The Best Drama Movies of 2017

Ranker Film
Updated August 11, 2023 6.9K votes 1.5K voters 180.4K views
Over 1.5K Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Drama Movies of 2017

We're ranking the best drama movies of this year. Featuring romantic dramas, biopics, and period films, 2017 dramas gave audiences all kinds of feels. What is the best dramatic film of 2017?

The critically acclaimed drama Call Me by Your Name is easily one of the best dramas this year. 2017 biographical dramas, like Marshall, Darkest Hour, and Breathe, featured Hollywood's best actors giving powerful performances. Other great 2017 drama films include 3 Generations, Dunkirk, Lady Bird, Tulip Fever, and Detroit.

Vote up the best drama movies of 2017 and feel free to add any 2017 dramas missing from the list. If you are looking for more, check out the top drama films of 2020.

Most divisive: Everything, Everything
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  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
    1

    Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

    Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell
    239 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Martin McDonagh
    After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter's murder case, Mildred Hayes makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby, the town's revered chief of police. When his second-in-command, Officer Dixon -- an immature mother's boy with a penchant for violence -- gets involved, the battle is only exacerbated.

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  • Gifted
    2

    Gifted

    Chris Evans, Mckenna Grace, Lindsay Duncan
    204 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Marc Webb
    Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy - his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) - in a coastal town in Florida. Frank's plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the 7-year-old's mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank's formidable mother, Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan), whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary.

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  • Wonder
    3

    Wonder

    Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay
    191 votes
    • Directed by: Stephen Chbosky
    Wonder is a 2017 American family comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Chbosky, based on the novel by R.J. Palacio. With the help of his mother (Julia Roberts) and father (Owen Wilson), a boy with facial differences (Jacob Tremblay) tries to fit in at a new school.
  • Call Me by Your Name
    4

    Call Me by Your Name

    Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg
    193 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Luca Guadagnino
    In the sun-drenched Italian countryside, a profound encounter unfolds. Call Me by Your Name, a romantic drama, weaves the tale of Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet), a 17-year-old spending the summer in his family's villa. He crosses paths with Oliver (Armie Hammer), an American scholar visiting as his father's research assistant. As days pass, an intimate bond develops between them. The film, directed by Luca Guadagnino and based on André Aciman's novel, has garnered acclaim for its tender storytelling and evocative cinematography, earning four Academy Award nominations and winning Best Adapted Screenplay.

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  • Logan
    5

    Logan

    Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen
    188 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: James Mangold
    In the gritty drama Logan, Hugh Jackman reprises his role as the weary, aging Wolverine. Set in a dystopian future, our protagonist is tasked with safeguarding Laura (Dafne Keen), a young mutant girl, from dark forces. Patrick Stewart returns as Charles Xavier, struggling with deteriorating health but still offering guidance to Logan. The film, directed by James Mangold, is a departure from traditional superhero narratives, delving into themes of mortality and legacy. It was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 90th Academy Awards - a first for a superhero movie.

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  • Lady Bird
    6

    Lady Bird

    Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Timothée Chalamet
    151 votes
    • Released: 2017
    • Directed by: Greta Gerwig
    In the indie dramedy film Lady Bird, Saoirse Ronan portrays Christine Lady Bird McPherson, a high school senior from Sacramento. She navigates her way through the trials and tribulations of adolescence, clashing with her mother Marion (Laurie Metcalf), who works tirelessly to keep their family afloat after Lady Bird's father (Tracy Letts) loses his job. The movie, directed by Greta Gerwig, is punctuated by Lady Bird's interactions with her best friend Julie (Beanie Feldstein) and her romantic interests (Lucas Hedges and Timothée Chalamet). With five Academy Award nominations, it remains a compelling exploration of coming-of-age in early 2000s America.

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