Dramas based on contemporary literature on Netflix
Last updated December 11, 2023
Forrest Gump
1994 | NR | 4.3 out of 5 StarsForrest Gump, a simpleminded man, finds himself in the middle of nearly every major event of the 1960s and '70s. Along the way, he makes friends, changes lives and yearns for his childhood sweetheart, Jenny.
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
2008 | NR | 4.2 out of 5 StarsWhen his family moves to Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence, where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware of Shmuel's fate as a Jewish prisoner, Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey.
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Safe Haven
2013 | NR | 4.2 out of 5 StarsThis adaptation of the novel by Nicholas Sparks centers on a mysterious woman who arrives in a small North Carolina town and begins a new life but remains haunted by the terrifying secret that prompted her to travel across the country.
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Sarah's Key
2010 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsParis, 1942: To protect her brother from the police arresting Jewish families, a young girl hides him away, promising to come back for him. Sixty-seven years later, her story intertwines with that of an American journalist investigating the roundup.
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Lonesome Dove
1989 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsLarry McMurtry's novel comes to life in this Emmy-winning made-for-television movie that centers on kindly Gus McCrae (Robert Duvall) and gruff Woodrow Call (Tommy Lee Jones), two former Texas Rangers who leave Lonesome Dove in the Lone Star State to settle land in Montana. Along for the journey are ex-scout Joshua (Danny Glover) and Call's bastard son, Newt (Rick Schroder). Diane Lane plays California-dreaming prostitute Lorena Wood.
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Lonesome Dove
1989 | NR | 4.1 out of 5 StarsIn this Emmy-winning made-for-television movie based on the Larry McMurtry bestseller, two former Texas Rangers leave Texas to settle land in Montana. Their plans are thwarted and helped along by a cast of characters that could only live out West.
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House of Cards Trilogy II (BBC): To Play the King
1993 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsNow firmly entrenched as prime minister, Francis Urquhart faces a fresh challenge when the new King expresses a desire to reshape British society. With the help of a new adviser, the PM aims to hold the King at bay and retain absolute power.
Details about House of Cards Trilogy II (BBC): To Play the King
The Way
2010 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsWhen his son dies while hiking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route in the Pyrenees, a grieving father flies to France to claim the remains. Looking for insights into his estranged child's life, he decides to complete the 500-mile trek to Spain.
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House of Cards Trilogy III (BBC): The Final Cut
1995 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsRuthless prime minister Francis Urquhart wants to leave his mark on the world before his term as the political leader of Great Britain ends. But skeletons in his closet keep raising their ugly heads and threaten to bring about his ruin.
Details about House of Cards Trilogy III (BBC): The Final Cut
World Without End
2012 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsWith 14th-century England as the backdrop, this epic sequel to "The Pillars of the Earth" picks up events 200 years later as the king leads the country into the Hundred Years War, and the plague begins to spread throughout Europe.
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World Without End
2012 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsWith 14th-century England as the backdrop, this epic sequel to "The Pillars of the Earth" picks up events 200 years later as the king leads the country into the Hundred Years War, and the plague begins to spread throughout Europe.
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The Wave
2008 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsTo give his students a real-world example of how dictatorships can grow powerful, a high school teacher starts a social experiment that gives some of his students a strong advantage while leaving others subservient and powerless.
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Silenced
2011 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsThough it is hard to believe, this is the true account of what took place inside a school for the deaf. For about 5 years since 2000, the principal and some teachers committed inhumane sexual molestation and abuse against some deaf children. Though we do not want to accept it, it is true. It is time to face this horrible truth.
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House of Cards Trilogy (BBC)
1990 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsAfter he's passed up for a promotion, British politician Francis Urquhart vows to exact revenge on the system that's holding him back. Through charm and persuasion, Urquhart gains the trust of his colleagues while simultaneously undermining them.
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The Hedgehog
2009 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsFed up with the world's hypocrisy, an 11-year-old makes plans to commit suicide on the eve of her 12th birthday. But an unlikely bond with her building's concierge and an older, elegant resident stands to alter her outlook on everything.
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Kai po che!
2013 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsBased on Chetan Bhagat's novel &NFi;The 3 Mistakes of My Life&NFi_;, this Bollywood drama tells the story of three best friends who dream of starting a cricket training academy in Ahmedabad for very different reasons.
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House of Cards Trilogy I (BBC): House of Cards
1990 | NR | 4.0 out of 5 StarsConservative Party whip Francis Urquhart expects to be handed a high-level cabinet position upon the election of a new prime minister. When he's told he hasn't been promoted, Urquhart chooses to exact revenge by creating dissent within the party.
Details about House of Cards Trilogy I (BBC): House of Cards
The Mighty
1998 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsWhen Kevin, who has a rare physical disorder, meets learning-disabled but very large and strong Max, they bond over a fantasy world of knights and sorcery, and the two outcasts combine their strengths at home and school to overcome their weaknesses.
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The Women of Brewster Place
1989 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsBooted out of her parents' house after refusing to identify her unborn baby's father, Mattie Michael moves to a run-down housing project on Brewster Place, where she joins a group of strong-minded women battling poverty, bigotry and other woes.
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October Sky
1999 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsAs the Soviet satellite Sputnik streaks across the heavens in October 1957, it's a source of inspiration for 17-year-old Homer Hickam. Drafting a few friends to help, Homer crafts a rocket to compete for a science fair scholarship.
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Dances with Wolves
1990 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsWounded Civil War soldier John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) tries to commit suicide -- and becomes a hero instead. As a reward, he's assigned to his dream post, a remote junction on the Western frontier, and soon makes unlikely friends with the local Sioux tribe. This special edition of Costner's Oscar-winning directorial debut features an extended cut of the film, an audio commentary from Costner, a behind-the-scenes featurette and more.
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Requiem for a Dream
2000 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsA widow's growing dependence on amphetamines and a self-help television show parallels the struggles of her heroin-addicted son and his girlfriend and friend in Darren Aronofsky's bleak drama.
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The Women of Brewster Place
1989 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsA single mother moves to a tumbledown housing project on Brewster Place, where she meets a group of strong-minded women facing similar woes. During the course of three decades, the ladies do battle against abject poverty, bigotry and unreliable men.
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Punch
2011 | NR | 3.9 out of 5 StarsBased on a wildly popular young adult novel, this wry coming-of-age tale follows Wan-deuk, a teenager who lives in a Seoul slum with his father and uncle. With the help of a cranky teacher, Wan-deuk hopes to triumph over his difficult circumstances.
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Trainspotting
1996 | NR | 3.8 out of 5 StarsDanny Boyle's explosive 1996 film tracks the misadventures of young men (played by a cast that includes Ewan MacGregor, Robert Carlyle and Jon Lee Miller) trying to find their way out of joblessness, aimless relationships and drug addiction. Some are successful, while others are hopelessly not. Based on Irvine Walsh's novel, Trainspotting melds grit with poetry, resulting in a film of harsh truths and stunning grace.
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