There’s nothing like a film to mend a broken heart. Sometimes you need to cry, laugh and hurt to work things through. It’s going to get worse before it gets better, but it WILL get better. Movies can aid in the emotional recovery post breakup and inspire you to move on. Here is my go to breakup playlist of movies starting from a bitter sting, sulk, to the healing effects of empowerment.
10. (Bitter Sweet) The Great Gatsby
This classic tale by Scott Fitzgerald explores the beauty and tragedy of the American dream in the roaring 20’s. Filled with current music and beautiful visuals you’ll find yourself rooting for Jay Gatsby and his passionate, yet unrealistic romance. The movie leaves you with a bitter sweet sting, and memories of unrequited love.
9. (Confusion) 500 Days of Summer
Our favorite new girl Zooey Deschanel and man crush Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this classic boy meets girl love story. When girl decides she’s not as in love as she once thought, the hopelessly romantic Levitt goes on a journey to come to terms with heartbreak. The movie takes you on an emotional roller coaster ride from heartbreak to humor, and leaves you pondering what IS love anyway?
8. (Anger) Kill Bill Series
After being left for dead on her wedding day by a group of assassins hired by her ex-lover bill, the bride goes on a man hunt, killing one by one all who murdered her wedding party and her unborn child. The wacky Tarantino film has Asian cultural influence, revenge, and badass women power. This movie will fuel your fire and maybe pump you up to work off your anger in the gym. The best revenge IS a strong body!
7. (Villains are Created Not Born) Maleficent
This new twist on a Disney classic shows the becoming of a young fairy into one of Disney’s most villainous characters. The fairy tale is not exactly how you remember it. Tainted by love and her wings cut from her body by her first love Maleficent curses the young sleeping beauty. Little known she grows to love and care after the young Aurora, and once again becomes a heroine. The movie will leave you upset and angry at first, but as you see Maleficent's heart melt, and fall in love once more, yours will too.
6. (Hot Mess Stage) Bridget Jones’s Dairy
Bridget Jones’s life is a mess. When she thought she had it all, the perfect man turns out to be far less than perfect. In hopes to pull herself together she starts a diary and works towards peace in her chaotic life. Finding life and love to be tougher than she thought, you will laugh and cry with her as she finds her destiny. The only thing better than being a hot mess is watching someone else be an even bigger one.
5. (Self-discovery) Eat Prey Love
When life gets hard, travel. As you find a little light left in your heart you start to grow the courage to heal yourself, and grow as a person. Sometimes that growing takes a big change, like a trip around the world change. Finding out that her marriage is a mess and her career a shamble, a woman goes on a journey of healing and self-discovery. She feeds herself, she finds spirituality, and learns how to love life again. At the end of the movie you will be looking up retreats in Bali, I guarantee it!
4. (Fight for yourself) The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Despite mixed reviews, the movie remains in the top 10 best feel good movies of all time. Walter Mitty, a meek man afraid of getting out of the comfort zone, thinks he’s found “the one”, but he can’t get the courage to talk to her seeing that he has nothing to talk about. Entering adulthood, he realizes he has given up a lifetime of adventure to work in the basement of the LIFE magazine, editing stories about adventurers and hero’s he has always wanted to be. When he loses the negative of the magazine's most important photo, he goes out of his comfort zone to find himself, save the paper, and get the girl. Life is about courage and embracing the unknown, this movie will make you believe you can.
3. (What’s Next?) Austenland
The world’s biggest Jane Austen fan goes on an inclusion retreat to relive her favorite authors life. With no luck in love, and really no luck at all, she embarks on a hilarious regency acting vacation to learn why the love in books is not the love she finds in her own life. With plot twists and Austen packed quotes, this movie is perfect to lift the spirits and give hope when you feel there is no one out there for you.
2. (I deserve a better, healthy love and won’t settle for less) Pride and Prejudice
You keep reminiscing about your ex. You’re not sad anymore, not angry, you found who you are, and yet something isn’t right yet. We romanticize those we love, even if they are not right for us. The Jane Austen classic follows literature's first independent female heroine as she supports her family, and refuses to settle for less. She’s stubborn, witty and intelligent, but when she opens her eyes and sees her own stubbornness blinded her from what she deserved and the truth, she finds love. The ultimate romance movie, Elizabeth Benet inspires girls to be true to themselves, and never settle for less.
1.(Who run the world, GIRLS!) Legally blonde
Elle Woods just got dumped, BUT WHY? Is it because she’s too blonde, too pretty? Now ex-boyfriend Warner says it’s because she’s just not smart enough. As he takes the LSAT and enters Harvard law school Elle has an idea, she will prove she’s good enough for him. She skips the parties to study and gets into Harvard on pure ingenuity, but once there she still has a lot to prove. All pink and sparkles the other law students don’t believe she deserves to be there. One of my favorite movies of all time Legally Blonde inspirers viewers to work hard, and most of all, believe in yourself.