Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Gustave Kervern, Isabelle Huppert, Jules Benchetrit, Larouci Didi, Michael Pitt, Tassadit Mandi, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Valeria Bruni‑Tedeschi
Director: Samuel Benchetrit
In life and cinema, drama is everywhere. You’ll find it in thrillers, animations, romances, you name it. For entertainment that explores the human experience with sensitivity and sincerity, here’s a mixed bag of the best dramas to stream now.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Gustave Kervern, Isabelle Huppert, Jules Benchetrit, Larouci Didi, Michael Pitt, Tassadit Mandi, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Valeria Bruni‑Tedeschi
Director: Samuel Benchetrit
There isn't a single moment of unnecessarily exaggerated emotion or comedy in this French-Danish animated film, which may keep its world very small compared to its peers, but it portrays everything with arguably more depth and beauty. Long Way North moves with a stately pace, giving it more dramatic heft and allowing us to take in all of the film's painterly surfaces and soft silhouettes. But it's not just the art style that sets the film apart; it also avoids what we expect from a traditional adventure, keeping the most important character beats private and internal. This may make the movie feel a little more distant than it should be, but the feeling that it leaves you with is undeniable—a sense that everything is connected, and those who are lost will always find a way home.
Genre: Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family
Actor: Audrey Sablé, Boris Rehlinger, Bruno Magne, Christa Théret, Féodor Atkine, Juliette Degenne, Loïc Houdré, Rémi Bichet, Stéphane Pouplard, Thomas Sagols
Director: Rémi Chayé
From the same showrunner as Happy Valley, the amazing thriller-drama also streaming on Netflix, comes this quiet romance-drama set in the British countryside.
But it’s not a coming-of-age story, the opposite. Last Tango is a later-in-life romance. Alan and Celia were neighbors and were attracted to each other when they were younger but never voiced their feelings. Now, 50 years later thanks to Facebook, they start dating again. And there are many other storylines going on other than this heart-melting romance at the center of the story.
Genre: Drama
Actor: Anne Reid, Derek Jacobi, Sarah Lancashire
Genre: Drama
Actor: Alex Dobrenko, Atheena Frizzell, Augustine Frizzell, Bill Wise, Billie Fairchild, Bryan Casserly, Chase Joliet, Chris Doubek, Krisha Fairchild, Olivia Grace Applegate, Robyn Fairchild, Trey Edward Shults, Victoria Fairchild
Director: Trey Edward Shults
This five-part BBC drama is a seemingly simple story of a woman who suspects her husband of infidelity. But, being crafted by a playwright, Mike Bartlett, the straightforward premise is falsely disarming and is quickly exploited into a much more complicated and dark story.
The lead character, Gemma, is played to jaw-dropping perfection by Broadcasting Press Guild and BAFTA-winning actor Suranne Jones.
Genre: Drama
Actor: Adam James, Bertie Carvel, Charlie Cunniffe, Cheryl Campbell, Cian Barry, Claire-Hope Ashitey, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Jodie Comer, Martha Howe-Douglas, Megan Roberts, Mike Bartlett, Navin Chowdhry, Neil Stuke, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Robert Pugh, Sara Stewart, Shazia Nicholls, Sian Brooke, Suranne Jones, Thusitha Jayasundera, Tom Taylor, Victoria Hamilton
Genre: Drama, War
Actor: Alex Høgh Andersen, Charlotte Munck, Dar Salim, Dulfi Al-Jabouri, Petrine Agger, Pilou Asbæk, Pilou Asbæk, Søren Malling, Søren Malling, Tuva Novotny
Director: Tobias Lindholm
From Sweet Tooth to The Last of Us, there’s no shortage nowadays of post-pandemic shows speculating about a virus-stricken and human-deficient world. But back in 2015, those were few and far between, making The Last Man on Earth a uniquely weird dramedy that was as existential as it was entertaining.
But even as its novelty wore off over the years, The Last Man on Earth stands the test of time thanks to its deft balance of sadness and silliness. You could be laughing about a poop joke one moment and ruminating about the purpose of life the next—and it never feels jarring. The ensemble cast is also a notable strength of the show, with each cast member becoming more sympathetic and fleshed out every season. Even the latest additions to the crew, like Kristen Wiig’s Pamela, become fast favorites.
If you're looking for quick laughs, you can put this show on, but expect some heartache in between as well.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Cleopatra Coleman, January Jones, Keith L. Williams, Kristen Schaal, Mary Steenburgen, Mel Rodriguez, Will Forte
Amy Berg’s documentary offers an insightful account of one of the most revered and iconic rock and roll singers of all-time, from her musical rise in the 1960s to her battle with alcohol and heroin addiction. Janis Joplin’s independent spirit and sense of not fitting in are meticulously presented in the film through archival footage, rare personal letters, and interviews with her school friends, family members, and fellow musicians. Powerfully narrated by musician Cat Power, Janis: Little Girl Blue presents a profoundly nuanced and very personal portrait of Janis Joplin, in a well-curated homage to an artist who changed music forever.
Genre: Documentary, Drama, Music
Actor: Cat Power, D. A. Pennebaker, Dick Cavett, Janis Joplin, Karleen Bennett, Laura Joplin, Peter Albin
Director: Amy J. Berg
Is an innocent child’s life worth millions of other civilian casualties? In a modern-day drone warfare led by Colonel Katherine Powell, played by the very versatile Helen Mirren, she is conflicted to order the target of the Somali terrorist organization when she spots Alia, a young girl who just happens to be selling bread within the premises of the Kill Zone. Her icy exterior, however, is a far cry from Lieutenant General Frank Benson’s profound sympathy, the portrayal of the late Alan Rickman in his last onscreen role being one of his most remarkable ones to date. Eye in the Sky is a thriller that will have you questioning your morals while gripping your seats in what appears to be a battle of the best choice and the only one. Do the ends always justify the means?
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller, War
Actor: Aaron Paul, Aisha Takow, Alan Rickman, Armaan Haggio, Arman Haggio, Babou Ceesay, Barkhad Abdi, Carl Beukes, Daniel Fox, Ebby Weyime, Francis Chouler, Gavin Hood, Graham Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Iain Glen, James Alexander, Jeremy Northam, John Heffernan, Kate Liquorish, Kenneth Fok, Kim Engelbrecht, Kim Suzanne Engelbrecht, Laila Robins, Lemogang Tsipa, Lex King, Michael OKeefe, Monica Dolan, Phoebe Fox, Richard McCabe, Roberto Kyle, Roberto Meyer, Sabrina Hassan Abdulle, Vusi Kunene, Warren Masemola, Zak Rowlands
Director: Gavin Hood
Genre: Drama, Romance
Actor: Azusa Babazono, Kentaro, Kentaro Ito, Reina Triendl, Ryota Yamasato, Yoshimi Tokui, You
Genre: Action & Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Actor: Arjun Gupta, Hale Appleman, Jade Tailor, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Stella Maeve, Summer Bishil
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Amy Warren, Andrea Chen, Charlie Gillette, Cindy Cheung, Clare Foley, Colin Stokes, Dean Wareham, Greta Gerwig, Heather Lind, Jasmine Cephas-Jones, Jessie Austrian, Juliet Brett, Kathryn Erbe, Lola Kirke, Mary Beth Minthorn, Matthew Shear, Michael Chernus, Mickey Sumner, Morgan Lynch, Nat Baldwin, Noah Baumbach, Rebecca Henderson, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Seth Barrish, Shana Dowdeswell, Sharon Washington, Shoba Narayan
Director: Noah Baumbach
Thithi is a 2015 Kannada film from India that begins with the death of 101-year old Century Gowda, and follows his family as they prepare for his funeral celebration 11 days later. The story-line focuses on 3 generations of his descendants, as his son, grandson and great-grandson are caught up in individual dramas related to the impending funeral as well as their own personal aspirations. His son Gaddappa, an elderly wanderer, absconds with a traveling family of shepherds, his grandson Thammanna hatches an elaborate plan to claim the family land for himself, and his great-grandson Abhi becomes enamored by a young shepherd girl whom he pursues doggedly. Filmed using non-professional actors recruited from villages in the southern Karnataka state of India, Thithi is a humorous and enjoyable portrait of life in a rural part of South Asia rarely seen by the world-at-large. As a realistic slice-of-life, the film gives the viewer an outsider’s glimpse into not just the lifestyle of many residents of rural India, but also their elaborate customs and rituals related to death according to Hindu tradition. Thithi is the type of film that moves at its own deliberate pace, but ultimately provides a winning experience in both its storytelling and its cultural significance.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Abhishek H.N., Channegowda, Pooja, Pooja S.M., Singri Gowda, Thamme Gowda, Thammegowda S.
Director: Raam Reddy
The Gift is Joel Edgerton's directoral debut, a twisted and smart thriller that sneaks up on you where you least expect it. He also stars in it as Gordo, a friend from the past that enters a new couple's life (played by Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall) and brings a secret that has been hidden for decades. A very "movie" movie, it has enough in it that's original and enough that's not to make for a very enjoyable 100 minutes.
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Actor: Adam Lazarre-White, Allison Tolman, Beau Knapp, Busy Philipps, Darren P. Leis, David Denman, David Joseph Craig, Felicity Price, Jason Bateman, Joel Edgerton, Katie Aselton, Laura Drake Mancini, Melinda Allen, Mirrah Foulkes, Nash Edgerton, P. J. Byrne, Rebecca Hall, Susan May Pratt, Tim Griffin, Wendell Pierce
Director: Joel Edgerton
One of the most memorable entries to the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, The Diary of a Teenage Girl caused considerable controversy for its story about a love affair between a 15-year-old wannabe cartoonist, Minnie (Bel Powley), and her mother’s boyfriend (Alexander Skarsgård). With the narrative never straying from Minnie’s point of view, the film deals with the usual problems of adolescence against the backdrop of 1976 San Fransisco. Taking a fresh perspective that is rare for American cinema, this dramatic comedy portrays adolescent sexuality as something movingly unremarkable.
Genre: Drama
Actor: Abby Wait, Alexander Skarsgård, Anthony Williams, Austin Lyon, Bel Powley, Carson Mell, Christopher Meloni, John Parsons, Kristen Wiig, Madeleine Waters, Margarita Levieva, Miranda Bailey, Quinn Nagle, Willie
Director: Marielle Heller