Media about making peace with the end of a relationship

July 19, 2019 10:32 AM

Preferably movies. Gold star would be romantic exes learning to be uncomplicated friends, but I would also love friendships or other relationships ending, moving on from someone completely, messy stops and starts, anything that doesn't involve a couple getting back together at any point. What are your favorites?
posted by gaybobbie to Media & Arts (19 answers total)

Maybe...The Last Days of Chez Nous? It deals with an Australian family where the wife's sister comes to crash with them a while, the husband starts an affair with her, and that breaks up the marriage; but the very very last scene has a moment which suggests that the wife has decided to move on.

Or Truly, Madly, Deeply. Juliet Stevenson and Alan Rickman are a British couple; he dies early in the film, but then his ghost comes back for a while - and she eventually comes around to "okay, but I should probably be with someone who's, like, alive," and learns to move on.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:49 AM on July 19, 2019 [3 favorites]

Chasing Amy
My Best Friend’s Wedding
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:13 AM on July 19, 2019 [2 favorites]

The End of the Affair by Graham Greene, though I have not seen either adaptation.
posted by jquinby at 11:44 AM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

Kissing Jessica Stein
posted by XtineHutch at 11:45 AM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: When We First Met
posted by anderjen at 12:12 PM on July 19, 2019

Swingers.
posted by General Malaise at 12:13 PM on July 19, 2019

Annie Hall
500 Days of Summer
posted by phoenixy at 12:27 PM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The Carter Family - I Loved You Better Than You Know

As through this weary world I wander
My thoughts alone will be of you
In memory I will see you ever
I loved you better than you knew

Very old, very beautiful roots/folk/hillbilly song. And right on target for this list.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 12:32 PM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

The Hottest State
Becoming Jane
Maggie's Plan
The New World
The Roosevelts
posted by BeHereNow at 12:36 PM on July 19, 2019

Mama Mia? I mean, there were three romantic potential parental relationships and (spoiler) only one of them happens at the end?
posted by jillithd at 12:37 PM on July 19, 2019

Celeste and Jesse Forever might fit the bill.
posted by Johnny Assay at 12:56 PM on July 19, 2019

The Break-Up.
posted by orange swan at 1:05 PM on July 19, 2019

Best answer: just a song, Gwen Stefani Cool.
posted by fingersandtoes at 1:37 PM on July 19, 2019 [1 favorite]

The Friend Who Got Away: Twenty Women's True Life Tales of Friendships that Blew Up, Burned Out or Faded Away

Some essays are better than others, but a few are really good.
posted by salvia at 2:59 PM on July 19, 2019

Seconding "Kissing Jessica Stein".
posted by AuroraSky at 4:53 PM on July 19, 2019

Laurence Anyways (dir. Xavier Dolan)
Ash is Purest White (dir. Jia Zhangke)
The Souvenir (dir. Joanna Hogg)
In Reality (dir. Ann Lupo)
After the Storm (dir. Hirokazu Koreeda)
Disobedience (dir. Sebastian Lelio)
posted by phonebia at 7:37 PM on July 19, 2019

Once
posted by jojobobo at 2:41 AM on July 20, 2019 [1 favorite]

You might like S1 of In Treatment, specifically the "Jake and Amy (Thursday)" episodes. When the show starts, they're together, but the sessions ultimately are about the break up of their marriage. You could probably get away with just watching their episodes, but the whole series is really great. (Also, the backdrop of the first season involves the therapist's own marriage falling apart, so there is that too.) I believe it's available streaming for free with Amazon prime.
posted by litera scripta manet at 8:13 AM on July 20, 2019

Before Sunrise
Before Sunset
Before Midnight (don't look this one up because there may be spoilers)

The premise of the first is them having to make peace by the end as they can't be together. They can be watched separately, but I recommend starting with the first and watching them all if you like it. There's lots of great conversations, reminiscing, and thoughtful observations.
posted by LovingMyself at 1:29 PM on July 23, 2019