(DML Top 20 Lists - Slice-of-Life Drama Films ranked)

Honorable Mention

Train Dreams (2025), Director: Clint Bentley, Rated PG-13

A Rare Thing of Beauty. - The Playlist

Starring: Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Kerry Condon, William H. Macy, Will Patton (narr.), Nathaniel Arcand, John Diehl, Paul Schneider, Clifton Collins Jr., Alfred Hsing

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"The world needs a hermit in the woods as much as a preacher in the pulpit." – Claire Thompson

Why watch this? With every quiet brushstroke, director Bentley creates a masterpiece.

Plot Summary: In early 20th-century America, stoic logger Robert Grainier builds a life and family in the Pacific Northwest, only to face devastating loss that haunts him, forcing him to confront his grief amidst a rapidly changing world of brutal labor and burgeoning progress.

Dad's Preview: Great films teach us about life, each in a different way. This remarkable effort, based on the novel by Dennis Johnson, paints a life-montage. Although the story is uniquely American, its themes are universal: love, friendship, bigotry, loss, redemption, death. It stops and takes its time to let little moments develop. A simple gesture becomes a painful memory, then a reason to keep on living. Here, like a quiet forest, we ache to hear every word from real men and women. The dialog is beautifully economical. These characters are real. And what a performance by Joel Edgerton. We feel every ounce of pain on his weary face. It stays with you.

Black Bear, Kamala Films; Netflix

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #20 Top

What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Director: Lasse Hallström, rated PG-13 for mature themes

Life is a Terrible Thing to Sleep Through.

Starring: Johnny Depp, Leonardo DiCaprio, Juliette Lewis, Darlene Cates, Laura Harrington, Mary Kate Schellhardt, Kevin Tighe, John C. Reilly

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I'm not gonna let her be a joke." - Gilbert, speaking about his mother

Why watch this? This heart-rendering story is superb thanks to its incredible cast.

Plot Summary: Gilbert Grape is a young man burdened by the weight of caring for his morbidly obese mother and his intellectually disabled younger brother, Arnie, in their small, stagnant Iowa town. Gilbert struggles to balance his family responsibilities with his own desires for happiness and freedom, feeling trapped by his circumstances. His life takes an unexpected turn with the arrival of Becky, a free-spirited woman who challenges his perspective and offers him a glimpse of a different future.

Dad's Preview: A lot of warranted attention went to 19-year-old Leo DiCaprio, who garnered a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, but it's Johnny Depp who makes it all work. You can just feel the weight he bears each and every day supporting his dysfunctional family. Yet, for as bad as it is, he still manages to keep going, hoping that things will someday change for all of them. Why the Academy disrespects Mr. Depp is beyond me.

Matalon Teper Ohisson; Paramount Pics

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #19 Top

Nobody's Fool (1994), Director: Robert Benton, rated R for language

Worn To Perfection.

Starring: Paul Newman, Jessica Tandy, Melanie Griffith, Bruce Willis, Dylan Walsh, Josef Sommer, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Gene Saks

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Don't expect much from yourself in the beginning. I couldn't do everything at first, either." – Sully

Why watch this? You can't change a grumpy old man, so stop trying.

Plot Summary: Donald "Sully" Sullivan is a sixty-year-old, often irresponsible, man who divides his time between a local bar and occasional construction jobs in the small New York town of North Bath. When his estranged son Peter returns to town with his own son and a failing marriage, Sully is faced with assuming the roles of both father and grandfather, challenging his lifelong habits of self-indulgence and dodging responsibilities. The story unfolds amidst Sully's quirky relationships with other town residents, as he navigates petty feuds and flirts with his contractor-nemesis's wife.

Dad's Preview: Every town has that old guy who mumbles around and can be quite unpleasant. Yet, he's a good guy who, in lieu of all the grousing, you can count on. Maybe Sully wanted to get away, travel, but that just never happened, and he's a little bitter. Paul Newman, and a great supporting cast, give this little, small town film the weight it needs to be a classic.

Arlene Donovan, Scott Rudin;
Paramount Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #18 Top

The Upside of Anger (2005), Director: Mike Binder, rated R for language, sexuality

Sometimes what tears us apart helps us put it back together

Starring: Joan Allen, Kevin Costner, Erika Christensen, Evan Rachel Wood, Keri Russell, Alicia Witt, Mike Binder

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I am so sick of being your bitch. I put up with your shit because I know how much pain you're in! But it's ENOUGH! It's a tall order for a patient motherf'er, and I am the furthest thing from that that you're ever going to lay eyes on." - Denny Davies

Why watch this? ... this was an unexpected, warm, painful, occasionally funny film about two lost souls finding each other.

Plot Summary: Terry Wolfmeyer is a sharp-witted suburban wife and mother left to raise her four daughters after her husband mysteriously disappears. Struggling with anger and alcohol, she develops an unconventional relationship with her neighbor Denny, a retired baseball star turned radio DJ. Terry and her daughters navigate their personal struggles and evolving relationships.

Dad's Preview: Costner portrays Denny, a baseball player-turned talk-show host who is looking for a lady. He stumbles across Terry, a bitter woman whose husband just up and left her, and her four grown daughters. This film is great for many reasons: its two leads are perfectly cast (Joan Allen is incredible), the script is savvy, the plot is full of pain, and there's a strong supporting cast. It's a good thing for me as a male to take in all the femininity. The film's director, Mike Binder, also stars as the Costner's scumbag DJ pal, Shep - you'll love to hate him.

Media 8 Ent., VIP Medienfonds,
Sunlight Prod.; New Line Cinema

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #17 Top

The Lost Weekend (1945), Director: Billy Wilder, rated Approved

The screen dares to open the strange and savage pages of a shocking bestseller!

Starring: Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Phillip Terry, Howard Da Silva, Doris Dowling, Frank Faylen, Mary Young

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Ever have the DT's?... You will, brother... After all, you're just a freshman. Wait 'till you're a sophomore. That's when you start seeing the little animals. You know that stuff about pink elephants? That's the bunk. It's little animals!" - Bim Nolan

Why watch this? ... when does a person hit the point where enough is enough?

Plot Summary: Don Birnam is an aspiring writer whose struggle with alcoholism consumes his life. As his brother Wick and girlfriend Helen try to support his recovery, Don evades their efforts and descends into a destructive four-day drinking binge. The film explores the harsh realities of addiction, showcasing the impact on his relationships, his writing ambitions, and his physical and mental health.

Dad's Preview: This painful film confronts the topic of alcoholism and it's devastating effects. Don is a writer with a drinking problem. Over a weekend, he blows off numerous promises, steals money, hocks his girlfriend's coat, and ends up in an alcoholic ward called the "Hangover Plaza". This film pulls no punches and we see how booze can get its hooks into a regular, intelligent person. The film won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director (Billy Wilder), and Best Actor (Ray Miland).

Charles Brackett; Paramount Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #16 Top

Red Beard (1965), Director: Akira Kurosawa, Not Rated

What is the key to life - power, prestige or peace?

Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Yûzô Kayama, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Reiko Dan, Miyuki Kuwano, Kyôko Kagawa, Tatsuyoshi Ehara, Terumi Niki

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"The pain and loneliness of death frighten me. But Dr. Niide looks at it differently. He looks into their hearts as well as their bodies." – Dr. Handayu Mori

Why watch this? This thoughtful drama may be Kurosawa's more undervalued masterpiece.

Plot Summary: When a young, arrogant, idealistic doctor is sent do a rural, late 19th century clinic, he is not happy about it. His new mentor is Dr. Niide, known as Akahige ("Red Beard"). Niide's outwardly gruff exterior hides a wise, compassionate healer who ministers to the poor and forgotten of the region. There are several patients, but the most compelling is a young girl whom they rescue from a brothel. She is severely damaged, and her recovery is inspiring.

Dad's Preview: One of the universal themes here is stripping away preconceived notions when faced with life's realities. There are man lessons for the young doctor to learn, and he is lucky to be assigned to a real, experienced teacher and healer. This was lead actor Toshirô Mifune's 16th and last collaboration with legendary director Akira Kurosawa. This swan song performance may be this best. I personally was delighted to see the usually fierce Mifune finally break into a gentle smile.

Tomoyuki Tanaka, Ryūzō Kikushima; Toho

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #15 Top

Nomadland (2020), Director: Chloé Zhao, rated R for mild nudity, language

Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.

Starring: Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, the remaining participants were all actual nomads roaming America including: Linda, Charlene Swankie, Bob Wells, Peter Spears, Derek Endres, Gay DeForest, Patricia Grier, Angela Reyes, Carl Hughes, Douglas Soul

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"One of the things I love most about this life is that there's no final goodbye. You know, I've met hundreds of people out here and I don't ever say a final goodbye. I always just say, "I'll see you down the road." And I do." - Bob Wells

Why watch this? Vagabonds. Bums. The homeless. Nomads. This you should know...

Plot Summary: After losing everything in the Great Recession, Fern, a widow in her sixties, becomes a modern-day nomad, traveling the American West in her van. Along her journey, she experiences the challenges and freedoms of life on the road, forming connections with other nomads who have embraced this unconventional way of life.

Dad's Preview: This American epoch feels like an intimate documentary at times. This is by intention because many actual nomads lend their stories here. Fern is a hard-working woman living in her van. She left behind her life after her husband passed and normality just did not fit her anymore. So she wanders. She's incredibly portrayed by Frances McDormand, who relishes these closed-off, complicated female roles. We crave her smile because it so rarely given. There is a poetic humanity to this film. The insights gained here, about the people spilled into this unique lifestyle, should be a lesson to all of us more fortunate. When life gets hard, folks will forge on. They can go it alone, but it is easier to find others who lend support. That's what generations in America have done before. It's what the nomads still do. This film won Oscars for Best Picture, Director and Actress, verifying once again that story matters more than anything.

Highwayman Hear/Say Prod.,
Cor Cordium Prod.; Searchlight Pics

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #14 Top

Lost in Translation (2003), Director: Sofia Coppola, rated R for sexual content

Sometimes you have to go halfway around the world to come full circle

Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi, Anna Faris, Fumihiro Hayashi, Akiko Takeshita, Take

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"You're probably just having a mid-life crisis. Did you buy a Porsche yet?" - Charlotte

Why watch this? So little happens, but it's still so amazing to watch.

Plot Summary: An aging movie star and a young woman, both feeling adrift and disconnected in their lives, find themselves coincidentally staying at the same Tokyo hotel. Facing their own personal crises amidst the bustling, unfamiliar city, they forge an unexpected and comforting bond. Their brief, intense connection provides solace and a shared understanding, offering a momentary escape from their individual feelings of isolation and uncertainty.

Dad's Preview: On rare occasions, genius is found in something quiet and subtle. In a nod or a wink. Sometimes the story emerges from what doesn't happen. Restraint. Longing. Silence. This film follows an odd plot in an foreign city where two lonely American characters connect, thus finding someone with whom they can communicate. It's not outrageous... or loud. It just is what it is, and that is delightful.

American Zoetrope, Elemental Films;
Focus Features

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #13 Top

Ikiru (1952), Director: Akira Kurosawa, Not Rated (Dad's guess G)

One of the Great Films of Our Time!

Starring: Takashi Shimura, Shinichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka, Minoru Chiaki, Bokuzen Hhidari, Miki Odagiri, Kamatari Fujiwara, Nobuo Nakamura

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"How beautiful! Truly beautiful. A sunset. I don't think I've really looked at one in 30 years." – Kanji Watanabe

Why watch this? It's a story of a man's life lived, but not necessarily enjoyed. Then he learns of his incurable cancer...

Plot Summary: An aging, bureaucratic civil servant discovers he has terminal stomach cancer and faces a reckoning with his largely unfulfilled life. This realization prompts him to seek meaning and purpose in his final months. Despite initial missteps and a struggle with his family and the rigid bureaucracy, he ultimately dedicates himself to a single, impactful project that will live on forever.

Dad's Preview: Legendary film director Kurosawa is best known for epic films featuring lengthy battles and action-filled samurai duels. This film is a stark departure. It follows a nearly invisible man, Takashi, who has dutifully worked for 30 years. His wife is dead; his son only wants his inheritance. When he learns of his cancer, it shocks him into action. This film moves slowly, but it will grab you if you give it a chance. Then you will experience its richness, and eventually, its painful lesson that death is approaching us all, and we can only choose the best way to prepare for it.

Sōjirō Motoki; Toho

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #12 Top

Hud (1963), Director: Martin Ritt, rated Approved

A man with a hard-driving fist, and a barbed-wire soul...who never stopped himself from taking anything!

Starring: Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon deWilde, Whit Bissell, Crahan Denton, John Ashley, Val Avery

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"That's the shame of it because you don't value anything. You don't respect nothing. You keep no check on your appetites at all. You live just for yourself." – Homer Bannon

Why watch this? I applaud Paul Newman's role choices. This one fits him to a tee.

Plot Summary: This Texas tale follows a clash of generations within a ranching family, focusing on the principled patriarch Homer, his self-serving son Hud, and Hud's impressionable teenage nephew Lonnie. The family's dynamics intensify when a crisis threatens their cattle herd, forcing a confrontation between Homer's moral compass and Hud's unscrupulous drive. Amidst this conflict, Lonnie navigates his own moral awakening, torn between his grandfather's values and his uncle's charisma.

Dad's Preview: Paul Newman's performance in this film is vintage Windham. The Windham's were on my grandmother's side. The men were handsome and blue-eyed-charming. Some where my heroes growing up. Others, especially when they were younger, scared me. They could also be mean, tough-acting and very much like the title character. The film is very realistic regarding the plights of folks in West Texas, right down to the scene where they have to kill their entire cattle herd because of foot-and-mouth disease. My family had to perform that grim task, too. Newman's portrayal of Hud is not likeable, but that's just how some men are.

Salem-Dover Prod.; Paramount Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #11 Top

Cinema Paradiso (1988), Director: Giuseppe Tornatore, rated PG

A celebration of youth, friendship, and the everlasting magic of the movies.

Starring: Phillippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio, Marco Leonardi, Agnese Nano, Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Whatever you end up doing, love it. The way you loved the projection booth when you were a young squirt." - Alfredo

Why watch this? This single film, more than any other, explains why I love movies.

Plot Summary: This story follows Salvatore, a celebrated film director, who returns to his Sicilian hometown for the funeral of his childhood mentor and friend, Alfredo. The film is told through a flashbacks, reflecting on Salvatore's youth and his bond with Alfredo, the projectionist at the local cinema. Through their shared love for movies and the lessons Alfredo imparts, Salvatore finds guidance and inspiration that shapes his path to becoming a filmmaker.

Dad's Preview: It is impossible for me to explain this film with getting emotional. This wonderful film traverses through time and tragedy, with "moving pictures" as a constant backdrop for everything that happens during the boy's journey to adulthood. Especially poignant is his love affair with the beautiful Elena. This powerful film's ending is incredibly emotional, and I tear up just thinking about.

Les Films Ariane, RAI, TF1, Cristaldi Film,
Forum Picture; Titanus, Ariane Dist.

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #10 Top

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), Director: William Wyler, rated Approved

The Most Honored Picture In History!

Starring: Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Harold Russell, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, Cathy O'Donnell, Hoagy Carmichael

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #23 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Best Years of our Lives

"I was burned. When I came to, I was on a cruiser. My hands were off. After that, I had it easy..." - Petty Officer 2C Homer Parish

Why watch this? Civilians need to see this to better understand our armed service veterans.

Plot Summary: Set in the aftermath of World War II, this story follows three servicemen returning to their small Midwestern town. Each man faces unique challenges readjusting to civilian life, including joblessness, changing family dynamics, and physical disability. The ex-servicemen must face the emotional and practical difficulties of transitioning back into society and navigate their new realities.

Dad's Preview: It might be easy to imagine that World War II Veterans returned home and re-acclimated without a lot of problems. They were America's Greatest Generation anyway, right? Of course that was not the case. This film follows three very different soldiers, all returning from overseas to the same hometown. It's a well-written, poignant film that gives the viewer a new appreciation for the price these servicemen paid both abroad and back home after the war.

Samuel Goldwyn Prod.; RKO Radio Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #9 Top

Ordinary People (1980), Director: Robert Redford, rated R for adult situations

Everything is in its proper place... Except the past.

Starring: Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch, Timothy Hutton, M. Emmet Walsh, Elizabeth McGovern, Dinah Manoff

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"A little advice about feelings kiddo; don't expect it always to tickle."- Dr. Berger

Why watch this? It's an engrossing film about tragedy and its long-lasting affects.

Plot Summary: Set in an affluent Chicago suburb, we see a family grappling with the aftermath of a tragic boating accident that killed their eldest son. The surviving younger son, wracked with guilt and depression, attempts suicide and is subsequently hospitalized. The film explores the family's attempts to navigate their grief and strained relationships, particularly highlighting the mother's emotional distance.

Dad's Preview: Who knew Robert Redford could direct? After this Oscar winning film, we all did. This is a poignant story that deals with many difficult subjects: a young boy's death, the aftermath on his family, suicide, and the value of psychiatric council. The performances are stellar, as is Redford's tender direction. There are some scenes that are almost too painful to watch. Regardless, you need to stick it out, and follow the journey to its end. Then, perhaps, you will better recognize and empathize with those that are hurting.

Wildwood Enterprises, Inc; Paramount Pics

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #8 Top

Stand By Me (1986), Director: Rob Reiner, rated R for language, crude humor

For some, it's the last real taste of innocence, and the first real taste of life.
But for everyone, it's the time that memories are made of.

Starring: Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, Jerry O’Connell, Kiefer Sutherland, Casey Siemaszko, Frances Lee McCain, Richard Dreyfuss

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Boy, you don't know nothing. Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman's a real guy. There's no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy!" - Teddy

Why watch this? I was one of these kids, going on long adventures, playing in the woods, worrying my mom.

Plot Summary: Four young friends are on a journey through the Oregon wilderness in the summer of 1959, as they search for a missing boy. During their quest, they face various adventures and challenges, which test their bonds and force them to confront personal struggles. This journey becomes a coming-of-age experience, shaping their individual paths and deepening their understanding of friendship and loss.

Dad's Preview: This is yet another film created from a Stephen King story (The Body). It follows four 12-year-old boys who venture to find the body of a boy who was killed along a remote stretch of railroad tracks. The strength of this film is simply the mannerisms and interactions between the boys. Each one is different, with unique skills and problems. Yet they stick together, as they get closer to their grim destination.

Act III Productions; Columbia Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #7 Top

Parenthood (1989), Director: Ron Howard, rated PG-13 for adult themes

The director of "Splash," "Willow" and "Cocoon" brings you a comedy about life, love and the gentle art of raising children.

Starring: Steve Martin, Tom Hulce, Jason Robarbs, Diane Wiest, Rick Moranis, Martha Plimpton, Keanu Reeves, Mary Steenburgen, Joaquin Phoenix

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

“My whole life is have to." - Gil Buckman

Why watch this? ... it's great film about a normal family with its traumas, issues and events.

Plot Summary: The film follows the chaotic and often humorous lives of the Buckman family, showcasing the joys and tribulations across multiple generations as they navigate the complexities of raising children. The film explores various parenting styles and the challenges each family member faces, including career pressure, marital difficulties, and the struggle to understand and guide their children through different stages of life.

Dad's Preview: Steve Martin plays an excellent father in many flicks. Ironically, in real-life he bore no children. This film touches on the things that parents do to deal with "family things" that are often out of their control: a child who lacks confidence; an adult son who always makes bad decisions; parents who obsess with perfection. Those are serious topics, and Parenthood covers them in a way that makes you laugh. You'll enjoy the warm performances from a stellar all-star cast.

Imagine Entertainment; Universal Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #6 Top

Sling Blade (1996), Director: Billy Bob Thornton, rated R for language, violence

A Simple Man... A Difficult Choice.

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Lucas Black, Dwight Yoakam, John Ritter, Natalie Canerday, James Hampton, Robert Duvall, Brent Briscoe

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #30 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Sling Blade

"Some folks call it a sling blade, I call it a Kaiser blade." - Karl Childers

Why watch this? Thornton's first film is tender, simple, and brilliant on every level.

Plot Summary: Karl Childers is a man with an intellectual disability who is released from a psychiatric hospital after spending decades institutionalized for a childhood murder. He returns to his childhood town in Arkansas and befriends a young boy named Frank, forming an unexpected bond as Karl works as a mechanic. However, Frank's home life is troubled by his mother's abusive boyfriend, Doyle.

Dad's Preview: This film rings so true that the audience has no choice but to believe it's based on real people. Sling Blade was Billy Bob Thornton's personal creation: he wrote the story, directed the film and stars as Karl. Thornton's immersion into the simpleton character is legendary (and oft impersonated by me and way too many TikTokers). There are some intense moments, but at its heart, this movie has a sweetness to it. It's an achievement within its own simplicity. John Ritter and Dwight Yoakam deliver incredible supporting performances, as well.

The Shooting Gallery; Miramax Films

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #5 Top

Rocky (1976), Director: John G. Avildsen, rated PG for boxing violence

He's a has-been battler with one dream left...and one last chance.

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Carl Weathers, Burgess Meredith, Thayer David, Joe Spinell, Jimmy Gambina

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Nobody's ever gone the distance with Creed, and if I can go that distance, and that bell rings and I'm still standin', I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood." - Rocky Balboa

Why watch this? One of the best underdog stories ever. Yo!

Plot Summary: Rocky Balboa, a small-time boxer from Philadelphia, works as a debt collector but dreams of a bigger purpose in life. The opportunity arises when the flamboyant heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, looking for a challenger to celebrate the bicentennial, unexpectedly chooses Rocky for a title fight. With the help of a grizzled trainer and the burgeoning love of a shy woman, Rocky embarks on a grueling training regimen, driven by a desire to prove himself and go the distance with the champ.

Dad's Preview: Stallone was determined to make is as a star in Hollywood. This was literally his vehicle to do that. He wrote the screenplay, and insisted that the lead be played by himself. It was a big gamble, and it paid off. Like Rocky himself, the underdog film won the Best Picture Oscar. It really is a great movie with strong performances by its cast. Who can forget long-time character actor Burgess Meredith, who warmed our hearts as Rocky's grumpy trainer, Mickey.

Chartoff-Winkler Prod.; United Artists

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #4 Top

Good Will Hunting (1997), Director: Gus Van Sant; rated R for language

Some people can never believe in themselves, until someone believes in them.

Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgard, Minnie Driver, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser, Matt Mercier

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"If you ever disrespect my wife again, I will end you. I will f'ing end you. You got that, chief?" – Sean Maguire

Why watch this? ... it's layered and powerful - Williams, Damon, and an incredible script.

Plot Summary: Will Hunting is a gifted but troubled young man from South Boston who works as a janitor at MIT. After solving a challenging math problem left on a blackboard, Will's extraordinary intelligence is discovered by a professor. To avoid jail time for his reckless behavior, Will agrees to work with the professor and attend therapy sessions with an empathetic psychologist who helps him confront his past and unlock his potential.

Dad's Preview: This one of Robin Williams' greatest performances (he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor). It was this film, and its screenplay, that catapulted Affleck and Damon onto Hollywood's radar. However, the film is carried by the relationship between Damon, a boy genius, and Williams, a honest psychiatrist who searches for a way to reach a boy who specializes in out-witting those around him. When these two are on screen, you can cannot look away. You hang on every word.

Be Gentlemen; Miramax Films

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #3 Top

Almost Famous (2000), Director: Cameron Crowe, rated PG-13 for language, sexual situations

Stillwater Runs Deep!

Starring: Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, Philip S. Hoffman, Zooey Deschanel

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #31 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Almost Famous

"Aw, man. You made friends with them. See, friendship is the booze they feed you. They want you to get drunk on feeling like you belong." - Lester Bangs

Why watch this? It's the swan song about rock and rock in my era, you know, the awesome 70's!

Plot Summary: William Miller, at 15-years-old, is an aspiring journalist who gets a dream assignment: to write a cover story for Rolling Stone magazine. He embarks on a tour leg with the up-and-coming rock band Stillwater, experiencing the highs and lows of life on the road. William navigates the world of rock and roll, forming relationships with the band members and a groupie named Penny Lane, all while trying to maintain his journalistic integrity.

Dad's Preview: Much of the film's earnestness comes from the film's director, Cameron Crowe, who lived a life similar to young William Miller. He too was a Rolling Stone writer, and his wife is none other than Nancy Wilson, guitarist for Heart - So the man knows the rock world. Bill Crudup, as the incendiary Russell Hammond, is unforgettable. Kate Hudson's pretty darn good, too. It has great musical performances and a wonderful soundtrack documenting the last great years of Rock 'n' Roll.

DreamWorks Pics, Columbia Pics, Vinyl Films;
DreamWorks Dist. LLC

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #2 Top

Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Directors: Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris, rated R for language, adult topics

A family on the verge of a breakdown

Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, Beth Grant

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #33 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Little Miss Sunshine

"I'd like to dedicate this to my grandpa, who showed me these moves." - Olive Hoover

Why watch this? Imagine the family road trip from hell. Then multiply it by 100.

Plot Summary: The Hoover family embarks on a chaotic cross-country road trip to get their young daughter, Olive, to the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant in California. Along the way, the eccentric family faces a series of setbacks and personal struggles that force them to re-evaluate their notions of success and happiness. The journey culminates in Olive's unconventional performance at the pageant.

Dad's Preview: This film is a superb ode to the wonderfulness that resides in families that are blessed to be 'non-normal'. I am proud to say this fits my family. Each family member is thoroughly fleshed out, and it's pretty clear that every one of them (except sweet tween Olive) is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Together they load up their yellow VW van to take Olive to compete in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. You will laugh until you cry during this dysfunction-laden road trip. It's pure genius - mostly because it reminds us our own family dynamics.

Big Beach Films, Bona Fide Prod., Third
Gear Prod.; Fox Searchlight Pictures

Top 20 Slice-of-Life Drama Films #1 Top

Sideways (2004), Director: Alexander Payne, rated R for language, sex, nudity

In Search of Wine. In Search of Women. In Search of Themselves.

Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church, Virginia Madsen, Sandra Oh, Marylouise Burke, Jessica Hecht, MC Gainey

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #42 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Sideways

"Half my life is over and I have nothing to show for it. Nothing. I am a thumbprint on the window of a skyscraper. I'm a smudge of excrement on a tissue surging out to sea with a million tons of raw sewage." – Miles

Why watch this? ... comedy, wine, romance, golf, depression, infidelity, more wine...

Plot Summary: Two middle-aged friends, Miles and Jack, are on a week-long road trip through California's Santa Barbara wine country as a celebration of Jack's upcoming wedding. Miles, a wine enthusiast and struggling writer, hopes for a peaceful escape from his recent divorce and stalled career. Jack, a carefree actor, is more focused on having one last fling before getting married.

Dad's Preview: Set in Santa Barbara wine country, this film's heart is wine-tasting, however its soul is the relationship between two best friends, Miles and Jack. One is an intelligent, struggling writer. The other is an over-confident, calloused, has-been actor. They are nothing alike. They fight a lot, as many best friends do, and they are often brutally honest. Yet deep down, the lugs love each other. Giamatti is quickly becoming my go-to actor, and Haden Church never disappoints.

Michael London Productions;
Fox Searchlight Pictures