94
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind review
A couple erases each other from their memories after a breakup, and the film follows the erasure from the inside. Kaufman's best script and Carrey's b…
★★★★½ 4.8/5
Romance films, reviewed
Romance is built on a promise — that two people will find each other — and the films that last are the ones that complicate it. Whether the couple ends up together is rarely the interesting question. What matters is whether the film is honest about what love costs, what it demands, and what it cannot fix.
What we look for in romance
- An honest account of what love costs
- Characters who exist independently of the relationship
- A resolution that is earned rather than assumed
- A willingness to end badly if the story requires it
This hub currently collects 3 reviews. Our library is curated rather than comprehensive, and every genre page grows as we publish.
Every romance film we have reviewed
Ordered by our score, highest first.
-
94
-
89
La La Land review
A jazz pianist and an aspiring actress fall in love in Los Angeles, and the film builds to a finale that has divided audiences since release.
★★★★½ 4.6/5
-
87
Forrest Gump review
A man with a low IQ drifts through three decades of American history without understanding any of it. Warm, technically brilliant, and more troubling …
★★★★½ 4.5/5
Romance index
Year, director, runtime and score for every film in this genre.
| Film | Year | Director | Runtime | Score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind | 2004 | Michel Gondry | 108 min | 94 | ★★★★½ |
| La La Land | 2016 | Damien Chazelle | 128 min | 89 | ★★★★½ |
| Forrest Gump | 1994 | Robert Zemeckis | 142 min | 87 | ★★★★½ |
Frequently asked questions
Does a romance have to end happily?
No. Some of the best films in the genre end in separation or ambiguity. The genre's promise is emotional intensity, not necessarily reunion.
What makes a romance feel honest?
Characters with independent lives and motivations, and a resolution that follows from their choices rather than from convention.
Which romance film here is the best starting point?
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for its structure, and La La Land for its refusal of the genre's contract.
Read around romance
Our ranked lists place these films against each other within a decade or a genre, and explain the ordering.