Drama: 385

Too Big to Fail (2011) is an American biographical drama that aired on HBO. Directed by Curtis Hanson and written by Peter Gould, the film was based on Andrew Ross Sorkin’s non-fiction book of the same name. It received multiple nominations at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards. The plot revolves around the 2008 mortgage industry crisis and the sale of Bear Stearns to JPMorgan Chase with Federal guarantees. As news of this spreads, short sellers shift their focus to another investment bank, Lehman Brothers. Despite trying ...

Courageous (2011) is an independent American Christian drama directed by Alex Kendrick and co-written by his brother, Stephen Kendrick. Nathan Hayes, a new deputy in Albany, Georgia, rushes to reclaim his stolen truck from a gas station. Despite being injured, he bravely retrieves the vehicle and finds relief when he sees his baby boy unharmed in the back. Upon arrival of the police, fellow deputies Adam Mitchell and Shane Fuller learn about Hayes’ recent move to their town. As they bond over work, we also catch glimpses of their personal lives: Mitchell’s ...

Downton Abbey (2010–2015), a British period drama set in the early 20th century, was created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. It premiered on ITV in the United Kingdom on September 26, 2010 and on PBS in the United States as part of its Masterpiece Classic series on January 9, 2011. The series consisted of six seasons and fifty-two episodes, including five holiday specials. Set on the fictional Yorkshire estate of Downton Abbey from 1912 to 1926, it follows the aristocratic Crawley family and their household staff during the post-Edwardian era. The show explores how major historical events shape their lives and ...

Rake (2010–2018), an Australian TV show that debuted on ABC in 2010 and is created by Essential Media and Entertainment, follows the story of Cleaver Greene, a charming yet self-destructive barrister from Sydney. Throughout the series, he represents clients who are often found guilty. The fifth and final season began production in October 2017 and was released on August 19th, 2018. Cleaver Greene is a complex character, described differently by those who know him. While his ex-wife sees him as unreliable, his son considers him a loyal friend. His fellow lawyers call him a witty wag, while jurors find him hilarious and judges often ...

Parenthood (2010–2015) is a beloved American sitcom created by Jason Katims and produced by Imagine Television and Universal Television for NBC. It follows the Braverman family, including an older couple, their four children, and their own families. From March 2, 2010 to January 29, 2015, the series aired for six seasons. It was met with acclaim from TV critics and garnered numerous nominations and accolades such as a Vision Award, a Critics’ Choice Television Award, two Television Academy Honors awards, four Young Artist Awards, and three Entertainment Industries Council PRISM Awards. However, despite its ...

The Company Men (2010), an American drama film written and directed by John Wells, follows the story of Bobby Walker. When his employer, the publicly held shipbuilding corporation GTX, undergoes downsizing during the recession, Walker finds himself among the many employees who are let go. As a white-collar worker with a high salary and family to support, he struggles to maintain his lavish lifestyle after losing his job. Despite receiving outplacement services from GTX, Walker is unable to secure another corporate position and gradually has to give up luxuries like his country club membership and Porsche. Eventually, he ...

A British two-part drama mini-series called A Passionate Woman (2010) was broadcasted on BBC One in April 2010. The inspiration behind the story came from writer Kay Mellor’s mother, who had shared with her a secret affair with a Polish neighbor during their time living in a less affluent area of Leeds in the 1950s. Unfortunately, the unnamed Pole met a tragic end, ultimately putting an end to her mother’s infidelity which she had kept hidden for three decades before revealing it all. Mellor revealed that writing this piece was a way for her to bring her late mother back to life. The work initially began as ...

Oliver Stone directed the American drama film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010). After serving time for insider trading and securities fraud, former corporate raider Gordon Gekko is released from prison in 2001. In 2008, he begins promoting his book ‘Is Greed Good?’, warning of an impending economic downturn. Winnie, Gekko’s estranged daughter, runs a non-profit news website and is dating Jacob ‘Jake’ Moore, a top prop trader at Keller Zabel Investments (KZI). Jake is a protege of KZI managing director Louis Zabel and raises funds for Dr. Masters’ fusion research project that ...

Somewhere (2010) is a film written and directed by Sofia Coppola. It tells the story of Johnny Marco, a newly famous actor recovering from an injury at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood. The opening scene features a black Ferrari speeding around a desert race track before coming to a stop and revealing Johnny Marco stepping out. Despite his rise to fame, he feels unfulfilled in his daily life as a recently divorced actor. He resides at the Chateau Marmont, nursing his broken wrist in a plaster cast. While he occasionally drinks and socializes with his childhood friend Sammy, also an actor, Marco spends most of his time ...

The American biographical drama film, The Social Network (2010), directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, is based on the 2009 book The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich. On October 28, 2003, Mark Zuckerberg – a 19-year-old Harvard University sophomore – is dumped by his girlfriend Erica Albright. After returning to his dorm room, Zuckerberg uses his LiveJournal blog to post an insulting message about Albright. Seeking revenge for the breakup, he creates a website called Facemash ...

Aftershock (2010) is a disaster-drama from China, directed by Feng Xiaogang and produced by Huayi Brothers. Li Yuanni and her husband, Fang Daqiang, along with their twins, Fang Deng and Fang Da, reside in Tangshan’s compact apartment. On the morning of July 28th, 1976, the couple engage in intimacy after tucking their children into bed. Suddenly, an earthquake strikes, causing buildings to crumble. As they rush back to rescue their kids, Fang urges Li to stay behind as he runs ahead of her but tragically gets crushed under falling debris. Their apartment complex collapses and traps their children beneath a pile ...

The psychological drama, Biutiful (2010), is a film directed, produced and co-written by Alejandro González Iñárritu. Starring Javier Bardem, it follows Uxbal’s life in a shabby Barcelona apartment with his two young children, Ana and Mateo. He is separated from Marambra, the children’s mother who struggles with alcoholism and bipolar disorder. Having grown up as an orphan, Uxbal only has his brother Tito for family support – Tito works in construction and sometimes solicits Marambra’s services. To make a living, Uxbal arranges work for Chinese ...

The Road (2009), an American post-apocalyptic film directed by John Hillcoat and written by Joe Penhall, is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Cormac McCarthy. It follows a father and son as they struggle to survive in a world ravaged by an unspecified catastrophe that wiped out all plant and animal life. Together, they travel along a road towards the coast in search of safety, scrounging for resources and avoiding violent gangs of cannibals armed with guns. Years earlier, the man’s wife gives birth to their ...

The Spanish film Sex, Party & Lies (2009) was directed by Alfonso Albacete and David Menkes. It features a star-studded cast including Mario Casas, Yon González, Ana Polvorosa, Ana de Armas, Hugo Silva, Maxi Iglesias and Alejo ...

Rebecca Miller’s film, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), follows the tumultuous life of its titular character. Growing up as the youngest and only girl in a large Christian family, Pippa’s childhood was overshadowed by her neurotic mother Suky’s obsessive focus on her appearance. As a teenager, Pippa learns that her mother self-medicates with amphetamines to cope with intense mood swings. Seeking refuge from her dysfunctional family, she moves in with her aunt Trish and her partner Kat, who live in a lesbian menage. However, when Trish discovers Pippa’s involvement in erotic photo shoots ...

The Soloist (2009), directed by Joe Wright, features Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. in lead roles. The film tells the true story of Nathaniel Ayers, a homeless man who struggles with schizophrenia and is also an exceptionally talented musician. In 2005, Steve Lopez works as a journalist for the Los Angeles Times under his ex-wife Mary, who is now his editor. After being involved in a biking accident, Lopez is hospitalized. It is during this time that he hears the beautiful sound of a violin being played. Intrigued, he ...

Crazy Heart (2009), an American drama written and directed by Scott Cooper in his feature directorial debut, is based on the 1987 novel of the same name by Thomas Cobb. The story was inspired by country singer Hank Thompson. Otis ‘Bad’ Blake, a 57-year-old alcoholic songwriter and former country music star, now makes a modest living performing in small-town bars throughout the southwestern United States. He has had four failed marriages (although there is mention of a fifth he does not discuss) and no family aside from his 28-year-old son whom he hasn’t ...

The American comedy-drama film Greenberg (2009), directed by Noah Baumbach, follows the story of Florence Marr as she works as a personal assistant for the Greenberg family in Hollywood Hills. Prior to their trip to Vietnam, Phillip Greenberg informs her that his brother Roger will be staying at the house while he builds a doghouse for their German Shepherd, Mahler. Carol opens up to Florence about how Roger has recently been released from a psychiatric hospital after having a nervous breakdown. When Roger arrives from New York City, he has an awkward interaction with Florence. He spends his days constructing the ...

The American comedy-drama film, Up in the Air (2009), directed by Jason Reitman and written by Reitman and Sheldon Turner, is based on Walter Kirn’s 2001 novel of the same name. The protagonist, Ryan Bingham, is employed at an American human resources consultancy firm that specializes in assisting with employment terminations. As part of his job, Ryan frequently travels around the country to conduct layoffs on behalf of companies. In addition to his work ...

The film Away We Go (2009), directed by Sam Mendes and written by Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, follows the story of Verona De Tessant and Burt Farlander, a young couple living in Denver. Struggling to make ends meet and create a fulfilling life for themselves, they receive unexpected news of their upcoming parenthood. As they contemplate how and where to raise their child and build a happy family, they decide to visit Burt’s parents, Gloria and Jerry, who live nearby. However, upon arriving at their home, they ...