Top 10 tragic love story movies you never would have thought of
Looking for a romantic tearjerker that will hold your attention for an evening on the couch? Here are 10 tragic love story movies that you wouldn’t think of that will make you cry from tales that are old to new. People of all generations can recognize some or discover new ones! In each one of these stories, death is not the only tragedy! These are not your mainstream love stories such as: “The Notebook”, “Romeo and Juliet,” or “Titanic.” Out of these 10 films selected, seven are classified as dramas, two are biographies, and one is a thriller. The year of release for each movie ranges from as old as 1989, one in 1996, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2014, and three in 2015. Grab your boyfriend, husband, friend, or mom and watch each one of these movies if you haven’t seen them, or even if you have. They will surely be full of drama, love, interesting, informative, and tragedy!
1. The “Secret Life of Marilyn” Lifetime movie is a drama film/biography that initially released May 30, 2015 and shows the life story of actress and model Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn was an only child, coping with her estranged father, a mentally ill mother, and her boyfriends, as well as Marilyn being a high functioning mentally ill person herself. The “Secret Life of Marilyn” discusses her three failed marriages; her first husband who left her because of her mental illness, the second who physically abused her, and the third who loved her deeply but blamed her for the death of their baby. Marilyn had many high-profile affairs, one allegedly with John F. Kennedy. By 1961 she was famous, celebrated, and under the care of a psychiatrist due to her depression. At one point her second husband rescued her from a high security mental institution. Her unstable and chaotic life continued throughout her life until she was found dead by her housekeeper, Eunice Murray. An autopsy revealed she had a fatal number of sedatives in her system, and her death was ruled a probable homicide at the age of 36. Decades later conspiracy theories believe Robert and/or John Kennedy had had her killed because they feared she would go public with her love affairs and other government secrets she had gathered.
2. “Miss you already” is a 2015 drama/romance film starring Drew Barrymore and Toni Collette. Toni is diagnosed with terminal breast cancer and all its side effects not just to her body and her relationships (with her husband, best friend, etc.) but her life. A definite must-see for those who have had breast cancer, know someone who has, and/or just want to be educated. You will never take being healthy and alive for granted again after seeing this film.
3. “Tristan + Isolde” is a 2006 drama/romance film starring James Franco, Sophia Miles, and Rufus Sewell. The story of Tristan and Isolde is an ancient one. The two drink a love potion by accident and fall in love. They deceive King Mark until Tristan is forced to flee. Later he marries Isolde the Fair (the wife of King Mark).
4. “The Perfect Guy” released in 2015 and tagged as an erotic thriller. It stars Sanaa Lathan, Michael Ealy, and Morris Chestnut. Sanaa Lathan plays Leah Vaughn, who has a satisfying career and stable relationship with long-term boyfriend Dave (Morris Chestnut) who isn’t ready to commit to marriage and a family with her. She breaks up with Dave and meets Carter Duncan (Michael Ealy) who seems like “the perfect guy”. Watch this suspenseful thriller to see who Leah ends up with!
5. “Sylvia”, a 2003 movie starring Gwyneth Paltrow as Sylvia Plath, an academic, author, editor, and poet. The film tells the story of Sylvia Plath’s life and her stormy marriage to famous poet Ted Hughes. Already coping with her husband’s chronic infidelities, Sylvia sinks into more depression after he leaves her for another woman. She deals with numerous tragedies in her life that lead to her death at age 30 in 1963.
6. “Jane Eyre” is not exactly a new or unheard-of story, this is the 1996 drama/romance film starring Anna Paquin, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Fiona Shaw, and William Hurt. Jane, orphaned as a young girl, suffers abuse and humiliation from her aunt, until she is finally sent away to a strict boarding school for several years. She endures and eventually becomes the governess of Thornfield Hall, caring for the child of William Hurt and his sickly wife. Jane and William begin a passionate relationship that ends in tragedy. Don’t miss this classic period romance!
7. “Autumn in New York”, a 2000 drama/romance film starring Richard Gere and Winona Ryder. Richard plays a 50-something playboy who has a second thought about his misconceptions about women, relationships, and sex after he meets Winona who is half his age and dying of terminal cancer. Watch this movie to see how they both experience a love only some can dream of in a lifetime.
8. “Sweet November” is a 2001 drama/romance film starring Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron. Keanu Reeves plays an advertising executive who loses his job and live-in girlfriend all in one day. When renewing his driver’s license at the DMV, he has Charlize kicked out of the DMV for cheating. Charlize decides to take Keanu in for one month as her lover. As their time together progresses, she learns to stop and enjoy the important things in life, such as helping others, the outdoors, and romance. Keanu proposes marriage and learns why Charlize only takes men in for a month. As a result, Keanu learns valuable life lessons from her, and became a better person as a result.
9. “Fault in Our Stars”, a 2014 drama film based on the best-selling adult novel by John Green, tells the remarkable story of Hazel Lancaster, a teen who is suffering from metastatic thyroid cancer. She falls in love with Augustus Waters, who had lost his leg to cancer but is nonetheless a survivor determined to live an extraordinary life. They take a trip to Amsterdam together because of Hazel’s obsession with Peter Van Houten, author of the cancer story “An Imperial Affliction”. The author impatiently lectures on the differences between fact and fiction, which proves true to the line from the movie, “The world is not a wish-granting factory.”
10. “Steel Magnolias” a 1989 drama film about 6 southern belles with husbands who are either gone, dead, or depressed. The gossipy women get together and the film shows each one of their lives. The movie, written by Robert Harling, is based on a true story. Shelby’s tale belonged to Harling’s sister, Susan, before Julia Roberts brought it to the big screen. Harling wanted to get the true story off his chest and celebrate his sister. The characters are based on real people from his hometown of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Tragedy strikes and through the tears and real-life dramas with the women this is a tragic love story between friends and women in general. This one is bound to become one of your favorite movies.
Which of the movies have you seen listed in this article? Any new ones that you’d like to see that are listed in this article or know of any other ‘non-mainstream’ tragic love story movies you’d like to share? Comment publicly to this post.
By: Carly Calabrese
Carly Calabrese is a professional writer in Puyallup, WA (and owner of Work Solutions and manager of this website you're at). She's been published in Woman's World Magazine (twice), the Tacoma Daily Index, the Eatonville Dispatch (Newspaper), SouthSoundTalk.com, Tacoma.com, the Tacoma Art Group, the Federal Way Mirror (Newspaper), South Sound Magazine, Showcase Media Magazine, the Business Examiner, & the Puyallup Herald (Newspaper). If you are an editor OR know of an editor of a publication who hires freelance writers, please email Carly at: [email protected]. Thank you! 🙏
Carly Calabrese is a professional writer in Puyallup, WA (and owner of Work Solutions and manager of this website you're at). She's been published in Woman's World Magazine (twice), the Tacoma Daily Index, the Eatonville Dispatch (Newspaper), SouthSoundTalk.com, Tacoma.com, the Tacoma Art Group, the Federal Way Mirror (Newspaper), South Sound Magazine, Showcase Media Magazine, the Business Examiner, & the Puyallup Herald (Newspaper). If you are an editor OR know of an editor of a publication who hires freelance writers, please email Carly at: [email protected]. Thank you! 🙏
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