The drama genre portrays real life situations in which characters are either in conflict with themselves or others. This is the largest film genre because it covers a wide range of films. Some of the issues explored in this genre are: social problems, mental illness, alcoholism, youth and general conflict, civil rights, courtroom drama, and political matters. Drama films use realistic characters, settings, situations, and stories. They usually focus on character development and interaction because they do not use special effects, comedy or action sequences.
Dramatic themes
- Current issues
- Problems
- Concerns
- Injustices
- Racial prejudice
- Religious intolerance
- Drug addiction
- Poverty
- Corruption of power
- Alcoholism
- Class divisions
- Sexual inequality
- Mental illness
Examples of films from the Drama genre
The Lucky One (2012) is a romantic drama, telling the story of a soldier who finds a picture of a woman with a message on the back. In finding the picture, he is saved from a bomb which goes off in the place where he was stood. He ends up going to try and find the woman in the picture.
This film conforms to the conventions of the drama genre. It deals with twists and turns in the plot which keeps the two main characters (Beth and Logan) apart, but after the climactic event which sees a tragic accident involving one of the other characters, Beth and Logan have their happy ending and are together.
The Iron Lady (2011) is a biographical film based on the life of Margaret Thatcher. Some of the things that are touched on in the film, are her struggle with age and dementia, and it generally shows her daily struggles and triumphs.
This film shows the deterioration of the main character as she eventually becomes bitter with age and is forced to resign as Prime Minister when she loses the support of her cabinet. Following this, she tells her husband's ghost it's time for him to leave whilst crying and calling that she is not ready for him to leave yet. This film portrays a real story and is therefore less likely to have a happy ending. In this sense, it challenges the stereotype of the drama genre, though in terms of the rest of the plot, it conforms to the conventions to show the struggles of Margaret Thatcher.
One Day (2011) is the story of two people who keep meeting and agree to be friends. They both have partners and Dexter is even engaged, yet their lives intercept many times, and eventually they marry. But whilst riding on her bike one day, Emma gets hit by a truck and dies. After this there is a flashback showing their first meeting, and Dexter revisits the place with his daughter to reminisce.
This film challenges the conventions of the genre stereotype because it does not have a very happy ending. However, some people may argue that it is a happy ending because Dexter loves and remembers Emma. The rest of the film conforms to the typical conventions of the genre because even though the two main characters are clearly attracted to each other, obstacles are placed in the way to make the plot more interesting. This way the audience is rooting for the two characters to get together, and by making the ending shocking and almost a disappointment, the audience are left feeling remorseful yet happy that in the end, Emma and Dexter were together.
This film challenges the conventions of the genre stereotype because it does not have a very happy ending. However, some people may argue that it is a happy ending because Dexter loves and remembers Emma. The rest of the film conforms to the typical conventions of the genre because even though the two main characters are clearly attracted to each other, obstacles are placed in the way to make the plot more interesting. This way the audience is rooting for the two characters to get together, and by making the ending shocking and almost a disappointment, the audience are left feeling remorseful yet happy that in the end, Emma and Dexter were together.
My Sister's Keeper (2009) is a story of a family who are dealing with the eldest daughter suffering from cancer. The youngest sister, Anna was conceived purely to help save her ill sister, and sues her mother for the rights to her own body because she no longer wants to have operations. Throughout the film, the family struggle with the idea of losing Kate, and eventually at the end of the film they find out that Kate is pushing her young sister to sue their mother for the rights to her own body.
This film has the typical conventions of a film based on the genre of drama, because it contains real-life situations and a typically dramatic plot: a problem has to be dealt with, in this case the fact that a child has developed cancer and is going to die. Along the way she falls in love while her younger sister struggles with a problem with her mother. The boy Kate begins to date dies from cancer also, yet even though Kate herself dies at the end of the film, there is a happy ending because she was happy and comfortable, and because the problem between Anna and her mother has been solved.
This 2009 British-American drama tells of the life of Queen Victoria from a young age, right through to adolescence. It is a story of young love, and explores the development of the well-known relationship between Victoria and Prince Albert, and also touches on the difficulties of family relationships and the pressures of a public life.
This film follows the conventions of the drama genre because it follows the main character through a series of situations before arriving at the finale which sees her reigning for many years alongside the man she loves. Along the way the character encounters some obstacles which threaten to prevent her from getting where she needs to be, but in the end all is well and the audience are satisfied.
The Duchess (2008) based on the life of an english aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. It follows some of the Duchess's infamous traits such as fashion and gambling, yet focuses centrally on the tale of her arranged marriage to William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire. Due to the fact that this film is based on a true story, it is almost a given that it will not have a truly happy ending. Whilst the relationship between the three main characters seems to settle into a manageable one, the main character is not fully satisfied because she was forced to give up a child and leave the man she loved in order to remain with her children. This makes the audience empathize with the main character. Due to the fact that this story does not have a satisfying ending, it could be argued that it challenges the conventions of the drama genre.
This film has the typical conventions of a film based on the genre of drama, because it contains real-life situations and a typically dramatic plot: a problem has to be dealt with, in this case the fact that a child has developed cancer and is going to die. Along the way she falls in love while her younger sister struggles with a problem with her mother. The boy Kate begins to date dies from cancer also, yet even though Kate herself dies at the end of the film, there is a happy ending because she was happy and comfortable, and because the problem between Anna and her mother has been solved.
This film follows the conventions of the drama genre because it follows the main character through a series of situations before arriving at the finale which sees her reigning for many years alongside the man she loves. Along the way the character encounters some obstacles which threaten to prevent her from getting where she needs to be, but in the end all is well and the audience are satisfied.
*The Drama genre will allow us to play with stereotypes whilst dealing with relatable issues from every day life.
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