Best Drama Movies of the 2000s

1. 1
   City of God 2002

   Directed by Fernando Meirelles · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla
   8.4

   8.4 · 8.6K votes
2. 2
   The Pianist 2002

   Directed by Roman Polanski · Streaming on Peacock Premium, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
   8.4

   8.4 · 11K votes
3. 3
   A Dog's Will 2000

   Directed by Guel Arraes
   8.3

   8.4 · 1.3K votes
4. 4
   Gladiator 2000

   Directed by Ridley Scott · Streaming on Netflix, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
   8.2

   8.2 · 22K votes
5. 5
   Inglourious Basterds 2009

   Directed by Quentin Tarantino · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, MovieSphere+
   8.2

   8.2 · 25K votes
6. 6
   The Prestige 2006

   Directed by Christopher Nolan · Streaming on Netflix
   8.2

   8.2 · 18K votes
7. 7
   The Departed 2006

   Directed by Martin Scorsese · Streaming on HBO Max, YouTube TV
   8.1

   8.2 · 17K votes
8. 8
   Pride & Prejudice 2005

   Directed by Joe Wright · Streaming on Britbox
   8.1

   8.1 · 9K votes
9. 9
   Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind 2004

   Directed by Michel Gondry
   8.1

   8.1 · 17K votes
10. 10
    There Will Be Blood 2007

    Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, MGM+
    8.0

    8.1 · 7.8K votes
11. 11
    In the Mood for Love 2000

    Directed by Wong Kar-wai · Streaming on HBO Max, Shout! Factory TV
    8.0

    8.1 · 3.4K votes
12. 12
    Memories of Murder 2003

    Directed by Bong Joon Ho
    8.0

    8.1 · 4.9K votes
13. 13
    The Lives of Others 2006

    Directed by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
    8.0

    8.0 · 4.3K votes
14. 14
    Elite Squad 2007

    Directed by José Padilha · Streaming on Plex, Plex Channel, Lionsgate+
    8.0

    8.1 · 2.8K votes
15. 15
    Requiem for a Dream 2000

    Directed by Darren Aronofsky · Streaming on Peacock Premium, Kanopy, Hoopla
    8.0

    8.0 · 11K votes
16. 16
    Catch Me If You Can 2002

    Directed by Steven Spielberg · Streaming on Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Peacock Premium
    8.0

    8.0 · 18K votes
17. 17
    Hachi: A Dog's Tale 2009

    Directed by Lasse Hallström · Streaming on BYUtv, YouTube Free, Tubi TV
    8.0

    8.0 · 7.4K votes
18. 18
    Gran Torino 2008

    Directed by Clint Eastwood
    8.0

    8.0 · 12K votes
19. 19
    Innocent Voices 2005

    Directed by Luis Mandoki · Streaming on The Roku Channel, ViX Premium
    8.0

    8.2 · 556 votes
20. 20
    3 Idiots 2009

    Directed by Rajkumar Hirani
    8.0

    8.0 · 2.9K votes
21. 21
    Million Dollar Baby 2004

    Directed by Clint Eastwood · Streaming on fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
    7.9

    8.0 · 11K votes
22. 22
    The Secret in Their Eyes 2009

    Directed by Juan José Campanella · Streaming on Hulu
    7.9

    8.0 · 3K votes
23. 23
    Like Stars on Earth 2007

    Directed by Aamir Khan
    7.9

    8.0 · 1.4K votes
24. 24
    The Notebook 2004

    Directed by Nick Cassavetes · Streaming on Pluto TV
    7.9

    7.9 · 13K votes
25. 25
    Freedom Writers 2007

    Directed by Richard LaGravenese · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
    7.9

    7.9 · 2.5K votes
26. 26
    The Pursuit of Happyness 2006

    Directed by Gabriele Muccino · Streaming on YouTube Free, Angel Studios
    7.9

    7.9 · 11K votes
27. 27
    A Beautiful Mind 2001

    Directed by Ron Howard · Streaming on Apple TV
    7.8

    7.9 · 12K votes
28. 28
    Prayers for Bobby 2009

    Directed by Russell Mulcahy · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Disney Plus, Hoopla
    7.8

    8.1 · 659 votes
29. 29
    Tokyo Godfathers 2003

    Directed by Satoshi Kon · Streaming on Hoopla
    7.8

    7.9 · 1.6K votes
30. 30
    Downfall 2004

    Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Kanopy, Hoopla
    7.8

    7.9 · 4.5K votes
31. 31
    Mary and Max 2009

    Directed by Adam Elliot · Streaming on Philo, AMC Plus, AMC+
    7.8

    7.9 · 2.4K votes
32. 32
    Persepolis 2007

    Directed by Vincent Paronnaud · Streaming on YouTube Free
    7.8

    7.9 · 2.3K votes
33. 33
    Nobody Knows 2004

    Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda · Streaming on Philo, AMC Plus, AMC+
    7.8

    8.0 · 695 votes
34. 34
    The Best of Youth 2003

    Directed by Marco Tullio Giordana
    7.8

    8.0 · 623 votes
35. 35
    The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas 2008

    Directed by Mark Herman · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
    7.8

    7.8 · 7.9K votes
36. 36
    Yi Yi 2000

    Directed by Edward Yang
    7.8

    8.0 · 719 votes
37. 37
    Tae Guk Gi: The Brotherhood of War 2004

    Directed by Kang Je-kyu
    7.8

    8.0 · 805 votes
38. 38
    Into the Wild 2007

    Directed by Sean Penn · Streaming on Kanopy, Hoopla, YouTube Free
    7.8

    7.8 · 10K votes
39. 39
    Love Hurts 2002

    Directed by Fernando Sariñana · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Fawesome, ViX Premium
    7.8

    8.2 · 391 votes
40. 40
    Mulholland Drive 2001

    Directed by David Lynch
    7.8

    7.8 · 7.4K votes
41. 41
    Before Sunset 2004

    Directed by Richard Linklater · Streaming on The Roku Channel, Tubi TV
    7.8

    7.8 · 4K votes
42. 42
    Millennium Actress 2002

    Directed by Satoshi Kon · Streaming on HBO Max, Retrocrush, AsianCrush
    7.8

    7.9 · 1.1K votes
43. 43
    Brokeback Mountain 2005

    Directed by Ang Lee
    7.8

    7.8 · 7.8K votes
44. 44
    Dancer in the Dark 2000

    Directed by Lars von Trier · Streaming on MUBI
    7.8

    7.8 · 2.1K votes
45. 45
    Mr. Nobody 2009

    Directed by Jaco Van Dormael · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
    7.8

    7.8 · 6.4K votes
46. 46
    Pan's Labyrinth 2006

    Directed by Guillermo del Toro
    7.8

    7.8 · 12K votes
47. 47
    Donnie Darko 2001

    Directed by Richard Kelly · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, fuboTV
    7.8

    7.8 · 14K votes
48. 48
    El Cementerio de los Elefantes 2009

    Directed by Tonchy Antezana
    7.7

    9.0 · 112 votes
49. 49
    Infernal Affairs 2002

    Directed by Alan Mak Siu-fai · Streaming on HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Shout! Factory TV
    7.7

    7.8 · 2K votes
50. 50
    Ip Man 2008

    Directed by Wilson Yip · Streaming on Hulu, fuboTV, Peacock Premium
    7.7

    7.8 · 4.3K votes

Smart score = (votes × rating + 82 × 6.03) ÷ (votes + 82): the TMDB rating, pulled toward the catalog average as if every film had 82 extra average votes.

1. 1
   Notre Dame de Paris - Live Arena di Verona 2002

   Directed by Gilles Maheu
   6.6

   9.0 · 19 votes
2. 2
   Pollyanna 2003

   Directed by Sarah Harding · Streaming on Hoopla, PBS Masterpiece, WETA+
   6.6

   8.4 · 27 votes
3. 3
   Bad 2007

   Directed by Vincenzo Giammanco
   6.5

   8.6 · 19 votes
4. 4
   Zoey 101: Spring Break-Up 2006

   Directed by Steve Hoefer
   6.5

   8.5 · 20 votes
5. 5
   1:1 2006

   Directed by Annette K. Olesen
   6.5

   8.0 · 28 votes
6. 6
   Jail 2009

   Directed by Madhur Bhandarkar · Streaming on Hoopla, Tubi TV
   6.5

   8.3 · 20 votes
7. 7
   Umrao Jaan 2006

   Directed by J. P. Dutta · Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
   6.5

   8.0 · 27 votes
8. 8
   Castle Under Fiery Skies 2009

   Directed by Mitsutoshi Tanaka
   6.4

   8.6 · 14 votes
9. 9
   Monpura 2009

   Directed by Giasuddin Selim
   6.5

   7.8 · 29 votes
10. 10
    Days of Santiago 2004

    Directed by Josué Méndez
    6.5

    7.9 · 26 votes