10 Bittersweet Anti-Valentine's Day Movies That Somehow Restore Your Faith In Romance

Movies are a medium that plays with your emotions — for better and for worse. When they're not scaring you out of your skin, most films try to 'woo' you with romance. Human connections form the central basis for most big screen outings, and more often than not, filmmakers want to leave viewers with some form of a happily ever after — but not always.

Like in real life, some relationships are more complex, nuanced, fractured, and frayed than any third-act resolution can adequately resolve. Our interactions with those we love are frequently messy and not always guaranteed to end well. It's this stirring corner of cinema that can sometimes be the most emotionally affecting to us viewers. After all, there's nothing quite as impactful as seeing something you've experienced yourself first-hand reflected on a giant cinema screen.

With Valentine's Day looming, we decided to look at 10 movies with bittersweet vibes that aren't afraid to kick you straight in the feels. Still, there's something about this batch of therapeutic gems that — despite their often traumatic journeys — leave you feeling optimistic about finding love.

While most break-up movies revel in a relationship's erosion, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" splits its couple up-front and mines the fallout for comedy gold. Jason Segel stars as Peter, a composer, and wannabe-musical-writer, at an all-time low after being dumped by his television star girlfriend, Sarah (Kristen Bell). To take his mind off the split, he heads to Hawaii for a beach vacation: He soon discovers that Sarah and her perpetually randy new boyfriend, actor Aldous Snow (Russell Brand), are staying at the same resort. While not what Peter had in mind, he somehow finds renewed hope by forming a relationship with the resort receptionist, Rachel (Mila Kunis), and avoiding encounters with his ever-present ex.

"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is one of Judd Apatow's stronger comedy films and one of the only break-up movies that's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny. Segel surrounds himself with familiar members of Apatow's circle — Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, and Bill Hader — who gleefully plum the depths of Peter's heartbreak for some solid comedy scenes. If Peter's not making you smile with the morbidly over-the-top songs he's writing for his vampire heartache musical, he's making you spit-take by laying it all on the line and ditching his clothes for a good comedy bit. While many break-up movies wallow in what could have been, "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" delivers that much-needed dose of humor that helps you get back on your feet.

Frankly, it'd be rude not to include "High Fidelity" on this list. The film follows Rob (John Cusack), a guy who loves listing his top five favorite songs and albums but isn't too hot on forging lasting relationships with women. Directed by Stephen Frears, "High Fidelity" focuses on one man's determination to change his ways by reflecting on his past failures. This movie also introduced wider audiences to Jack Black, who plays Rob's record store employee pal, Barry, in a role that perfectly combines his energetic comedic skills with his musical talents.

Pushing aside Rob's incessant list-making and Black's larger-than-life performance, there's a story here that most of us have experienced at some point in our lives. Determined to figure out why his relationships keep failing, Rob takes a long, hard look at his personality, his relationship with women, and what he needs to change to become a better person. In doing so, he's finally able to win back the heart of the woman who broke his at the start of the movie, freeing himself from the self-obsessed man-boy he once was and putting him on the path toward emotional maturity.

Despite the fact that a break-up forms the crux of "High Fidelity," Frears' adaptation of Nick Hornby's bestselling novel proves that oftentimes, progression and healing starts is an inward journey.

"The Worst Person In The World" isn't strictly a break-up movie. It's more of a coming-of-age story that perfectly encapsulates the experience and after-effects of someone's first meaningful relationship — the one that doesn't necessarily last but helps you transition from young adulthood to maturity. Director Joachim Trier introduces us to Julie (Renate Reinsve) when she's a medical student in her 20s. The film follows her up to her early 30s: By this point, she's spent time messing around, met older illustrator Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), struggled with the concept of parenthood and impending responsibility, and cheated on her partner with someone new.

The flitting around and not knowing exactly what you want in life makes the final part of Trier's thematic Oslo-based trilogy so relatable. Who hasn't passed up the perfect relationship purely because that little voice in their head just won't shut up about what else might be out there? When we've rolled the dice and put ourselves back in the game, how many of us have only then realized the importance and uniqueness of what we had?

Throughout this touching drama, Julie learns hard truths about relationships and herself, leaving her in a place that's new and more settled. While her story may not end with the same 'happily ever after' narrative we've become so accustomed to seeing, it's this realness that makes it such a therapeutic watch.

Some people are meant to be together, but life gets in the way. Sometimes it's location or timing, but in the case of Seb (Ryan Gosling) and Mia (Emma Stone), following their dreams ultimately tears them apart. Infused with sentimentality for old Hollywood, director Damien Chazelle's multi-Oscar winning musical, "La La Land" is a movie that wears its heart firmly on its sleeve, with an earworm-filled soundtrack by composer Justin Hurwitz underpinning its warmth, romanticism, fun, and heartbreak.

In "La La Land," we follow struggling jazz musician Seb who meets aspiring actress Mia. After a few comically feisty exchanges, the pair eventually get together, resulting in some of the most musically romantic scenes in modern cinema history. (Many of these sequences harken back to the golden age of movie musicals.) But while their love blossoms, their professional lives threaten to separate them, as Seb joins a popular touring act and Mia's acting career flourishes. Eventually, the strain becomes too much and the pair regretfully call it quits.

In addition to being a bittersweet love story, "La La Land" touches upon many of the complex struggles faced by those dedicated to finding their creative purpose. Chazelle's film is hopefully optimistic — in terms of its romance and the importance of following your dreams without selling out. While its ending may leave you teary-eyed, you'll still have a smile on your face.

"Call Me By Your Name" is another film better described as a coming-of-age drama than a break-up movie. Still, it's filled with all the passion, love, confusion, and pain that comes with difficult splits — making it a film that's sure to help viewers through difficult romantic moments. Instead of tackling the difficulty of moving on, Luca Guadagnino's adaptation of André Aciman's book of the same name focuses on a love that's not quite unrequited or forbidden, yet still unable to flourish to its full potential.

Set in the early '80s, Elio (Timothée Chalamet), a teenager on holiday with his family in Italy, meets 24-year-old Oliver (Armie Hammer). The pair soon strike up a clandestine romance. As both characters work through their romantic desires, the film paints a vivid picture of the confusion, awkwardness, and mixed messaging that accompanies early relationships and romantic flings.

By the end, life must move on, and as with many of our brushes with connections that never quite manage to go the distance, Elio has to come to terms with this reality. Later, upon hearing the news of Oliver's impending marriage, he finally reaches this painful yet necessary milestone. Guadagnino lingers on Elio's crying face in a scene that's familiar to any broken heart.