Cry It Out
Whether you need a distraction from a breakup or a reason to cry out the feelings, here are 20 movies that can scratch whatever itch you have. From getting over love loss to prioritizing yourself over others, these 20 films are must-watches.
1. Legally Blonde
This movie is still all the rage despite releasing over two decades ago. It follows Elle Woods as she gets over her boyfriend and applies to Harvard Law School to prove her brilliance. It’s an empowering and funny story with Reese Witherspoon at the charismatic helm, and is a great way to get over a breakup and recognize your value.
Jenn Deering Davis on Wikimedia
2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
In this 2004 film, after a painful breakup, a couple decides to erase their memories of each other instead of dealing with the emotional hurt. Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, the movie is all about exploring heartbreak and accepting the fact that some pain is worth remembering.
3. Kill Bill: Vol. 1
While not a traditional romance film, this 2003 movie starring Uma Thurman follows a betrayed bride as she awakes from a coma and seeks out her former lover to get revenge. Heartbreak and sorrow is one thing, but anger and revenge is sometimes just as important.
4. 500 Days of Summer
This 2009 film starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel is all about the rise and fall of a new relationship. A hopeless romantic and a free spirit meet each other and quickly go through the highs and lows as they process love and breakup.
Christopher William Adach from London, UK on Wikimedia
5. Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Plenty of people go through breakups and have a hell of a time getting over one another. But in this 2008 movie, a heartbroken guy goes to Hawaii to get over his famous girlfriend only to find her there with her new boyfriend.
6. Eat Pray Love
This 2010 film starring Julia Roberts is all about getting over a breakup, and more importantly, finding yourself. After her painful divorce, a woman travels from Italy to India, to Bali, and finds joy in things aside from romance and love.
U.S. Department of State from United States on Wikimedia
7. The Princess Diaries
This 2001 film starring Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews follows a nerdy teen as she instead realizes she is an heir to a European kingdom. The movie has feel-good vibes and is all about personal growth rather than focusing on sheer romance.
Looking Glass Films on Wikimedia
8. Marriage Story
This newer film starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver came out in 2019 and is all about the struggles of keeping a family together when undergoing a divorce. Full of intense acting and honesty, this is a great movie to cry to if you’re struggling through your own couple struggles.
9. Call Me by Your Name
This 2017 movie is actually set in Italy in the 1980s and follows two teenagers falling in love. Starring Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer, they struggle through their inevitable heartbreak but accept their love for the slow-burn it was.
10. Gone Girl
This 2014 film has quite the cult following and stars Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. This intense thriller follows a man who becomes the prime suspect after his wife's disappearance, and can be quite cathartic after a toxic relationship.
Justin Hoch from Astoria, NY, USAJustin Hoch photographing for Hudson Union Society on Wikimedia
11. Under the Tuscan Sun
This 2003 movie stars Diane Lane and Sandra Oh and follows a newly divorced writer as she decides to start her life over in Tuscany. It’s a great film to watch if you’re overcoming your own heartbreak, and is all about rediscovering joy without the romance.
12. Bridesmaids
This 2011 film starring Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph is all about laughs as it follows a down-on-her-luck woman as her best friend gets married. Instead of focusing on the bride, it focuses on her maids as their own personal rivalries create chaos in the face of romance.
13. Legends of the Fall
This 1994 film starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins follows three brothers competing for the same woman. It’s all about emotional heartbreak, and is a great film to watch if you just need to sob over something that isn’t your breakup.
14. The Holiday
This 2006 film starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz isn’t just about Christmas. It follows two women as they swap homes to escape heartbreak during the holiday, and offers a means for romantic reset and unexpected joy.
15. The First Wives Club
This older film came out in 1996 and starred Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton. These women reunite all to learn they’ve been wronged by their husbands, so they do the next natural thing, and plot for revenge.
16. Begin Again
This 2013 film starring Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo follows a dumped singer-songwriter and struggling music producer as they make an album on the streets of New York City. Following the music, this movie is all about healing through collaboration and creativity.
photo: Tony Shek,retouch: Patrol110 on Wikimedia
17. John Tucker Must Die
With a name as severe as this, it’s clear to see that this 2006 vengeful teen comedy is the perfect pick-me-up after a breakup. It follows three girls as they team up to get revenge on the high school boy that secretly dated all three of them.
18. La La Land
This 2016 film starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling caught a lot of hearts when it came out. With the background of stunning Los Angeles, it follows a jazz musician and aspiring actress as they chase their dreams, even if their story isn’t meant to ultimately last.
19. Someone Great
This 2019 film starring Gina Rodriguez kicks off after a major breakup. With her old life in the rearview mirror, the woman spends a wild night in New York City and focuses on celebrating friendship and just how exciting the possibility of starting over can be.
20. High Fidelity
This 2000 film follows a record store owner as he looks back at the heartbreaks over his life to understand how and why relationships fail. Starring John Cusack, this relatable movie is all about common romantic mistakes.
