10 Not so Typical Romantic Movies of All Time

There are plenty of best romantic movies list out on the internet. Boy meets girl, a bit of complication, they hook up, and then they lived happily ever after.

There are plenty of epic stories that follow that pattern, or suddenly deviates from it at the end, such as Romeo and Juliet (all versions) and Titanic (1997), which made them memorable.

However, there are a few that totally deviates from the pattern. Here is an impartial list of good romantic movies to watch that doesn’t follow the usual script.

1. My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)

The only typical rom-com in the List. Most people would think it will follow the predictable pattern, but it doesn’t. After all, the title starts with an “ex” on it. The story is simple, the main character played by Luke Wilson, dates and eventually breaks up with the leading lady played by Uma Thurman.

Unfortunately for Luke Wilson’s character, Uma Thurman is also G-Girl, a local superhero with Super Saiyan powers and a Taylor Swift personality. Choosing between this and Hancock (2008) is easy. I laughed harder watching this one.

2. Up (2009)

Disney-Pixar created the best romantic love story in the first five minutes of this movie, that most entire full-length features wish they could be. It’s a story about lifelong devotion, and about how a couple’s dreams go on even in death. It’s funny that this movie is one of the best romantic movies of all time if you look at it in that way.

3. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)

Speaking of Love that goes on well beyond the grave, this is the best example of it. There are other attempts such as Warm Bodies (2013), Ghost (1990), and Always (1989). But none of them would leave a more lasting impact than Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

Besides a young Keanu Reeves and Monica Bellucci adds a big appeal to it. If we factor in Gary Oldman’s performance as Dracula and the production value, then this movie doesn’t only deserve to be in this list, but in one of the best movies of all time.

4. Vanilla Sky (2001)

If you are looking for a serious, solemn, a love story with a twist, then this is your movie. Deciding between this and Dances with Wolves (1990), and concluded that Dances with Wolves follow the typical pattern too closely.

Vanilla Sky is different from most romantic movies such as Far and Away (1992), Top Gun (1986), Jerry Maguire (1996), and Risky Business (1983) played by Tom Cruise. It truly doesn’t follow the expected path. It may not be his best film, or performance, but it’s the best fit for this list.

5. Family Man (2000)

A lot of love stories revolves around “what ifs.”

In the real world or silver screen that’s one of the hardest parts about falling in love. Movies like Family Man starring Nicholas Cage, and others like Definitely, Maybe (2008) which is a super-steroid version of How I Met Your mother.

This movie is a good romantic movie about What Ifs. A single decision changed the life of Nicholas Cage character that eventually became a rich and powerful CEO of a New York M&A investment firm.

The what if scenario, a perfect suburban life with the woman he loves, and a family with a white picket fence that everyone dreams about.

6. Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)

Choosing between this, Somewhere in Time (1980) and Forever Young (1992) is difficult.

Plotwise Somewhere in Time is better, but it is also too close to the typical story. The general plot is about time travel, duh!  Falling in love with someone in a slightly different timeline.

Lake House (2006) is another contender, but it is too dragging and predictable compared to the others. All those mentioned are good romantic movies, but Time Traveler’s Wife tops all four in terms of sad romantic movies with a bit of temporal displacement.

7. Planet of the Apes (1968)

The original Planet of the Apes is one of the best movies of all time and probably has the best endings of all time too.

Producers seem to have forgotten that the best thing about that movie is the ending and they are ruining it with all the prequel/sequels coming out of the woodwork.

In a romantic sense, it shows how race and even species are transcended by love when it is born out of mutual respect and common goals. It may not be one of the top romantic movies, but it is one of the best movies of all time.

8. Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

This movie is too perfect for an atypical love story that I wouldn’t know where to start.

War, social status, honor and loyalty, age gap, and a dozen other things that blur the line between love, romance, and order. Ernest Hemmingways, In Love and War (1996) is close, both are a movie adaptation of best-selling novels.

Pearl Harbor (2001) is a distant third place, but Memoirs really trump both of them when it comes to their overall impact.

9. Edward Scissorhands (1990)

We mentioned Tom Cruise, and Keanu in a supporting actor in a few of the aforementioned movies, It wouldn’t be complete without Johnny Depp.

Ironically what comes close to this is a Brad Pitt movie called The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008). On the girls’ side, this and Dracula puts Winona Ryder the ultimate actress in great atypical romantic movies.

The story is a semi-supernatural being falls in love with an ordinary girl. Like Hunchback of Notre Dame, but the girl has genuine feelings for the “it.” A lot of people would agree it’s one of the best romantic movies ever made.

10. Bicentennial Man (1999)

Speaking of genuine love between “it” and an ordinary woman.

This one barely wins it over Lars and the Real Girl (2007) and Her (2013) just because of Robin Williams’ performance, and because Oliver Platt plays the role of comic relief.

The story is a bit long and dragging (It lasts around 200 years -hence the title), but nevertheless, it ends unexpectedly and the story itself is unpredictable and heartwarming.

There are several other movies that barely missed the cut such as Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, Lost in Translation,  and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. The performances of Bill Murray and the very young Scarlett Johanssen hits you in a weird, but nice way.

All of the movies listed above including those that didn’t make the cut are good romantic movies. You wouldn’t regret watching them.