A guide to 5 romantic movies to watch on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is coming up next week, and whether you’re taken or single, the holiday can be a good time to reflect on love, romance, and relationships. Those spending their Valentine’s Day with a special someone will appreciate movies with sweet love stories and happy endings. Meanwhile, single people might enjoy movies with darker storylines, and reminders that they’re not alone in getting their hearts broken. Each of these five movies will offer something to romance lovers this Valentine’s Day.
Definitely, Maybe (2008)
Definitely, Maybe centres on a recent divorcé, Will Hayes. Will’s 10 year old daughter Maya hopes to get her parents back together, and she asks Will to tell her the story of how they met. Will then tells the story of how, when he was young, he had relationships with three different women. One of the women is Maya’s mother, Will explains. Will uses fake names for the women, and Maya must guess which one her mother is.
Meanwhile, the audience watches as Will’s story with the three women unfolds. One of the women, Emily, is Will’s college girlfriend, who Will is determined to stay with even after he moves from Wisconsin to New York City. Another woman, April, works making copies in Will’s office, although she has the potential to do more with her life. The third woman, Summer, is a sexy writer who finds Will’s innocence cute.
Over the years, Will goes through the ups and downs of life, and the audience eventually learns how each woman fits uniquely into Will’s story. The film explores questions over whether or not long-lost love can be fixed.
One Day (2011)
Emma has been in love with Dexter since their university days, however, Dexter is a bad boy busy chasing one girl after the next. The two friends make a promise to see each other on one day, every year.
Over the course of about 15 years, Emma and Dexter experience trials and tribulations in their careers and relationships, turning to each other in times of need. Will the two eventually realise that they are destined to be together?
Lion (2016)
Lion is not explicitly a romance movie, however, it involves a romantic storyline set amidst a great adventure. The protagonist, Saroo, is a small child in India when he gets lost on a day out with his brother. Saroo comes from a poor slum, and his family doesn’t have a telephone, so he doesn’t know how to get back home.
Saroo ends up being adopted by a family in Australia and is raised there. But as he becomes an adult, he can’t stop thinking about his mother and brother, and how they’ll never know what happened to him. Saroo’s longing to find his family begins to consume his life, interrupting his relationship with his girlfriend Lucy. Saroo tells Lucy about his longing to find his family, and she agrees to help him search for them.
Love Actually (2003)
A classic romantic comedy, Love Actually combines the stories of eight London couples during Christmas. One man is in love with his best friend’s new wife, played by Keira Knightley. He acts cold toward her in order to hide his feelings. Another character, a writer, is in love with his housekeeper, who he cannot properly communicate with due to language barriers.
Among the several love stories is a cute story involving school children with crushes as well.
If you’re looking for a classic movie that you can laugh and gush with, then Love Actually is a good Valentine’s Day flick for you.
500 Days of Summer (2009)
The romantic comedy-drama 500 Days of Summer is perfect to watch if you’re single on Valentine’s Day, or going through a tough breakup. The protagonist, Tom, thinks he has found the woman of his dreams, Summer. Tom and Summer date each other and Tom falls in love, however, Summer maintains that she does not believe in love.
