Looking for the films/shows where lovers don't end up together
July 31, 2022 5:55 PM Subscribe
I don't need sad endings necessarily, definitely not tragic, but maybe more realistic or complicated endings. Spoilers within.
Examples: Normal People, La La Land, Like Crazy, Fleabag, a Marriage Story, Someone Great.
I even liked Malcolm and Marie. Not super into teenage stories unless they're expertly done like Ladybird and Booksmart.
I love these stories that show growth and the complicated nature of real life, and extra love that the women grow and end up in a stronger place.
Examples: Normal People, La La Land, Like Crazy, Fleabag, a Marriage Story, Someone Great.
I even liked Malcolm and Marie. Not super into teenage stories unless they're expertly done like Ladybird and Booksmart.
I love these stories that show growth and the complicated nature of real life, and extra love that the women grow and end up in a stronger place.
Remains of the Day
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Casablanca
The Age of Innocence
posted by grumblebee at 6:12 PM on July 31, 2022 [10 favorites]
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
Casablanca
The Age of Innocence
posted by grumblebee at 6:12 PM on July 31, 2022 [10 favorites]
Roman Holiday
posted by gudrun at 6:13 PM on July 31, 2022 [7 favorites]
posted by gudrun at 6:13 PM on July 31, 2022 [7 favorites]
Annie Hall
posted by grumblebee at 6:14 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by grumblebee at 6:14 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Maybe it's obvious from the description, but this thread should flagged big time as full of spoilers.
Many people will not want to know in advance how all of these stories end.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:15 PM on July 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
Many people will not want to know in advance how all of these stories end.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:15 PM on July 31, 2022 [5 favorites]
Vertigo
posted by grumblebee at 6:17 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by grumblebee at 6:17 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Oops only meant to bold Fleabag and not the rest of the post. And dear mods, please feel free to add [Spoilers] to the title.
posted by monologish at 6:18 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by monologish at 6:18 PM on July 31, 2022
My Best Friend's Wedding
posted by saturdaymornings at 6:19 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by saturdaymornings at 6:19 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Lust, Caution
posted by grumblebee at 6:20 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by grumblebee at 6:20 PM on July 31, 2022
I would classify Chaplin's City Lights as a film like this, but the ending is ambiguous, and others interpret it differently.
posted by grumblebee at 6:22 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by grumblebee at 6:22 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Everybody Wins
posted by grumblebee at 6:25 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by grumblebee at 6:25 PM on July 31, 2022
Last Tango in Paris
posted by grumblebee at 6:26 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by grumblebee at 6:26 PM on July 31, 2022
Harold and Maud
posted by grumblebee at 6:27 PM on July 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by grumblebee at 6:27 PM on July 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
Vanya on 42nd Street (and other adaptations of "Uncle Vanya," such as "Country Life" and Woody Allen's "September")
posted by grumblebee at 6:28 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by grumblebee at 6:28 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Various versions of Romeo and Juliet
Sorry for all the separate posts. Movies keep occurring to me.
posted by grumblebee at 6:29 PM on July 31, 2022
Sorry for all the separate posts. Movies keep occurring to me.
posted by grumblebee at 6:29 PM on July 31, 2022
Atonement
posted by Tandem Affinity at 6:34 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Tandem Affinity at 6:34 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Whip It is a teen story, but I loved it for how it ends re: romance!
posted by wsquared at 6:36 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by wsquared at 6:36 PM on July 31, 2022
I would classify the endings of the above films as “hopeful”.
I Capture The Castle (2003)
Camelot (1967)
Shall We Dance? (original Japanese version; I haven’t seen the American one)
Hans Christian Andersen (1952, starring Danny Kaye)
Dredd (2012)
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
posted by Pallas Athena at 6:40 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
I Capture The Castle (2003)
Camelot (1967)
Shall We Dance? (original Japanese version; I haven’t seen the American one)
Hans Christian Andersen (1952, starring Danny Kaye)
Dredd (2012)
Shakespeare In Love (1998)
posted by Pallas Athena at 6:40 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
In the Mood for Love (which, for me, is perhaps the greatest version of this type of tale, alongside Fleabag)
posted by nightrecordings at 7:01 PM on July 31, 2022 [10 favorites]
posted by nightrecordings at 7:01 PM on July 31, 2022 [10 favorites]
Chess (the musical)
posted by humbug at 7:13 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by humbug at 7:13 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Adaptation (love is a side plot tho)
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:17 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by St. Peepsburg at 7:17 PM on July 31, 2022
This is EXACTLY my jam, by the way.
Lost In Translation and Call Me By Your Name are my big go-to's.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:21 PM on July 31, 2022 [9 favorites]
Lost In Translation and Call Me By Your Name are my big go-to's.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 7:21 PM on July 31, 2022 [9 favorites]
500 Days of Summer
posted by wesleyac at 7:24 PM on July 31, 2022 [6 favorites]
posted by wesleyac at 7:24 PM on July 31, 2022 [6 favorites]
My Brilliant Career
posted by cakelite at 7:33 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by cakelite at 7:33 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Call Me By Your Name
posted by less-of-course at 8:13 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by less-of-course at 8:13 PM on July 31, 2022
Oh god how did I not think of Brief Encounter. The very best.
posted by less-of-course at 8:14 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by less-of-course at 8:14 PM on July 31, 2022
The King and I
posted by Melismata at 8:20 PM on July 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by Melismata at 8:20 PM on July 31, 2022 [3 favorites]
Playtime.
posted by kickingtheground at 8:42 PM on July 31, 2022
posted by kickingtheground at 8:42 PM on July 31, 2022
The Worst Person in the World
posted by internet of pillows at 8:43 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by internet of pillows at 8:43 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Let the Sunshine In
Her
Gloria Bell
Blue Valentine
posted by desert exile at 9:08 PM on July 31, 2022
Her
Gloria Bell
Blue Valentine
posted by desert exile at 9:08 PM on July 31, 2022
Umm, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon? I mean, it is a tragedy, but Romeo and Juliet is in this list, too.
posted by lhauser at 9:32 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by lhauser at 9:32 PM on July 31, 2022 [2 favorites]
Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn's characters in The Interpreter do not become lovers, but become very vulnerable to each other (an extraordinary movie the way they achieved that), the film feels like it's going to move that way a few times but we are just left with (unrequited) tension.
Twister where Bill Paxton's character moves away from Jami Gertz's Dr. Melissa Reeves, in a stormy love triangle.
posted by unearthed at 11:40 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Twister where Bill Paxton's character moves away from Jami Gertz's Dr. Melissa Reeves, in a stormy love triangle.
posted by unearthed at 11:40 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
Previous stories of course had also ended with a breakup, but when it came out in 1978, An Unmarried Woman was hugely influential for its celebration of the heroine's choice. It was really widely talked about at the time.
posted by nantucket at 11:42 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by nantucket at 11:42 PM on July 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Prisoner of Zenda.
posted by basalganglia at 12:51 AM on August 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by basalganglia at 12:51 AM on August 1, 2022 [2 favorites]
Now Voyager: “Oh, Jerry, don't let's ask for the moon. We have the stars."
posted by HandfulOfDust at 12:56 AM on August 1, 2022
posted by HandfulOfDust at 12:56 AM on August 1, 2022
The Half of It (2020)
Mrs. Brown (1997)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
The Lion in Winter (1968)
posted by TrishaU at 3:46 AM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Mrs. Brown (1997)
Driving Miss Daisy (1989)
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
The Lion in Winter (1968)
posted by TrishaU at 3:46 AM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
In the Mood for Love (which, for me, is perhaps the greatest version of this type of tale, alongside Fleabag)
Another Wong Kar-wai film, Happy Together
posted by nightcoast at 5:42 AM on August 1, 2022
Another Wong Kar-wai film, Happy Together
posted by nightcoast at 5:42 AM on August 1, 2022
Before Sunrise. It's part of a lovely trilogy of films and I'd recommend all 3, this is the one most like what you asked for.
posted by wwax at 8:03 AM on August 1, 2022
posted by wwax at 8:03 AM on August 1, 2022
Trains Planes and Automobiles. You think they should end up together too, admit it.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:34 AM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:34 AM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Bodyguard
Educating Rita (definitely one for female growth!)
posted by humph at 11:12 AM on August 1, 2022
Educating Rita (definitely one for female growth!)
posted by humph at 11:12 AM on August 1, 2022
Monsieur Hire
The Girl on the Bridge (no trailer, but probably its most famous scene)
Transit
Phoenix
Head-On
Udine
The Hairdresser's Husband
L'Avventura
Border
Leaving Las Vegas
Deadwood isn't a romance but has many wonderful romantic entanglements. IMO, it's also the greatest TV show ever.
Friday Night Lights has numerous love stories, and the main couple are my favorite tv couple of all time. Though they remain together, their story definitely fulfills the other aspect of your question.
Some of these films have suicide or suicide attempts which may go against your no-Tragedy stipulation. I seem to have a different metric than most people for what constitutes Tragedy.
And I'll gladly second both the Wong Kar Wai movies above and Blue Valentine.
posted by dobbs at 5:07 PM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Girl on the Bridge (no trailer, but probably its most famous scene)
Transit
Phoenix
Head-On
Udine
The Hairdresser's Husband
L'Avventura
Border
Leaving Las Vegas
Deadwood isn't a romance but has many wonderful romantic entanglements. IMO, it's also the greatest TV show ever.
Friday Night Lights has numerous love stories, and the main couple are my favorite tv couple of all time. Though they remain together, their story definitely fulfills the other aspect of your question.
Some of these films have suicide or suicide attempts which may go against your no-Tragedy stipulation. I seem to have a different metric than most people for what constitutes Tragedy.
And I'll gladly second both the Wong Kar Wai movies above and Blue Valentine.
posted by dobbs at 5:07 PM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Some of the originals:
Casablanca
The Third Man
The Maltese Falcon
posted by octothorpe at 5:33 PM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Casablanca
The Third Man
The Maltese Falcon
posted by octothorpe at 5:33 PM on August 1, 2022 [1 favorite]
Lost In Translation and Call Me By Your Name are my big go-to's.
CMBYN has a follow-up novel that takes place decades after the book/movie's events that, um, spoilers, does not maintain the status quo let's say.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:52 AM on August 2, 2022
CMBYN has a follow-up novel that takes place decades after the book/movie's events that, um, spoilers, does not maintain the status quo let's say.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 3:52 AM on August 2, 2022
CMBYN has a follow-up novel that takes place decades after the book/movie's events that, um, spoilers, does not maintain the status quo let's say.
Re-directing to add that when I mentioned CMBYN I was speaking strictly of the film, as befits the OP's question. I actually didn't care for the novel itself for a few reasons, and haven't read the sequel either anyway.
But to clarify - my endorsement was for the film only, which fits the conditions of this request to my mind. There are rumors of a film sequel as well, but I believe Armie Hammer's own chaotic personal life may have postponed that somewhat.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:37 AM on August 2, 2022
Re-directing to add that when I mentioned CMBYN I was speaking strictly of the film, as befits the OP's question. I actually didn't care for the novel itself for a few reasons, and haven't read the sequel either anyway.
But to clarify - my endorsement was for the film only, which fits the conditions of this request to my mind. There are rumors of a film sequel as well, but I believe Armie Hammer's own chaotic personal life may have postponed that somewhat.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 4:37 AM on August 2, 2022
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