Drama Season Recommendations for 2023
On instagram, I follow Raygun Busch (the lead singer of the wonderful band Chat Pile) and they coined a term that I think about more and more every year, and that is: Drama Season. It’s the post-Halloween pre-Christmas season where watching heavy-hitting dramatic films just feels so right.
In the spirit of drama season, here’s some recommendations to get you started this year.
Matewan (1987, dir. John Sayles)
Synopsis: A labor union organizer comes to an embattled mining community brutally and violently dominated and harassed by the mining company.
To me, John Sayles is synonymous with drama season. Their filmography is just a list of phenomenal pictures from Lone Star to Eight Men Out to Baby It's You to Limbo to City of Hope and more. I also will always love that Sayles went from writing fantastic scripts for B-horror movies like Pirahna, Howling, and Alligator and then one day was like "now I'm going to write and direct a series of masterpieces.” Total king shit.
Buddies (1985, Arthur J. Bressan, Jr.)
Synopsis: When 25 year-old gay yuppie David volunteers to be a “buddy” to an AIDS patient, the gay community center assigns him to Robert, a 32 year-old politically impassioned gay gardener abandoned by his friends and lovers.
Arthur J. Bressan Jr.'s blunt, bleak and incredibly powerful dramatic dispatch from the front-lines of the ‘80s AIDS crisis is absolutely essential filmmaking; incredibly brave and daring all around. The sense of urgency and raw outrage in Buddies is palpable – and yet there's a care and sensitivity that makes the emotional force that much stronger.
Maybe the single most important release ever put out by Vinegar Syndrome; absolutely essential cinema.
Permanent Record (1988, Marisa Silver)
Synopsis: A teen who seemingly has it all together, being smart, talented, funny, and popular, is secretly overwhelmed by expectations of himself and those of his parents, and suffers what is initially assumed to be a horrible accident.
A sensitive and brilliant drama about the suicide of high-school student David Sinclair (Alan Boyce); the opening stretch of Permanent Record contains some of the most intimate portrayal of a suicidal teenager that I've ever seen – I'm almost worried that discussing it in any detail would rob it of some impact. Sinclair seems to be the kind of compassionate and decent high-school student that most kids would look up to, but the early stretch of the film is filled with Sinclair pushing back against expectations ever so slightly.
He's teaching Chris Townsend (Keanu Reeves) to play guitar, and becomes frustrated at his slow progress. He's sleeping with a beautiful girl, but isn't interested in forging a deeper connection. His principal alerts him to the fact that he has been offered a College scholarship, but Sinclair seems put off by this for reasons unknown at first.
Soon, we understand these earlier scenes in a different light, but we never see the turning-gears or get an explanation. The latter-half of the movie focuses on Reeves' struggle with the reality of losing his best friend –here, the movie's age brings up a few wrinkles but on the strength of Reeves' performance, it carries through. I've seen this passed over as feeling like an After-School Special or an overly "serious movie" drama, but I don’t understand the dismissal; this film approaches its subject matter in such a respectful and unobtrusive way, even when it dips into melodramatic territory in the second half.
A wonderful, but thoroughly sad drama from director Marisa Silver (of Old Enough previously). With those two back-to-back films, Silver showed that they had a huge knack for crafting very quiet, honest and impressive dramas.
The Hard Part Begins (1973, Paul Lynch)
Synopsis: The ups and downs in the life of a country-western singer.
"That's about the worst thing you can be in this industry, 'not bad.'"
The Hard Part Begins deserves to be mentioned alongside other essential downbeat Canadian dramas like Goin' Down The Road (1970) or Nobody Waved Good-bye (1964). Thankfully, the Vinegar Syndrome partner label Canadian International Pictures released it on BluRay sourced from a new 4K scan of the original 16mm reversal.
Remember My Name (1978, Alan Rudolph)
Synopsis: Just released from prison, a young woman arrives in town to start a new life, but soon begins stalking a married construction worker for no apparent reason – turning his life inside out and eventually terrorizing him and his wife.
This features amazing performances from Geraldine Chaplin and Anthony Perkins, plus a super stacked cast of supporters. It's alternatively darkly funny but has a real undercurrent of seething, bubbling dread. All around phenomenal stuff, especially the cinematography from Tak Fujimoto.
Emma Mae (1976, Jamaa Fanaka)
Synopsis: A naive young woman moves from the South to stay with her aunt and uncle in Compton.
Jamaa Fanaka (Penitentiary) directs Jerri Hayes (in her only screen role) who gives and phenomenal performance as maybe one of the most overlooked characters in blaxploitation history. Much has been said about this film's poor marketing on home video – emphasizing action when it's much more of a character drama. Approach it knowing this, and you'll be rewarded.
The BluRay (packaged with Welcome Home Brother Charles) looks gorgeous. It may be a movie that shambles along a little - taking time for some comic asides here and there - but it really adds up by the end.
"Now sit your fuckin' asses down and listen to a real woman for a change!"
Scum (1979, Alan Clarke)
Synopsis: Uncompromising drama about two boys’ struggle for survival in the nightmare world of Britain’s notorious Borstal Reformatory.
A powerful and incredibly upsetting drama about a British Borstal for young offenders in the 1970s. This is bleak, raw and unflinching with phenomenal performances through and through. Definitely not a drama for everyone but if you're interested in this kind of indictment-as-cinema it's a great example.
Housekeeping (1987, Bill Forsyth)
Synopsis: In the Pacific Northwest during the 1950s, two young sisters whose mother has abandoned them wind up living with their Aunt Sylvie, whose views of the world and its conventions don’t quite live up to most people’s expectations.
Forsyth is another name that comes to mind when I think of "drama season" as a concept. Housekeeping – about two sisters living with their Aunt Sylvie in Idaho during the 1950s – is the kind of quiet, softly humorous but increasingly sad film that we don't quite get enough of these days.
After being dropped off at their grandparents’ house by their mother (who then takes to driving off a cliff, committing suicide), sisters Ruth and Lucille are eventually placed under the care of Aunt Sylvie – their mother's distant sister and not-quite-right adult. She sits in the dark, falls asleep on benches with newspapers over her face, uses bundled up newspapers as over-sized matches (accidentally setting fires in her wake) and more.
Though it touches upon it, Housekeeping never becomes the "I guess the kids are taking care of her" drama that you may expect. Though Sylvie is clearly at the very least a thoroughly depressed and emotionally distant woman, much of the focus of the film is Ruth and Lucile, who are similarly growing more and more apart as they deal with Sylvie – much like their mother and sister before them. Lucile desperately wants to be "normal" (or not "trashy," as she puts it) and Ruth slowly becomes awkward and aloof.
There are some very small, very funny moments of comedy sprinkled throughout Housekeeping (the situation in the poster leads to my favourite, as they "sweep" floating debris into the closet with a broom), but more often its tone remains melancholic.
Christine Lahti's performance as Aunt Sylvie is stunningly rendered, both quirky and achingly human. Sara Walker and Andrea Burchill are phenomenal as the kids. Really the only sour-note (if you can call it that) in the whole picture is the narration, which just feels a pinch off overall, but it doesn't detract much.
An astonishing little drama full of human moments and emotion, I loved Bill Forsyth's Housekeeping.
Mr. Sycamore (1975, Pancho Kohner)
Synopsis: Jason Robards is a man who decides he’d rather be a tree.
"Jason Robards is a man who decides he’d rather be a tree" is about as accurate and concise a synopsis as you could write about this movie.
Delightful existential drama-comedy-fantasy-thing based on a stage play about a postal worker who decides to give up working, dig a hole, stick is feet in, and try to take root. Some of the small comedy moments baked in here were absolutely great. Jason Robards is wonderful and the whole thing feels one-of-a-kind-seventies in a way.
At Close Range (1986, James Foley)
Synopsis: Reunited with his career criminal father, tough teen Brad thinks he's found his ticket to an exciting life of crime, only to find out he's wrong.
The first time I saw it, I was completely blindsided by how phenomenal At Close Range is. It’s the kind of movie that establishes its bleakly-dreamy atmosphere early on, and never wavers – just cranking the characters' interactions through and through until the tension reaches a boiling point. I'm not usually a Sean Penn fan, but when paired up with Walken's hateful father character here, they both do some of the best work of their careers.
Props to director Foley, this movie is fucking gorgeous – the kind of movie where every shot, every line of dialogue, and every music cue matters; there's never a wasted beat.
Some might be bored with the way At Close Range unravels, but I was in the films' grip from the very first frame - the only stumble would be the final freeze-frame feels dated in an unfortunate way. But otherwise, this movie blew me away with its bleak and unflinching look at how a few desperate people are lead to shocking acts.
Grace of My Heart (1996, Allison Anders)
Synopsis: Philadelphia teenager Edna Buxton wins a talent contest during the early rock ’n’ roll era, changes her name to Denise Waverly and moves to New York City to make it big. Though she flops as a recording artist, fast-talking record producer Joel Millner recognizes her songwriting talent and teams her with struggling songsmith Howard Caszatt.
Wonderful in the way that movies that go all over the place often aren't; Allison Anders makes some really interesting and intriguing choices that let the actors stretch out and make just as many capital C choices (that dialogue scene on the dance floor between Illeana Douglas, Eric Stoltz and John Turturro where they're all just flailing around is so weirdly staged but so great!)
This becomes a bit less interesting when Matt Dillon shows up as Brian Wilson (which may be more of a personal thing). But Illeana Douglas is just so great and can carry the movie any time a scene feels a little off here or there.
Mi Vida Loca (1993, Allison Anders)
Synopsis: Mousie and Sad Girl are childhood best friends in a contemporary Los Angeles poor Hispanic neighborhood. But when Sad Girl becomes pregnant by Mousie’s boyfriend, a drug dealer named Ernesto, the two become bitter enemies.
Why not make it an Allison Anders double-feature? I the way this bounces from character to character, sometimes recounting the same situations and experiences from different angles. One of those ‘90s indie-dramas that just feel incredibly earnest and completely honest. Keep your eyes peeled for blink and you’ll miss ‘em cameos by Spike Jonze and Jason Lee, haha.
A Perfect World (1993, Clint Eastwood)
Synopsis: A kidnapped boy strikes up a friendship with his captor: an escaped convict on the run from the law, headed by an honorable U.S. Marshal.
If there’s any movie on this list that could be threatened to be taken down by its director, it’s this one. A Perfect World seems to be so close to over-playing its sentimentality or melodrama that it’s amazing that it works as well as it does, all things considered. There’s probably a lot that could be shredded apart in this movie – the director’s politics, the relationship between a grown man and a child, etc. This feels like a real love-it-or-hate-it kind of movie to me, and that alone makes me want to list it and see what other people think.
“To seek foolish destiny... that sort of thing.”
Dance Me Outside (1994, Bruce McDonald)
Synopsis: Explores the sensitive, and tense, relationship between life on an First Nations reservation and life in the outside world.
For a movie that sits right between Highway 61 (which always seemed to be on CityTV in my teens) and Hard Core Logo (whose impact on band dudes I've known in my life cannot be understated) this feels oddly under seen? Probably a mix of only being on DVD and, you know, racism. Even as a movie written and directed by white guys, this feels really well observed – I feel like the cast put in a ton of work to make this feel intensely honest and lived in.
Loved this, and somehow I don't have much memory of seeing the CBC-TV spin-off series The Rez at the time, but I do want to check that out now.
Nobody’s Fool (1986, Evelyn Purcell)
Synopsis: Cassie, who seeks love and escape from her mundane ordinary life, meets a traveling Shakespeare troupe offering a community acting workshop.
One of those great, richly observed but quirky movies that makes sense to have fallen through the cracks to some degree, but also makes it very unfortunate because there's a lot in this that I just loved. Rosanna Arquette and Eric Roberts are wonderful, both putting in really funny and endearing performances while still sketching these people who are at their core quite fucked up emotionally and just trying to stumble their way to some kind of happiness.
This was darker and sadder than I expected from the poster, and there's threads about mental health that are left hanging a bit – the movie leaves Ann Hearn's Linda in the rearview in a way that was a little disappointing. Still… this seems wildly overlooked.
An Enemy of the People (1978, George Schaefer)
Synopsis: A scientist stands against an entire town when he discovers their medicinal spa is polluted.
Maybe it was the time period on display, but this felt like a ‘60s hangover early-’70s movie, not something from the late-’70s. It’s really great though, all around. Terrific performances and although it does have that "this is just a filmed play" vibe, I appreciated the split-diopter use. A classic example of a movie that has sunk out of the public consciousness, and yet everyone who watches it will likely have a “uhhh this is still incredibly relevant in 2023” reaction to it.
’night, Mother (1986, Tom Moore)
Synopsis: A mother and daughter spend a night together after the daughter reveals that she will kill herself by the end of it.
Speaking of bringing a play to the screen, ‘night, Mother is Just fucking devastating. There’s a reason why the Letterboxd reviews for this are peppered with references of crying in the corner or short diary entries that just say “Jesus Christ…”
A perfect example of a contained drama, directed with just enough style to keep you engaged without getting in the way of these performances. Highly recommended.
“I’m not your child… I’m what became of your child.”
Love Letters (1983, Amy Holden Jones)
Synopsis: After discovering a box of old love letters sent to her mother by a mysterious stranger, Anna, a young radio deejay, begins a torrid affair with a married man. Burning attraction brings them together, but the reality does not come close to the passion expressed in the letters.
People have rightfully reclaimed Amy Holden Jones’ Slumber Party Massacre but where’s the love for Love Letters? Let’s go people!
Amy Holden Jones' non-horror follow-up to The Slumber Party Massacre is a painful drama about a radio DJ who finds her deceased mother's love letters from a decades old affair. She spirals into her own affair with a married man while also dealing with memories of growing up with her abusive, alcoholic father.
Wildly overlooked – I guess people wanted more horror from Jones after Massacre? This is well acted, observed, and directed. Loved pretty much everything about this bleak, non-romance.
Nobody’s Fool (1994, Robert Benton)
Synopsis: A stubborn man past his prime reflects on his life of strict independence and seeks more from himself.
A true delight of a picture with a super charming ensemble cast. Sometimes this can leave viewers unsatisfied, but I liked that not every single character or thread gets returned to, or wrapped up. Dramas where everything is tied up also have a tendency to be unsatisfying. Life isn’t like that!
A movie that walks right up a really wrong feeling ending, but thankfully takes a last second turn. I really enjoyed this one and it also feels a little forgotten these days.
Shy People (1987, Andrei Konchalovsky)
Synopsis: New York journalist visits her distant cousin for the first time to write an article about her hard life in the bayous of Louisiana. Journalist’s wild drug addicted daughter just adds to tensions between two families’ cultures.
This is great work from pretty much everyone involved; director Andrey Konchalovskiy, Jill Clayburgh, Barbara Hershey, Martha Plimpton...
Huge swampy dramatic bayou atmosphere and some great Tangerine Dream soundtrack moments. Yet another that has unfairly slipped through the cracks of time thanks to the way Cannon handled its initial distribution, despite Hershey winning Best Actress at Cannes. Do not sleep on this movie!
