Grab Some Tissues and That Ben & Jerry's
From sweeping and dramatic to off-the-wall, wistful and charming, cinema is full of love stories, and why shouldn't it be? Being in love is life's most magical feeling. It's full of bliss, pain, tears, passion, and nothing makes us feel alive quite like it. It's no surprise, then, that some of the most iconic movies ever made have either been romances or had love as their core theme. Whether we walk away from these films full of hope and joy or devastatingly heartbroken, these movies are sure to inspire some big feels. Here are 20 unforgettable films that defined romance on screen.
Warner Bros. Pictures on Wikimedia
1. Pride & Prejudice
Jane Austen may have written Pride and Prejudice in the 19th century, but it's just as relatable in today's dating scene as it was in the Victorian era. The masterpiece was brought to life by director Joe Wright with Keira Knightley, who will forever be Elizabeth Bennet in our minds, and the swoon-worthy Matthew Macfadyen, who couldn't be a more perfect Mr. Darcy.
2. True Romance
Of course, Quentin Tarantino's idea of a love story involves murder and drugs. The screenplay was written by Tarantino, but it was brought to life by director Tony Scott and a star-studded cast including Patricia Arquette, Christian Slater, Gary Oldman, and a very green Brad Pitt.
3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind saw Jim Carrey in a serious, romantic role, something we never would've thought would work as well as it did. The mind-bending story follows Joel (Carrey) and Clementine (Kate Winslet), who medically erase each other from their memory to get over the pain of their breakup, only to fall in love all over again.
4. Carol
No film captures the magic of falling in love as well as Todd Haynes' 2015 romance, Carol. Young, aspiring photographer Therese and elegant older woman Carol meet each other at a department store and develop a deep bond, navigating Carol's complicated past and the taboo of being two women in love in the 1950s along the way.
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5. About Time
About Time blends time travel with romance, encouraging audiences to re-evaluate their values and not take their loved ones for granted. Main character Tim discovers he can travel back in time within his own life. He uses the power to ensure he ends up with the woman of his dreams, Mary, and while he can change things so that everything in their story is perfect, he realizes that it's more meaningful to live in the moment and embrace life's imperfections.
6. One Day
The movie adaptation of David Nicholls' romantic novel is a 2-decade love saga. It follows two people, Emma and Dexter, who decide to meet on the same day for 20 years to see where they stand in life. Because of circumstances and stubbornness, they spend most of their time not being together, but the thread of love between them never really disappears.
7. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Portrait of a Lady on Fire is a beautiful, slow-burning love story set in 18th-century France. Marianne is hired to secretly paint a portrait of Héloïse for her mother to send to the man to whom she is promised in marriage. The bond between the two women grows into a forbidden romance.
8. Punch Drunk Love
Paul Thomas-Anderson's Punch Drunk Love is for all the unconventional, weird, and wacky love stories out there. Adam Sandler absolutely kills it as Barry Egan, an emotionally unstable man with overbearing sisters who falls for quiet and confident but totally weird Lena. His discovery of true love makes him a changed man.
9. The Notebook
If you're looking to have a good, healthy cry, all you've got to do is put on The Notebook. It's the story of Allie and Noah, who fall hard for each other despite being from two different social classes in 1940s South Carolina. They're pulled apart by family and societal expectations, but they never let go of each other.
10. Four Weddings and a Funeral
The ever-so charming Hugh Grant in his most swoony era stars opposite Andie MacDowell in this classic 90s rom-com. The two keep running into each other at friends' weddings (or each other's) and one funeral, but missed chances, romantic complications, and bad timing keep them apart in this realistic and relatable portrayal of an enduring crush that you never really let go of.
11. Titanic
Titanic has become the movie synonymous with a tragic love story. Rose and Jack meet and fall into a dizzying romance despite being from different classes and Rose being engaged. Their love is cut short when the ship sinks, and Jack sacrifices himself to the freezing waters to make sure Rose makes it away safely.
12. Gone with the Wind
The love story in Gone with the Wind between Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler is as turbulent as the Civil War backdrop in which it's set. The two's relationship is passionate and fiery, but Scarlett only comes to appreciate Rhett and open her heart to him when it's already too late.
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer on Wikimedia
13. Casablanca
Casablanca is the quintessential Hollywood classic love story. Starring Hollywood legends Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, it follows nightclub owner Rick as he chooses between rekindling his love with the one who got away and doing the right thing. With some of the most famous one-liners out of any movie ever, it's about how sometimes, loving someone means letting them go.
14. Moonstruck
This 80s classic starring Cher and Nicolas Cage is about choosing your heart over your brain. Loretta is engaged to a safe and predictable man, but her whole world is turned upside-down when the much more fun and interesting brother comes to town and the two get involved in a passionate affair.
Casablanca Records on Wikimedia
15. In the Mood for Love
This visually stunning love story set in 1960s Hong Kong follows two neighbors who discover that both their spouses are having affairs. They begin to fall for each other, but neither wants to stoop to the level of their unfaithful spouses. The film is full of longing, tension, and restraint.
16. The Remains of the Day
Speaking of subtle love stories, The Remains of the Day is a gut-wrenching one. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson play superbly opposite each other as the butler and maid of a wealthy aristocrat's house who develop feelings for each other. In keeping with his professional and very British sensibilities, the butler refuses to admit his feelings until it's far too late, and he's left reflecting on his life, not fully lived.
17. The Princess Bride
A truly swashbuckling romance, The Princess Bride is a tale of love and adventure. It follows Westley, a farm boy, who must sword fight his way back to his true love after a long separation and save her from a forced engagement to a wicked prince.
18. Sleepless in Seattle
Oh, the era when Meg Ryan was the adorable love interest in every rom-com. Sleepless in Seattle is about a woman who falls in love with a man's voice on the radio and is crazy enough to follow her gut and write him a letter, sealing their fate.
19. Pretty Woman
This classic rom-com starring a big-haired Julia Roberts opposite a handsome Richard Gere is about finding connection in unexpected places. A wealthy, though sometimes unethical, businessman hires a sex worker to accompany him to his high-society events, and they form an unexpected bond, both of them becoming better people along the way.
20. When Harry Met Sally
It doesn't get more classic rom-com than When Harry Met Sally, and who doesn't love that iconic diner scene where Meg Ryan really enjoys her sandwich? The plot follows Harry and Sally over 12 years as they turn from strangers to friends to something more, debating the age-old question of whether men and women can ever just be friends.
