Best movies to distract from a recent breakup?

01/05/25 2:04am

My partner and I broke up a few days ago and I am really struggling. I miss them so much. I really just want to wach a good break up movie. Can be funny, romantic, heartwarming, sad, etc. Any suggestions are very welcome and appreciated! Thank you in advance from a sad sad girl xoxo

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Lexi Amoriello
Movie and Film Content Creator

06/20/25 10:36pm

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is such a creative and emotional movie. It really hits when you’re going through a breakup and makes you appreciate the memories rather than wishing to erase them. But it also shows how we can be doomed to repeat mistakes. I'd say to watch that one if you're in the mood for healing. If you want to distract yourself, I’d go with something totally unrelated to romance. Paper Moon is a great choice—delightful and charming with no real romance plot. And honestly, Stop Making Sense. Even if you don’t like Talking Heads, it’s just pure serotonin. Totally unrelated to dating–it’s perfect.

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WikiLemurGlider790

01/05/25 4:11pm

I'm so sorry you're going through a breakup. I hope you're doing OK. These are some of the movies I've found helpful when I'm coping with a breakup. I've sorted them by mood/vibe:

Cozy/wholesome/feel good:
- animated classics (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Disney, Shrek, etc)
- You've Got Mail (or basically anything Nora Ephron)
- The Holiday (or anything Nancy Meyers)
- The Jane Austen Book Club
- Amelie
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Frances Ha
- The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
- Dan in Real Life

Funny:
- The Big Lebowski (or most Coen brothers movies)
- Pee-wee's Big Adventure
- The 'Burbs
- The Wedding Singer (or other Adam Sandler movies)
- Young Frankenstein
- Uncle Buck

Something to help you process:
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
- 500 Days of Summer
- Midsommar, lol (I'm actually semi-serious with this one)
- Marriage Story
- Her
- The Breakup
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Scenes from a Marriage (the original 1970s one and the remake - technically a limited TV series)

I'm also going to recommend some TV shows, since IMO a TV series is a great way to distract yourself from the pain of a breakup for longer, but feel free to ignore if you're in movie-mode:
- Friends (10 seasons, easy to connect with the characters but also doesn't require a lot of mental focus)
- Frasier (same)
- Succession (if you really want to get sucked into something, this is the one)
- Broad City (a testament to female friendship, also very dumb and silly)

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WikiCloudDancer332

01/08/25 8:27pm

Gonna go against the grain and say that the best movie to watch after a breakup is one that will take your mind off the breakup. I'd steer away from any kind of romantic movie because that will just make you wallow in your emotions. Instead, find a lighthearted comedy, engrossing fantasy or sci-fi film, or even a spine-chilling horror movie to really grab your attention and distract you.

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WikiCheetahJumper402

01/17/25 11:16pm

Totally agree. Fire up some John Wick or The Thing and make some popcorn.

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WikiLynxChaser837

01/06/25 9:35am

How to Be Single felt good to watch after my breakup! I appreciated its message to enjoy and appreciate being single. There are actually a lot of positives to being single, it's not all bad.

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Anonymous WikiCaribou

04/04/25 10:52pm

I watched "About Time" after my breakup and it made me feel better. This might be hit or miss for you, because it is a romance movie which might make you feel bad, but for me it was helpful because it helped me appreciate life in general.

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