AllMovie

A type of drama that centers on the characters' inner life and psychological problems. Oftentimes, this formula dictates that characters strong in their convictions are usually pitted against each other. In Hollywood, psychological drama is usually used as an approach, merging with other larger genres that stress mental struggles over the physical -- i.e. courtroom dramas (12 Angry Men), police dramas (Homicide), film noir (Scarlet Street), or detective films (Chinatown). Conversely, foreign filmmakers generally tend to take the phrase "psychological" more literally, with an accentuation on character studies of protagonists on the edge of sanity. The source of conflict is not only the characters themselves but conflict that exists within them as well and is usually presented using expressionistic aesthetics (distorted reality, dream sequences, non-linear narratives). Predominantly, the cause is rooted in an event or trauma from the protagonist's past, one that will either be worked through or repressed and ignored to the point of mental or physical destruction. Examples include The Conformist, Last Tango in Paris, Persona and Dead Ringers. Five Easy Pieces and Taxi Driver are all quintessential American models containing heavy foreign influences.