8 Rom Coms For Every Stage Of Your Breakup
Breakups are the worst. No matter who did the breaking, it’ll leave you gutted and raw.
Thoroughly depressed and filled with barely concealed rage. Mopey and murderous. Rather than just sitting around mainlining another re-watch of The Office, cure what ails you with your favorite snack and a rom-com. Obviously some rom-coms are off-limits right now (you shouldn’t watch The Notebook, trust), but others will get you through this rough time and out the other end. What should you watch? It depends on the stage of your breakup, but I have one for each.
The Breakup (2006)
For when you’re still in the breakup phase.
Breakups are excruciating. The longer you’re together, the longer the breakup lasts. Anyone who’s taken a year to finally end it understands. In this classic, Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn call it quits slowly and with lots of fights. If you need that last little kick to finally say “enough,” this ought to do it.
How to be Single (2016)
For when you need a little help from your friends.
Sometimes it takes our friends to finally say “enough is enough” and pull us out of our tear-stained stupors. For Dakota Johnson’s character, it feels far too soon to be spending a night out in New York City, but it’s just what she needed. They teach her how to be single (and you, too). Let your annoying friends win and you’ll be one giant step closer to being over this breakup.
The Wedding Singer (1998)
For when you hope for better things in your future.
No wallowing for you. You want to believe that you could find someone so much better in the near future. That’s what happens after Adam Sandler’s character gets unceremoniously dumped by his vapid girlfriend on the day of their would-be wedding. He meets sweet Drew Barrymore, and all bets are off.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
For when you can’t handle a happy ending.
If you can’t have a happy ending, then why should anyone else, right? When Julia Roberts finds out that her old best friend is getting married, she gets a spike of jealousy and decides to attend the wedding with the sole purpose of breaking them up. This is the rare occasion when Miss Roberts plays the bad guy.
Second Act (2018)
For when you need a big change.
Breakups often come with the worry that you’ll never find anyone again–that you’ll be stuck in this bad place forever. If you have doom and gloom for your future, watch Jennifer Lopez start fresh by leaving her grocery store job and becoming a success in the business world. It’s never too late to have the life you’ve always wanted.
Someone Great (2019)
For when you and your ex will always love each other.
Some breakups are heartbreaking not because you feel betrayed, but because the person really was the love of your life. Even though Gina Rodriguez and her boyfriend still love and respect each other, their relationship can’t go on. As her friends help her deal with the fallout, consider them your friends, too.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
For when you just want to forget.
It can hurt so much to look back on the relationship after it’s over. It manifests as this deep, physical pain. Wouldn’t it be better if you didn’t have to feel it at all? What if you could actually wipe all memories of them from your mind? That’s what this classic answers when Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet break up.
The Witches of Eastwick (1987)
For when all you can think about is revenge.
There’s nothing quite as powerful as a woman scorned. Unless it’s three women. Who are witches. In this dark and spooky classic, Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer all fall for the same guy–a Satanic Jack Nicholson. But when he betrays all of them, they’re left with some serious skills for vengeance.