Watching a light and funny movie is the ideal cure to all of the turmoil that is now taking on across the globe. Dramas, on the other hand, maybe just as entertaining since they not only have elements of humor and romance but can also have a powerful emotional impact.
Who doesn’t need to shed a tear or two every now and then? A gripping tale, engaging characters, a decent storyline, and lots of angst are all present in these best drama movies on Netflix Australia. With them, you may dangle your toes into something more serious without exhausting yourself completely.
Let’s dig into the guide for best movies on Netflix, but wait before you dive into the whole list, you may also want to check out our list of best horror movies on Netflix.
1. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writer: Bruce Joel Rubin
Cast: Eric Bana, Ron Livingston, Rachel McAdams
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Runtime: 1h 47m
Drifting back and forth in time uncontrollably is the result of a rare genetic condition that affects Henry De Tamble, a librarian in Chicago. During one of his sojourns, he meets Claire, who becomes the love of his life, and the two of them get married. However, Henry’s inability to stay in one location and time causes the challenges and complications of any relationship to be amplified, resulting in him and his lover being constantly out of sync with one another.
You can also watch other Romantic movies on Netflix.
2. Dances with Wolves (1990)
Director: Kevin Costner
Writer: Michael Blake
Cast: Kevin Costner, Graham Greene, Mary McDonnell
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Runtime: 3h 1m
A bond develops between a Civil War soldier and a tribe of Lakota Indians throughout the course of the war. He is drawn to their way of life by its simplicity, and he decides to leave his previous life behind in order to live with them. Soon after, he is accepted as a member of the tribe and falls in love with a white lady who was reared among the tribe’s inhabitants. When Union troops come on the scene with their sights set on the property, tragedy ensues.
3. Seabiscuit (2003)
Director: Gary Ross
Writer: Gary Ross
Cast: Tobey Maguire, Elizabeth Banks, Jeff Bridges
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Runtime: 2h 20m
When a businessman is dealing with the sad murder of his son, a rider with a history of horrific injuries, and an unemployed horse trainer band together to aid Seabiscuit, a temperamental and undersized racehorse, they call on the support of a ragtag group of people to make it happen. After initially failing to win races, Seabiscuit goes on to become one of the most successful thoroughbreds of all time, and he serves as an inspiration to a country at a time when it is desperately in need of encouragement.
4. The Master (2012)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Joaquin Phoenix
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Runtime: 2h 17m
Freddie Quell is a disturbed, alcoholic nomad who is fighting to cope with the tragedy of World War II as well as any inner demons he may have been battling before the war. Lancaster Dodd, the charismatic leader of the religious cult known as the Cause, comes across Freddie on a tragic night in 1950 and invites him to join him on a passing boat. Freddie makes a concerted effort to follow Dodd’s bizarre teachings and develops a deep rapport with his master, despite the fact that other members of Dodd’s inner circle see him as a danger.
5. Rush (2013)
Director: Ron Howard
Writer: Peter Morgan
Cast: Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde, Chris Hemsworth
IMDb Rating: 8.1/10
Runtime: 2h 2m
In the mid-1970s, flamboyant English playboy James Hunt and Austrian perfectionist Niki Lauda engaged in a fierce rivalry in Formula One racing. Hunt and Lauda destroy the track while driving cars that are nothing more than gas-filled, rolling bombs. They do it while pushing themselves to the limit of their physical and mental stamina. Meanwhile, the ladies in their life can only stand by and watch as both drivers put their lives in danger with each lap.
6. Rain Man (1988)
Director: Barry Levinson
Writer: Ronald Bass
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Valeria Golino, Tom Cruise
IMDb Rating: 8.0/10
Runtime: 1h 13m
Following the death of his estranged father, auto salesman Charlie Babbitt returns to his hometown of Cincinnati, where he finds that his father had an autistic elder brother called Raymond and that his father’s $3 million inheritance has been bequeathed to the mental hospital where Raymond is housed. Charlie, spurred on by his father’s money, forces Raymond out of the institution so that he may accompany him back to Los Angeles with his father. The brothers’ cross-country journey had a profound impact on both of their lives.
7. The Squid and the Whale (2005)
Director: Noah Baumbach
Writer: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Owen Kline, Laura Linney, Jeff Daniels
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Runtime: 1h 21m
The divorce of their educated parents, Bernard and Joan Berkman, has thrown a pair of brothers living in Brooklyn into the center of it, and they have been profoundly impacted by it. Walt, the older boy, supports his father by acting out at school, while Frank, the younger brother, silently supports his mother. When Joan’s literary career takes off and exceeds the failed dreams of her professor ex-husband, the tension in the family is exacerbated even more.
8. The Departed (2006)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: William Monahan
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Matt Damon
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Runtime: 2h 31m
Two new young police officers from the Massachusetts State Police Academy are on opposing ends of the legal spectrum. Billy Costigan has been tasked with spying on Irish gangster Frank Costello while posing as Frank’s bodyguard. Only Dignam and Queenan are aware of his actual identity. Colin Sullivan, Costello’s mentee in the Massachusetts State Police, gets promoted and becomes Costello’s informant. Each cop does all in his power to learn the identity of the “rat” in the other room. It is one of the best movies in the Netflix drama genre.
Furthermore, you can also watch Action movies on Netflix in Australia and the latest content like The flash on Netflix in Australia.
9. Mank (2020)
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Jack Fincher
Cast: Gary Oldman, Lily Collins, Amanda Seyfried
IMDb Rating: 6.9/10
Runtime: 2h 12m
As Herman J. Mankiewicz sits on his bed at the North Verde Ranch in the midst of the Mojave Desert; he has 60 days to finish the first draft of Citizen Kane. Despite his struggles with alcoholism, Herman J. Mankiewicz joins forces with Orson Welles, the hot young star of Hollywood at the age of twenty-four, and sets to work on a project. For Herman J. Mankiewicz, working at MGM, his connection with newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst, and Hearst’s twenty-year-old lover, Ziegfeld Follies star Marion Davies, was a natural source of inspiration.
10. The Florida Project (2017)
Director: Sean Baker
Writer: Chris Bergoch
Cast: Brooklyn Prince, Williem Dafoe, Bria Vinaite
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Runtime: 1h 51m
Halley, who relies mostly on assistance, shows little regard for other people, particularly those who offend her in any way. This group presents the summer, during which Moonee and her companions, such as Scooty, are out of school and are mostly on their own to figure things out for themselves. Halley starts to gradually alienate one by one the individuals who are her unofficial supporters by reacting with contempt to everything she perceives to be against her. She does this by responding with disrespect to anything she perceives to be against her.
11. Wildlife (2018)
Director: Paul Dano
Writer: Zoe Kazan
Cast: Ed Oxenbould, Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Runtime: 1h 45m
“Wildlife” depicts the pain and turmoil of a teenage kid, Joe. It’s a walkthrough with Joe as he witnesses his parents’ divorce. Jerry, his father, loses his job. Despite being given his job back, he declines because he “won’t work for such people again”. But his wife, Jeanette, is against it. She behaves as one would expect her to behave if he had died in the fire. After his father leaves for a lowly and risky profession, a teenage kid copes with his mother’s confused reaction.
12. Da 5 Bloods (2015)
Director: Spike Lee
Writer: Danny Bilson
Cast: Jonathon Majors, Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Runtime: 1h 58m
The scene starts with archive footage of notable black celebrities (Muhammad Ali, for example) addressing their opposition to the Vietnam War, claiming that black men are obliged to fight for a country that discriminates against them and kills innocent people with whom they have no issues. In this movie, four African-American soldiers return to Vietnam in search of the remains of their slain squad commander and the gold treasure he helped them bury; they find themselves up against the powers of man and nature. This is one of the best drama movies on Netflix.
13. Private Life (2018)
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Writer: Tamara Jenkins
Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Gabrielle Reid, Paul Giamatti
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Runtime: 2h 4m
Richard and Rachel, a couple suffering from infertility, struggle to keep their marriage together as they go farther and deeper into the bizarre world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. When their doctor proposes that they use a third party for reproduction, they object. Sadie, a recent college dropout, comes back into their lives, and they are forced to reevaluate their priorities. One of the best drama movies on Netflix.
14. There will be Blood (2007)
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Writer: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Paul Dano, Ciaran Hinds, Daniel Day-Lewis
IMDb Rating: 8.2/10
Runtime: 2h 38m
Daniel Plainview, a vicious silver miner who subsequently became an oil prospector, moves to California, which is wealthy in oil. Plainview deceives local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance by posing as a dependable family man through his adopted son HW, who acts as his front. Local pastor Eli Sunday, on the other hand, questions Plainviews’ motivations and intentions, igniting a smoldering dispute that threatens both of their lives.
15. Marriage Story (2019)
Director: Tom Holland
Writer: Tom Holland
Cast: Chris Sarandon, William Ragsdale, Amanda Bearse
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Runtime: 2h 16m
One marriage came to an end when Charlie, a theatre director, and Nicole, a movie actress, decided to call it quits following a series of terrible marital mediation sessions. Charlie and Nicole’s so-called amicable divorce is in jeopardy because of the vicious allegations and seething hatred that are threatening the basis of their eight-year-old son Henry’s well-being. With attorneys in charge, things are sure to grow a whole lot more complicated.
Moreover, you can watch shows like Bombshell on Netflix outside Australia, and Luckyone on Netflix outside Australia.
16. The Social Network (2010)
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Runtime: 2h
In 2003, Mark Zuckerberg, a Harvard freshman, and computer whiz started developing a novel idea that would ultimately become the worldwide social network known as Facebook. Six years later, he has become one of the world’s youngest billionaires, but Zuckerberg discovers that his remarkable success has resulted in both emotional and legal issues when he finds himself on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one of which involves a former friend of his.
17. The Irishman (2019)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer: Steven Zaillian
Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Runtime: 3h 29m
During World War II, while serving in Italy as a high-ranking labor union leader and as a hitman, he mastered the art of killing. In particular, the role he claimed to have had in the kidnapping of Jimmy Hoffa, his lifelong friend and former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, who went missing abruptly in late July 1975 at the age of 62. One of the best drama movies on Netflix.
18. High Flying Bird (2019)
Director: Steven Soderbergh
Writer: Tarell Alvin McCraney
Cast: Melvin Gregg, Eddie Tavares, Andre Holland
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Runtime: 1h 30m
When a businessman is dealing with the sad murder of his son, a rider with a history of horrific injuries, and an unemployed horse trainer band together to aid Seabiscuit, a temperamental and undersized racehorse, they call on the support of a ragtag group of people to make it happen. After initially failing to win races, Seabiscuit goes on to become one of the most successful thoroughbreds of all time, and he serves as an inspiration to a country at a time when it is desperately in need of encouragement.
19. The Prestige (2006)
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Jonathan Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Runtime: 2h 10m
A period thriller set in Edwardian London, in which two competitive magicians, who were once colleagues until the terrible death of an assistant during a performance, become bitter enemies when one of them executes the ultimate magic trick – teleportation – on the other. While on the verge of going insane, his opponent strives hard to discover the secret to his routine, experimenting with potentially lethal new technologies along the way. His search puts everyone around him at risk as he approaches the edge of insanity.
20. Gladiator (2005)
Director: Ridley Scott
Writer: John Logan
Cast: Russell Crowe, Connie Nielsen, Joaquin Phoenix
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Runtime: 2h 35m
The narrative of a once-powerful commander who is condemned to fight as a common gladiator takes place in ancient Rome. When the emperor’s son is passed up as successor in favor of his father’s favorite general, he becomes outraged and takes to the streets. He assassinates his father and organizes the assassination of the general’s family, and the general is thrown into slavery to be educated as a gladiator – but his future success in the arena puts the crown in jeopardy.
21. The Pianist (2002)
Director: Roman Polanski
Writer: Ronald Harwood
Cast: Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay, Thomas Kretschmann
IMDb Rating: 8.5/10
Runtime: 2h 30m
In this adaption of the book “The Pianist: The Extraordinary True Story of One Man’s Survival in Warsaw,” Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Polish Jewish radio station pianist, observes the steady transformation of Warsaw as World War II starts to envelop the country. As a result of Operation Reinhard, Szpilman is forced to live in the Warsaw Ghetto, although he is subsequently separated from his family. From this point on, Szpilman hides in different spots amid the ruins of Warsaw until the concentration camp inmates are liberated from their captivity.
22. Joker (2019)
Director: Todd Philips
Writer: Scott Silver
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Zazie Beetz, Robert De Niro
IMDb Rating: 8.4/10
Runtime: 2h 1m
Arthur Fleck is a failing comedian who has spent his life alone in a crowd. A clown by day, Arthur wears two masks: the one he paints for his profession as a clown at night, and the one he portrays in a hopeless effort to feel like he’s a part of the world around him during the day. The Joker starts his transformation into the criminal genius known as Fleck after he is isolated, bullied, and ignored by society. This movie has an amazing storyline and is considered as one of the best drama movies on Netflix of all time.
23. The Unforgivable (2021)
Director: Nora Fingschiedt
Writer: Peter Craig
Cast: Sandra Bullock, Vincent D’Onofrio, Viola Davis
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Runtime: 1h 54m
This drama film was entirely written by Peter Craig. It is, nevertheless, based on Sally Wainwright’s 2009 British miniseries Unforgiven.
Ruth Slater is a lady who has been released from jail after completing a term for a serious crime and is attempting to reintegrate into society. She must attempt to put her life back together in a world that will not forgive her for what happened in the past.
24. The Hand of God (2021)
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
Writer: Paolo Sorrentino
Cast: Filippo Scotti, Teresa Saponangelo, Toni Servillo
IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
Runtime: 2h 10m
When the great Diego Maradona accidentally saves the life of an Italian youngster who is trying to find his place in the world in the 1980s, the teen experiences both pain, and emancipation. Fabietto’s destiny is set in action as fate plays its role, joy and sadness mingle, and a new chapter begins. Upon his return to his birthplace, Sorrentino shares his most personal narrative, which is a tale of destiny and family, sports and movies, love and grief, and everything in between.
25. 7 Prisoners (2021)
Director: Alexandre Moratto
Writer: Thayna Mantesso
Cast: Josias Duarte, Vitor Julian, Cecilia Homem De Mello
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Runtime: 1h 34m
Mateus, an 18-year-old from the countryside, takes a job at a junkyard in So Paulo for his new employer, Luca, in order to offer a better living for his family in the city. After being trapped in the dangerous realm of human trafficking, Mateus will be forced to choose between working for the exact guy who imprisoned him and jeopardizing his and his family’s future by continuing to work for him.
26. Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway (2021)
Director: Shuko Murase
Writer: Yasuyuki Muto
Cast: Kensho Ono, Junichi Suwabe, Reina Ueda
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Runtime: 1h 36m
A terrorist group is known as “Mafty” has shattered the peace on Earth and its colonies twelve years after the Second Neo Zeon War, with the goal of stopping the Earth Federation from privatizing the planet’s resources to the rich and powerful. Hathaway Noa, the son of renowned Federation Captain Bright Noa and pilot of the experimental RX-105 Gundam, is Mafty’s most prominent member.
27. Paper Lives (2021)
Director: Can Ulkay
Writer: Ercan Mehmet Erdem
Cast: Emir Ali Dogrul, Ersin Arici, Cagatay Ulusoy
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Runtime: 1h 37m
Mehmet, a young guy, makes his livelihood by collecting scrap paper from dumpsters. This Baba is his most important supporter in this lifetime. A little child called Ali, who is eight years old, enters Mehmet’s life and totally changes the course of his life. Mehmet, who is attempting to reconnect Ali with his family, develops a new kind of relationship with the little kid. Very few movies are the ones that touch the core of the heart and this is is one of them. The best drama movie on Netflix.
28. Operation Hyacinth (2021)
Director: Piotr Domalewski
Writer: Markin Ciaston
Cast: Hubert Milkowski, Marek Kalita, Tomasz Zietek
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Runtime: 1h 52m
In the 1980s, a heist film was made. Robert, a young police officer working “on the basis of principle,” tracks down a serial homosexual murderer. During the course of the inquiry, he comes into contact with Arek. As a result, he chooses to employ him as an informant, completely unaware of how much this connection would impact not only his professional but also his personal life.
29. We couldn’t become Adults (2021)
Director: Yoshihiro Mori
Writer: Ryo Takada
Cast: Sanyee Yuan, Rich Ting, Takehiro Hira
IMDb Rating: 6.5/10
Runtime: 2h 4m
When I met her in 1995, I felt compelled to give my all for the first time in my life. Every day, I put in long hours at the tail end of the video business because I wanted to be recognized by her, who despises the term “common.” It was 1999, and, according to Nostradamus’s enormous warning, the world did not die. She, who had been the lone supporter of her heart, was forced to go without saying goodbye. And then there’s 2020. This is the first time the 46-year-old, who has lived in peace with society, has spoken about “then,” when he left and didn’t return, spurred by some melancholy reunions.
30. Bordertown: The Mural Murders (2021)
Director: Juuso Syrja
Writer: Miikko Oikkonen
Cast: Ville Virtanen, Sampo Sarkola, Anu Sinisalo
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10
Runtime: 1h 47m
The most well-known serial murderer in Finland, Lasse Maasalo, is shown in a blood-spattered painting on the wall of the Pasila railway station. As part of the artwork, “Making The World A Better Place,” visitors are encouraged to vote for those they believe the world would be better off without. Soon after, the first corpse is discovered, and Sorjonen is tasked with tracking down the one who has designated himself as The Judge.
31. Baggio: The Divine Ponytail (2021)
Director: Letizia Lamartire
Writer: Stefano Sardo
Cast: Andrea Arcangeli, Thomas Trabacchi, Valentina Belle
IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
Runtime: 1h 32m
Roberto Baggio is the subject of this biographical film, he was an Italian footballer who inspired whole generations to take up the sport. A one-of-a-kind player who has the ability to excite fans all across the globe. Sacchi, a famed Italian coach, was also under the spotlight at this time, despite the fact that his expertise and training were undeniable. It is a wonderful tale of perseverance, hard work, commitment, achievement, faith, and family, all embodied in the narrative of Baggio and Dunga.
32. Our Lady of San Juan, Four Centuries of Miracles (2021)
Director: Fransisco Perez
Writer: Noe Gonzalez
Cast: Juan Manuel Azcona, Mau Lopez, Humberto Fuentes
IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
Runtime: 1h 47m
Our Lady of San Juan de Los Lagos is a Roman Catholic title for the Blessed Virgin Mary that is revered by Mexican and Texan Catholics.
The Virgin Mary performs a miracle on a little girl in 1623 Mexico, according to this dramatization. Four hundred years later, a family makes a visit to the site in order to bury their own kid. The Virgin Mary performed a miracle on a little girl in 1623 Mexico. This is one of the most interesting drama movies on Netflix.
33. A Naija Christmas (2021)
Director: Kunle Afolayan
Writer: Kemi Adesoye
Cast: Onikosi Bukola Abisoye, Abayomi Alvin, Lateef Adedimeji
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
Runtime: 2h 1m
This 2021 Nigerian romantic comedy centers on three adult brothers whose mother desperately wants them to get married so that she may have grandkids. Each of the guys faces a unique obstacle on his path to love fulfillment. A key character devotes a lot of his time and attention to seducing random women. A fistfight between three brothers ensues. A loan shark beats up a guy off-screen. Two males are slapped by two ladies in a fit of rage. Drinking alcohol is common among adults. Hangovers are common for women who aren’t accustomed to drinking.
34. Single All the Way (2021)
Director: Michael Mayer
Writer: Chad Hodge
Cast: Michael Urie, Luke Macfarlane, Philemon Chambers
IMDb Rating: 6.2/10
Runtime: 1h 41m
Peter is desperate to escape his family’s disapproval of his continuous single state, so he persuades his closest buddy Nick to accompany him to the holidays and pretend that they are now in a relationship, which he finds hilarious. However, when Peter’s mother arranges for him to go on a blind date with her attractive trainer James, the arrangement is scrapped. One of the best Drama movies on Netflix.
35. Halloween II (2009)
Director: Rob Zombie
Writer: Rob Zombie
Cast: Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, Scout Taylor
IMDb Rating: 4.8/10
Runtime: 1h 45m
Laurie Strode has reached her breaking point a year after nearly avoiding death at the hands of Michael Myers. Dr. Loomis’ revelation that she is Michael’s sister has driven her over the brink. She has no idea that the inexorable murderer has returned to Haddonfield, motivated by visions of their deceased mother, and that he is eager to bring about a terrible reunion among the family.
Conclusion
The finest drama films never focus on a single theme or genre. Some films combine humor with sadness, romance with hardship, while some combine action with humanity. They may assist you in escaping or opening your eyes to facts you have never known before. The finest ones are able to accomplish both.
After everything is said and done, above is a list of the best drama movies on Netflix Australia that you can watch with your loved ones.
Happy binge-watching.
Chris Mack
