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From buzzy blockbusters to hidden gems, these films all deserve a spot on your watchlist. The 18 most stirring drama movies to stream on Amazon Prime Video

From buzzy blockbusters to hidden gems, these films all deserve a spot on your watchlist.

The 18 most stirring drama movies to stream on Amazon Prime Video

From buzzy blockbusters to hidden gems, these films all deserve a spot on your watchlist.

By Kevin Jacobsen

on October 19, 2025 12:23 p.m. ET

Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in 'Saltburn'; Zendaya as Tashi Duncan in 'Challengers'; Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in 'Monster'. Credit:

Courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios; Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures; Newmarket Releasing/Everett

The fact that dramas are often melded with other genres makes the category limitless. In some cases, art imitates life with big-name actors telling the true stories of infamous criminals. Other films are more down-to-earth and understated, exploring subtle inner conflicts with nuance and sensitivity. Amazon Prime Video has hundreds of options either way, from Oscar winners like *Manchester by the Sea* to excellent newer films like *Saltburn* and *Challengers*.

Here are **'s picks for the best drama movies on Amazon Prime Video.

Casino (1995)

Robert De Niro as Sam 'Ace' Rothstein in 'Casino'.

Martin Scorsese is the master of the crime epic, and this wildly entertaining drama, loosely based on the real-life exploits of '70s-era Mob-owned casinos, is one of the prime examples of why. The Chicago Mafia enlists gambling handicapper Sam "Ace" Rothstein (Robert De Niro) to run the Tangiers Casino in Las Vegas, where he doubles profits and allows the Mob to covertly skim cash off the top. Sam must deal with erratic Mob enforcer Nicky (Joe Pesci) and his own con artist wife, Ginger (Sharon Stone), who still has a personal relationship with her boyfriend/pimp. Scorsese does what he knows best here, delving into the inner workings of a corrupt organization full of egos and power-hungry antiheroes.

Where to watch *Casino*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B–

**Director:** Martin Scorsese

**Cast:** Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone, James Woods, Don Rickles

Challengers (2024)

Mike Faist as Art Donaldson and Zendaya and Tashi Duncan in 'Challengers'.

Niko Tavernise/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures Inc.

Dripping with psychosexual desire, *Challengers* is one of the buzziest original films released in 2024. Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, a once-promising tennis pro who suffered a career-ending injury, and the relationship she forms with a pair of tennis-playing best friends, Patrick (Josh O'Connor) and Art (Mike Faist). As Tashi starts to favor one over the other, the relationship between Patrick and Art strains — further complicated by their occasional homoerotic tendencies. Director Luca Guadagnino makes his audience feel the blood, sweat, and tears of his young characters as their personal and professional passions blend in glorious fashion.**

Where to watch *Challengers*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Luca Guadagnino

**Cast:** Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist

Conclave (2024)

Ralph Fiennes as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence in 'Conclave'.

Courtesy of Focus Features

This Oscar-winning political drama is not the dull, eat-your-vegetables awards bait you may be expecting. In fact, it's more analogous to a cutthroat reality TV competition, centering on the behind-the-scenes machinations involved in electing a new pope, with alliances formed and broken, shocking revelations, and a wild final twist. EW's critic praises *Conclave* as "an impeccably crafted thriller," one that earns its audience investment by also delivering on potent themes about humanity's relationship to faith and how it shapes us.

Where to watch *Conclave*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Edward Berger

**Cast:** Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Sergio Castellitto, Isabella Rossellini

Erin Brockovich (2000)

Julia Roberts as Erin Brockovich in 'Erin Brockovich'. Bob Marshak/Universal

What could have been your standard Julia Roberts vehicle is, in the hands of director Steven Soderbergh, one of the most compelling legal dramas of the modern era. Roberts stars as real-life activist Erin Brockovich, chronicling her journey from unemployed single mother to paralegal presenting evidence for a major class action lawsuit against Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Brockovich's force of personality makes her the perfect hero for those ordinary citizens affected by the gas company's contamination cover-up, and Roberts makes a meal of her character's take-no-prisoners attitude.**** The actress deservedly won an Oscar for her work; as EW's critic writes, "Roberts, in her most forceful dramatic performance, allows us to take in every moment through fresh, impassioned eyes."

Where to watch *Erin Brockovich*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Steven Soderbergh

**Cast:** Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Kevin Spacey as John Williamson and Alec Baldwin as Richard Roma in 'Glengarry Glen Ross'.

Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection

*Glengarry Glen Ross* assembles some of the greatest male actors and sets them against each other in a fascinating story about power and ego. The action takes place at a real estate firm where a trainer reveals that only the top two salesmen will keep their jobs by the end of the week. As the salesmen use their leads, some resort to desperate tactics to get ahead, including a planned burglary that escalates the competition to a whole new level. The all-star cast features Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, and Kevin Spacey, who, as EW's critic writes, "achieve a true ensemble rhythm; at times, the entire office seems like a single, shouting organism."

Where to watch *Glengarry Glen Ross*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** James Foley

**Cast:** Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Jonathan Pryce

The Handmaiden (2016)

Kim Tae-ri as Nam Sook-hee and Kim Min-hee as Izumi Hideko in 'The Handmaiden'. Everett Collection

This mesmerizing psychological drama from writer-director Park Chan-wook would be impressive enough for its well-executed plot twists if it weren't also one of the most elegantly made films of the modern age. Adapted from the Victorian-set novel *Fingersmith* by Sarah Waters, *The Handmaiden* transports the action to Japanese-occupied Korea, following a con man (Ha Jung-woo) who recruits a pickpocket (Kim Tae-ri) to help him seduce a wealthy heiress (Kim Min-hee). He poses as a count while the pickpocket becomes the heiress' maid, to convince her to marry him and then put her in an asylum while he acquires her inheritance. As EW's critic writes, "The rest is so suspenseful, sexy, and surprising that it would be a shame to say any more," but you likely won't expect what's coming.

Where to watch *The Handmaiden*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Park Chan-wook

**Cast:** Kim Min-hee, Kim Tae-ri, Ha Jung-woo, Cho Jin-woong

It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

(Center): Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey and Donna Reed as Mary Bailey in 'It's a Wonderful Life'. Everett Collection

While primarily known as the quintessential Christmas movie, *It's a Wonderful Life* can be enjoyed year-round. Feeling hopeless, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is a man considering suicide while a wingless guardian angel from heaven, Clarence (Henry Travers), is tasked with intervening. Clarence accesses George's backstory, learning about his childhood and how his selflessness ultimately led to feelings of regret, with an innocent mistake nearly sending him over the edge. The angel shows George what life in his hometown would have been like without him, causing George to appreciate the positive influence he's had on his community. Its universal message and heartfelt performances have made *It's a Wonderful Life* a classic worth watching every year.

Where to watch *It's a Wonderful Life*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Frank Capra

**Cast:** Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers

The Lost City of Z (2017)

Charlie Hunnam as Percy Fawcett and Tom Holland as Jack Fawcett in 'The Lost City of Z'.

Aidan Monaghan/Bleecker Street Media/Everett

Based on the best-selling nonfiction book of the same name by David Grann, *The Lost City of Z* is an adventure drama about obsession and man's need to explore uncharted worlds. The film centers on Percy Fawcett (Charlie Hunnam), a British major tasked with measuring the border between Brazil and Bolivia who discovers possible evidence of a lost city in the jungles of the Amazon. That possibility becomes his fascination, as Fawcett and his men embark on multiple expeditions over the years to the displeasure of skeptics in his community. Smart and sweeping in scope, *The Lost City of Z* is an absorbing epic about persistence and hope without resorting to cheap sentimentality.

Where to watch *The Lost City of Z*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** James Gray

**Cast:** Charlie Hunnam, Robert Pattinson, Sienna Miller, Tom Holland, Angus Macfadyen, Ian McDiarmid, Franco Nero

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Michelle Williams as Randi Chandler and Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'. Claire Folger

This devastating family drama follows a grief-stricken man's journey to move on with his life. Casey Affleck stars as Lee Chandler, a handyman going through the motions of living until the death of his brother. He is surprised to learn that he's now the legal guardian of Patrick (Lucas Hedges), his teenage nephew who has no desire to move away from home to stay with his uncle. As Lee helps Patrick through the grief process of losing his father, we come to understand how a traumatic event in Lee's past led him to shut down emotionally. Moving and shockingly funny, *Manchester by the Sea* rightfully won Oscars for writer-director Kenneth Lonergan's screenplay and Affleck's subtle masterclass performance.

Where to watch *Manchester by the Sea*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Kenneth Lonergan

**Cast:** Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

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Monster (2003)

Christina Ricci as Selby Wall and Charlize Theron as Aileen Wuornos in 'Monster'. Everett Collection

Charlize Theron won the Best Actress Oscar for her stunning transformation into real-life serial killer Aileen Wuornos in this gritty crime drama. Convicted of murdering seven men during her time as a sex worker, Wuornos was ultimately executed in 2002, and the film explores how what started as an act of self-defense spiraled out of control. Future *Wonder Woman* helmer Patty Jenkins made her feature directorial debut here, portraying Wuornos' story with unflinching realism, but the film belongs to Theron for her fiercely committed portrait of a dangerous woman harboring intense emotional demons.

Where to watch *Monster*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Patty Jenkins

**Cast:** Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern, Lee Tergesen

Nickel Boys (2024)

Ethan Herisse as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in 'Nickel Boys'.

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

This staggering drama forces the viewer to bear witness to brutal conditions at a corrupt reform school through the eyes of two of its students — literally. Adapted from Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, *Nickel Boys* is filmed through a first-person point of view, allowing us to empathize very directly with Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson) as they form a deep friendship and seek salvation from their harsh circumstances. It's a tremendously moving work of art, one that deservedly earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.**

Where to watch *Nickel Boys*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** RaMell Ross

**Cast:** Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Jimmie Fails, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

One Night in Miami (2020)

Leslie Odom Jr. as Sam Cooke in 'One Night in Miami'.

Patti Perret/Amazon Studios

On Feb. 25, 1964, boxing legend Muhammad Ali beat Sonny Liston in a title match in Miami. Following the fight, Ali convened with three other influential Black public figures — Malcolm X, Jim Brown, and Sam Cooke — in a hotel room. What their conversations were is imagined in vibrant detail in this fascinating drama directed by Regina King and adapted from Kemp Powers' play of the same name. "In extrapolating the mysteries of a night we'll never fully know, [King] finds something that may not be strictly true to lived history, but possibly even richer," writes EW's critic, "a quintessentially American tale; profane, profound, and beautiful."**

Where to watch *One Night in Miami*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Regina King

**Cast:** Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree, Aldis Hodge, Leslie Odom Jr.

Paterson (2016)

Adam Driver as Paterson in 'Paterson'. Mary Cybulsky

This quietly poetic slice-of-life film follows a week in the life of Paterson (Adam Driver), a bus driver who happens to work in the New Jersey city of the same name. After hearing the buzz of passengers with their daily observations, Paterson writes poems in a notebook, which his wife, Laura (Golshifteh Farahani), wants him to share with the world. Driver delivers one of his most underrated performances as the curious, mild-mannered poet, proving to be a strong match for writer-director Jim Jarmusch's minimalist style. As EW's critic writes, "There's a hushed beauty to *Paterson* and Paterson that celebrates the way in which even the most ordinary, prosaic lives can be full of poetry."

Where to watch *Paterson*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Jim Jarmusch

**Cast:** Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani, Barry Shabaka Henley, Cliff Smith, Chasten Harmon, William Jackson Harper, Masatoshi Nagase

A Quiet Passion (2017)

Cynthia Nixon as Emily Dickinson and Jennifer Ehle as Vinnie Dickinson in 'A Quiet Passion'. A Quiet Passion/Hurricane Films/Music Box Films

Cynthia Nixon stars as one of the world's most well-known poets, Emily Dickinson, in this understated yet powerful biopic by Terence Davies. The film portrays Dickinson's gifted mind from an early age, finding pleasure and poetry in her growing independence. She also finds value in family, rejecting suitors and expressing her observations on life and love through her career. As the title suggests, there is a sensitivity with which *A Quiet Passion* explores an artist's relationship with her life and her work. And then there's the poetry itself; as EW's critic writes, "That's where *A Quiet Passion* finds its most transcendent moments: in the immortal, extraordinary verses Dickinson left behind."

Where to watch *A Quiet Passion*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Terence Davies

**Cast:** Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Keith Carradine

Saltburn (2023)

Barry Keoghan as Oliver Quick in 'Saltburn'. Courtesy of MGM and Amazon Studios

With only a short film, *Promising Young Woman* (2020), and this perverse comedy-drama under her belt, Emerald Fennell has quickly become one of the most divisive directors working today. *Saltburn* explores obsession and class divisions in mid-2000s Britain, following outcast Oxford student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) and his intense connection with Felix (Jacob Elordi), a popular student who comes from enormous wealth. After Felix invites Oliver to his massive country house over the summer, Oliver's obsession turns into a disturbing problem, not just for Felix but for his entire family.

EW's critic calls *Saltburn* "a provocative, violent portrait of repulsion and desire," one that will undoubtedly evoke a reaction from the viewer for better or worse.

Where to watch *Saltburn*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Emerald Fennell

**Cast:** Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant, Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe

Sound of Metal (2020)

Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'.

Courtesy of TIFF

Riz Ahmed gives one of his most soul-baring performances to date in this quietly devastating indie drama. The actor earned an Oscar nomination for his performance as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer whose worst nightmare comes true when he suddenly loses his hearing. Also experiencing drug addiction, Ruben enters a sober living facility for the Deaf community and struggles to cope with his new reality. "As Ruben's fear and rage begins to open itself to the unknown," writes EW's critic, "the movie reaches toward something profound — finding real, furious power in the spaces between the sound."**

Where to watch *Sound of Metal*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Darius Marder

**Cast:** Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric

Sounder (1972)

Cicely Tyson as Rebecca Morgan and Kevin Hooks as David Lee Morgan in 'Sounder'.

Stanley Bielecki Movie Collection/Getty

This beloved drama follows a family of Black sharecroppers trying to get by in 1930s Louisiana. After the father, Nathan (Paul Winfield), is arrested for stealing ham and shipped off to an unknown work camp, eldest son David Lee (Kevin Hooks) takes a journey with the family dog, Sounder, to try and find him. Meanwhile, David Lee's hard-working mother, Rebecca (Cicely Tyson), tries to hold down the fort at home and survive without her husband. Moving and genuinely inspirational, *Sounder* is a family-friendly film that pays tribute to a community rarely seen on screen in 1972, rightfully earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Actor for Winfield, and Best Actress for Tyson.

Where to watch *Sounder*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Martin Ritt

**Cast:** Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Kevin Hooks

Women Talking (2022)

(From left to right): Liv McNeil as Neitje, Jessie Buckley as Mariche, Claire Foy as Salome, Kate Hallett as Autje, Rooney Mara as Ona, and Judith Ivey as Agata in 'Women Talking'. Michael Gibson/United Artists Releasing

Do nothing. Stay and fight. Leave. These are the options mulled over by the women of a Mennonite colony in this absorbing drama adapted from Miriam Toews' novel. With the men of the colony raping them on a consistent basis, the women and girls decide to have a private discussion over how to move forward. The film focuses on their heated debate, as some wish to fight their oppressors while others argue for a calculated escape. Writer-director Sarah Polley won an Oscar for her dialogue-heavy screenplay.

"There's a deep vein of humor and humanity that Polley and her actors mine from the text," EW's critic writes, "and something quietly mesmerizing in their world-building."**

Where to watch *Women Talking*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Sarah Polley

**Cast:** Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand

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