Sleepless

• However the nature of love and the portrayal of different kinds of relationships have always been explored on film, right from the early days of “talkies”.
• So if we must indulge in Valentine’s Day, let’s do it with ten very different romantic films that examine the variety of configurations of this most human of conditions.

1. The definitive romantic comedy: When Harry Met Sally … (1989)

• Written by the late great Nora Ephron, who made her name writing and later directing iconic romantic comedies such as Sleepless in Seattle, this film shows something that many romantic comedies often don’t: time.
• Taking place over 12 years, the film asks the question “Can men and women ever just be friends?” At first glance, the film’s ending might seem to say “no.” But another, perhaps more positive way of interpreting the ending is that true friendship is the bedrock for lasting romance.

2. Longing for longing: Call Me By Your Name (2017)

• The film is intimate and well-observed, capturing the difficulties and discoveries of young love, particularly how emotionally overwhelming it can be.
• The affection between Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) often goes unspoken, but is communicated in other ways.

3. For the poly-curious: Design For Living (1933)

• It’s the classic love story: boys meet girl, girl cannot decide between them, boys and girl agree to live together.
• Design For Living still surprises to this day with its subtly risqué and humorous examination of diverse forms of romantic relationships.

4. For the anxiously analytical: Modern Romance (1981)

• Albert Brooks is one of the great all-time analysts of the modern condition, and this film is no different.
• Co-written, directed and starring Brooks, Modern Romance explores the agonising question: “is this truly the one?” Caught between his anxious tendencies and a sense of self-importance, Bob (Brooks) has an on-again, off-again relationship with Mary (Kathryn Harrold), in which his insecure but controlling nature escalates, making for a hilarious film.

5. The soundtrack to great love and grand gestures: Moulin Rouge! (2001)

• The romance between Christian (Ewan McGregor) and Satine (Nicole Kidman) is a classic love story, but this tale also captures romance in another sense, that of Romanticism, an art movement emerging in Europe that prioritised emotional truth.
• is the story of an artist coming into their craft through life experience, in this case, romantic love.

6. Love from a political angle: Tongues Untied (1989)

• As the film’s poster declares, this film is about black men loving black men.
• In its poetic merging of documentary footage, poetry, dance and autobiography, Tongues Untied illustrates that black men loving black men is in itself an act of defiance and resilience.

7. The charm of first love: Words Bubble Up Like Soda Pop (2021)

Working at an elderly care centre over the summer, two teens forge a bond that blooms into first love. But both also have anxieties that stand in the way: Cherry around speaking in public, Smile around her buck teeth. Kyohei Ishiguro’s Anime romance warms the heart and make you yearn for the warmth of both summer and that blush of first love.

8. Love in a relatable mid-life crisis: Crossing Delancey (1988)

• Isabelle (Amy Irving) is a bookstore clerk who admires the world of literary elites in New York.
• While she has eyes for the new big-name author in town, her grandmother has other plans, working to set Isabelle up with a local pickle salesman.

9. The throwback romantic comedy: Down With Love (2003)

Taking inspiration from classic 1950s and 1960s romantic comedies of Doris Day, Rock Hudson and Tony Randall, Down with Love is about two writers whose pride and ambitions clash in classic romantic comedy fashion. Featuring sizzling performances by Rene Zellweger and Ewan McGregor – with hilarious turns by David Hyde Pierce, Sarah Paulson and Tony Randall himself – director Peyton Reed twists the romantic comedy formula to great effect, making for a colourful, fun and feisty film.

10. The bittersweet romance: Past Lives (2023)

Nominated for best picture and best original screenplay at the 2024 Academy Awards, Past Lives rounds out this list as a bittersweet triumph. Celine Song’s gentle film charts the relationship of two people as they meet throughout their lives. Full of tender romance, bring some tissues for this affecting film.
Jacqueline Ristola does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.