Drama: 385

Grace and Glorie (1998) is an American television play that aired as part of the Hallmark Hall of Fame series on CBS. When a solitary former New Yorker takes up residence with a senior in the countryside to serve as a hospice worker, they appear to have little in common at first. Yet, over time, they discover a strong connection, even sharing a common experience of losing a child. As their relationship grows, they also gain insights about life.

The Truman Show (1998) is an American comedy drama film written by Andrew Niccol and directed by Peter Weir. The film focuses on the life of a man named Truman Burbank who was selected at birth and adopted by a television studio after an unwanted pregnancy. Unbeknownst to him, he is the main star of a reality TV show called The Truman Show. This program is broadcasted globally via approximately five thousand hidden cameras that capture every moment of Truman’s life. The creator and executive producer, Christof, aims to showcase Truman’s genuine emotions as a ...

Celebrity (1998), an American comedy-drama film by Woody Allen, follows the story of a divorced couple who take different paths in life. Lee Simon, an unsuccessful novelist who turns to travel writing after his midlife crisis and split from his insecure ex-wife, Robin, a former English teacher of sixteen years. As he navigates the world of celebrity journalism, Lee’s search for purpose is hindered by his constant pursuit of fame and struggles with insecurities and neuroses, causing him to miss out on multiple opportunities. As she moves forward, Robin sheds her numerous neuroses ...

August 32nd on Earth in English (1998), is a Canadian drama film directed and written by Denis Villeneuve. This was his first time directing a feature film and it was produced by Roger Frappier. The movie was shown in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. Additionally, it was chosen as Canada’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 71st Academy Awards, but did not receive a nomination. After miraculously surviving a car crash, Simone, who works as a photo model, finds herself yearning for ...

Metroland (1997), directed by Philip Saville, tells the story of Chris and Marion living a peaceful life with their child in Eastwood. They reside in the London suburbs known as Metroland, the area at the end of the Metropolitan Line on the London Underground. However, their routine is disrupted when Chris’s childhood friend Toni calls early one morning. After years of traveling through Africa, Europe, and the United States as a bohemian poet, Toni has returned to England. Chris reflects on their past adventures in Paris during the late 1960s when they both dreamed of escaping suburban life for avant-garde ...

The television film, George Wallace (1997), was brought to life by the talented producer and director, John Frankenheimer. It delves into the intricate political journey of a man who undergoes a significant transformation. Starting off as a typical judge in the south, Wallace maneuvers his way to political prominence and gains notoriety as one of the most despised figures in American politics. However, his world is turned upside down when an assassination attempt leaves him incapacitated and forces him to confront his actions. The film chronicles Wallace’s journey, starting from ...

Geri’s Game (1997) is an animated short created by Pixar and written and directed by Jan Pinkava. Set in a deserted city park, the film follows Geri as he sets up a chessboard and engages in a game against himself. By switching between sides of the board and changing his glasses, Geri acts out both players with distinct personalities. The game appears so realistic that it seems like two individuals are competing, with shots even including hands and bodies of both ‘players’ in the same frame. The confident player easily captures all of the timid player’s pieces, ...

The American drama film, The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997), directed by Stephen T. Kay, is based on a 1950 letter from Neal Cassady to Jack Kerouac. Presented as a letter from Cassady’s perspective, the movie explores his life before and after his lover Joan’s suicide attempt. Jumping back and forth between these two time periods allows the audience to see Cassady’s active mind and constantly shifting thoughts. The story begins with Cassady sitting outside Joan’s hospital room on the day of ...

Two Girls and a Guy (1997) is a darkly comedic drama helmed by James Toback. While waiting outside a loft for their respective partners, two women, Carla and Lou, unexpectedly cross paths. But their interaction takes a shocking turn when they realize they have been deceived by the same man – promising actor Blake, who had been juggling relationships with both of them. Fueled by anger, they break into his loft and confront him upon his return, sparking a heated exchange of accusations and explanations.

One Night Stand (1997) is an American drama film written and directed by Mike Figgis. It follows the story of Max Carlyle, a successful director of television commercials living in Los Angeles with his wife Mimi and their two children. During a trip to New York City, Max crosses paths with Karen after missing his flight. Despite various obstacles throughout the evening, they end up spending the night together. Upon returning home, Max becomes distant and troubled, but refuses to divulge the reason to Mimi. A year later, while visiting Charlie, a close friend who is gravely ill from AIDS, Max meets Karen again – ...

The made-for-television drama film, Mandela and de Klerk (1997), was written by Richard Wesley and directed by Joseph Sargent. In a highly publicized trial on June 12, 1964, Nelson Mandela and several other political detainees received life imprisonment sentences, making it the most famous treason case in South Africa’s history. Their imprisonment on Robben Island became a powerful symbol of the fight against apartheid and the quest for freedom for black South Africans. Nearly three decades later, on February 2, 1990, President F.W. De Klerk announced the ...

Good Will Hunting (1997), an American drama directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, tells the story of a self-taught math prodigy from South Boston. Will Hunting, just twenty years old, has recently been released from prison and works as a janitor at MIT. In his free time, he enjoys hanging out with his friends Chuckie, Billy, and Morgan. One day, Professor Gerald Lambeau challenges his graduate students with a difficult combinatorial mathematics problem on the blackboard. To everyone’s ...

The film adaptation of the Gregory McDonald novel, The Brave (1997), marked Depp’s directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with his brother and the film was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival, where it garnered generally negative reviews. The story follows Raphael, a Native American man living in a remote community near a garbage dump. In order to support his family, he resorts to selling whatever he can. Desperate for a better life for his loved ones, Raphael agrees to star in a snuff film for a large sum of money. However, he is given an advance ...

The American legal drama film, The Rainmaker (1997), was both written and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It is based on the 1995 novel of the same name by John Grisham. Unlike many other graduates from Memphis State University Law School, Rudy Baylor finds himself without a well-paying job and instead takes on part-time positions at a local bar. In dire need of employment, he meets the bar’s owner, J. Lyman ‘Bruiser’ Stone, who is known for being a ruthless but successful ambulance chaser. After hiring Rudy as an associate, Bruiser explains that ...

The drama 12 Angry Men (1997), directed by William Friedkin and based on Reginald Rose’s 1954 teleplay of the same name, is a remake of the 1957 film. The story follows a murder trial in which a teenage boy from the city slums is accused of killing his father. The judge instructs the jury to determine the boy’s guilt or innocence, with a unanimous decision required for conviction. A guilty verdict could potentially result in the death penalty, unlike in the 1957 film. As the twelve jurors retire to the jury room, an initial vote reveals that eleven are in ...

The Sweet Hereafter (1997), a Canadian drama, was written and directed by Atom Egoyan, based on the 1991 novel by Russell Banks. It takes place in the small town of Sam Dent, British Columbia, where tragedy strikes when a school bus skids on ice, breaks through a barrier, and crashes into a lake, claiming the lives of 14 children. A grief-stricken group of parents is approached by an out-of-town lawyer named Mitchell Stephens. He is troubled by his tumultuous relationship with his drug-addicted daughter. Despite their initial hesitance, Stephens convinces the parents and ...

Irma Vep (1996), a French comedy-drama film written and directed by Olivier Assayas, tells the story of director René Vidal’s struggles during the making of a film-within-a-film. Playing the heroine, Irma Vep, is Maggie Cheung, sporting a tight black latex catsuit. The character’s name is actually an anagram for vampire and serves as inspiration for the criminal gang known as The Vampires in Feuillade’s original serial. As René and the team watch dailies, he becomes livid with disappointment and storms out, leaving Maggie stranded at the ...

Foxfire (1996) is an American teen drama film directed by Annette Haywood-Carter. Based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates, it follows the story of four high school girls as they navigate their coming of age. Maddie Wirtz, a senior living in Portland, Oregon, has plans to complete her last year of high school before heading off to college. However, her routine is disrupted when she meets ‘Legs’, a mysterious and beautiful drifter seeking shelter from the rain at her school. On the same day, Legs persuades Maddie and her classmates Rita Faldes and Violet Kahn to confront their teacher Mr. ...

Marvin’s Room (1996) is an impactful American drama helmed by Jerry Zaks. John Guare penned the screenplay, adapted from Scott McPherson’s play of the same name. The story revolves around Marvin, a man who suffered a stroke two decades ago and has been confined to his bed ever since. His daughter Bessie has dedicated herself to taking care of him in their Florida home, while his other daughter Lee moved away with her husband to Ohio and has not been in touch with her family since. Unfortunately, Bessie receives devastating news from her doctor – she has leukemia, the same illness that claimed their ...

The Evening Star (1996), an American comedy drama film by Robert Harling, is adapted from Larry McMurtry’s 1992 novel. After the passing of her daughter Emma, Aurora Greenway remains her strong and determined self. However, things are not going smoothly for the three grandchildren she has raised since Emma’s death. The oldest grandson Tommy is currently serving time in jail on a drug charge. Meanwhile, younger grandson Teddy has a girlfriend and a son, who Aurora does not warm up to. The youngest grandchild, Melanie, still lives with Aurora but is considering ...