5 of the best alternative-romance movies
If you’ve had your fill of lovey-dovey-couple-y romance, don’t give up on the L-word altogether – watch these tales of love with a difference
Something’s Gotta Give, 2003
Granted, this Nancy Meyers-directed treat of a movie starring Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson (and let’s not forget Keanu Reeves as the impossibly eligible younger man) is a classic boy-meets-girl romantic comedy – albeit one in which the boy and girl are a little past being called ‘boy’ and ‘girl’. But this movie works just as well as an affirmation of another kind of love – namely, the kind we have for great real estate. Because Diane Keaton’s house in the Hamptons is worthy of true love: its large kitchen with soapstone counters; its beautiful sitting room with white linen sofas; its bedroom with its own writing nook; and that decked terrace opening onto the beach… Men may come and go, but good interiors are forever.
Maleficent, 2014
The biggest romantic con is that true love is unconditional. Because if the person you fall in love with subsequently proves themselves boring, inconsiderate, neglectful or worse, then you owe it to yourself to love them less, and reject movies where romance flourishes in the face of awful behavior by one (usually male) party. But this Disney fantasy reminds us that unconditional love does exist, albeit in a parental context. Having vowed to destroy Princess Aurora’s (Elle Fanning) life, Maleficent (Angelina Jolie) pulls no punches (seriously, she’s a hell of a fighter) in trying to save it after her maternal instincts kick in. In the end, it’s her kiss, not sappy Prince Phillip’s, that rouses the princess from her coma. Admittedly, the premise is let down by showing young Aurora as unremittingly deserving (and any parent will testify that unconditional love is proven when the child in question is unrepentantly bratty), but it’s no less joyful for that.
Bend It Like Beckham, 2002
The focus of this charming British comedy isn’t lead character Jess Bhamra’s infatuation with David Beckham, although he is her sporting hero, or Keira Knightley’s breakthrough performance. It is actually Jess’ love for soccer and her will to pursue it professionally, despite her parents’ objections. Soccer doesn’t align with Jess’ traditional Indian upbringing, and in a clash of cultures she finds herself torn between the expectations of her family and her burning passion to compete. Bend It Like Beckham offers a rousing call to reject the restrictions of gender norms, and to stay true to what you love in the face of adversity. It’s a different kind of forbidden love – one on the field.
Beaches, 1988
There is plenty of competition in the field of movies about female friendship, and we urge you to check out the likes of 2017’s raucous Girls Trip, 2012’s delicate Frances Ha, the 1997 treasure that is Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, and the stunning though lesser-known Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Each is a reminder of the strength and beauty of the sisterhood. But for a movie that runs the gamut of key moments in our relationships with other women, Beaches is hard to beat. Two girls with very different upbringings meet by chance one day and begin a friendship that survives distance, huge financial disparity and some pretty snobby parents. As they navigate their twenties, the young women – played by Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey – cement their bond even further through first loves and career false-starts. But reality bites – and here come the tears – when life throws devastating tests in their way. Ultimately, what is truly uplifting about this movie is the message that there isn’t just one incarnation of a partner in life, and that those who really love you will be there for you, no matter what.
Matilda, 1996
Let Danny DeVito’s big screen, big-hearted adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Matilda convince you that a love affair with reading is likely to be the most empowering relationship of your life. Young Matilda is a devourer of books, which makes her brain so mighty that she unlocks telekinetic abilities that help her to take on all of the horrid people in her life who are trying to keep her down. Basically, Matilda’s love of learning was a triumphant exercise in self-care, long before it became a buzzword. Plus, the film’s portrayal of the friendship between Matilda and her teacher Miss Honey is a reminder that the family you choose can be a whole lot more deserving of your love than the one you’re born into.
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