Anti-Valentine’s Day movies that will make you feel “Thank God, I am single”

Are you one of those people who cringe and gets irritated by all the bright red roses and heart-shaped balloons on Valentine’s Day? If you’re one of them, we totally understand. Sure, being single has its pros and cons. Maybe you’re happily single and you don’t want anyone to threaten your individual freedom.

Being single isn’t the end of the world, and you’re just strong and happy on your own! Marriages and relationships aren’t always a bed of roses. They can drain you of all of your energy, and maybe you don’t want that! If you’re fed up with all the Rom-Coms and just want to watch couples constantly fighting, arguing, and crying, we’ve got you covered. 

Here are a few films that will make you happy to be single:

Marriage Story (2019)

Available on: Netflix

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is an incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up. Adam Driver’s Charlie and Scarlett Johansson’s Nicole are going through a painful divorce. As the divorce processes progress in the film, the resentments and slights that have built up over the course of the marriage rise to the surface. The arguments are messy and ugly, and we see the marriage collapsing piece by piece. It doesn’t matter if you are single or in a relationship, the movie will leave you feeling overwhelmed by the whole thing. It was one of nine films nominated for best picture at the 2020 Academy Awards, also getting nominations for best actor, actress, actress in a supporting role, original screenplay, and original score. It also received six Golden Globe nominations, three SAG Award nominations, and eight Critics’ Choice Award nominations, with Laura Dern winning best-supporting actress in all three.

Gone Girl (2014)

Available on: Netflix/Hulu

David Fincher’s thriller movie Gone Girl is perfect for the anti-valentines as it starts with roses and romance and ends with nightmares. A New York-based writer, Nick Dunne (Ben Afflick), and his glamorous wife, Amy (Rosamund Pike), present a portrait of a blissful marriage to the public. On the occasion of his fifth wedding anniversary, Nick Dunne reports that his wife, Amy, has gone missing. Under pressure from the police and a growing media frenzy, Nick’s portrait of a blissful union begins to crumble. Soon, his lies, deceits, and strange behaviour have everyone asking the same dark question: Did Nick Dunne kill his wife?

Revolutionary road (2008)

Available on: Apple TV

This is Marriage Story, but more ugly and nasty. Adapted from the revealing novel by Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road is an incisive portrait of an American marriage seen through the eyes of Frank ( Leonardo DiCaprio) and April (Kate Winslet) Wheeler. Yates’ story of 1950’s America poses a question that has been reverberating through modern relationships ever since: can two people break away from the ordinary without breaking apart?

Malcolm & Marie (2021)

Available on: Netflix

Some of the best films are made in black and white. This is not a love story. This is the story of love, “says the trailer for Malcolm & Marie. Written and directed by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, the movie shows a completely toxic relationship between two people. Zendaya and John Washington’s characters can be seen arguing, fighting, and cursing throughout the film. The film was shot during quarantine entirely in one location, a big house. If you have the emotional energy to complete the film in one sitting, go ahead!

Blue Valentine (2010)

Available on: Netflix

This is another film that begins with roses and cute proposals but ends in a very nasty way. Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling) are married with a baby daughter, and they once had a passionate love affair. They once cared deeply about each other. But now they’re stuck in a broken marriage. The movie makes one wonder, “Where did their love go?”