The period drama has long been one of the most enduringly popular genres, becoming prominent in both television and movies. The 2000s was an especially fruitful period for period dramas, with a number of prominent movies emerging. Many of these were based on literary works, and they succeeded in immersing viewers in distant time periods, whether that be France in the age of Napoleon or World War II England.
The users of the Internet Movie Database have helpfully rated some of the best period dramas that were released during the 2010s.
Le Vie En Rose (2007) – 7.6 — Not Currently Streaming
Edith Piaf is one of the most renowned of French singers, and even now there are many who love her music. The movie Le Vie en rose is not constructed as a straightforward story, but instead provides different vignettes from her life. Nevertheless, it still manages to give the viewer a strong sense of her life, her work, and her particular artistic genius.
What is most notable about the movie, however, is the powerful performance from Marion Cotillard, who truly seems to embody the character of Piaf herself, making this one of the best musical biopics.
The Illusionist (2006)— 7.6 — Streaming On Peacock & IMDb TV
As with so many of the best period dramas, The Illusionist is set during the 19th century, focusing in particular on the character of Eisenheim, a magician in Vienna. The movie skillfully braids together the various elements of its story, including mystery, romance, and sumptuous period drama trappings.
What allows it to truly succeed, however, is the charismatic performance from Edward Norton, as well as his chemistry with Jessica Biel, his love interest (who happens to be a woman far above his own station).
The Count Of Monte Cristo (2002)— 7.7 — Streaming on YouTube
There have been many great literary adaptations, but The Count of Monte Cristo is rightly seen as one of the best. Starring Jim Caviezel in the title role, it’s a haunting and moving movie about a man wrongfully accused of crime who escapes from a dreaded prison and finally attains the vengeance he so desperately seeks.
While it makes a number of notable changes to the original novel, it still manages to capture its essential spirit, and there’s no question that Caviezel’s searing performance remains on if its most notable elements.
Road To Perdition (2002)— 7.7 — Streaming On Showtime
The Depression has been the setting for a number of great movies, and one of the strongest, and most captivating, is 2002’s Road to Perdition. Directed by Sam Mendes, it focuses on a father and son who set out to get revenge on those who murdered their family.
It is a visually stunning movie, and it explores many weighty themes, particularly the consequences of violence. As with many period dramas, however, it’s the performances that manage to make the movie work, particularly that of Tom Hanks, which earns it a place among his greatest movies.
The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button (2008) — 7.8 — Streaming On Paramount+
As with many of the strongest period dramas of the 2000s, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is based on a noted work of fiction. In this case, it’s a story from the famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald, and it focuses on a man who ages in reverse.
Beneath its strange conceit, however, it is a haunting and deeply resonant movie about the nature of mortality and love. What’s more, it also features strong performances from both Brad Pitt—it’s one of his best movies—as well as Cate Blanchett.
Atonement (2007) — 7.8 — Streaming on HBO Max
Some of the best period dramas are those that explore the consequences of a singular action as it unfolds over several different time periods. This is the central conceit of Atonement, in which a false accusation ultimately has devastating effects on the life of several individuals. It is based on a successful novel by Ian McEwan.
It is the performances, however, that help to explain the movie’s enduring appeal to the users of IMDb, and there’s no denying that James McAvoy and Keira Knightley have extraordinary on-screen chemistry.
Pride & Prejudice (2005) — 7.8 — Streaming On HBO Max
Pride & Prejudice is a novel that has been adapted numerous times on both the big and small screen. There are many things that make the 2005 iteration of the story remarkable, including the fact that it manages to bring together both a more youth-oriented approach to the story with the more traditional heritage aesthetic that was common to other versions of the story.
What’s more, Keira Knightley casts a particular spell as Elizabeth Bennett, allowing the viewer to feel the story from her perspective.
Lagaan: Once Upon A Time In India (2001) — 8.1 — Streaming On Netflix
Even though most of the best period dramas from the 2000s focused on Europeans, Lagan: Once Upon a Time in India is extraordinary for the degree with which it focuses on Indians suffering under English colonial domination.
In particular, it tells the story of an oppressed village as they learn cricket in order to defeat their imperial overlords and avoid paying taxes. What’s more, it is also a musical, giving audiences a story that they can get involved with and characters they can cheer for.
There Will Be Blood (2007) — 8.2 — Streaming On Netflix & Paramount+
There Will Be Blood is often regarded as one of the best movies of 2007, and it features a powerful and disturbing performance from Daniel Day Lewis. He portrays the character of Daniel Plainview, a man who becomes an oil baron. Unfortunately, he finds that wealth doesn’t bring happiness, and he gradually devolves into a domineering and ruthless tyrant.
It’s a powerful and moving movie, and Lewis’s performance is a brilliant illustration of his incredible talent, and it is impossible to look away from his descent into darkness.
The Prestige (2006) — 8.5 — Streaming On Amazon Prime
The subject of magic and illusion is one that comes up repeatedly in the period drama. Few, however, have engaged with it in quite the way of The Prestige, which tells the story of two stage musicians in late Victorian London.
It is a thrilling and exciting movie, there is a sinister reveal near the end of the movie that changes everything that had come before. Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale are extraordinary as the two magicians.
