The Princess Bride & 9 Other Beautiful Romance Movies With Incredible Writing

There’s a reason why romance movies are so popular and why there’s a romance plotline in almost every film, regardless of genre. For audience members, watching love unfold onscreen is eternally compelling and sparks intense feelings within the safety of a fictional story. No matter who the characters are or what the narrative is about, there’s something to relate to and identify with in almost every romance movie, especially the beautifully written ones. When the writing of a romance movie is as strong as the cast’s chemistry, it’s clear that the film will be an enduring addition to the genre.

Plenty of gorgeously imagined romantic movies have tragic endings, as this is true to life and reflects the ups and downs of relationships. The payoff of seeing the central couple end up together is only satisfying if they have to struggle and overcome obstacles to be together. While some of these relationships unfold over a lifetime onscreen, others occur in just a single day. However, this short time together gives the characters memories and feelings that last a lifetime. Even if the conclusion of these films is bittersweet, they demonstrate to us that true love is out there.

10

The Princess Bride (1987)

Directed by Rob Reiner

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The Princess Bride

PG

Fantasy

Family

Adventure

ScreenRant logo

10/10

12

9.5/10

Release Date

October 9, 1987

Runtime

98 minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Mandy Patinkin

    Mandy Patinkin

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    Chris Sarandon

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As much a fairy tale fantasy film as it is a romantic comedy, The Princess Bride is a classic for a reason. Starring Cary Elwes and Robin Wright as Westley and Buttercup, the fated lovers who propel the movie’s story, The Princess Bride uses its comedic elements to ease the tension and undercut some of the sweetness and sentimentality that define the film. However, this isn’t to say that The Princess Bride is ashamed of its heartfelt narrative; quite the opposite.

Imagery-from-Stardust,-Romancing-The-Stone,-and-Get-Smart

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The Princess Bride treats every joke and subversion of the romance genre with warmth and appreciation, as the movie clearly has a deep love and respect for its influences. As time has progressed, The Princess Bride has only become more popular and universally acclaimed, as its somewhat unconventional story structure is extremely compatible with contemporary tastes. It helps that the outstanding ensemble cast is so committed to taking every moment of the lush story seriously.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Princess Bride (1987)

96%

94%

9

Portrait Of A Lady on Fire (2019)

Directed by Céline Sciamma

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Portrait of a Lady on Fire

R

Release Date

September 18, 2019

Runtime

120 minutes

Cast

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    Adèle Haenel

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Noemie Merlant

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Valeria Golino

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The intensity of the passion between Marianne (Noémie Merlant) and Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) in Portrait of a Lady on Fire is enough to make you feel the flame yourself. Céline Sciamma, the director, is well known for her dedication to bringing stories of queer female love to the screen and her past collaborations with Haenel. Since so much of the story is in conversation with visual artistic mediums, it’s intriguing to watch Sciamma play with the dynamic between subject and voyeur throughout the story.

Though the physical connection between Marianne​​​​​​​ and Héloïse is a vital part of the narrative, it’s in the absence of touch and the separation between them that the tension is felt the most acutely. Freedom is a critical theme throughout Portrait of a Lady on Fire, as through their acceptance of their love and connection, Marianne and Héloïse are able to transcend the restrictions of their time and circumstances. This, combined with the creative expression that’s unleashed through their relationship, creates the beautiful atmosphere of Portrait of a Lady on Fire​​​​​​.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

97%

92%

8

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

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Call Me By Your Name

R

Drama

Romance

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8.8/10

Release Date

November 24, 2017

Runtime

130 Minutes

Cast

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    Armie Hammer

  • Headshot Of Timothée Chalamet

    Timothée Chalamet

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It doesn’t come as a shock that Timothée Chalamet’s breakout role in the period love story Call Me By Your Name catapulted the young actor to fame. As the vulnerable yet determinedly assertive Elio, Chalamet brings the joy and pain of first love to the film’s surface, allowing the viewer to relive these agonizing feelings. Based on the novel of the same name by André Aciman, Call Me By Your Name isn’t just a story of falling in love for the first time but of giving yourself permission to feel the depths of desire and exploration through this love.

While it’s not a tale of happily ever afters, Call Me By Your Name accepts that the truth and beauty of first love is that it fades and almost never lasts.

Of course, it’s not difficult to fall in love with the Italian countryside in the background, and Call Me By Your Name makes full use of the gorgeous setting that surrounds Elio and Oliver. While it’s not a tale of happily ever afters, Call Me By Your Name accepts that the truth and beauty of first love is that it fades and almost never lasts. Like all great romance movies, there’s an element of escapism that’s inherent to Call Me By Your Name, but this is no more fantastical than the feelings of love in real life.

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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

95%

86%

7

Casablanca (1942)

Directed by Michael Curtiz

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Casablanca

PG

Drama

Romance

ScreenRant logo

10/10

9/10

Release Date

January 15, 1943

Runtime

102 minutes

Cast

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    Humphrey Bogart

    Rick Blaine

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Ingrid Bergman

    Ilsa Lund

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Few romance dramas are as well known as Casablanca, a devastating tale of love, grief, and the struggle against fascism that has lived on in the memories of cinephiles everywhere. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman are at their best as Rick and Ilsa, a pair of star-crossed lovers who meet on the brink of World War II and are quickly torn apart by circumstance. The impossibility of their love story is what makes it so compelling, as they both realize there are more important things in the world than their love.

A relentlessly quotable movie, Casablanca gives its characters plenty of lines of dialogue too suave to be said in real life but balances them with emotionally raw moments that feel unavoidably true. Casablanca is a great example of a movie that wasn’t just popular at the time of its release but proved its enduring worth thanks to its influence and legacy. Though it’s of a particular period of history, nothing about the movie feels dated, as the relationship between Rick and Ilsa feels as if it could just as easily play out today.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Casablanca (1943)

99%

95%

6

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Directed by Joe Wright

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Pride & Prejudice

Release Date

November 23, 2005

Runtime

2h 9m

Director

Joe Wright

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Keira Knightley

    Keira Knightley

  • Matthew Macfadyen Profile Picture

    Matthew Macfadyen

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Brenda Blethyn

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    Rosamund Pike

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There have been many takes on Jane Austen’s seminal novel, but the best adaptations of Pride & Prejudice all understand that following the letter of the book isn’t always as impactful as staying true to the emotional heart. Though the 2005 iteration of Pride & Prejudice takes a few liberties with the story, the chemistry between Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy is undeniable. It helps that the lush country setting of the film elevates the idyllic nature of the story and its belief in true love.

Since Pride & Prejudice has such strongly written source material to draw from, it’s not surprising that the film ranks among some of the best romance movies of all time.

Since Pride & Prejudice has such strongly written source material to draw from, it’s not surprising that the film ranks among some of the best romance movies of all time. However, the performances, direction, and screenplay all cement Pride & Prejudice not just as an adaptation but as a work that distinguishes itself and stands apart from the well-known Austen canon. The movie doesn’t shy away from its mass appeal and the deep attraction between Elizabeth and Darcy that fuels their enemies-to-lover dynamic.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

87%

89%

5

Past Lives (2023)

Directed by Celine Song

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Past Lives

PG-13

Drama

Romance

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8/10

Release Date

January 21, 2023

Runtime

106 minutes

Cast

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    Greta Lee

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    Teo Yoo

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Celine Song’s recent feature directorial debut, Past Lives, was also penned by Song, and this script is a moving portrait of time and the many possibilities relationships hold. Greta Lee leads the cast as Nora, a young woman who reconnects with her childhood romance as an adult in New York after emigrating from South Korea in her youth. Through Nora’s eyes, we see the many paths her life could’ve taken, and when Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) comes to see her, she can’t help imagining running away with him.

The Past Lives ending is indicative of the themes and message of the entire story, which tells us that the desire to leave her life behind and run away with Hae Sung is as powerful and real as the knowledge that this isn’t really what she wants. This inherent contradiction and the tension between leaving and staying is a vital piece of Past Lives. In Past Lives, Song takes the typical formulas of the romance genre and subverts them, packing an emotional punch.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Past Lives (2023)

95%

95%

4

Roman Holiday (1953)

Directed by William Wyler

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Roman Holiday

G

Romance

Comedy

Drama

Release Date

August 26, 1953

Runtime

119 minutes

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Audrey Hepburn

    Princess Ann

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Gregory Peck

    Joe Bradley

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Eddie Albert

    Irving Radovich

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Hartley Power

    Mr. Hennessy

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Before Audrey Hepburn became one of the most influential and well-known movie stars of the 20th century, she was a relatively unknown young actress cast opposite Gregory Peck in the 1953 romance film Roman Holiday. The chemistry between Hepburn and Peck as Princess Ann and the reporter Joe Bradley is so potent that it oozes off the screen all these decades later. It’s no stretch of the imagination to believe that these two people could fall in love in just a day and hold on to these memories of each other for the rest of their lives.

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In the final moments of the film, when Ann speaks directly to Joe, though she’s addressing a room full of reporters, it’s one of the most moving scenes in any romance movie. Watching Peck’s Joe stand in the empty room and feel the weight of what they had together and what can never be between them allows the lighthearted project to take on unexpected depth. Amid the hijinks and jokes that define the story, there’s a tender sadness made potent by the central performances.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Roman Holiday (1953)

96%

93%

3

Love & Basketball (2000)

Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood

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Love & Basketball

PG-13

Drama

Romance

Sports

Comedy

9/10

Release Date

April 21, 2000

Runtime

124 minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Sanaa Lathan

    Sanaa Lathan

    Monica Wright

  • Headshot Of Omar Epps

    Omar Epps

    Quincy McCall

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Gina Prince-Bythewood’s feature directorial debut, Love & Basketball​​​​​​, is a demonstration of how seriously the rom-com genre can and should be taken seriously. Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps lead the cast as Monica and Quincy, a pair of childhood friends turned lovers who struggle to balance their love for each other with their ambitions. Though the story could easily be treated as a typical teen romance, Prince-Bythewood understands the ups and downs Monica and Quincy face are significant and speak to the larger realities of finding love at a young age.

Time has only cemented Love & Basketball as a vital contribution to the rom-com genre. Every generation of viewers has discovered just how poignant the story is and how it was ahead of its time in so many ways. While the story revolves around both Quincy and Monica, Monica’s arc and her challenges being taken seriously as a female athlete while trying to build relationships take center stage. It’s an excellent example of how the female gaze translates so well to the romance genre, elevating the women onscreen.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Love & Basketball (2000)

85%

95%

2

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Directed by Wong Kar-wai

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In the Mood For Love

PG

Drama

Romance

Release Date

March 9, 2001

Runtime

98 Minutes

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Tony Leung Chiu-wai

    Tony Leung Chiu-wai

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Maggie Cheung

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Siu Ping-Lam

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    Tung Cho ‘Joe’ Cheung

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Slow, contemplative, and moving, Wong Kar-wai’s In The Mood For Love understands how much depth and devastation can be communicated in a single glance or brush of the hand. Starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai and Maggie Cheung Man-yuk as a pair of neighbors who discover their partners are cheating on the protagonists with each other, In The Mood For Love is an artistic expression of how these affairs can begin. Set in Hong Kong in the early 1960s, the visual style of In The Mood For Love is as compelling as its storytelling.

The passions and desires that drive the characters are simultaneously intense and soft onscreen.

Though the aesthetics and atmosphere are what might first capture the audience’s attention, it’s the way Chow Mo-wan (Leung Chiu Wai) and Su Li-zhen (Cheung Man-yuk) communicate and attempt to express their feelings that’s memorable. While there’s little question throughout In The Mood For Love that the characters will never be able to be together, this doesn’t stop the viewer from fervently wishing it could happen. The passions and desires that drive the characters are simultaneously intense and soft onscreen.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

In The Mood For Love (2000)

92%

94%

1

The Before Trilogy (1995–2013)

Directed by Richard Linklater

The Befor Trilogy poster by The Criterion Collection

Before Trilogy

Created by

Richard Linklater

First Film

Before Sunrise

Latest Film

Before Midnight

Summary

The Before trilogy, directed by Richard Linklater, follows the evolving relationship of Jesse and Céline over three films, spanning nearly two decades. The films are known for their real-time dialogue-driven narrative, focusing on romance, time, and human connection.

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It’s no secret that the filmmaker behind The Before Trilogy, Richard Linklater, likes to play with time in his projects. Over the course of almost twenty years, Linklater released three films, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and Before Midnight, which followed the relationship between Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy) from their first chance meeting to the struggles of their marriage later in life. Each movie unfolds as a conversation between these people at different points in their lives as they reflect on what love and each other have meant to them.

Above all, The Before Trilogy is known and heralded for its truthfulness and realism as Jesse and Céline navigate what it means to grow older and become disillusioned with the kind of love they believed in when they first met. As the films progress, they deepen in their complexity and nuance, giving Hawke and Delpy the opportunity to grow with their characters. Though The Before Trilogy is a series of romance movies, it’s also a genre-bending exploration of aging and opposing philosophies about the meaning of life.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Before Sunrise (1995)

100%

93%

Before Sunset (2004)

94%

91%

Before Midnight (2013)

98%

82%

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