The 3 Best Drama Films On Netflix To Stream This July
Like all the best streaming platforms out there, there’s never a bad option when it comes to finding a worthwhile movie or TV show to watch on Netflix.
Whether you’re in the mood for a pulse-pounding action film or an eye-opening documentary, Netflix has literally dozens upon dozens of excellent programs capable of delighting every member of the audience. Similarly, the global streaming giant has recently added a slew of impressive new drama films to its online library, many of which we’d heartily recommend checking out.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
While we’ll always go out of our way to recommend the TV series of the same name it directly inspired, we’d be remiss if we didn’t highlight the unwavering appeal of 2004’s original Fright Night Lights as well. Exploring the lives of a high school football team both on and off the field, Fright Night Lights also hammers home the importance youth sports can have on small-town communities (as well as the insurmountable pressure players experience as a result).
Born on the Fourth of July (1989)
Most obviously, Born on the Fourth of July remains more directly worth seeing for its relationship to Independence Day. More than anything, though, this 1989 biographical drama underscores the numerous issues veterans faced after returning home from active service in the military. Led by Tom Cruise in a role that helped cement him as a legitimate drama star instead of yet another ‘80s teen heartthrob, Born on the Fourth of July is a timeless classic worth watching every time the Fourth comes along and the fireworks start to clatter in the distance.
Tangerine (2015)
More recently, director Sean Baker has completed his momentous rise to the top of the film industry with his 2024 Oscar winner, Anora. As fantastic as Baker’s latest venture is, it’s worth noting just how many other incredible movies the director has made over the course of his career, including 2015’s Tangerine. As with many of Baker’s most praised films, Tangerine succeeds in exploring the most marginalized members of mass culture today, as seen through its heartrending handling of Kitana Kiki Rodriguez’s title character: a transgender prostitute with a heart of gold.
