19 Romantic movies you should not watch on Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day is an occasion for the celebration of love. People across the world commemorate this day with their loved ones and the day is all about happiness. Therefore, if one plans to watch a romantic movie on Valentine's Day, it should be about the beauty of romance and not the hardships of love. Here are 19 romantic movies that are heartbreaking, tragic, and complex, which should not be watched on the day of love.

1. Atonement (2007)

Based on a novel by Ian McEwan, this romantic war drama stars James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, and others. The film covers six decades, beginning from the 1930s, and revolves around an aspiring writer who tells a lie, after seeing her lover with her sister, which has far-reaching consequences. The romantic movie is a devastating love story filled with misunderstandings, war, and heartbreak.

2. Blue Valentine (2010)

Directed by Derek Cianfrance and starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, this romantic movie chronicles the relationship of a couple from their courtship days to their eventual dissolution of marriage. The narrative is presented non-linearly and is a heartbreaking and painful but realistic look at the fall of a relationship. Therefore, this one is not ideal for Valentine’s Day.

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, and others, this sci-fi romantic drama directed by Michael Gondry, is about a couple who decide to go through an advanced memory erasure procedure after a painful breakup. However, the two realize that they do not want to erase the memories and try to remember their relationship. The acclaimed romantic movie is not suitable for the day of love as it is bittersweet and focuses on the loss of a relationship.

4. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Directed by Josh Boone and based on a novel by John Green, this coming-of-age romantic movie centers around a 16-year-old girl, Hazel (Shailene Woodley), who is diagnosed with cancer. Her life changes when she meets another cancer patient, Augustus (Ansel Elgort), at a support group, and the two fall for each other. The romantic movie is a heartbreaking look at love and companionship and is overshadowed by terminal illness and therefore a tragic ending.

5. Me Before You (2016)

Starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, this romantic drama is based on a novel by Jojo Moyes. It revolves around a bubbly caretaker, Louisa (Clarke), who is hired to take care of Will (Claflin), a former successful banker, who is now a tetraplegic, due to an accident. The romantic movie has sweet moments as Louisa tries her best to revive Will’s spirits, but the love story does not get the happy ending you’d hope for.

6. 500 Days of Summer (2009)

Directed by Marc Webb and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, this comedy-drama romantic movie has a non-linear structure as it revolves around Tom (Joseph) and his story about his relationship with Summer (Zooey). The cult classic is a realistic look at the heartbreak in love and has themes of love, expectations, and disappointment. Therefore, it is not ideal for Valentine’s Day.

7. Marriage Story (2019)

Starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver and directed by Noah Baumbach, this romantic movie is an unflinching and emotional depiction of a marriage falling apart. It revolves around a couple, who are going through a divorce and are fighting for the custody of their son. The movie has difficult scenes that address the breakdown of a marriage and is not the best watch for Valentine’s Day.

8. Revolutionary Road (2008)

Directed by Sam Mendes and based on a novel by Richard Yates, this romantic movie stars Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. It revolves around a married couple during the mid-1950s, who struggle with personal problems, which lead to the eventual breakdown of their relationship. The movie looks at the difficulties post-marriage and is a tragic story about a couple whose dreams and love unravel.

9. Closer (2004)

Based on a play by Patrick Marber, this romantic movie stars Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, and others. Directed by Mike Nichols, the film is about two couples, whose relationships get intertwined and complicated, after they become involved with one another. The film has mature themes about infidelity, manipulation, and heartbreak. Therefore, this intense film is not the best option to watch this Valentine’s Day.

10. La La Land (2016)

Directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, this romantic musical is about an aspiring actress (Stone) and a struggling pianist (Gosling), who fall for each other while trying to make a mark in Los Angeles. However, the acclaimed romantic movie showcases the reality of relationships falling apart due to circumstances, even if the love is real. The movie does not have a fairy-tale, romantic ending.

11. Gone Girl (2014)

Based on a novel by Gillian Flynn and directed by David Fincher, this psychological thriller stars Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and others. The movie is about a couple, Nick (Affleck), and Amy (Pike), whose marriage has many hidden problems, which are revealed after Amy goes missing and Nick becomes a suspect. The movie explores toxic and dangerous relationships under the guise of romance and is a heavy movie to watch on Valentine’s Day.

12. The Lobster (2015)

Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, this absurdist black comedy romance drama stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, and others. Like other Lanthimos movies, this romantic movie is surreal and revolves around a bachelor who lives in a hotel with other singles, who all must find a romantic partner within 45 days, or else they will turn into animals. Darkly humorous and zany, this one has unsettling themes.

13. Her (2013)

Starring Joaquin Phoenix and directed by Spike Jonze, this sci-fi romantic movie is about a lonely man, Theodore (Phoenix), who falls in love with an artificially intelligent system. The movie explores the ideas of love, companionship, and belonging, in a rapidly advancing society where technology has taken over human connection. The acclaimed movie is poignant but is ultimately a lonely love story.

14. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Directed by Ang Lee and based on a short story by Annie Proulx, this neo-Western romantic drama stars Heath Ledger, and Jake Gyllenhaal, and revolves around the complicated relationship between two cowboys from the American West. The romantic movie is set during the 1960s to 1980s and explores the societal taboos against homosexuality, which led to many tragic love stories. An acclaimed but heartbreaking movie, this one is not a good option for Valentine’s Day.

15. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Starring Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise, and directed by Stanley Kubrick, this erotic mystery psychological drama is based on a novella by Arthur Schnitzler. Set in New York City, it revolves around a doctor (Cruise), who embarks on a nightly adventure and infiltrates a masked orgy of a secret society, after his wife (Kidman), reveals that she thought of having an affair. The surreal movie explores the dark side of love with themes of obsession, jealousy, and betrayal.

16. Titanic (1997)

Directed by James Cameron and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, this famous movie is based on the real-life sinking of the Titanic and weaves a tale of romance around it. The film focuses on the doomed love story between a couple from different social classes, who fall for each other but encounter the tragic sinking of the ship. The romantic movie has a tragic ending and therefore this one should not be watched on Valentine’s Day.

17. Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes, this romantic drama directed by Baz Luhrmann, is a modern retelling of William Shakespeare’s famous play about doomed love. The film is about two teenagers who fall for each other, even though they come from two warring families. The acclaimed movie ends on a tragic note and is therefore not suitable for the day of love.

18. My Girl (1991)

Directed by Howard Zieff and starring Macaulay Culkin, Jamie Lee Curtis, and others, this coming-of-age romantic drama is about an 11-year-old intelligent and hypochondriacal girl, Vada (Anna Chlumsky), who becomes agitated after her widowed father begins dating a new person. The film explores children’s emotions as Vada tries to disrupt her father’s relationship while also forming a bond with a young boy. The movie has a heartbreaking ending, which should not be watched on Valentine’s Day.

19. One Day (2011)

Based on a novel by David Nicholls, this romantic drama directed by Lone Scherfig, stars Anne Hathaway, and Jim Sturgess, and revolves around the complicated relationship between two individuals, Emma (Anne) and Dexter (Jim). The couple maintains a friendship but develops feelings for each other and comes across each other at various points in life. The bittersweet love story spans decades and has a gut-wrenching ending.