11 Best Doctor Movies on Netflix Right Now – You don’t have to be a doctor, nurse, or medical researcher to enjoy a jargon-free, engaging, and exhilarating medical film. One of the main reasons for the huge fan base for medical thrillers is that the majority of them are based on true-life events. People also enjoy watching medical movies because they provide a glimpse into a profession that is usually regarded as mysterious due to its close closeness to life and death. Furthermore, as a routine exercise, it is a field closely related with dramatic occurrences. Due to increased demand, Netflix is eager to update their selection of movies with categories medical, psychology, and doctor. With that out of the way, here’s a list of extremely good doctor movies on Netflix that are now accessible to stream.
11. Take Your Pills (2018)
‘Take Your Pills’ is an intriguing documentary that depicts an America infested with pharmaceuticals such as Adderall and Ritalin. These names can be found in schools, playgrounds, offices, streets, metros, and markets, according to the film. People are drawn to these names by the pressure to push one’s bounds beyond one’s capabilities. Alison Klayman, best known for her documentary ‘Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry,’ leaves no stone unturned in his investigation of the pervasiveness of cognitive-enhancement stimulants in our times. ‘Take Your Pills’ investigates the subject from all angles as Adderall and Ritalin become the emblematic drugs of an age. Without being harshly critical, the documentary film paints a realistic image of drugs and how they shape our destiny.
10. Athlete A (2020)
‘Athlete A,’ directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, is a documentary film about one of the largest controversies in American sports history. Reporters from the Indianapolis Star investigating the inability of schools to track sexual abuse allegations inadvertently come across the criminally underreported and neglected cases of abuse in USA Gymnastics. As one reporter digs deeper, he discovers alarming details about Larry Nassar, a well-known osteopathic physician who has been working with the country’s best talents for several years. However, a closer examination of his behavior as a doctor discloses so many surprising facts that the succeeding reports establish the framework for his conviction and leave America stunned.
9. Brain on Fire (2016)
‘Brain on Fire,’ a biographical drama film written and directed by Gerard Barrett, is based on Susannah Cahalan’s biography. The film stars Chloe Grace Moretz and Jenny Slate as a young adult called Susannah Cahalan, who works as a writer for the New York Post but has recently been suffering from seizures. Her position only worsens as the voices in her head start to frighten her out. The 21-year-old gets misdiagnosed several times until meeting Syrian-American physician Souhel Najjar, who not only empathizes with her but also assists her in fighting back.
8. Extremis (2016)
‘Extremis,’ directed and produced by Dan Krauss, is a documentary film about loved ones’ end-of-life decisions and the circumstances surrounding them. Dr. Jessica Zitter is a well-known ICU and palliative care specialist who works at Oakland’s Highland Hospital ICU. She heads a team of physicians who provide palliative care to terminally ill patients and assist families in coming to grips with the difficult decisions they must make. Although compassionate, the documentary does not shy away from presenting viewers with the harsh facts of end-of-life decisions and the emotional agony that families must endure while making them.
7. Awakenings (1990)
‘Awakenings,’ based on Oliver Sacks’ memoir of the same name, is a drama film starring Robert De Niro, Robin Williams, John Heard, and Julie Kavner. The Penny Marshall-directed film is set in late 1960s New York and revolves around Dr. Malcolm Sayer, a caring physician who believes that a group of catatonic patients in the hospital are suffering from an extreme type of Parkinsonism. Malcolm gets authorization to administer the drug L-Dopa to them based on that supposition, which results in shocking effects.
6. To the Bone (2017)
‘To the Bone,’ directed and written by Marti Noxon, is a drama film. The film follows Elle, a 20-year-old anorexic girl who has failed to deal with her disease despite attending many recovery programs during her adolescence. Susan, Ellen’s stepmother, insists on enrolling her in Dr. William Beckham’s patient program. While the protagonist is initially skeptical, she finally gives in, and the decision proves to be life-changing as her new doctor assists her with his unique and unconventional approaches.
5. Doctor (2021)
‘Doctor,’ a Tamil-language action comedy film directed and written by Nelson Dilipkumar, stars Sivakarthikeyan, Priyanka Arul Mohan, Vinay Rai, and Yogi Babu. It follows Varun, a military doctor, who receives a heartbreaking message from his fiancée, Padmini, in which she expresses her desire to put off their forthcoming marriage. When the protagonist contacts her family in the hopes of reconciling, he learns about Padmini’s niece’s kidnapping. When the police fail to make any progress in the case in the following days, Varun devises a risky strategy in the hope that it will finally cause the law enforcement authorities to take the case seriously.
4. On Body and Soul (2017)
‘On Body and Soul’ is a beautiful description of an enigmatic love story set against the dreary backdrop of Budapest. When Endre, the elder introvert, meets Maria, the suspiciously bashful new recruit in the office, ‘On Body and Soul’ takes a psychological turn. Soon after, the pair discovers a spiritual tie that connects them through strange dreams. They work together to decipher the meaning of their visions and begin an unexpected love affair. Endre and Maria become two secret isles connected by dreams, with a lot of secrets and emotions to hide from other employees. They begin to reproduce the magical feeling of dreaming in daytime, resulting in a shambles within the company. What follows is a catharsis for the two introverts’ bodies and souls.
3. Paddleton (2019)
Mark Duplass and Ray Romano take us on an intimate tour that is both emotional and upsetting. ‘Paddleton,’ a Netflix original film, follows the neighbors, played by Duplass and Romano. The townspeople regard them both as outcasts. As society distances itself from them, they find a true friend in one other. Their ordinary lives are thrown into disarray when one of their pals is diagnosed with terminal cancer. They must now rely on their relationship to help them overcome their awful situation. From this point on, ‘Paddleton’ becomes an intense emotional trip for the two men. The film provides reassurance while demonstrating the magical healing power of friendship and empathy in reducing the trauma of terminal conditions.
2. Notes on Blindness (2016)
John Hull, a writer and theologian, suffers the worst catastrophe of his life just days before the birth of his first child: he wakes up blind one fine day. ‘Notes on Blindness’ is a stark depiction of living without light in the company of a blind man. When John begins to take notes on the world as viewed through his other senses, the film shifts gears. His audio cassette diary became a thorough audio document of the blind man’s perspective on the world. The dairy notes were an instant success, gaining critical acclaim upon their release. The film is entirely based on unique and original recordings. It is a remarkable work by a blind man about his inner world, memories, dreams, and odd musings regarding blindness as an existential state of mind.
1. End Game (2018)
‘End Game,’ directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, is a short documentary film. The plot centres around Dr. Pantilat and other clinicians’ efforts to challenge the conventional view of life and death so that patients suffering from terminal illnesses can find purpose even in their final moments. These expert medical practitioners not only provide much-needed palliative care to their patients, but they also provide emotional and psychological support to help them cope with the harsh realities of life.