Every year, people have turned to romance films to get themselves in the mood for Valentine's Day. Of course, this year is no exception, with viewers watching films such as Marry Me, Love Actually, and Crazy Rich Asians. But films like those have featured fictional couples, and, at times, have been a far cry from reality. Some viewers have shown a preference for something a bit more real and a little less fictional.
There are actually quite a few options when looking for a romantic film that was based on a true story. They have obviously received the Hollywood treatment, but regardless, they have shown that similar magic does exist in real life. We've created a list of 12 romantic films that were inspired by real people and real-life events.
12 The Theory of Everything (2014)
Science was obviously a major part of Stephen Hawking's life, and so was his relationship with author and teacher, Jane Hawking. The Theory of Everything explored both aspects of Hawking's life, adapting Jane Hawking's 2007 memoir, Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen. Felicity Jones (Rogue One, On the Basis of Sex) and Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl, Fantastic Beasts franchise) were brilliantly cast, and both delivered excellent performances. Jones received nominations for the Academy Award and BAFTA for Best Actress, while Redmayne won a 2014 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
11 All My Life (2020)
All My Life told the story of Jennifer Carter and Solomon Chau, a couple who moved up their wedding plans after Solomon became diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. The couple focused on making the most of the time that they had left, holding nothing back and living their lives to the fullest. Starring Jessica Rothe (Happy Death Day, Forever My Girl) and Harry Shum Jr. (Glee, Shadowhunters), All My Life was able to overcome some of its cheese thanks to the great chemistry between its two leads.
10 Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
The real-life Bonnie and Clyde were an infamous criminal couple that went on a "21-month crime spree from 1932 to 1934" (via Brittanica). During this time, the couple primarily robbed banks, but also robbed funeral homes, restaurants, gas stations, and small businesses. In 1967, Warner Bros. released a neo-noir biopic based on the couple under the simple title of Bonnie and Clyde. The film was a major success and broke American taboos about violence, but was also criticized for glamorizing criminals. The American Film Institute has ranked Bonnie and Clyde at No. 27 on their list of America's greatest films.
9 The Vow (2012)
Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams starred together in The Vow, playing happy newlyweds Leo and Paige Collins. Following a tragic accident, Paige fell into a coma, and when she awoke, did not remember her husband. To make matters more complicated, Paige felt affection for her former fiance, leaving Leo in a very difficult situation. The premise of The Vow sounded unrealistic for some, but was actually taken from the real-life story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. The Carpenters ended up renewing their vows, but filed for divorce in 2018 when Kim found out about her husband's affair (via DailyMail).
8 It Could Happen to You (1994)
Nicolas Cage played a police officer named Charlie Lang in the 90s rom-com, It Could Happen to You. Upon realizing he had no money to tip waitress Yvonne Biasi (Bridget Fonda), Charlie promised her half of his lottery winnings in the case he actually wins. He actually won, and to the frustration of his wife, shared his winnings with Biasi. It Could Happen to You was inspired by the real-life Robert Cunningham and Phyllis Penzo, who indeed were a real cop and waitress that shared a lottery prize (via Entertainment Weekly). However, according to Penzo, It Could Happen to You was "totally fiction" in that it was turned from a luck story into a love story.
7 Boys Don't Cry (1999)
Boys Don't Cry was based on the true story of Brandon Teena, a young transgender teen who faced rampant transphobia as he came to terms with his identity. After moving to Falls City in Nebraska, Brandon met Lana Tisdel, who was initially unaware that he was not a cisgender man. Brandon and Lana fell in love and planned for a future together, but it was a future that never happened after Brandon became the victim of a violent hate crime. Boys Don't Cry was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being "one of the first empathetic portrayals of a trans person to appear on the big screen" (via University of Chicago). However, the real-life Lana Tisdel was not pleased with the film's historical inaccuracies and the film's use of her name without her permission.
6 The Notebook (2004)
The Notebook has developed a massive following, and, after almost two decades, is still talked about today. The film made clear that Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams could carry a romantic film, and the two actors went on to play more romantic leads in their careers. The title of the film referred to a notebook read by Duke Calhoun, reflecting on his love story with Allie that began in the 1940s. For those who were unaware, The Notebook was based on Nicholas Sparks' novel of the same name, which was inspired by the more than 60-year marriage of Sparks' wife's grandparents. Sparks observed and learned that "true love can last forever" (via Nicholas Sparks) and wanted to portray that in a novel.
5 The Big Sick (2017)
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Kumail Nanjiani (Eternals, Welcome to Chippendales) has become a big name in Hollywood, and it was during the time of The Big Sick that he exploded in popularity. Advertised as an "awkward true story," The Big Sick was written by Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, and based on their relationship. The "awkward true story" involved dealing with Gordon's sudden illness and the cultural differences between her and Nanjiani's families. While Nanjiani played a fictionalized version of himself in the film, Zoe Kazan played a fictionalized version of Gordon, Emily Gardner. The Big Sick was selected by the American Film Institute as one of the best films of 2017.
4 Walk the Line (2005)
Directed by James Mangold, Walk the Line was a biodrama that was inspired by Johnny Cash's romantic relationship with June Carter. Cash was a married man when he met Carter, but he ignored his wife's concerns and grew closer to her. Two years after divorcing Vivian Liberto, Cash married Carter, and remained with her until she passed in 2003. Joaquin Phoenix portrayed Cash in Walk the Line, a performance which earned him the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy. Reese Witherspoon, who portrayed Carter in the film, also won Best Actress at the 78th Academy Awards.
3 Southside with You (2016)
Set during a summer day in 1989, Southside with You followed a young Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson when they were still working at a law firm in Chicago. The film told the story of their first date, which, of course, led to the couple eventually becoming the 44th president and First Lady of the United States. It was a historical moment as well as a romantic moment, and Southside with You presented that with a well-written script and strong leads in Parker Sawyer and Tika Sumpter.
2 At First Sight (1999)
Val Kilmer's Virgil Adamson in At First Sight was a blind masseur who fell for a client visiting from New York City. Impressed by his confidence and positivity, Amy Benite (Mira Sorvino) fortunately reciprocated those romantic feelings. But at the same time, Amy encouraged Virgil to undergo surgery to restore his sight, something Virgil approached with a lot of hesitancy. The character of Virgil was inspired by the real-life Shirl Jennings, who was one of the very few people in the world that "regained their eyesight after lifelong blindness" (via The Baltimore Sun). Like Virgil from the film, Shirl's girlfriend at the time urged him to undergo a procedure that could change his life.
1 I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
Steven Jay Russell was a real-life American con artist, who successfully escaped prison not just once, but four times. He did so with the intention of reuniting with Phillip Morris, an inmate whom Russell fell in love with while they were both incarcerated. In 2003, a book telling Russell's story was released under the title of I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks. Six years later, a comedy film titled I Love You Phillip Morris was released, starring Jim Carrey as Russell and Ewan McGregor as the titular Morris. The film was arguably one of the most unusual romantic comedies ever made, but was jaw-droppingly based on a true story.