By
Hannah Saab
,
Jia Yee Bridgette Lee
&
Ryan Heffernan
Updated
7 minutes ago
Sign in to your Collider account
follow
Follow
followed
Followed
Like
Like
Thread
Log in
Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents:
Try something different:
Show me the facts
Explain it like I’m 5
Give me a lighthearted recap
As much as movie-goers love an old-fashioned romantic comedy with a happy ending, movie couples with a deteriorating relationship or unconventional means of professing love always appeal to a handful of audiences. Be it exceptionally attractive romantic pairings or ignoring red flags with passionate demonstrations of love, dysfunctional movie couples highlight human beings' innate flaws. Toxic love movies like these stand opposed to films with an optimistic outlook on the affair of love: many destructive relationships portrayed on-screen give audiences an adrenaline rush while proving that love does not always win.
Just as there are always several viewers looking for the ideal rom-com for the perfect date night, there's likely also no shortage of audiences searching for movies about toxic relationships that highlight the very real flaws of love and romance. The best movies about dysfunctional relationships are often hard-hitting and don't pull any punches when it comes to raw and heartbreaking depictions of messy, toxic love.
35 'Kramer vs. Kramer' (1979)
Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep and Justin Henry in 'Kramer vs Kramer'Image via Columbia Pictures
A defining drama of the 1970s, Kramer vs. Kramer delivers a harrowing immersion into the vindictive and destructive ruins of a disintegrated marriage, powered by two rich and confronting performances and a ferociously introspective screenplay from writer-director Robert Benton. Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) is a disinterested workaholic who only starts to develop a bond with his young son when his wife, Joanna (Meryl Streep), abruptly leaves. 15 months later, Joanna returns demanding full custody of their son, leading to a painful court battle that devastates the lives of all involved.
Refusing to take sides or dehumanize its characters, Kramer vs. Kramer is a sincere and poignant exploration of the collapse of a struggling relationship, the capitulation of a family dynamic that was unhealthy to begin with. It is punishing with its realness, soaring off its two powerhouse performances to illustrate the growing toxicity within a family being torn apart by human flaws. Even today, more than 45 years after its release, it still stands as one of the most evocative and impactful depictions of a souring relationship.
34 'Anora' (2024)
Ani and Ivan walking while embracing during an early romantic scene in Anora (2024)Image via NEON
A Best Picture winner at the Academy Awards that presents an immersive viewing experience with its peculiar mixture of black comedy, romantic complexity, and horrendously flawed characters, Anora excels as a uniquely enthralling and tonally bold descent into the world of sex work and the theme of human connection. While there is a striking charm to Anora’s (Mikey Madison) bond with her client-come-lover, Vanya (Mark Eydelshteyn)—the son of a Russian oligarch—there is also a distinct lack of substance to their romance, with the veneer of their fun-loving, sexually-charged bond melting away the second Vanya is pressured by his parents to cut things off.
The couple’s whirlwind romance and impulsive marriage deteriorate into an ugly cesspit of betrayal, manipulation, and control, the horrors of which are amplified by Vanya’s irresponsibility, spinelessness, and his complete inability to communicate when it comes to difficult conversations. Anora is a wonderful film because it realizes this dysfunctional dynamic with such depth, humanity, and even humor, making for a frenetic farce of love, sex, and unequal power dynamics.
33 'A Star is Born' (2018)
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga performing in 'A Star is Born'Image via Warner Bros.
One of the greatest remakes in recent years, if not of all time, 2018’s A Star is Born successfully modernizes a great Hollywood tale while investing heavily in both its powerful romantic core and the complexities nestled within it. A tale of the highs and lows of stardom, it unfolds as dwindling country singer Jack Maine (Bradley Cooper) falls in love with Ally Campana (Lady Gaga), a talented yet unrealized singer who rises to be a popular musician through her relationship with Maine. As her star rises, Maine’s struggles with alcoholism and addiction intensify.
There is a grounded, raw, visceral emotional power to the central romance, one that captures the beauty and impact of love with tremendous impact, but one that delves into issues of jealousy, manipulation, and miscommunication as well. Ally is placed in an impossible position as Maine spirals off the back of her success, his self-destructive antics and lingering childhood trauma resurfacing as she soars to stardom. The film’s tragic ending beautifully illustrates how complicated relationships—and people—are often still worth fighting for, exploring the theme of dysfunctional romance with nuance and emotional maturity to make for an instant classic and one of the most devastating romantic dramas ever released.
32 'Badlands' (1973)
Image via Warner Bros.
Made all the more disturbing by its loose basis on real events, Badlands is a confronting neo-noir crime drama that fuses toxic and unethical romance with themes of manipulation and violence to outstanding effect. Sissy Spacek stars as Holly, a 15-year-old girl enduring a strained relationship with her father, who falls for the 25-year-old Kit (Martin Sheen), a troubled garbage collector and Vietnam War vet with violent and antisocial tendencies. Charmed by Kit’s greaser style and his likeness to James Dean, Holly becomes enamored of him, even agreeing to flee to the badlands of Montana with him, where they find themselves in the midst of a crime spree.
With Terrence Malick’s thoughtful direction, Badlands excels as a contemplative critique of violence and innocence in America, a tragic tale of youth’s starry-eyed naivety clashing with the harsh brutality of the world and mistaking the excitement and hysteria for romantic passion, only recognizing the façade for what it is when it is almost too late. Powerful, provocative, and pointed, Badlands is a fierce examination of a manipulative romance compounded by dire stakes and great performances.
31 'Priscilla' (2023)
Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley looking at Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and smiling in Priscilla.Image via A24
The more polarizing of the two biopics released this decade to examine Elvis Presley’s personal life, Priscilla stands as a complex yet measured exploration of the King of Rock’s romance with Priscilla Presley. Starring Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi, the biographical drama covers their first meeting and initial interest when Elvis was 26 and Priscilla just 14, and details how their relationship blossomed, with Priscilla’s youthful wonder and Elvis’s vulnerable yet volatile temperament leading to a tumultuous relationship that unfolds in the public eye.
It leans into the theme of age-gap relationships and the inherent toxicity and manipulation within them with profound depth, while also touching on the note of publicity and stardom with poignancy and grace. Bolstered by Sofia Coppola’s razor-sharp direction and the impressionable performances of its two stars, Priscilla stands as a piercing and somewhat underrated look at the darker side of one of the 20th century’s most iconic figures, one that marries love, heartache, and the burden of fame with supreme elegance and skill.
30 'Revolutionary Road' (2008)
Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in a car in Revolutionary RoadImage Via Paramount Vantage
Helmed by Sam Mendes while presenting an impassioned reunion of Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, 2008’s romantic drama Revolutionary Road thrives as an adaptation of Richard Yates' novel of the same name. It follows a married couple who, while they always considered themselves separate from suburban America, find themselves condemned to that lifestyle when family life and the working week pounce upon them. Their marriage begins to crumble as both parties struggle to endure personal problems tied to their circumstances.
At its best, Revolutionary Road is both a sympathetic exploration of a diminishing marriage and a scathing indictment of the grinding impact the fabled and idyllic American dream can have on people. Granted, the film has its lulls and weaknesses, but Winslet and DiCaprio deliver typically exceptional performances as two people whose passionate romance is frayed as they become victims of society.
29 'The Invisible Man' (2020)
Elisabeth Moss in 'The Invisible Man'Image via Universal Pictures
A brilliant re-invention of a classic horror tale that pays homage to its source material while still thriving as a timely re-telling, The Invisible Man became a critical and commercial success upon release, an achievement that should not be ignored, given how horror movies can sometimes struggle. Elizabeth Moss stars as Cecilia, a woman living in fear of her abusive ex-husband, who fakes his death and uses his invention, an invisibility suit, to torment her.
Thematically pointed while still offering plenty of genre chills off the back of its excellently realized narrative, The Invisible Man is a visceral horror movie that generates a lot of its terror from the disturbing elements of its hostile relationship. The titular villain is a perfect parable for the lingering trauma of domestic abuse, while the way in which Cecilia’s attempts to reach out for help are ignored makes the film a scorching social commentary in addition to an inspired horror.
28 'Sid and Nancy' (1986)
Gary Oldman and Chloe Webb in 'Sid and Nancy'Image Via Palace Pictures
With its basis on the real-life and public romance of the Sex Pistols bass player Sid Vicious (Gary Oldman) and Nancy Spungen (Chloe Webb), 1986’s biographical music drama is a raw portrayal of one of the most destructive celebrity relationships the world has ever seen. Sid and Nancy is an exceptional film for its ability to present the fury and frenzy of the punk aesthetic that the Sex Pistols went a long way to defining, while still striking an emotional core with both of its complex and problematic main characters.
The film’s visceral energy is almost always underlined by a sense of inevitable tragedy, one that director Alex Cox wisely leans into to accentuate the helplessness of addiction and the volatile trajectory of Sid and Nancy’s drug-addled romance. Oldman is sublime, and Webb imbues Nancy with a poignant humanity, making Sid and Nancy one of the boldest and best music biopics cinema has ever seen.
27 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (1958)
Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie watches Paul Newman as Brick drinking in Cat on a Hot Tin RoofImage via Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
An Oscar-nominated classic that defines cinematic drama during Hollywood’s golden era, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a feverish and impassioned exploration of family dynamics. Brick (Paul Newman), a man with alcoholism whose addiction has only been worsened by a recent injury, lives as a disgruntled nostalgic dismissive of his wife’s wants and needs. A family reunion to celebrate his father’s birthday erupts into a medley of lost dreams and lingering injustices.
Both Newman and Elizabeth Taylor received Academy Award nominations for their leading performances, with the duo delivering raw and searing portrayals, both as their individual characters and as a couple whose marriage is on the verge of collapse. It is a brilliant adaptation of Tennessee Williams’s Pulitzer Prize-winning stage play, one that explores dysfunctional relationships between different family members with gravitas.
26 'Candy' (2006)
Heath Ledger looks at Abbie Cornish as they sit in a vehicle in 'Candy' (2006).Image via Dendy Films
While it was dismissed by critics, Candy found more favor with general audiences, with many responding to its tragic story of love and addiction. It follows the romance between Dan (Heath Ledger), a poet with an affinity for heroin, and Candy (Abbie Cornish), an art student who gravitates towards her new beau’s Bohemian lifestyle and soon finds herself becoming an addict herself.
A major criticism of the film was its cleanliness and pretty appeal, given its rather ugly and confronting material, but its tumultuous tale of love still presents an enticing story of dependency and desperation. It may not rise to the heights of other renowned movies about drug addiction, but its endeavor to view how drug use can intersect with naivety and young love gives it an extra layer that is affecting and potent.
-
Movie
-
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.
Be the first to post Images Attachment(s) Please respect our community guidelines. No links, inappropriate language, or spam.Your comment has not been saved
Send confirmation emailThis thread is open for discussion.
Be the first to post your thoughts.
- Terms
- Privacy
- Feedback
Aug 4, 2023
14 Great Romantic Movies Where the Lovers Don't End Up Together, According to Reddit
5 days ago
The 10 Greatest Movie Trilogies of the Last 100 Years, Ranked
5 days ago
The 10 Best Movie Soundtracks of All Time, Ranked
6 days ago
The 10 Greatest Noir Movies, According to Letterboxd
More from our brands
Movies To Watch If You Like 365 Days
The 55 Best Movies of All Time, Ranked
25 Best R-Rated TV Shows of All Time, Ranked
The Best Free Movies On Amazon Prime (April 2025)
37 Shows on Netflix That Couples Can Binge-Watch Together
50 Best New Movies on Streaming to Watch Right Now
The 60 Best Movies Of All Time
What To Watch
July 20, 2025
The 72 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
Trending Now
ABC's 'High Potential' Reclaims Chart-Topping Status After Sharp Streaming Drop-Off
‘Wicked: For Good’ Dances Through an Elite Box Office List by Overtaking One of Timothée Chalamet’s Biggest Hits
The 10 Best Classic Japanese Movies for Beginners
