Love is in the air! With Valentine's Day right around the corner, now is the perfect time to watch a good old-fashioned romance movie. However, romance is not a one-size-fits-all genre; from films that range from funny to heartwarming to downright depressing, romance movies don't always follow the same formulaic plot progression where the main love interests have a happily ever after, destined to be together forever.
Characters are driven apart for a multitude of reasons, whether it be as simple as falling out of love or as tragic as separating in death. While it may seem pessimistic that a film focused on love would end in heartbreak, these stories are sometimes the most impactful and can drive home an emotional message despite the fact and, at times, because the leads call it quits.
Yet, just because the main leads don't get their happy ending together doesn't mean they don't get a happy ending at all; sometimes parting ways is the best option for the main characters and allows them to experience personal growth in response to the relationship's undoing.
Today, we explore romance movies where the main love interests ultimately do not end up together and how their stories make for a compelling love story despite their bittersweet and sometimes heartbreaking ending. Spoilers ahead!
10 Edward Scissorhands (1990)
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Edward Scissorhands is certainly a movie that strays from the norm in a few ways. Not only is the central concept of having a man with scissors for hands unique, but the odd pairing of the two main characters leads to an unlikely but endearing romance. The story follows the titular character as he attempts to acclimate to life in suburbia. When he is taken in by a local family, he falls for the daughter, named Kim.
Eventually, Edward is chased back to his isolated manor by Kim's boyfriend at the film's climax. Though Edward ultimately comes out on top, the scene sees Edward and Kim separate indefinitely, with Kim returning to her normal life and Edward remaining alone. Yet, Kim still thinks of her romance with Edward far into the future and thinks of him each time it snows.
9 When We First Met (2018)
When We First Met is a hilarious film about unrequited love, where one man continuously goes back in time to try and win over the girl of his dreams. When Noah's crush, Avery, is set to marry his friend Ethan, Noah uses a photo booth to travel back to the first day they met to use their current friendship to his advantage and ensure they end up together.
However, each time Noah travels back in time, either the connection with Avery does not work out or some other aspect of his life is ruined as a result. Throughout the course of the film, Noah comes to understand that he was never meant to be with Avery and is finally able to let her go when he sees the damage a romance between the two would cause.
8 The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
The 2014 film The Fault in Our Stars is an adaptation of John Green's best-selling novel of the same name. The story follows a cancer patient Hazel Grace Lancaster. When Hazel meets another cancer patient named Gus Waters, the two form a strong connection and start a relationship. The two frequently lean on one another for support and eventually travel to Amsterdam to meet a beloved author.
In the end, Gus dies when his cancer ultimately comes back, leaving Hazel distraught. Though the ending is an undoubted tear-jerker, audiences fell in love with the two main leads and could see the value in having a connection like theirs, regardless of how brief it may have been.
7 A Star is Born (2018)
2018's A Star is Born featured a star-studded cast with names like Bradley Cooper and Stefani Germanotta, otherwise known as pop star Lady Gaga. Here, we follow country music star Jackson Maine as he falls in love with a talented singer named Ally. When Jackson helps Ally jumpstart her own musical career, she quickly begins to discover her own star power, all while attempting to navigate a relationship with a deteriorating Jackson.
In the end, Jackson ends his own life after being consumed by his demons. Ally is left completely distraught, despite finding international fame and success. Despite the rather unhappy ending, the film ends on a flashback of Jackson proclaiming his love for Ally through a beautifully written song.
6 Casablanca (1942)
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As the oldest film on this list, the 1942 film Casablanca has certainly stood the test of time and remains one of the most beloved movies of all time. Set during the onset of World War II, Casablanca follows a man named Rick as he helps refugees escape to safety via his café in Casablanca, Morocco.
When Rick is reunited with his ex-lover Ilsa, he is faced with a painfully difficult decision that means letting go of Ilsa in order to ensure her safety. Though the two ultimately go their separate ways, Rick's heroism and sacrifice prove just how much he loves Ilsa and is willing to put her before his own desires.
5 Titanic (1997)
Titanic is the tragic love story between Rose and Jack, two fictional passengers on the real-life Titanic, which sank after colliding with an iceberg. The story is told from Rose's perspective decades into the future where she recounts her experience to a team of scientists. Jack, a free-spirited man who boarded the vessel without a ticket, helps Rose find herself and ultimately, walk away from the confines of her restrictive, privileged life.
Though the two help each other nonstop in their pursuit of survival, Jack meets his demise when he sacrifices himself for Rose's safety, propping her up on a makeshift raft that could only hold one person. Both Jack's death and the sinking of the ship itself are tragic, yet, Rose vows to carry on Jack's memory and proves that love can persist through indescribable hardship and remains unwavering even years later.
4 Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Known as the film to jumpstart Timothee Chalamet's career, Call Me By Your Name follows two young men as they fall in love in the Italian countryside. When Oliver, a doctoral student, moves in with 17-year-old Elio's family in order to study under his father, the two form an undeniable connection, one that is developed over the course of one summer.
Yet despite their chemistry, Oliver eventually moves away from Elio and ultimately, decides to marry a woman, abandoning the relationship the men once shared. The film concludes with a long shot of Elio crying by the fireplace in the middle of Winter, implying that the two indefinitely parted ways. Despite the unhappy ending, the film portrays a message of self-acceptance and uses the breakup to emphasize an undying attraction, no matter where the two may go in life.
3 Eat Pray Love (2010)
Based on the popular memoir by writer Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat Pray Love tells the story of one woman's journey to rediscover her life's passion through a trip around the world. When Liz finds herself a single woman after divorcing her husband, she travels to Italy, India, and Indonesia where she immerses herself in the cultures and ultimately, finds love with a businessman named Felipe.
Though the two eventually divorce, Felipe helps Liz come to new understandings about herself and the world. Without Felipe, her journey in Indonesia would have taken an entirely different path, one that might not have allowed for the growth that came as a result of her relationship.
2 La La Land (2016)
2016's La La Land is a vibrant musical that follows Sebastian and Mia as they are drawn together by a mutual desire to reach their dreams: Sebastian as a jazz pianist and Mia as an actress. Their chemistry is further emphasized through musical numbers and dance scenes, where the two perform alongside one another.
As they each struggle to find success in their own right, Mia and Sebastian are later driven apart by their mismatched lifestyles. Though Mia eventually makes it as an actress and Sebastian as a jazz musician, it's clear their connection played a role in getting them to where they wanted to be; in the final scene, the two exchange smiles, implying that they still had mutual respect for one another despite the breakup.
1 500 Days of Summer (2009)
500 Days of Summer is the ultimate anti-love story. For one, the movie opens with the two lovers post-breakup; Tom, a hopeless romantic type, was recently dumped by his free-spirited girlfriend named Summer. The movie follows Tom as he comes to term with the demise of their relationship and struggles to let go of the woman he truly loves. The film frequently makes time jumps, traveling back and forth in the relationship timeline in a nonlinear fashion.
The audience is immediately let in on the fact that the two call it quits, eliminating the sense of hope that the two will be together forever. However, the decision to open the movie on their breakup also sets the expectation that this journey is one of self-growth and acceptance, where the two must ultimately accept that their love was amazing but also, destined to fail.