The beauty of Netflix is that the streaming service has a wealth of genre options at your disposal. If you want to get your action fix on, you are free to do so. If you’re in the mood for a comedy, thriller, or straight-up horror movie, they’ve got those as well. But sometimes it’s hard to beat a genuinely great drama, and boy does Netflix have a wealth of options in this particular genre. To help whittle down your choices, we’ve gone ahead and curated a list of the very best dramas on Netflix right now, which run the gamut from period pieces to relationship dramas to little-known gems. There are movies from big, well-known filmmakers on this list, and there are also films from up-and-comers that are absolutely worth checking out.

So peruse through our list of the best drama movies on Netflix below, and get to watchin’. But beware: some of these may require a tissue or seven.

For more recommendations, check out our list of the best movies on Netflix or the best comedies, thrillers, or horror films on the platform.

Editor's note: This article was updated October 2023 to include Reptile.

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Rebecca (2020)

rebecca-lily-james

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Reptile (2023)

Alicia Silverstone as Judy Nichols in Reptile
Image via Netflix

Heart of Stone (2023)

Gal Gadot in Heart of Stone
Image via Netflix

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This is Where I Leave You (2014)

This Is Where I Leave You IMDb
Image via IMDb

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To Leslie (2022)

Andrea Riseborough talking and looking up in To Leslie
Image via Momentum Pictures

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A Man Called Otto (2022)

Tom Hanks in A Man Called Otto
Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

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The Glass Castle (2017)

Image via Lionsgate

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RRR (2022)

Two smiling men riding on a bike in RRR
Image via Variance Films and Sarigama Cinemas

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The Strays (2023)

the strays featured
Image via Netflix

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All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Feliz Kammerer in All Quiet on the Western Front
Image via Netflix

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Horse Girl (2020)

Horse-Girl-Alison-Brie-Netflix
Image Via Netflix

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Emily the Criminal (2022)

Aubrey Plaza as Emily the Criminal
Image via Roadside Attractions

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The Swimmers (2022)

the-swimmers-nathalie-issa-manal-issa
Image via Netflix

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The Good Nurse (2022)

A male and female nurse sitting side by side on a hospital floor in The Good Nurse.

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Lou (2022)

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Image via Netflix

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Disobedience (2017)

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Image via Bleecker Street

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Purple Hearts (2022)

Sofia Carson and Nicholas Galitzine getting married in Purple Hearts
Image via Netflix

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Beauty (2022)

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Image via Netflix

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Hustle (2022)

Hustle

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Sorry to Bother You (2018)

sorry-to-bother-you-tessa-thompson-lakeith-stanfield-social-feature
Image via Focus Features

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