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Top 10 Valentine’s Day movies for singles
By Alexandra Plesa
Posted: 3 February 2021
Are you boycotting Valentine’s Day this year… for reasons? We’ve got some movies you might want to watch.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, which translates to a spike in stuffed animal sales and interest for rom-coms. But if you’re single and not ready to mingle or downright annoyed with this whole romance thing, seeing everyone gush over their relationships and plan elaborate date nights can be maddening.
So what’s there to do? Well, we suggest you stay in and avoid happy couples until the dust settles and you can find fancy chocolate at a discount once again. Since you’re at it, you might want to update your watchlist with movies to keep you company during these trying times.
Whether you’re spending this commercialised and rubbish holiday happily single, pining over a crush or swiping on dating apps with a sense of dread, there’s a movie for you. Even better, it’s available to stream. Browse the list below and pick your Valentine’s Day poison.
1. If you’re still figuring out how to move on: Someone Great
Year: 2019
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise, Lakeith Stanfield
Someone Great is a breezy movie about a woman who is recovering from a break-up. It’s funny. It’s feel-good. It highlights the importance of friendship. It’s the kind of movie that leaves you looking forward to better things.
In other words, exactly what you need when you’re struggling to get unstuck in your own life. Relationships may end, but that end doesn’t kick-start the apocalypse.
Gina Rodriguez plays Jenny, a music journalist who wants to spend one final crazy night with her pals in New York before moving across the country. She’s also been recently dumped and looking for closure. Turns out, as long as your friends are by your side, you’ll be just fine.
2. If you’re going through the whole break-up phase: The First Wives Club
Year: 1996
While there is no shortage of break-up movies to choose from, we’re going with this one because it has something for everyone, including an A+ cast and a sharp script.
The story follows three middle-aged women bent on getting revenge on their exes who left them for younger models. Each woman is struggling with her own motivations and demons, making it easy to relate to them as they stumble to rebuild their lives. Whether or not they succeed in their devious plans, it’s up to you to find out.
Sassy and smart, The First Wives Club became a cult sensation, building a solid following ever since it was released. It even inspired a more recent TV series if you’re looking for extra binge-worthy content.
3. If you’re stuck in the friend zone: When We First Met
Year: 2018
Cast: Adam DeVine, Alexandra Daddario, Shelley Hennig, Robbie Amell
When you’re stuck in the friend zone it’s pretty common to imagine all sorts of wild scenarios that might bring your relationship to the next level. That’s exactly what When We First Met offers, so feel free to live vicariously through the movie’s protagonist.
Adam DeVine plays Noah, a young man who falls in love with the girl of his dreams, Avery, at a Halloween party. To his disappointment, they end up becoming just friends. Three years later, Avery is getting married and Noah gets the chance to travel back in time and do things differently. He’s hoping that another approach might help him get the girl and he’s not afraid to try a variety of tactics… which are more or less successful.
Offering a fresh twist on the rom-com genre, When We First Met is fun and enjoyable, with likable characters and a heartfelt message. For Valentine’s Day, you could definitely do worse.
4. If your ex was a p***k: Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Year: 2003
Cast: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Lucy Liu
We clearly recommend you watch both this and Volume 2, but you have to start at the beginning. Bloody and gruesome, Kill Bill might be exactly the kind of cathartic movie you need to process the resentment you feel towards your horrible ex.
The action centres on The Bride, a woman who wakes up after spending four years in a coma and seeks revenge on the team of assassins who betrayed her. Especially her former lover Bill, who tried to kill both her and her unborn child… on her wedding day. And you thought you had it bad, eh?
Kill Bill is directed by Quentin Tarantino, so expect plenty of violence to explode on your screen. After a bad relationship, watching people pursue revenge on their dreadful exes can be a welcome relief.
5. If your ex was a really big p***k: Midsommar
Year: 2019
Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper
Want to take it one step forward? Proceed to the horror realm.
Dani is a young woman who is struggling following a family tragedy and can’t get the support she needs from her emotionally distant boyfriend. However, she tags along when he travels to Sweden to attend a midsummer celebration. Once there, they’re sucked into the goings-on of a pagan cult and all sorts of disturbing things start to happen.
Revealing more would be spoiling stuff. Suffice to say, Dani begins to realise that her boyfriend is never there for her. To call everything that follows unsettling would be an understatement.
6. If you’re hopelessly swiping through dating apps: The Lobster
Year: 2015
Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Jessica Barden
We’re not saying that swiping through Tinder isn’t a high-stakes game, but the stakes are definitely not as high as in The Lobster. Which might make you feel better, at least.
A black comedy set in a future dystopian society, this movie is bizarre and quite wonderful. In this absurd reality, single people are given 45 days to find a partner. If they fail, they are turned into an animal of their choice. We follow a man as he tries to form a relationship but encounters bumps along the way.
The Lobster is an acquired taste. However, if you find the premise appealing, it’s the kind of movie that crawls under your skin and raises several interesting questions.
7. If you’re currently over romance: Gone Girl
Year: 2014
Cast: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry
Gone Girl can turn you off marriage or romance in general for good. So if you’re going through an “I hate romance” phase, this movie will reinforce your desire to stay away from potential partners. At least for a while.
Based on the hit book of the same name written by Gillian Flynn, the movie centres on a man whose wife suspiciously disappears. When the disappearance becomes the focus of a media circus, the husband goes from victim to suspect overnight, leaving viewers to ponder exactly what was going on in their marriage.
The answers may surprise you. Well-acted, fast-paced and full of twists, Gone Girl is insane in the best way possible. Get a big bowl of popcorn and enjoy the ride.
8. If it’s just you and your pet: John Wick
Year: 2014
Cast: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen
Let’s cut right to the chase: John Wick is a violent action thriller about a hit man who comes out of retirement to get revenge on the gangsters who killed his dog.
Is there a better premise for something to watch with your beloved pet? We think not. The even better news is that two sequels are also available.
9. If loved ones keep trying to set you up: Natural Born Killers
Year: 1994
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Robert Downey Jr.
Tired of other people trying to push potential “the ones” down your throat? Take a deep breath – we’re sure you’ll find the perfect partner soon. Until then, stream a movie about two deranged people who find each other against all odds.
Natural Born Killers centres on two victims of traumatised childhoods who become lovers and go on a sadistic killing spree highly publicised by the media.
Directed by Oliver Stone, the movie boasts tremendous performances and memorable imagery. It may be about the irresponsible glorification of violence, but it’s also a movie that proves there is someone out there for literally everyone. Might want to keep this in mind next time you’re set up on a blind date.
10. If you’re pining after someone: Almost Famous
Year: 2000
Cast: Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit, Kate Hudson, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin
Almost Famous is part coming-of-age story, part musical dramedy. It’s also a movie about how devastating unrequited love is.
Set in the 70s, the plot follows a 15-year-old wannabe journalist who gets a gig that involves going on tour with a rock band. Along the way, he falls for an older groupie, Penny Lane, who happens to be in love with the band’s guitarist.
Those are just the basics, as Almost Famous has a lot to offer, including a stellar cast, an exquisite mix of drama and romance, wonderful music and occasional humor. It’s surprisingly comforting, so we can almost guarantee it will put a smile on your face.
