Breakup Movies Worth Watching and Movies Worth Watching for Breakups
January 17, 2019 7:22 AM Subscribe
What movies have helped you deal with a breakup?
I'm going through a tough separation with an all-around uncertain future. I have found that a couple of "realistic" or at least sort of "insightful" breakup movies have helped. By this I mean movies in which the titular couple don't necessarily get back together, though a general sense of optimism is definitely happening.
This is, broadly, a genre of movie that I have almost no experience with, so the only movies I've seen so far that have done it for me are 500 Days of Summer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) and The Breakup (Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston).
This is the narrow set of what I've personally found so far, but I'm open to anything that has helped you or you think would fit. So what have you got?
(Previous closely related and/or old questions I found: 1 2 3)
I'm going through a tough separation with an all-around uncertain future. I have found that a couple of "realistic" or at least sort of "insightful" breakup movies have helped. By this I mean movies in which the titular couple don't necessarily get back together, though a general sense of optimism is definitely happening.
This is, broadly, a genre of movie that I have almost no experience with, so the only movies I've seen so far that have done it for me are 500 Days of Summer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel) and The Breakup (Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston).
This is the narrow set of what I've personally found so far, but I'm open to anything that has helped you or you think would fit. So what have you got?
(Previous closely related and/or old questions I found: 1 2 3)
Swingers, while having not aged particularly well, is a classic of the genre.
posted by General Malaise at 7:59 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by General Malaise at 7:59 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
For a certain subset of people:
- Eat Pray Love
- Wild
posted by hepta at 8:13 AM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
- Eat Pray Love
- Wild
posted by hepta at 8:13 AM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
The last time I went through a breakup, I watched Mike Nichols' Closer several times. I think that movie does a tremendous job of showing the way that humans in relationships get their hopes up, and then fail and flail and tear everything apart on their way down. It made me feel lucky to be single again, and eager to focus on myself.
posted by heatvision at 8:18 AM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by heatvision at 8:18 AM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is worth a watch.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:54 AM on January 17, 2019 [11 favorites]
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:54 AM on January 17, 2019 [11 favorites]
Maybe not break-ups but the triology Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight with Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke is imo an intelligent conversation on how relationships change and grow and decay through time.
posted by lafemma at 8:56 AM on January 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by lafemma at 8:56 AM on January 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
posted by mannequito at 9:19 AM on January 17, 2019 [8 favorites]
posted by mannequito at 9:19 AM on January 17, 2019 [8 favorites]
You might give This Year's Love a look. British, decent cast, 20 years old but some good moments.
I Give It A Year (2013) I thought was decently funny and on topic.
posted by biffa at 9:41 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
I Give It A Year (2013) I thought was decently funny and on topic.
posted by biffa at 9:41 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Girlfriends Guide to Divorce (Netflix)
posted by raccoon409 at 9:54 AM on January 17, 2019
posted by raccoon409 at 9:54 AM on January 17, 2019
In a weird way, HER by Spike Jonze
posted by kbbbo at 9:57 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by kbbbo at 9:57 AM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
My Best Friend's Wedding!! Julia Roberts doesn't get the guy.
Legally Blonde. Breakup, go to Harvard, continue being your best self.
posted by hepta at 10:13 AM on January 17, 2019 [7 favorites]
Legally Blonde. Breakup, go to Harvard, continue being your best self.
posted by hepta at 10:13 AM on January 17, 2019 [7 favorites]
It's been a long time since I've seen it, but maybe 50/50 with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Bryce Dallas Howard?
posted by stellaluna at 10:57 AM on January 17, 2019
posted by stellaluna at 10:57 AM on January 17, 2019
The Incredible Jessica James and Half Magic, both recommended in my feminist romance movies thread by aka burlap, are worth watching in this vein as well.
posted by limeonaire at 11:06 AM on January 17, 2019
posted by limeonaire at 11:06 AM on January 17, 2019
Not a breakup movie in the usual sense but definitely in the same ballpark - Truely Madly Deeply.
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 11:16 AM on January 17, 2019 [6 favorites]
posted by Martha My Dear Prudence at 11:16 AM on January 17, 2019 [6 favorites]
Others I'd recommend that hit these themes: Sweet Home Alabama, Sleeping With Other People, What If, The Laws of Thermodynamics, And While We Were Here, Waiting to Exhale. Oh, Sliding Doors is also good on these themes, I feel like.
posted by limeonaire at 11:54 AM on January 17, 2019
posted by limeonaire at 11:54 AM on January 17, 2019
Some of the classics of the kind of "second chance at love" genre are also worth watching: How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Under the Tuscan Sun, Message in a Bottle, When Harry Met Sally.
Serendipity is worth watching as well, though it's not specifically about this, but kind of touches on some of the themes. It's hopeful!
posted by limeonaire at 12:03 PM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Serendipity is worth watching as well, though it's not specifically about this, but kind of touches on some of the themes. It's hopeful!
posted by limeonaire at 12:03 PM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Seconding Closer.
Also 5x2.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 12:42 PM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Also 5x2.
posted by Erinaceus europaeus at 12:42 PM on January 17, 2019 [1 favorite]
Definitely, Maybe.
posted by tackypink at 2:56 PM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
posted by tackypink at 2:56 PM on January 17, 2019 [2 favorites]
I'll second 'Truly, Madly, Deeply', it's not a conventional breakup movie (or a conventional movie), but it is a "realizing when it's time to move on with your life" kinda movie.
posted by ovvl at 5:00 PM on January 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
posted by ovvl at 5:00 PM on January 17, 2019 [3 favorites]
I loved I Give It a Year! Second on that one.
posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:47 PM on January 17, 2019
posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:47 PM on January 17, 2019
Brief Encounter
The Ghost and Mrs Muir
Yes, La La Land if you haven't seen it
Mary and Max (platonic, not romantic though)
posted by Polychrome at 3:17 AM on January 18, 2019
The Ghost and Mrs Muir
Yes, La La Land if you haven't seen it
Mary and Max (platonic, not romantic though)
posted by Polychrome at 3:17 AM on January 18, 2019
Seconding 5x2, very well done, memento influenced film.
posted by biffa at 2:49 PM on January 18, 2019
posted by biffa at 2:49 PM on January 18, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Temeraria at 7:45 AM on January 17, 2019 [3 favorites]