Best Poetry Movies Perfect For A Date Night
Or… a solo night in! These movies are great for anyone who loves poetry and wants to see these popular lines put in motion on the big screen.
Sweeping drama. Passionate embraces. Lyrical language. Swoon-worthy words.
Poetry and films both have a way of stirring our emotions in powerful ways. It is magical to see your favorite writers and their work come to life on the big screen!
The film industry has given us many incredible adaptations, dramatic biopics, and interpretations of some of literature’s most recognizable figures and their most famous works. We’ve rounded up a diverse list of 19 films to complete the list of Best Poetry Movies for all streaming options: Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and more.
Grab the popcorn and get comfortable!
A Quiet Passion
Cynthia Nixon stars as troubled, reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson in this award-winning biopic. Catch it on Amazon Prime!
Kill Your Darlings
Three of the great beat generation poets, Allen Ginsberg (played by Daniel Radcliffe!), Jack Kerouac, and William Burroughs, are all drawn together by the compelling story of a murder that was committed in 1944. Find this award-winning pick on Amazon Prime!
Paterson
This quiet, award-winning film celebrates the small joys and beauty that can be found in the existential morass of everyday life. Adam Driver’s performance as a philosophical, poetic bus driver has been referred to as “mesmerizing”. This quiet, award-winning film celebrates the small joys and beauty that can be found in the existential morass of everyday life. Check it out on Amazon Prime!
The Kindergarten Teacher
Maggie Gyllenhaal won Best Actress at the 2019 American Film Awards for her portrayal of a New York kindergarten teacher. Her character goes to unreasonable lengths to protect a student who she thinks is a poetic prodigy. You’ll find this drama on Netflix!
Dr. Birds Advice For Sad Poets
After the tragic disappearance of his sister, sixteen-year-old James Whitman seeks advice from a therapist to work through his feelings of loss and confusion. But Dr. Bird is a pigeon. And Dr. Bird is imaginary and lives only in James’ head. Watch this emotionally charged movie on Hulu!
Before Night Falls
Javier Bardem was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas. Arenas was jailed for living an openly gay lifestyle in mid-1960s Cuba. Watch it on Freevee!
Howl
Allen Ginsberg’s incomparable poem “Howl” is brought to life through a unique mix of adult animation, riveting courtroom drama about society’s reaction to the “obscene” piece. Plus, watch a stellar performance by James Franco as the controversial poet. Find this movie, which received awards from a variety of LGBTQIA+ organizations, on Pluto TV.
Beloved Sisters
Aristocratic sisters Charlotte and Caroline von Lengefeld both fall in love with 18th-century poet and literary genius Friedrich Schiller and decide to flout society’s conventions and share him. After a passionate summer spent together as a thrupple, jealousies threaten to destroy their visions for a happy future together. Check it out on Tubi!
The Pact
Based on the book Patgen, this award-winning movie explores the intense relationship that forms between 63-year-old Karen Blixen, the author of Out of Africa, and a promising 30-year-old poet. She promises him literary stardom in return for his unconditional obedience and devotion to her. Find The Pact on Amazon Prime!
The Edge Of Love
Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller star as two free-spirited women who both have the affection and devotion of a charming, charismatic young poet. Check out this award-winning drama on Freevee!
Slam
This moving, powerful film tells the story of a talented young Black man who copes with the crushing despair of his bleak circumstances and upbringing by competing in a poetry slams. Watch this award winner on Plex!
Mary Shelley
Elle Fanning stars as Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, an aristocrat whose relationship with infamous poet Percy Shelley resulted in the writing of Frankenstein and birthed a brand-new literary genre. Watch this award-winning movie on Netflix!
Benediction
Siegfried Sassoon survived the horrors of the Western Front during World War II and became one of the leading war poets of the era. This troubled man spent the rest of his life searching for peace and self-acceptance, a journey that resonates through any time period. Check it out on Hulu!
The Color Of Pomegranates
This revolutionary, surreal biopic focuses on Armenian poet Sayat Nova and is generally regarded as one of the greatest cinematic masterpieces of the 20th century. You can find this classic film on Amazon Prime!
Things Never Said
Shanola Hampton (of Shameless fame) stars as an aspiring poet dealing with a troubled marriage until romantic sparks with another man help her find and use her voice. Watch it on Pluto TV!
Adult World
Emma Roberts, Evan Peters, and John Cusack all star in this movie about a naïve college graduate who believes that she is destined to be the greatest poet of her generation. Her pursuit of a mentorship with a reclusive writer draws her into situations for which she is definitely not prepared. Check it out on AMC+!
Young Goethe In Love
Aspiring poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe has failed his law exams. He’s sent to a quiet, provincial court as a punishment and to consider what he wants to do for the rest of his life. Instead of using the time to reflect and reset, Goethe falls in love with a young woman who is already promised to another man. Watch this award-winning romance on Tubi!
Byron
Jonny Lee Miller stars as Lord Byron, who becomes celebrated and feted in London society after the phenomenal success of his poem “Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.” This drama isn’t available on any streaming platform yet, but you can find the DVD on Amazon Prime!
Set Fire To The Stars
Elijah Wood stars as an aspiring poet living an ordered, regimented life in 1950s New York. His comfortable world is shaken off its axis when he sets off on an adventure to redeem his literary hero, a well-known hellraiser named Dylan Thomas. Catch it on Strand!
Hopefully our Best Poetry Movies inspired you!
Enter the little infinite Winter poetry contest A Letter To Your Love. Contest closes April 2023.