25 of the best breakup movies to watch after the end of a relationship

Claudia Willen,Eammon JacobsJan 14, 2024, 08:23 IST

Elle Woods and Harley Quinn both went through breakups.MGM Studios; Claudette Barius/ & DC Comics

Following a breakup, films about revenge, healing, and redemption can be cathartic.
For those angry about their ex, "Kill Bill: Vol. 1" and "Gone Girl" have revenge-driven plots.

Losing someone, for better or for worse, can be extremely difficult.

One of the easiest ways to begin exploring your emotions in the aftermath of the breakup is to turn on a film. And when it comes to great breakup movies, there's no shortage of options.

Should you hold on to some resentment for your former partner, there are plenty of films filled with revenge, including "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," "Midsommar," and "Gone Girl." If you're seeking a more uplifting viewing experience, "Before Sunrise" and "Bridget Jones's Diary" will instill hope for a brighter future ahead.

Here are 25 films to watch after going through a breakup.

"Someone Great" tracks the aftermath of an abrupt breakup.

"Someone Great" is a Netflix original movie.Netflix/IMDb

Two people erase their memories of each other in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."

Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey star in "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind."Focus Features

"Under the Tuscan Sun" proves that healing can happen in unlikely places.

Diane Lane stars in "Under the Tuscan Sun."Touchstone Pictures via YouTube

A woman seeks revenge after she's attacked in her wedding dress in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1."

Uma Thurman stars in "Kill Bill: Vol. 1."MIramax

Four high schoolers team up on their ex-boyfriend in "John Tucker Must Die."

Arielle Kebbel, Brittany Snow, Sophia Bush, and Ashanti star in "John Tucker Must Die."Twentieth Century Fox

A woman with a seemingly perfect life breaks up with her boyfriend in the 2018 film "Nappily Ever After"

Sanaa Lathan stars in "Nappily Ever After."Tina Rowden / Netflix

A dumpee schools her ex-boyfriend in "Legally Blonde."

Reese Witherspoon stars in "Legally Blonde."IMDB

A man realizes that he's glorified his ex in "500 Day of Summer."

Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in "500 Days of Summer."

"The Break-Up" is difficult to watch, but it holds an important message.

Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston star in "The Break-Up."Universal Pictures

"La La Land" will both break your heart and give you hope.

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling star in "La La Land."Lionsgate

"Midsommar" is a breakup movie shrouded in horror.

Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor star in "Midsommar."A24

"Call Me by Your Name" artfully captures a summer romance.

Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet star in "Call Me by Your Name."Sony Pictures Classics

"Before Sunrise" is a romantic film about two young strangers who meet on a train.

Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke star in "Before Sunrise."Columbia Pictures

"Sliding Doors" shows that one tiny moment can change the entire course of a person's life.

Gwyneth Paltrow stars in "Sliding Doors."Alamy

The 2000 film "High Fidelity" is based off of the novel by Nick Hornby.

Iben Hjejle and John Cusack star in "High Fidelity."Buena Vista Pictures

A woman tries to break off her best friend's engagement in the 1997 film "My Best Friend's Wedding."

Dermot Mulroney and Julia Roberts star in "My Best Friend's Wedding."Zucker Brothers Production

"Eat Pray Love" follows a recently divorced woman on her around-the-world journey.

Julia Roberts stars in "Eat Pray Love."Columbia Pictures

A composer stays at the same resort as his ex and her new boyfriend in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Mila Kunis and Jason Segel star in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall."Universal via YouTube

A woman frames her cheating husband for murder in "Gone Girl."

Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck star in "Gone Girl."20th Century Fox

"Bridget Jones's Diary" is a tale of reinvention.

Renée Zellweger stars in "Bridget Jones's Diary."Miramax Films

In the 1996 film "The First Wives Club," three college friends try to find dirt on their exes.

Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton star in "The First Wives Club."The First Wives Club

Separate storylines play out in "He's Just Not That Into You."

Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Aniston, and Jennifer Connelly star in "He's Just Not That Into You."New Line Cinema

A breakup with the Joker leads to Harley Quinn's newfound independence in "Birds of Prey."

Margot Robbie stars in "Birds of Prey."Warner Bros

Two women, one living near London, and one living in Los Angeles, decide to swap homes for Christmas after romantic troubles in "The Holiday"

"The Holiday" was directed by Nancy Meyers.Sony Pictures Releasing/Universal Pictures

When three women discover they've all been dating the same man, they plot to get their revenge in "The Other Woman"

Kate Upton as Amber, Cameron Diaz as Carly, and Leslie Mann as Kate in "The Other Woman."20th Century Studios

Take a look inside Sylvester Stallone's former Los Angeles mansion from the Netflix documentary 'Sly'

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