Valentine’s Day has come and gone, and love is still lingering in the air. If you’re sick of roses and conversation hearts, boxes of chocolates and sappy rom-coms, you’re not alone. Whether you’re going through a breakup this Valentine’s season, need an excuse to cry or you’re just looking for further validation that love does not exist, look no further than four of the most devastating films ever made.
*Disclaimer: major spoilers ahead
Starting off with a devastating classic: the story of Mia and Sebastian, played respectively by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. The musical, set in Los Angeles (LA), recounts the meeting and relationship of Mia, an aspiring actress, and Sebastian, a jazz pianist. Both are driven by their passions and dreams as they struggle to navigate the unforgiving creative industry of LA. The film takes us through their love story with scenes throughout the city that capture the heart of Los Angeles: the infamous tap-dancing scene above the city at Griffith Park, and through the Observatory in the “Planetarium” scene.
Their relationship is at first picture perfect: Mia and Sebastian are the epitome of soulmates, driven together by their shared ambition and pushing each other to succeed as they grow in their careers. However, they are driven apart by those very same aspirations, as they must choose whether or not to sacrifice their relationship in order to follow their dreams. After watching this movie, the minute you hear the melody of Mia and Sebastian’s theme, your day is sure to be ruined.
“I said I love the Smiths.” You’re most likely familiar with this quote from the film 500 Days of Summer, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel. But don’t be mistaken: this movie is not in the least a love story, but rather a cautionary tale against falling in love with the idea of someone.
In fact, the movie starts off with an omniscient narrator warning viewers that this is not a love story. The film is told in a nonlinear narrative, jumping back and forth between the 500 days of Tom (Gordon-Levitt) and Summer’s (Deschanel) complicated relationship, which really seems doomed from the start. Summer does not believe in true love, while Tom is the definition of a hopeless romantic, growing up his whole life waiting for “the one.” When Summer starts working at Tom’s office, he instantly falls for her, but she makes it clear that she only wants a casual relationship.
The film jumps from the highs of their relationship to the lows through the eyes of Tom, as he reels from their breakup. Whether you sympathize with Tom or Summer in this film truly reflects the nature of your character and your past experience with relationships. But regardless of who was in the right, “500 Days of Summer” is a realistic portrayal of the many relationships that do not have a fairytale ending.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Perfect for the occasion, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” begins on Valentine’s Day, as Joel and Clementine (played by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, respectively) meet on a bus ride home from Montauk, N.Y. However, unbeknownst to them, it’s not their first time meeting.
Joel, after discovering that Clementine has erased all memories of him and their relationship, makes the impulsive decision to do the same. After the opening scene, the film jumps from the outside perspective of the procedure to Joel’s mind, where his memories of Clementine are being erased. The memories play in reverse chronological order, revealing the ups and downs of their tumultuous relationship from their last fight to the day they met. Joel, when reliving his memories, realizes how much Clementine has meant to him and must attempt to break free from his own mind before his memories of her are gone for good. The film poses the question: what is worse, the pain of remembering or the emptiness of forgetting it ever happened?
Joel and Clementine are a bittersweet portrayal of a realistic relationship, one that shows that love stories aren’t always perfect. But as the entirety of their relationship is erased in the span of one night, it becomes clear that love, and the memories we have with one another, are fleeting.
Directed by the renowned Luca Guadagnino and starring Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name” is one of the most haunting yet beautiful depictions of love and loss. Adapted from the novel by André Aciman, the film follows the relationship between Elio (Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer). Seventeen-year-old Elio becomes infatuated with twenty-four-year-old graduate student Oliver, who comes to stay at his family’s home in Northern Italy for academic work.
Infatuation turns to a complex relationship between the two, as the film explores the overwhelming intoxication of first love in secrecy that from the beginning, is bound to end. Full of yearning and beautiful cinematography, “Call Me By Your Name” is a devastatingly unforgettable masterpiece.
If your Valentine’s Day and perception of love isn’t ruined after watching these films, congratulations. However, if these films have had a soul-crushing impact on you, that is to be expected— just be warned, they may haunt you long after the Valentine’s season has subsided.
