Entertainment Industry Drama backdrop

Entertainment Industry Drama movies

Fame and career drama in film, TV, music, or theater: ambition, image, exploitation, and the cost of success.

Nightcrawler

21. Nightcrawler

Crime Drama Thriller Organized Crime Entertainment Industry Drama
7.8

20141h 58min

United States

Director: Dan Gilroy

Unemployed Louis Bloom, who makes a living through petty theft and fraud, accidentally learns about the work of so-called stringers — people who search for nighttime incidents in the hope of capturing exclusive footage from the scene and then selling it to news outlets for the highest possible price. He buys a camera, a police scanner, and begins hunting for such stories himself.

Themes

Deception and manipulation, Economic desperation, Media sensationalism, Competition and ambition, Ethics vs sensationalism, Ethical boundary blurring

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

22. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Drama Comedy Entertainment Industry Drama Satire
7.7

20142h

United States

Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu

A fading actor best known for his portrayal of a popular superhero attempts to mount a comeback by appearing in a Broadway play. As opening night approaches, his attempts to become more altruistic, rebuild his career, and reconnect with friends and family prove more difficult than expected.

Themes

Midlife crisis, Public scrutiny, Fading fame, Artistic integrity vs commercial success, Creative collaboration tension, Parental reconciliation

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Hunger

23. Hunger

Drama Entertainment Industry Drama
6.6

20232h 25min

Thailand

Director: Sitisiri Mongkolsiri

A talented young street-food cook pushes herself to the limit after accepting an invitation to train under an infamous and ruthless chef.

Themes

Craft under pressure, Reputation as currency, Competition and betrayal, Mentor dynamics and control, Wealth as status symbol, Class aspiration and excess

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Stan & Ollie

24. Stan & Ollie

Comedy Drama Ensemble Comedy Entertainment Industry Drama
7.2

20181h 38min

Canada, United Kingdom

Director: Jon S. Baird

With their golden era long behind them, comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy embark on a variety hall tour of Britain and Ireland. Despite the pressures of a hectic schedule, and with the support of their wives Lucille and Ida – a formidable double act in their own right – the pair's love of performing, as well as for each other, endures as they secure their place in the hearts of their adoring public

Themes

Double act loyalty erosion, Spousal influence on work, Music hall resilience under demand, Creative collaboration under constraints, Contract pressure on partnership, Aging career pressures

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Empire of Light

25. Empire of Light

Drama Romance Entertainment Industry Drama Bittersweet Romance
6.7

20221h 55min

United Kingdom, United States

Director: Sam Mendes

The duty manager of a seaside cinema, who is struggling with her mental health, forms a relationship with a new employee on the south coast of England in the 1980s.

Themes

Racial prejudice in public spaces, Bipolar illness stigma, Affair under scrutiny, Workplace romance and power, Cinema as refuge, Seaside town isolation

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
fuboTV
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Disaster Artist

26. The Disaster Artist

Comedy Drama Satire Entertainment Industry Drama
7.3

20171h 44min

United States

Director: James Franco

An aspiring actor in Hollywood meets an enigmatic stranger by the name of Tommy Wiseau, the meeting leads the actor down a path nobody could have predicted; creating the worst movie ever made.

Themes

Jealousy and rivalry, Ambition under secrecy, Wealth and motive unknown, Social awkwardness in industry, Behind the scenes pressure, Creative control conflicts

Available on

Amazon Video
Apple TV
Google Play Movies
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

The Dirt

27. The Dirt

Drama Music Comedy Entertainment Industry Drama Music Biopic
7.0

20191h 48min

United States

Director: Jeff Tremaine

The story of Mötley Crüe and their rise from the Sunset Strip club scene of the early 1980s to superstardom.

Themes

Loyalty under pressure, Substance abuse cycles, Fame and excess, Identity and reinvention, Leadership and lineup changes, Creative control and rights, Family strain and loss

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Maestro

28. Maestro

Drama Romance Music Entertainment Industry Drama Passionate Romance
6.5

20232h 9min

United States

Director: Bradley Cooper

A towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.

Themes

Marriage under pressure, Memory and longing, Affairs and reputation, Fame vs private life, Creativity and performance, Illness and loss

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

I Used to Be Famous

29. I Used to Be Famous

Comedy Drama Music Entertainment Industry Drama Narrative Musical
6.6

20221h 44min

United Kingdom

Director: Eddie Sternberg

A former boy band star unexpectedly gets a second shot at success when he forms a bond with a gifted young drummer.

Themes

Viral exposure consequences, Autism crowd handling, Singer expectations clash, Drum kit logistics, Drum partnership dynamics, Autistic communication tensions

Available on

Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.

Trumbo

30. Trumbo

Drama Entertainment Industry Drama
7.4

20152h 4min

United States

Director: Jay Roach

The career of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo is halted by a witch hunt in the late 1940s when he defies the anti-communist HUAC committee and is blacklisted.

Themes

Family strain under crisis, Blacklist as social control, Principled resistance and survival, Political persecution in industry, Creativity under external pressure, Credit manipulation and secrecy

Available on

Google Play Movies
YouTube
Kanopy
Data provided by JustWatch.Availability may vary by region.