The Addams Family to St. Elmo’s Fire: 12 of the Best Alternative Romance Movies

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Julie and Julia (2009)

Nora Ephron wrote When Harry Met Sally and wrote and directed Insomnia in Seattle, so you might not think of this as her most romantic film. But Julie and Julia is a frothy, unconventional love story. On the surface, it’s a time-lapsed fantasy of beautiful food, but beneath all the acerbic montages is a stunning ode to antisocial love: it highlights how a role model can rescue you when you’re feeling adrift. As Julie Powell (Amy Adams) works her way through mastering the art of French cooking, her imagined relationship with the book’s author, Julia Child (Meryl Streep), becomes a lifeline, even when the real Child disagrees. There’s something achingly romantic about this longing: the idea that you can discern your purpose by loving someone else’s work from afar. The film suggests that connection, even heterosexual connection, can make existence more enjoyable. (Riley Farrell)

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WALL-E (2008)

WALL-E’s eponymous robot isn’t on his best behavior when we first meet him, one of the many joys in Pixar’s Oscar-winning animated film. Stranded on a post-apocalyptic Earth ravaged by human overconsumption, he diligently cleans up the human mess while salvaging his loneliness by rewatching the 1969 musical Hello, Dolly!. His only friend seems to be some kind of pet cockroach, until another robot, EVE, enters, and a romance begins. They’re the perfect cinematic odd couple, with WALL-E looking like something out of Soviet-era Russia, and EVE looking more like the kind of 21st-century creativity Steve Jobs might have dreamed up. But in true Hollywood fashion, that doesn’t stop the little robot from trying. He pursues EVE across the galaxy to cement their love, which for WALL-E means the magical act of simply holding hands. (Cal Byrne)

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Human Traffic (1999)

A surreal, low-budget comedy may not scream romance right away. But within Human Traffic – written and directed by Justin Kerrigan and set in Cardiff – is a beautiful love story between two friends. Jeb (John Simm) opens the film by addressing the camera directly, explaining his difficulties—his never-ending job, his complicated home life and “sexual anxiety”—and introducing his four friends, who all have their own reasons for living on the weekends. One of these is Lulu (Lauren Pilkington), who has broken up with her boyfriend and does not have a ticket to that evening’s party. Over the course of the night’s drug-fueled hedonism, the two come together — and realize they’ve never been anyone but each other. Kerrigan’s film can be seen as a love letter to many things: to youth, friendship, and the rave culture of the late ’90s. But the lingering romance between Jip and Lulu stands out and sticks with you long after the party is over. (Amy Charles)

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Singing Street (2016)

Oh, the things people would do to have a song written about them — even if it was written by a teenage boy like Connor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo). He’s having a hard time in recession-hit 1980s Dublin: his parents are divorced and money is tight. He waves goodbye to his private school education and says hello to a harsher inner-city Catholic school, where the principal shoves his head into the sink for wearing brown shoes. To adapt to his new reality, Connor forms a rock band with some of his schoolmates, while also seeking to win the heart of mysterious model Ravenna (Lucy Boynton), who is waging battles of her own. And his perseverance finally paid off – because what’s more romantic than honoring someone with your art, and sharing a dream? Written and directed by John Carney, Sing Street is a charming coming-of-age story filled with teenage love and friendship, hope, and most importantly, feel-good music. It will leave you warm and fuzzy inside. (Molly Gorman)

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Blond / Un Rubio (2019)

Marco Berger is the master of Argentine sexual tension – and The Blonde One is his most romantic film ever. The film takes place in an old house in a working-class suburb of Buenos Aires. When his brother moves out, Juan (Alfonso Baron) needs to rent out his old room to help pay the rent. His shy factory colleague Gabriel (Gaston Rey) moves in. After work each day, Juan flaunts his body — and his various girlfriends — often while staring provocatively at Gabriel, who sits quietly, reading books and listening to music. Gabriel, who has a daughter and a girlfriend of his own, doesn’t know how to explain Juan’s arrogant outlook, especially when Juan’s rowdy companions are around, preventing any chance of romance. But when men are alone, sexual tension gives way to deeper emotion, identity exploration, and more complex and conflicted feelings. (Javier Hirschfeld)

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