Movie characters who chase lost loves?

May 26, 2006 1:33 PM

Trying to think of movies in which the main story concerns a character trying to win back a lost love. For example: Gene Hackman attempts to re-woo his estranged wife in "The Royal Tenenbaums". Julia Roberts goes for her ex in "My Best Friend's Wedding". Any more?
posted by soiled cowboy to media & arts (32 comments total)

Doesn't this pretty much define the "romance" genre? For the most bang for you buck, try "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."
posted by gwint at 1:36 PM on May 26, 2006

French Kiss
posted by invisible ink at 1:37 PM on May 26, 2006

Spoiler alert: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind might be a strange example, since the two former lovers woo each other again — but only after they have their memories of each other erased from their minds.
posted by Mr. Six at 1:38 PM on May 26, 2006

High Fidelity.
posted by signal at 1:43 PM on May 26, 2006

Doesn't this pretty much define the "romance" genre?

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific: I'm not talking about falling in love, then losing love, then struggling to regain love. I mean stories which BEGIN with the former lovers estranged.
posted by soiled cowboy at 1:46 PM on May 26, 2006

Shaun of the Dead
posted by echolalia67 at 1:51 PM on May 26, 2006

The Hulk
posted by dobbs at 1:57 PM on May 26, 2006

George Clooney woos ex-wife Julia Roberts in Ocean's Eleven. I don't remember if the original Sinatra borefest was similar in that respect.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 1:57 PM on May 26, 2006

The Philadelphia Story.
posted by Steven C. Den Beste at 2:03 PM on May 26, 2006

Julia Roberts goes for her ex in "My Best Friend's Wedding".

In this film, I don't think they were ever an item to begin with. She suddenly realizes she loves him only after he announces his impending marriage, and then attempts to break it up.
posted by frogan at 2:11 PM on May 26, 2006

Disclosure, Sleeping with the Enemy, Fatal Attraction

...what?
posted by leotrotsky at 2:15 PM on May 26, 2006

A Lot Like Love
posted by alexmikayla at 2:16 PM on May 26, 2006

Walter Burns: There's been a lamp burning in the window for ya, honey.
Hildy Johnson: No thanks - I jumped out that window a long time ago.
posted by lemuria at 2:26 PM on May 26, 2006

The wooing a a bit strange, but otherwise I'd include "The Philadelphia Story."
posted by grumblebee at 2:31 PM on May 26, 2006

The Squid and the Whale
posted by Lazlo Hollyfeld at 2:39 PM on May 26, 2006

Scarlett.
posted by brownpau at 2:41 PM on May 26, 2006

Grosse Pointe Blank.

Awesome movie!..
posted by aeighty at 2:47 PM on May 26, 2006

To clarify, you are looking for movies that start during the breakup, so to speak. correct?


The only one I can think of right now is Aliens :)
posted by Megafly at 2:52 PM on May 26, 2006

There's Something About Mary.
posted by painquale at 3:10 PM on May 26, 2006

I hate to say it (because I hate to KNOW it) but in MBFW, Julia Roberts and Dermot had been a long-time on-again off-again couple at one point, which they reminisce about fondly multiple times.
posted by hermitosis at 3:34 PM on May 26, 2006

better off dead
50 first dates (sort of)
parent trap (the kids are doing the wooing for the parents!)
Intolerable Cruelty
posted by skrike at 3:44 PM on May 26, 2006

Casablanca
posted by robhuddles at 4:22 PM on May 26, 2006

Bliss
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:21 PM on May 26, 2006

Actually, looking at the summary I may be thinking of a different movie. SPOILER-ish:


Is Bliss the one that ends with a narration from the daughter where she says "My father was a good man. He planted trees"?
posted by PinkStainlessTail at 5:24 PM on May 26, 2006

Respiro
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 5:46 PM on May 26, 2006

Gatsby is the classic version of this. Too bad the movie sucked. (Robert Redford is SO wrong as Gatsby...)
posted by dersins at 5:47 PM on May 26, 2006

lemuria's comment made me think of a few cherce quotes:
"Lily, you're crying." / "Sure, I turn on a faucet. It's that sort of scene."
"Do you really think I could play the shrew?" / "You'd make a perfect shrew!"

and, honorable mention to:
"So long, Frances." / "So long, Blanche."
posted by rob511 at 5:48 PM on May 26, 2006

Swingers.
posted by springload at 7:31 PM on May 26, 2006

Slap Shot. Paul newman trying to get back with his wife
posted by Gungho at 7:43 PM on May 26, 2006

"Slap Shot" makes me think of "Major League," wherein Tom Berenger is reunited with his ex-wife. It's a minor part of the story, but there it is. I bet there are other sports movies that feature a similar B-plot.
posted by Rock Steady at 8:55 PM on May 26, 2006

Hear My Song
posted by j-dawg at 9:54 PM on May 26, 2006

The Boxer with Daniel Day Lewis - great flick, a jailed IRA "terrorist" tries to win back his girl after his release. A great chick-flick that guys will love too.
posted by vito90 at 9:30 AM on May 27, 2006