Songs, movies, books about being a grownup and letting go of a love
November 20, 2016 7:42 PM Subscribe
No tragic or dramatic plot twists or endings - just, making an adult decision to move the fuck on when the timing and circumstances are obviously not right.
I'm thinking of the movies Spanglish (I know it's generally hated but the storyline and especially ending fits exactly what I'm looking for) - the movie Once, and... kind of Snow Falling on Cedars... what else? Patty Griffin's song "Useless Desires" fits the bill too. Basically, your heart thinks something's a good idea and you want it really bad, but your brain says no and breaks your heart, and everyone is better off for it in the long run, even if you'll always wonder a little bit.
I'm thinking of the movies Spanglish (I know it's generally hated but the storyline and especially ending fits exactly what I'm looking for) - the movie Once, and... kind of Snow Falling on Cedars... what else? Patty Griffin's song "Useless Desires" fits the bill too. Basically, your heart thinks something's a good idea and you want it really bad, but your brain says no and breaks your heart, and everyone is better off for it in the long run, even if you'll always wonder a little bit.
(500) Days of Summer
posted by puritycontrol at 8:08 PM on November 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by puritycontrol at 8:08 PM on November 20, 2016 [4 favorites]
Roman Holiday.
posted by redfoxtail at 8:17 PM on November 20, 2016 [5 favorites]
posted by redfoxtail at 8:17 PM on November 20, 2016 [5 favorites]
Brideshead Revisited.
posted by praemunire at 8:22 PM on November 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by praemunire at 8:22 PM on November 20, 2016 [2 favorites]
Sleepwalk With Me movie by Mike Birbiglia (as i remember. YMMV)
posted by bleep at 9:14 PM on November 20, 2016
posted by bleep at 9:14 PM on November 20, 2016
First song that came to mind was Next Lifetime By Erykah Badu.
posted by cardinalandcrow at 11:11 PM on November 20, 2016
posted by cardinalandcrow at 11:11 PM on November 20, 2016
Satisfied, from the Hamilton soundtrack. (Lyrics)
posted by corvine at 12:47 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by corvine at 12:47 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Cat Power song Good Woman, especially:
"And this is why I am leaving
And this is why I can't see you no more
This is why I am lying when I say
That I don't love you no more."
And The Kills Last Goodbye. Ouch, right in the heart.
posted by wreckofthehesperus at 12:54 AM on November 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
"And this is why I am leaving
And this is why I can't see you no more
This is why I am lying when I say
That I don't love you no more."
And The Kills Last Goodbye. Ouch, right in the heart.
posted by wreckofthehesperus at 12:54 AM on November 21, 2016 [3 favorites]
Howard Jones' song "No one is to blame"
The Andrew Lincoln/Keira Knightley storyline in "Love Actually"
The whole ending of the movie "Broadcast News"
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 1:57 AM on November 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Andrew Lincoln/Keira Knightley storyline in "Love Actually"
The whole ending of the movie "Broadcast News"
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 1:57 AM on November 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
Jane Siberry's "Love is Everything" as sung by kd lang.
Maybe it was to learn how to love
Maybe it was to learn how to leave
Or maybe it was for the games that we played
Maybe it was to learn how to choose
Maybe it was to learn how to lose
Or maybe it was for love that we made
Love was everything they said it would be
Love makes sweet and sad the same;
But love forgot to make me too blind to see
You're chickening out aren't you?
You're bangin' on the beach like an old tin drum
I can't wait for you to make The whole kingdom come
So I'm leaving
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 2:03 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Maybe it was to learn how to love
Maybe it was to learn how to leave
Or maybe it was for the games that we played
Maybe it was to learn how to choose
Maybe it was to learn how to lose
Or maybe it was for love that we made
Love was everything they said it would be
Love makes sweet and sad the same;
But love forgot to make me too blind to see
You're chickening out aren't you?
You're bangin' on the beach like an old tin drum
I can't wait for you to make The whole kingdom come
So I'm leaving
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 2:03 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Make War- Bright Eyes
Somebody that I used to know- Gotye feat. Kimbra (the female part. I've had arguments about this before but I interpret Kimbra's part as being about moving on from a sexy, passionate, stimulating but game play-y relationship)
Make Your Own Kind of Music- Mamma Cass
Go Where you Wanna Go- the Mamas and the Papas
Better Be Home Soon- Crowded House
The highly controversial and unpopular end of the Robbin/Barney storyline in How I Met Your Mother
posted by hotcoroner at 2:03 AM on November 21, 2016
Somebody that I used to know- Gotye feat. Kimbra (the female part. I've had arguments about this before but I interpret Kimbra's part as being about moving on from a sexy, passionate, stimulating but game play-y relationship)
Make Your Own Kind of Music- Mamma Cass
Go Where you Wanna Go- the Mamas and the Papas
Better Be Home Soon- Crowded House
The highly controversial and unpopular end of the Robbin/Barney storyline in How I Met Your Mother
posted by hotcoroner at 2:03 AM on November 21, 2016
The Andy Samberg / Rashida Jones movie Celeste and Jesse Forever is like this.
posted by cpatterson at 3:10 AM on November 21, 2016
posted by cpatterson at 3:10 AM on November 21, 2016
Maybe Bonnie Raitt's song "I Can't Make You Love Me," featured on the blue laat month? (Heck,a few of her songs probably qualify.)
posted by wenestvedt at 3:11 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by wenestvedt at 3:11 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Movies: spoiler alert -- there are plot twists
The Way We Were
Yentl
Gone With The Wind
Mrs. Doubtfire
Castaway
Rooster Cogburn
Casablanca
posted by TrishaU at 5:14 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Way We Were
Yentl
Gone With The Wind
Mrs. Doubtfire
Castaway
Rooster Cogburn
Casablanca
posted by TrishaU at 5:14 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think Jordin Sparks' song Tattoo is about this but I confess I'm not always the best parser of pop lyrics
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:00 AM on November 21, 2016
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:00 AM on November 21, 2016
Brief Encounter is like the textbook example of this. It is also an incredible film.
posted by kariebookish at 7:54 AM on November 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by kariebookish at 7:54 AM on November 21, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Carter Family - I Loved You Better Than You Knew
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:59 AM on November 21, 2016
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:59 AM on November 21, 2016
The Break-Up?
posted by lunastellasol at 8:39 AM on November 21, 2016
posted by lunastellasol at 8:39 AM on November 21, 2016
I have always found "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" to be a great "coming-of-age" story.
posted by maryrosefromthedead at 9:58 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by maryrosefromthedead at 9:58 AM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
the Diary of a Teenage Girl (I`ve only seen the movie but I assume the book would do too)
posted by winterportage at 11:10 AM on November 21, 2016
posted by winterportage at 11:10 AM on November 21, 2016
"I Don't Love You Anymore" Teddy Pendergrass
"Big Girls Don't Cry" Fergie
"Leavin'" Shelby Lynne
"No Time" The Guess Who
"Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac
"I Will Not be Broken" Bonnie Raitt
"Time for me to Fly" REO Speedwagon
"If You Want me to Stay" Sly & the Family Stone
"Goodbye Stranger" Supertramp
"Time for me to Ride" Toby Keith
"Asi es la Vida" Ricky Martin
"Walking Shoes" Tanya Tucker
"Gone Gone Gone" Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
posted by key_kat at 2:16 PM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
"Big Girls Don't Cry" Fergie
"Leavin'" Shelby Lynne
"No Time" The Guess Who
"Go Your Own Way" Fleetwood Mac
"I Will Not be Broken" Bonnie Raitt
"Time for me to Fly" REO Speedwagon
"If You Want me to Stay" Sly & the Family Stone
"Goodbye Stranger" Supertramp
"Time for me to Ride" Toby Keith
"Asi es la Vida" Ricky Martin
"Walking Shoes" Tanya Tucker
"Gone Gone Gone" Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
posted by key_kat at 2:16 PM on November 21, 2016 [1 favorite]
Splendor in the Grass?
posted by Captain l'escalier at 6:55 PM on November 21, 2016
posted by Captain l'escalier at 6:55 PM on November 21, 2016
Just thought of another one: Motley Crue's Don't Go Away Mad
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:44 AM on November 22, 2016
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:44 AM on November 22, 2016
"Begin Again"
"Lola Versus"
"The Way We Were"
"The Holiday"
"Sex and the City"- the entire series
posted by Lillypad331 at 6:49 AM on November 23, 2016
"Lola Versus"
"The Way We Were"
"The Holiday"
"Sex and the City"- the entire series
posted by Lillypad331 at 6:49 AM on November 23, 2016
The Scientist, Coldplay
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 7:43 AM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start
posted by I_Love_Bananas at 7:43 AM on November 24, 2016 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
A.S. Byatt - Possession
posted by Mchelly at 8:00 PM on November 20, 2016 [1 favorite]