As I am currently enduring a particularly turbulent time in my own love life, with exes reaching out, old proposals being rehashed, all while trying to get over the most recent failed romantic endeavour, I have been consuming a lot of films. Films are the truest form of escape. They provide a few hours of respite from the tugging of your own heart strings, and you can instead indulge in empathetic sadness or joy for the characters on your screen. So, what are the top five films to watch in a time of romantic unfulfillment…
5.
Starting at number 5, you cannot go wrong with the Jennifer Anniston and Vince Vaughn classic — The Breakup. This movie trawls through the pain of a relationship and how both characters have lost their romantic spark. Whilst often critiqued for being “too real”, The Breakup highlights the agony central in the breakdown of a relationship in an earth-shatteringly relatable way that will help you feel understood.
4.
Coming up next, we have another emotional hard-hitter with 500 Days of Summer. Widely renowned for its ability to break couples up over arguments about which character is in the right, this film is the perfect watch for an insightful look inwards. Despite the two protagonists’ inevitable breakup, the film still presents a whisper of a promise that love is in fact real.
3.
I do not care if it is Christmas or not, Love Actually is there for you all year round in a time of romantic crisis. Whether you relate to Colin’s desires of fleeing the UK to finally get some action, or to the profound friendship connection between Billy Mack (Bill Nighy) and his manager, this film is bound to put a smile on anyone’s face. It will prompt the reminder that love actually is all around.
2.
In spot number two is the breakup classic Someone Great. This film follows Jenny, played by Gina Rodriguez, in the immediate aftermath of her breakup with her long-term boyfriend. It features moments of sadness, anger, denial, relief, and understanding. Most importantly this film promotes the importance of friendship, as Jenny’s friends stand by her side and demonstrate that a breakup is categorically NOT the end of your life.
1.
The number one film to watch post-breakup, in my personal opinion, will always be the Meg Ryan-Nora Ephron classic: When Harry Met Sally. Both Harry and Sally encounter their fair share of breakups throughout the story before understanding their love for each other. Through their twelve years and three months of knowing each other, they both loved and lost before ultimately getting together. This film is a reminder to never settle, and to persist in your quest for what you want.
“French proverb” by Peter K. Levy is marked with Public domain mark 1.0.