The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

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The best breakup movies to sooth your broken heart

When you’re reeling from a recent breakup, sometimes you just need some quality time with your favorite (or new-to-you!) breakup movies. You can feel all the feels with a sad romance, get empowered to find your fresh start, or get your rage on with a good revenge fantasy. Whatever your aim, there’s a movie to quench the thirst.

Grab some gelato and peruse our huge list of movies to soothe your poor hurt heart…

Best breakup movies

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Kill Bill (2003)

Bad-ass women kicking ass and needing nobody’s help. That’s us, right?

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

John Tucker Must Die (2006)

When you’re in the anger phase and want to get some revenge fantasies out of your system.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

Fill your broken heart with Italian vistas, hunky contractors, limoncello, and new family.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Frozen (2013)

There’s more love to go around than just the love of a partner. Sisters before misters, y’all.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Moana (2016)

When most of us came of age in a time when the end of every single Disney movie was marriage, it’s awesome to see a Disney movie with no prince in the picture.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Waiting to Exhale (1995)

Four women (including Whitney!) navigate the choppy waters of a shallow dating pool. Watch this when you’re in the burn-it-to-the-ground stage where you just need your friends.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Thelma and Louise (1991)

Friends are so important… all the way to the end.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Amelie (2001)

This IS a love tale, I know. But it’s also about taking chances and being courageous in finding new love. Watch this when you’re almost ready to get back in the game.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Hidden Figures (2016)

Watch this when you’re in that “fuck love” stage and ready to dig in your heels on all your other talents.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Sliding Doors (1998)

This parallel plot film will remind you that life is essentially chaos and bad things happening now doesn’t always equal bad things later.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Love Actually (2003)

I know, “love” is in the title, but it’s always good to get a reminder that heartbreak is just a part of life and a stepping stone to the next stage. Plus, it’s just good.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

This graphic novel-inspired tale teaches us that the Power of Self-Respect > Power of Love to win the day.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

The Big Chill (1983)

When it’s time to focus on friendships, this is the movie to watch.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Bridesmaids (2011)

Okay, you might feel as rock bottomed as Annie (Kristen Wiig), but she does meet Chris O’Dowd in the middle, so there’s hope yet! Just know that you’ve moved on from your own Jon Hamm character.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

Nothing like a little shared heartbreak experience with Julia to get us in the mood to commiserate.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Private Benjamin (1980)

Goldie Hawn shows us that when life gives you lemons, you join the Army? But actually, this one is pretty perfect for subverting the typical romance genre.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Her (2013)

A tale of futuristic love is remarkably similar to today’s love. Human nature really is timeless. And a little weird.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

13 Going on 30 (2004)

Or watch Big (1988) if you prefer. But a little dose of alternate reality never hurt anyone.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)

A little dose of “it could be worse” via our Bridget never goes amiss. Plus, it’ll give you some faith that someone will love you “just as you are.”

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Maybe you too wish you could erase your memories of better (and worse) times, but at least we learn it may not make any difference at all. Even if we could.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

Legally Blonde (2001)

Revenge is a dish best served with a law degree. Take that, Warner!

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

Chocolat (2001)

The soundtrack is amazing, the love plot is totally secondary (or maybe tertiary), and Juliette B. needs no man. Grab some chocolat to nibble while you’re watching.

The best breakup films to soothe your broken heart

How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)

Stella reminds us that the worst of times can lead to the best of times. And the sexiest of times.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

Annie Hall (1977)

The love story that kind of isn’t. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, it just isn’t going to work. And that’s totally okay.

The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart

The Princess Bride (1987)

You might be stuck in your own symbolic engagement to Prince Humperdinck, but it doesn’t mean that life won’t change sooner than you can storm a castle. Life is inconceivable.

Comments on The best breakup movies to soothe your broken heart (or stoke your rage)

  1. I could write a literal essay on how watching “Silence of the Lambs” is the best break up movie ever. I do NOT want to watch couples get together right after someone’s broken up with me. What I want is a movie where EVERY dude is creepy, Clarisse becomes the badass she’s supposed to be, and another woman (a size 12-14 woman! who isn’t the butt of a joke!) embraces her own fate and holds a small dog hostage.

    I have become a Silence of the Lambs evangelist in my friend group following every break up. It’s the best.

  2. When ever I need a movie to distract me from real life (grad school, breakups, etc) I always turn to ‘Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,’ ‘Fifth Element’ and ‘Legally Blonde.’ They are not my normal movies of choice but man can they always make me happy.

  3. After my first major break-up, I marathoned as much of The Muppet Show as I could. It was silly and frivolous without ever really touching on romance, and it was so refreshing to indulge in something that had nothing to do with my ex.

  4. Man, Love Actually was the most depressing movie EVER when I was single. It’s why I still hate it, 13 years later. I would caution people going through bad breakups on that one…

  5. Better Off Dead is fantastically absurd. It IS about finding new love after a breakup, but it’s also too silly to think about anything else. The amount of cliches and tropes they play up to the point of absurdity is just entertaining.

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