‘Tis the season for watching movies. It’s a great opportunity to watch a movie since many of us will be off during the holiday season. There are so many Christmas movies to choose from that it can be overwhelming. Family-friendly classics like Elf, Home Alone, and A Christmas Story never go out of style. Rom-coms like Love Actually and The Holiday always play well this time of year.
There are significantly fewer Christmas dramas than the two categories mentioned above. However, the dramas that are available to stream are worth watching. Our picks for drama movies to watch on Christmas include a famous psychological drama from a master, an iconic adaptation of a novel, and a Netflix romance.
Need more recommendations? We also have guides for the 10 best TV shows to watch on Christmas, the 10 best movies to watch on Christmas, the best Christmas movies on Netflix, the best Christmas movies on Disney+, the best Christmas movies on Hulu, the best Christmas movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best Christmas movies on Max, and the best Christmas movies on Hallmark Channel.
Juror #2 (2024)
Juror #2 is not a Christmas movie, so sorry to anyone looking for a Christmas-themed trial. However, Clint Eastwood’s latest film is now streaming on Max, so if you’re out of Christmas rom-coms to watch, give this great courtroom thriller a try. Nicholas Hoult stars as Justin Kemp, a journalist summoned to serve on the jury for a high-profile murder case.
As the case progresses, Justin realizes he may have played a hand in the murder. Knowing this information could sway the jury, creating an ethical dilemma for Justin. After some misses the last few years, Juror #2 is another home run for director Eastwood, who returns to his wheelhouse of protagonists grappling with morality and guilt.
Stream Juror #2 on Max.
The Noel Diary (2022)
While The Noel Diary falls under Netflix’s Christmas rom-com page, it is certainly more dramatic than funny. Successful novelist Jake Turner (Justin Hartley) is summoned home after the death of his mother Lois to settle her affairs. It’s the first time Jake has been home in two decades due to a falling out with his parents.
While cleaning out his mother’s house, Jake discovers an old diary. Before he can investigate, Rachel Campbell (Barrett Doss) shows up at the front door and reveals her mother, Noel, used to be Jake’s nanny. In a twist of fate, the diary belonged to Noel. The duo then embarks on a Christmas investigation as they both seek answers to their past. What they learn will change them forever.
Stream The Noel Diary on Netflix.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
The darkest and most erotic Christmas movie (that really isn’t about Christmas) is Eyes Wide Shut, Stanley Kubrick’s psychological drama and the final film of his career. Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife, Alice (Nicole Kidman), are having problems in their marriage. Alice is sexually frustrated in her relationship, going so far as to fantasize about having an affair with another man she met on vacation.
Bill does not take this information lightly. In fact, the thought of his wife having sex with another man consumes his every thought. After meeting with his friend Nick (Todd Field), Bill gets invited to a masked orgy, which he accepts. This sets off a wild chain of events that places Bill in the most bizarre situations as he contemplates having his own affair.
Stream Eyes Wide Shut on Paramount+.
A Christmas Carol (1951)
No actor has better captured the essence of Ebenezer Scrooge than Alastair Sim. In Brian Desmond Hurst’s A Christmas Carol, Sim plays Scrooge as if he were a Shakespearean character like King Lear. The Charles Dickens’ classic follows Scrooge starting on Christmas Eve as he prepares to ignore the holiday. Scrooge is a ruthless, crotchety businessman who rarely shows compassion or decency.
That all starts to change when Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner Jacob Marley (Michael Hordern), who says three spirits will show his past, present, and future. If Scrooge does not change his ways, he will suffer in the afterlife. Out of all the holiday movies, A Christmas Carol remains a showcase for what Christmas is really all about.
Stream A Christmas Carol for free on Tubi.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
There’s a reason why NBC airs It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve every year. It’s a holiday classic about humanity and how everyone has a purpose, even if they can’t exactly see it in the moment. George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) believes his life is not worth it and contemplates suicide on Christmas Eve.
Before he kills himself, George is saved by Clarence Odbody (Henry Travers), a guardian angel looking to earn his wings. Clarence’s mission is to remind George of the importance of his life. As he revisits seminal moments in his life, George slowly realizes that his life might still be worth living.
Stream It’s a Wonderful Life for free on Prime Video.
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