, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, Elaine Cassidy

Y Tu Mamá También (2001)

Maribel Verdu as Luisa Cortés, Diego Luna as Tenoch Iturbide, and Gael García Bernal as Julio Zapata in 'Y Tu Mamá También'.

IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection

This naturalistic coming-of-age dramedy put writer-director Alfonso Cuarón on the map as one of the true artists of his generation. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna play teenage friends who take a road trip through Mexico with a married-but-jilted woman in her late 20s (Maribel Verdú). As they get to know her and she gets to know them, the trio becomes increasingly intimate with each other and forms a messy love triangle. EW's critic calls *Y Tu Mamá También* "sad, funny, sexy, and altogether marvelous," noting it's "so organic that the road trip, magical as it is, feels in a way realer than life." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Y Tu Mamá También*: Netflix

**Director:** Alfonso Cuarón

**Cast:** Maribel Verdú, Gael García Bernal, Diego Luna

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