18 Films to Watch to Get Over a Breakup
No one needs to remind you that breakups are hard. No matter what the circumstances, breakups are hard and horrible, and there is no good way to get over them except to keep getting over them. While nothing can make you forget about the person you were once "meant to be," all of these films depict some sort of breakup and, in most cases, a happy ending that will help drown out any lingering negativity, even if only for a few hours. After watching the films, your sense of hopelessness will ease a bit and you will have a better understanding of the situation.
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Nothing like a little #TBT to Lindsay Lohan's glory days to make you forget about breakups (the last thing you thought about love was love) and remind you of childhood. Those of you who went to sleepover camp will remember the great friends you made over the years (the ones who really mattered), and this movie proves that you never know what will happen with your ex, even after all these years.
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The iconic "LIAAAAAR. Elle Woods goes through a nasty breakup ("To be a senator by age 30, you need to marry Jackie, not Marilyn"), gets accepted to Harvard Law School ("What the That's hard, isn't it?"), and can land at the top of the class, you can do it too.
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Sometimes you just need to let it all out, and that's okay. The Notebook will shake you up and remind you that despite your current circumstances, true love is not dead. Also, Ryan Gosling is nice to watch. If he's a bird, I'm a bird.
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Indeed, breakups are (sometimes) funny, (sometimes) amicable, and (almost always) lead to something better. The Closer describes what happens to the intimacy you shared when someone decides not to love you anymore.
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If you wish you could erase the memory of your last relationship and move on right away, here is a film about exactly that. This eye-opening film depicts what happens when someone literally gets the technology to forget what happened to us.
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Take your anger out on this breakup classic. In this film, three unlikely friends work together to take down a high school favorite. For inspiration with your cheating ex-boyfriend (but you didn't hear that from us).
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The last thing you want to do on your breakup vacation is run into your ex and the hot new guy she's dating (here played brilliantly by Russell Brand). No matter how many tears you shed (or are shedding right now), this film will make you laugh it off.
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Oh, I didn't know there was a movie named after my dating life. Queue up a feel-good movie like "Mamma Mia" and listen to the entire ABBA album on repeat and forget about that awful tinder date. It might even inspire you to book a "trip of your own" to Greece, where the movie is set, this summer. Then, take a look at this year's sequel, "Mamma Mia". If you're in the mood for some heat, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" (opens in a new tab).
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There's probably no film on this list that captures the roller coaster of early twenties love - longing, playfulness, and self-denial - as perfectly as this indie classic. You think it's a love story, but the truth hits you over the head: it's actually just one chapter of your story. Just like your recent breakup.
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The movie itself is not a "breakup movie," but it counts because it ends without Stu proposing to that wicked witch Melissa. Plus, the fact that the plot is full of over-the-top silliness is exactly what you need right now. The Hangover will make you laugh out loud and remind you that life isn't as bad as Stuart's life after waking up with a tattoo on his face. (Yes, this is in the second movie. Watch both and skip the third one.) Friendly tip: Bradley Cooper is also in this one.
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Elizabeth Gilbert's 2007 film version of "Eat, Pray, Love" stars the incomparable Julia Roberts.
Starring Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, and the late, great Anton Yelchin, this heartbreaking romance follows an eccentric English student (Jones) who falls for an American (Yelchin) while studying abroad. Their love story is great, but she overstays her visa, and the years following their first summer together are plagued by immigration problems and painful efforts to separate, reunite, and separate again.
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No matter where you think you are in life, there is so much more. That's one of the lessons of this sweet and hilarious romantic comedy, which has become a hidden classic since its release in 2011. Another lesson is that Ryan Gosling, who appears twice on this list, looks really, really good with his shirt off. [Pat, the main character played by Bradley Cooper, struggles with the loss of his job and wife until he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence). This is not your typical "break up and fall in love again" movie, and the complexity of the film is evident in Cooper and Lawrence's flawless performances. (Warning: do not watch this if your girlfriend is an Eagles fan.)
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If you don't go missing and your husband is not the prime suspect, consider yourself lucky and watch "Gone Girl."
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Now, "La La Land" may make you reflect a lot on your relationships, but rather than get depressed about that, pay attention to the fact that this film is a reminder that timing doesn't always work in our favor. Let's focus on the fact that it's a beautiful film that reminds us that timing doesn't always work in our favor. Sometimes we have to let go of a loved one so that they can pursue their dreams. Sigh. Still, let's come for the amazing chemistry of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone and stay for the music you'll soon want to download.
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Instead of hiding under the covers, throw some popcorn in the microwave and invite a few good friends over to watch "Girl's Trip". Starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah, Tiffany Haddish, and Jada Pinkett Smith, this uplifting and hilarious comedy will instantly lift your spirits and remind you that the single life is not as bad as you think.
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To All the Boys I've Loved Before is strangely relatable (in a good way) to anyone who has had a great love affair (all of us, let's be honest). It reminds us to be vulnerable, to say what we want to say, and to know that your Peter Kavinsky is out there somewhere. Noah Centineo, give me a call.
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