We take a lot of what we know about how relationships should work from the movies we watch about them. The problem with many modern-day romance flicks is that they’re either too contrived, too cheesy, or a combination of the two (which is just a double whammy). If you’re like me and can’t possibly tolerate another “Valentine’s Day” or “New Year’s Eve” or any other holiday-themed sickeningly sweet romance film, check out this list of classic romances that won’t make you want to vomit into your popcorn and will keep you actually entertained.
1. Say Anything… (1989)
This 1989 coming of age drama starring a dreamy young John Cusack and natural beauty Ione Skye is all about summer flings, first loves, and true loves. It’s an 80s movie, so naturally the soundtrack is amazing, but the yin yang love interests are what make this movie so endlessly watchable. The two characters are undeniably and adorably polar opposites, but (spoiler alert) it all works out in the end, giving us all hope for our own horribly mismatched relationships.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Heath Ledger. Need I say more? The amazing and talented Julia Stiles is also in it, and the chemistry she has with the late aussie hunk is almost palpable. Here’s the situation in a nutshell: Heath Ledger’s character Patrick is paid to date Julia Stiles’s character Kat so that Kat’s younger sister can go to the school dance with another boy (who’s paying Patrick). If that sounds confusing, don’t worry about it, the romance is enough to sustain this movie. And though it’s forced at first, they do end up falling in love! Awww! We only dream of being gifted electric guitars by Australian babes.
3. Ghost (1990)
This is a bit of an unconventional romance that many just consider a mystery film. But Patrick Swayze’s love for Demi Moore is what drives the whole plot! Whoopi Goldberg almost steals the whole show, however, and won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role, which just gives you all the more reason to watch it. In short: Swayze’s character dies and enlists the help of a psychic (Goldberg) to contact his bereaved wife (Moore) to save her from a madman out to harm her, too. There’s a bit of a juicy twist, a young and handsome Tony Goldwyn is also in it, and it shows us what it really means to love someone.
4. Casablanca (1942)
An oldie but a goodie! This WWII film starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman is the classic story of star-crossed lovers meant to be together but torn apart, but with a much more satisfying ending than Romeo & Juliet. This film was also rated the third top romance film in history on Rotten Tomatoes. Need I go on?
5. Sixteen Candles (1984)
And of course, this list would not be complete without a Molly Ringwald teen romance! Samantha (Ringwald) is a terribly misunderstood teenager with annoying parents and a nonexistent love life, save for one tenacious nerd who somehow thinks he’s in her league. We’ve all been there at some point. Samantha just wants to capture the attention of the high school hottie Jake, but she’s hopelessly shy. You’d think the whole will-they-won’t-they scenario would get annoying after a while, but it’s really quite cute, and the last scene of the film is something every girl wishes they could recreate but probably won’t, which is why we will just have to live vicariously through this movie instead.
