Drama: 385

Rectify (2013–2016) is an American television drama that follows the life of a man who is released from death row after being wrongfully convicted and serving almost 20 years in prison. It was created by Ray McKinnon and marks the first original series for SundanceTV. Originally set to air on AMC with Walton Goggins as the lead, the series began development in 2008. After three years, it was officially picked up by sister channel SundanceTV for six episodes as their first scripted series. Production for season two took place in Griffin, Georgia starting on February 3, ...

Mexican director Michel Franco’s drama film, After Lucia (2012), was a top prize winner at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. The story follows Roberto, who is devastated by his wife Lucía’s death in a car accident. Seeking a fresh start, he moves to Mexico City with his teenage daughter Alejandra. However, after attending a party with her new classmates, Alejandra becomes the target of bullying and is labeled as a ‘slut’ through circulated footage and hurtful text messages. Despite this mistreatment, she remains silent about the incidents to avoid further ...

7 Days in Havana (2012) is an anthology film, featuring one segment for each day of the week. Each segment is directed by a different filmmaker, including Julio Medem, Laurent Cantet, Juan Carlos Tabío, Benicio del Toro, Gaspar Noé, Pablo Trapero and Elia Suleiman. The screenplay was written by Cuban novelist

To the Wonder (2012) is an American experimental romantic drama film written and directed by Terrence Malick, following the story of Neil, an American traveler who falls for Marina, a Ukrainian divorcée living in Paris with her young daughter Tatiana. As their love blossoms, they journey to Mont St. Michel in Normandy. Eventually, Neil invites Marina and Tatiana to join him in his hometown of Oklahoma, where he has taken a job as an environmental inspector. However, as time goes on, their fiery relationship begins to cool. Marina finds comfort in the company of Father Quintana, a troubled Catholic priest grappling with ...

Gus Van Sant’s drama, Promised Land (2012), follows the journey of Steve Butler as he climbs the ranks at Global Crosspower Solutions, an energy company focused on fracking for natural gas. With a proven record of efficiently and cost-effectively securing mineral rights leases from land owners, Butler catches the attention of top management. Teaming up with his partner Sue Thomason, Butler travels to a struggling farming community in Pennsylvania where residents take great pride in their long-standing family farms. Having grown up in a town similar to this one, Butler is determined to win over the locals on behalf ...

Noah Baumbach’s American black-and-white comedy-drama, Frances Ha (2012), stars Greta Gerwig as the titular character. Frances is a 27-year-old dancer living in New York City with her college best friend, Sophie. However, their living arrangement is disrupted when Sophie announces she will be moving to her dream neighborhood, Tribeca, with another friend. As a struggling apprentice at a dance company, Frances cannot afford the Brooklyn apartment on her own and must find alternative housing. She temporarily moves in with friends Lev and Benji in Chinatown. Meanwhile, ...

The Hunt (2012) is a Danish psychological drama film directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen. Lucas, a member of a close-knit rural Danish community, misses his teenage son Marcus, who mostly lives with his ex-wife. However, he has formed strong relationships with the young children at the local kindergarten, where he works since the school at which he taught closed. Things start to look up for Lucas when Marcus expresses a desire to live with him and he starts dating Nadja, a co-worker. One of the children at the kindergarten is Klara, daughter of ...

Chicago Fire (2012–2024), an American drama series, was created by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas with executive producer Dick Wolf. It is the first part of Wolf Entertainment’s Chicago franchise, which revolves around various public services in the city of Chicago, Illinois. The show follows the daily lives and relationships of firefighters, rescue workers, and paramedics at the fictional Firehouse 51. Premiering on NBC on October 10, 2012, the series has aired a total of 240 episodes as of January 17, 2024. Its ...

Mildred Pierce (2011), a period drama miniseries on HBO created by Todd Haynes, is based on James M. Cain’s 1941 novel of the same name. The show centers around Mildred, a divorced woman struggling to open a restaurant during the Great Depression while also dealing with her self-absorbed daughter. This adaptation follows the original 1945 film noir featuring Joan Crawford and is accompanied by an original score from Carter Burwell. Airing from March 27 to April 10, ...

Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011) is an American drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Eric Roth, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Jonathan Safran Foer. Nine-year-old Oskar Schell, who lives in New York City with his parents Linda and Thomas Schell, has autism. He shares a special bond with his father, as they embark on missions to uncover clues in search of New York City’s ‘lost Sixth Borough’. These tasks push Oskar to explore his surroundings and engage with others, ...

The psychological drama film, The Beaver (2011), was helmed by director Jodie Foster and penned by Kyle Killen. Walter Black, a troubled CEO of Jerry Co., is evicted from his home by his wife, much to the satisfaction of their eldest son Porter. He relocates to a hotel where he makes multiple attempts at taking his own life. However, his situation takes a turn when he adopts an alternative persona manifested through a discarded hand puppet shaped like a beaver. Donning the puppet at all times, Walter communicates exclusively as the beaver, aiding in his recovery process. ...

We Bought a Zoo (2011) is a biographical family comedy-drama film loosely based on the 2008 memoir of the same name by Benjamin Mee, directed and co-written by Cameron Crowe. Following the loss of his wife Katherine seven months prior, Benjamin is struggling to cope with grief alongside his children, 14-year-old Dylan and 7-year-old Rosie. As Dylan is expelled from school, Benjamin realizes that their current living situation only serves as a constant reminder of Katherine’s absence and decides it’s time for a fresh start. After touring numerous homes with ...

Margaret (2011) is a riveting American epic psychological drama written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan. In the bustling streets of Manhattan, 17-year-old student Lisa Cohen has an unexpected encounter with bus driver Gerald Maretti on the Upper West Side. A moment of distraction leads to a tragic accident as Gerald misses a red light, resulting in the death of pedestrian Monica Patterson. Overcome with guilt, Lisa initially tells police that the traffic signal was green but later changes her statement. As her life takes unexpected turns, including a flirtation with math teacher Aaron Caije and heated debates with her ...

The film The Descendants (2011), directed by Alexander Payne, is a comedy-drama based on Kaui Hart Hemmings’ novel of the same name. It follows Honolulu-based attorney and sole trustee of a family trust, Matthew ‘Matt’ King, who is responsible for 25,000 acres of valuable land on Kauai that also holds sentimental value to his family. While Matt has diligently managed his own finances like his father before him, most of his cousins have recklessly spent their inheritances. However, with the trust expiring in seven years due to legal limitations, the King ...

The film adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s 1998 novel, The Rum Diary (2011), was directed by Bruce Robinson. Paul Kemp is a struggling author who takes a job at a newspaper in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is quickly introduced to the ins and outs of the newspaper world by Sala, a staff photographer who predicts the newspaper’s eventual downfall. After settling into a hotel, Kemp crosses paths with Chenault, an alluring woman he meets while lounging on a boat in the ocean. Despite getting off on the wrong foot with his editor, E.J Lotterman, due to a night of ...

The American biographical drama film, J. Edgar (2011), directed and produced by Clint Eastwood, tells the story of FBI director J. Edgar Hoover’s career. Through a non-linear narrative, the film delves into Hoover’s involvement in the creation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as well as his later efforts to protect it from perceived threats. In the present day, an aging Hoover shares these events with a group of agents he has tasked with writing a book about the Bureau’s early years. Following an assassination attempt on Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer by anarchists in 1919, Justice ...

In the American film Little Birds (2011), written and directed by Elgin James, close friends Juno Temple and Kay Panabaker play the roles of Lily and Alison. Living in a financially struggling town near the Salton Sea in California, these two teenage girls have opposing personalities. Lily is rebellious and teetering on the edge of suicidal, residing with her single mother, Margaret. On the other hand, Alison is cautious and responsible, living with her alcoholic father. While Alison finds comfort in her uncle Hogan’s ...

Suits (2011–2019), an American legal drama TV series, was created and written by Aaron Korsh and first aired on USA Network on June 23, 2011. Produced by Universal Content Productions, the show is set at a fictional corporate law firm in New York City. The storyline revolves around Mike Ross, who leverages his photographic memory to land a job as an associate for renowned ‘closer’ lawyer Harvey Specter. Despite not having attended law school, Mike’s exceptional LSAT score and passing of the New York State Bar Exam through illegal means enables him to keep his secret hidden while he and Harvey take on ...

This Must Be the Place (2011), an Italian-French-Irish drama directed and written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello respectively, tells the story of Cheyenne. The former wealthy rock star has been living a mundane and uninspired life in Dublin for the past two decades. His retirement was prompted by the tragic suicides of two of his teenage fans. Seeking some sort of redemption, he makes the journey to New York to make amends with his dying father, only to arrive too late. His justification for not being in contact for 30 years was due to his father’s rejection when he began experimenting with goth ...

The Help (2011), a period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor, is based on Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel of the same title. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in 1963, the story follows Aibileen Clark, an African-American domestic worker who works for socialite Elizabeth Leefolt. Aibileen cares for Elizabeth’s two-year-old daughter Mae Mobley as Elizabeth neglects her emotionally. Aibileen’s close friend Minny Jackson also works as a maid for Mrs. Walters and her manipulative daughter Hilly Holbrook, who is known for leading the women’s ...