The post-breakup slump. We know it all too well.
First comes denial, refusing to admit to ourselves that the relationship is really over.
Next is anger, where we get rid of all of their stuff and repeat our new mantra of “I was way too good for him anyways” while repeatedly replaying every time they screwed you over in our head.
Next comes bargaining, figuring out how far we can go getting back into contact with our ex. This could be simply a friendship, getting back together or just a late-night text conversation (don’t worry — it happens to the best of us).
Then comes depression, where we finally find ourselves ready to mourn the relationship and say goodbye to what once was.
Then, finally, we are met with acceptance.
No matter what stage of your breakup you are in, we have just the movie for you. Here are some of the best movies to watch while going through any stage of a breakup.
- “Someone Great”
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This one is for long-term relationship breakups. “Someone Great” has it all: heartbreak, friendship and self-discovery. You will laugh, you will cry and you will leave this movie with a newfound sense of acceptance. If you watch one movie on this list, let it be this one.
- “La La Land”
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This might be a mean suggestion, but if you are in the depression stage it might be the one for you. With its bittersweet ending (much like that of your relationship) this movie might be just the one you need to remember that things don’t always work the way we want them to, but that might just be for the better.
- “Crazy, Stupid, love.”
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So many breakups in just one movie. The perfect mix of humor, sadness and hope (and Ryan Gosling is shirtless).
If your breakup caught you off guard, or things were seemingly perfect until they weren’t, this film may be the one for you.
- “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”
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If this guy can get through this breakup, anyone can. Imagine getting broken up with, watching them date a super hot movie star, going on a vacation to forget about them and then guess what? She and said super hot movie star boyfriend are staying in the room right next door.
This movie is a great reminder that breakups happen, and they suck, but everyone gets through them eventually.
- “Love, Guaranteed”
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A movie about finding love just when you thought you never would. If you have become a victim of dating apps and their empty promises about helping you find the love of your life, this movie will make you feel seen and heard.
- “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before”
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While this movie is ultimately a love story, it also shows different ways to cope with a lot of heartbreak. The long-distance breakup, rejection or loss in a non-romantic sense. It has it all.
You can also compare your ex to Peter Kavinsky, who seems far too perfect in this movie. Set your standards back up high!
- “Kill Bill: Vol. 1”
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Do you want to kill your ex? So does Uma Thurman in this film.
This movie is the perfect catharsis for all of those feelings of anger and resentment you may be harboring for your ex. Come live vicariously through this film.
- “Legally Blonde”
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The perfect movie to remind you that A) you were way too good for that man and B) it only goes up from here. Go get that degree, that internship or that job. The world is so much bigger than a man who broke your heart.
The perfect movie to get you out of the wallowing stage and back out there again.
- “Love Again”
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A movie all about new beginnings and finding love again after loss. This movie is a good reminder that it is always possible to find love again after hardship.
- “How To Be Single”
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If you are ready for a laugh then this is the movie for you. Remember the positives of a single life and remember that life goes on after a breakup.
Breakups are hard. It is a fact of life, and they never seem to get easier.
When healing seems impossible, and you are convinced that you may never love again, it can be nice to have films remind us that love and peace are never too far out of reach. It may take time, but eventually, you won’t even be able to remember why you were so upset in the first place.