Top 250 Movies of All Time

Drama Movies

182 movies

Drama is by far the most common genre on the Top 250 list, and for good reason: the films that stay with us for years are rarely remembered for their explosions. They stay with us because of the quiet moments when people are forced to face difficult choices. On this page we have gathered dramas set in very different worlds, from prison cell blocks and family dinner tables to front lines and courtrooms.

What these films share is that they give their characters time. The Shawshank Redemption patiently unfolds across two decades, while 12 Angry Men builds tension from a single argument in a single room. Some blend into biography or crime, others focus on nothing more than the relationship between two people. Every movie page includes an original review from our editors, a short synopsis and the main cast. If you cannot decide what to watch, this list, ordered by IMDb rank, is a very good place to start.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

1. The Shawshank Redemption

1994
9.3
The Godfather (1972)

2. The Godfather

1972
9.2
The Dark Knight (2008)

3. The Dark Knight

2008
9.1
The Godfather: Part II (1974)

4. The Godfather: Part II

1974
9
12 Angry Men (1957)

5. 12 Angry Men

1957
9
Schindler's List (1993)

6. Schindler's List

1993
8.9
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

7. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003
9
Pulp Fiction (1994)

8. Pulp Fiction

1994
8.9
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001
8.8
Forrest Gump (1994)

11. Forrest Gump

1994
8.8
Fight Club (1999)

12. Fight Club

1999
8.8
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

14. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002
8.7
Goodfellas (1990)

17. Goodfellas

1990
8.7
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)

18. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1975
8.7
Se7en (1995)

19. Se7en

1995
8.6
Titanic (1997)

20. Titanic

1997
7.9
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

21. It's a Wonderful Life

1946
8.7
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

22. The Silence of the Lambs

1991
8.6
Saving Private Ryan (1998)

23. Saving Private Ryan

1998
8.6
City of God (2002)

24. City of God

2002
8.6
Life Is Beautiful (1997)

25. Life Is Beautiful

1997
8.6
The Green Mile (1999)

26. The Green Mile

1999
8.6
The Martian (2015)

27. The Martian

2015
8
Interstellar (2014)

28. Interstellar

2014
8.7
The Pianist (2002)

33. The Pianist

2002
8.6
Léon: The Professional (1994)

34. Léon: The Professional

1994
8.6
Parasite (2019)

35. Parasite

2019
8.5
The Lion King (1994)

36. The Lion King

1994
8.5
Gladiator (2000)

37. Gladiator

2000
8.5
American History X (1998)

38. American History X

1998
8.5
The Usual Suspects (1995)

39. The Usual Suspects

1995
8.5
The Departed (2006)

40. The Departed

2006
8.5
The Prestige (2006)

41. The Prestige

2006
8.5
Casablanca (1942)

42. Casablanca

1942
8.5
Whiplash (2014)

43. Whiplash

2014
8.5
The Intouchables (2011)

44. The Intouchables

2011
8.5
Modern Times (1936)

45. Modern Times

1936
8.5
The Revenant (2015)

46. The Revenant

2015
8
Hara-Kiri (1962)

47. Hara-Kiri

1962
8.6
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

48. Grave of the Fireflies

1988
8.5
Arrival (2016)

49. Arrival

2016
7.9
City Lights (1931)

51. City Lights

1931
8.5
Cinema Paradiso (1988)

53. Cinema Paradiso

1988
8.5
Apocalypse Now (1979)

54. Apocalypse Now

1979
8.5
Django Unchained (2012)

56. Django Unchained

2012
8.4
Sunset Blvd. (1950)

59. Sunset Blvd.

1950
8.4
The Shining (1980)

60. The Shining

1980
8.4
Paths of Glory (1957)

61. Paths of Glory

1957
8.4
The Great Dictator (1940)

62. The Great Dictator

1940
8.4
Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

64. Witness for the Prosecution

1957
8.4
American Beauty (1999)

66. American Beauty

1999
8.4
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

67. The Dark Knight Rises

2012
8.4
Joker (2019)

70. Joker

2019
8.4
Old Boy (2003)

71. Old Boy

2003
8.4
Braveheart (1995)

72. Braveheart

1995
8.4
Amadeus (1984)

74. Amadeus

1984
8.4
Inglourious Basterds (2009)

77. Inglourious Basterds

2009
8.3
The Boat (1981)

78. The Boat

1981
8.4
Avengers: Endgame (2019)

79. Avengers: Endgame

2019
8.4
Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

81. Once Upon a Time in America

1984
8.4
Good Will Hunting (1997)

82. Good Will Hunting

1997
8.3
Requiem for a Dream (2000)

84. Requiem for a Dream

2000
8.3
3 Idiots (2009)

85. 3 Idiots

2009
8.5
Your Name. (2016)

86. Your Name.

2016
8.4
Reservoir Dogs (1992)

89. Reservoir Dogs

1992
8.3
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

90. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2004
8.3
High and Low (1963)

92. High and Low

1963
8.4
Citizen Kane (1941)

93. Citizen Kane

1941
8.3
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)

94. Lawrence of Arabia

1962
8.3
Capernaum (2018)

95. Capernaum

2018
8.4
The Hunt (2012)

98. The Hunt

2012
8.3
Full Metal Jacket (1987)

102. Full Metal Jacket

1987
8.3
Scarface (1983)

103. Scarface

1983
8.3
Come and See (1985)

104. Come and See

1985
8.4
Double Indemnity (1944)

105. Double Indemnity

1944
8.3
The Apartment (1960)

106. The Apartment

1960
8.3
Taxi Driver (1976)

107. Taxi Driver

1976
8.2
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

108. To Kill a Mockingbird

1962
8.3
The Sting (1973)

109. The Sting

1973
8.3
Roma (2018)

110. Roma

2018
7.7
L.A. Confidential (1997)

111. L.A. Confidential

1997
8.2
Hamilton (2020)

112. Hamilton

2020
8.4
Heat (1995)

113. Heat

1995
8.3
The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

114. The Last of the Mohicans

1992
7.7
A Separation (2011)

118. A Separation

2011
8.3
Metropolis (1927)

119. Metropolis

1927
8.3
Bicycle Thieves (1948)

120. Bicycle Thieves

1948
8.3
Incendies (2010)

121. Incendies

2010
8.3
1917 (2019)

122. 1917

2019
8.3
Like Stars on Earth (2007)

123. Like Stars on Earth

2007
8.4
Batman Begins (2005)

124. Batman Begins

2005
8.3
Dangal (2016)

126. Dangal

2016
8.4
Downfall (2004)

127. Downfall

2004
8.2
The Kid (1921)

128. The Kid

1921
8.3
The Batman (2022)

130. The Batman

2022
8.4
The Father (2020)

131. The Father

2020
8.3
All About Eve (1950)

132. All About Eve

1950
8.3
Green Book (2018)

134. Green Book

2018
8.2
Unforgiven (1992)

135. Unforgiven

1992
8.2
Casino (1995)

136. Casino

1995
8.2
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)

137. Judgment at Nuremberg

1961
8.3
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

138. Pan's Labyrinth

2006
8.2
A Beautiful Mind (2001)

140. A Beautiful Mind

2001
8.2
The Sixth Sense (1999)

141. The Sixth Sense

1999
8.2
There Will Be Blood (2007)

143. There Will Be Blood

2007
8.2
The Truman Show (1998)

144. The Truman Show

1998
8.2
Yojimbo (1961)

145. Yojimbo

1961
8.2
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

146. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1948
8.2
The Great Escape (1963)

148. The Great Escape

1963
8.2
Rashomon (1950)

149. Rashomon

1950
8.2
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

151. Kill Bill: Vol. 1

2003
8.2
No Country for Old Men (2007)

152. No Country for Old Men

2007
8.2
Zodiac (2007)

153. Zodiac

2007
7.7
Raging Bull (1980)

154. Raging Bull

1980
8.2
V for Vendetta (2005)

155. V for Vendetta

2005
8.2
The Elephant Man (1980)

156. The Elephant Man

1980
8.1
Gone with the Wind (1939)

157. Gone with the Wind

1939
8.2
Notorious (1946)

158. Notorious

1946
7.9
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009)

163. The Secret in Their Eyes

2009
8.2
The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

165. The Bridge on the River Kwai

1957
8.1
Trainspotting (1996)

166. Trainspotting

1996
8.1
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

167. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

2017
8.1
Warrior (2011)

168. Warrior

2011
8.2
Gran Torino (2008)

169. Gran Torino

2008
8.1
Prisoners (2013)

172. Prisoners

2013
8.1
Million Dollar Baby (2004)

173. Million Dollar Baby

2004
8.1
Blade Runner (1982)

174. Blade Runner

1982
8.1
Catch Me If You Can (2002)

175. Catch Me If You Can

2002
8.1
The Gold Rush (1925)

176. The Gold Rush

1925
8.2
On the Waterfront (1954)

177. On the Waterfront

1954
8.1
Children of Heaven (1997)

178. Children of Heaven

1997
8.2
Amour (2012)

180. Amour

2012
7.9
Gone Girl (2014)

181. Gone Girl

2014
8.1
12 Years a Slave (2013)

182. 12 Years a Slave

2013
8.1
Ben-Hur (1959)

183. Ben-Hur

1959
8.1
The Deer Hunter (1978)

185. The Deer Hunter

1978
8.1
Before Sunrise (1995)

186. Before Sunrise

1995
8.1
In the Name of the Father (1993)

188. In the Name of the Father

1993
8.1
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

190. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

1939
8.1
Room (2015)

191. Room

2015
8.1
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

192. Hacksaw Ridge

2016
8.1
Pather Panchali (1955)

194. Pather Panchali

1955
8.4
The Wages of Fear (1953)

196. The Wages of Fear

1953
8.2
Barry Lyndon (1975)

197. Barry Lyndon

1975
8.1
Memories of Murder (2003)

198. Memories of Murder

2003
8.1
The Seventh Seal (1957)

199. The Seventh Seal

1957
8.1
Marley & Me (2008)

202. Marley & Me

2008
7.1
Wild Tales (2014)

203. Wild Tales

2014
8.1
Mary and Max (2009)

205. Mary and Max

2009
8.1
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

207. The Passion of Joan of Arc

1928
8.1
Hotel Rwanda (2004)

208. Hotel Rwanda

2004
8.1
Rocky (1976)

209. Rocky

1976
8.1
Dead Poets Society (1989)

210. Dead Poets Society

1989
8.1
Tokyo Story (1953)

211. Tokyo Story

1953
8.2
Platoon (1986)

212. Platoon

1986
8.1
Ford v Ferrari (2019)

213. Ford v Ferrari

2019
8.1
Stand by Me (1986)

215. Stand by Me

1986
8.1
Rush (2013)

216. Rush

2013
8.1
Into the Wild (2007)

217. Into the Wild

2007
8.1
Logan (2017)

218. Logan

2017
8.1
Spotlight (2015)

220. Spotlight

2015
8.1
Network (1976)

221. Network

1976
8.1
Groundhog Day (1993)

222. Groundhog Day

1993
8.1
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)

225. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2011
7.8
Before Sunset (2004)

227. Before Sunset

2004
8.1
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)

228. The Best Years of Our Lives

1946
8.1
Dersu Uzala (1975)

229. Dersu Uzala

1975
8.3
Dunkirk (2017)

230. Dunkirk

2017
7.8
My Father and My Son (2005)

231. My Father and My Son

2005
8.3
Cool Hand Luke (1967)

232. Cool Hand Luke

1967
8.1
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)

233. The Grapes of Wrath

1940
8.1
La La Land (2016)

234. La La Land

2016
8
Amores perros (2000)

237. Amores perros

2000
8.1
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

238. Portrait of a Lady on Fire

2019
8.1
The 400 Blows (1959)

240. The 400 Blows

1959
8.1
Les Misérables (2019)

241. Les Misérables

2019
7.6
Ex Machina (2014)

244. Ex Machina

2014
7.7
Dune (2021)

245. Dune

2021
8.1
Gandhi (1982)

247. Gandhi

1982
8
The Help (2011)

248. The Help

2011
8.1
The Handmaiden (2016)

249. The Handmaiden

2016
8.1
Dances with Wolves (1990)

250. Dances with Wolves

1990
8.1