20 Greatest Drama Movie Masterpieces of All Time, Ranked
The drama genre is vast and prolific, covering everything from quiet arthouse work to emotional character studies. For variety and fairness, this list excludes intensely genre-driven epics—revolutionary masterpieces like Seven Samurai and the Lord of the Rings trilogy are a topic for another day—and instead gathers films from across history and around the world, from City of God to Casablanca.
John Cassavetes' A Woman Under the Influence showcases the director's singular indie voice and Gena Rowlands' gut‑wrenching performance. The film examines the crushing weight of gendered social expectations and portrays a woman in severe mental crisis with richly detailed character work across its two-and-a-half-hour runtime.
Wim Wenders' Paris, Texas is a slow‑burn road movie about loss, loneliness and redemption, lavished in Americana that complements its quiet tone.