Movies About Love Affairs

From David Lean, starring Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Joyce Carey
Rated Not Rated

Brief Encounter is a romantic drama directed by David Lean and starring Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard. The story follows Laura (Johnson), a married woman who meets Alec (Howard) in a railway station café and the two soon develop an intense bond. Despite their mutual attraction, Laura decides to remain loyal to her husband. The couple decide to part ways, but not before their brief encounter changes both of their lives forever. The film is renowned for its delicate handling of delicate subject matter, and its precise cinematography and performances.

From Mike Nichols, starring Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross, William Daniels
Rated PG

The Graduate is a 1967 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Mike Nichols and written by Buck Henry and Calder Willingham. The film stars Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, and Katharine Ross, with William Daniels, Murray Hamilton, and Elizabeth Wilson in supporting roles. The film tells the story of Benjamin Braddock, a recent college graduate with no well-defined aim in life, who is seduced by an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, and then falls in love with her daughter Elaine. Benjamin's growing confusion and alienation from the pair's relationship drives the plot. The film was a massive critical and commercial success, grossing $104.9 million against a production budget of $3.3 million. It received numerous awards and nominations, including seven Academy Award nominations. Hoffman's portrayal of Benjamin earned him a Best Actor nomination, while Bancroft won a Best Actress Award for her performance as Mrs. Robinson.

From David Lean, starring Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, Geraldine Chaplin, Rod Steiger
Rated PG-13

Doctor Zhivago is a 1965 British-American romantic epic drama film directed by David Lean. The film stars Omar Sharif as Yuri Zhivago, a married doctor and poet who has a series of affairs before and after the Russian Revolution of 1905. The story follows Yuri's struggles to survive the turmoil of World War I and the Russian Revolution, while trying to maintain his love for his wife, Tonya (Geraldine Chaplin), his muse, Lara (Julie Christie), and his sense of self. Other characters include Zhivago's half-brother, Yevgraf (Alec Guinness), a Bolshevik officer; Komarovsky (Rod Steiger), a self-serving merchant; General Yevgraf (Tom Courtenay), a Red Army commander; and Strelnikov (Ralph Richardson), a revolutionary leader. The film was adapted from the novel of the same name by Boris Pasternak and was nominated for ten Academy Awards. It won five, including Best Cinematography, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design.

From James Mangold, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick
Rated PG-13

"Walk the Line" (2005) is a biopic film based on the life of country music legend Johnny Cash. Directed by James Mangold, the film follows Cash's rise to fame and his passionate, yet tumultuous relationship with fellow musician June Carter. It chronicles his career from his early days playing on radio and his early success with Sun Records, to his struggles with drug addiction and his eventual redemption. The film goes into great detail about Cash's personal life, including his complex relationship with June, his turbulent marriage, and the anguish of his past. In the end, Cash is able to transform his life, find true love and find acceptance and peace within himself. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash, Reese Witherspoon as June, and Robert Patrick as Cash's father. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards and won one for Best Actress in a Leading Role for Reese Witherspoon.

From Ang Lee, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams, Randy Quaid
Rated R

Brokeback Mountain is a 2005 American romantic drama film directed by Ang Lee. It tells the story of two young men, Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), who meet as shepherds in the summer of 1963 and embark on a complex, sometimes difficult, but ultimately life-changing relationship. They struggle to keep their partnership a secret against the backdrop of a conservative, small-town culture, but are eventually forced to choose between their competing desires and identities. The film explores themes of forbidden love, social stigma, and the consequences of one’s choices, ultimately showing the courage and strength it takes to live an authentic life.

From Woody Allen, starring Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emily Mortimer, Matthew Goode
Rated R

Match Point is a psychological drama directed by Woody Allen. The film stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Chris Wilton, a former professional tennis player who finds himself entangled in a web of crime, seduction, and moral dilemmas. After taking a job as an instructor at an elite London tennis club, Chris meets Tom Hewett (Matthew Goode), a wealthy young man, and his family. Tom introduces Chris to his sister Chloe (Emily Mortimer) and the two fall in love. Meanwhile, Chris also becomes involved with Tom’s fiancee, the beautiful and seductive Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson). Despite his best efforts, Chris’s life becomes increasingly entangled as his moral boundaries are challenged and tested. In the end, Chris must make a difficult decision that will determine his fate and the fate of those he loves.

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley, Victor Slezak
Rated PG-13

The Bridges of Madison County is a 1995 romantic drama about a chance encounter between a National Geographic photographer and an Italian-American housewife in 1965 rural Iowa. The housewife, Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep), has been married for years and is raising two children, but is losing touch with her husband and life. When the photographer, Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood), stops in Madison County to take pictures of the historic covered bridges, he and Francesca strike up a passionate, four-day love affair that changes both of their lives forever. Despite the powerful connection between them, Francesca decides to stay with her family and the two part ways. Years later, long after Robert's death, Francesca's children discover the truth behind the story and discover the true power of love and sacrifice.

From Stephen Daldry, starring Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Bruno Ganz, Jeanette Hain
Rated R

The Reader is a 2008 drama film directed by Stephen Daldry, starring Kate Winslet and Ralph Fiennes. The movie is set in post-World War II Germany, and tells the story of a young man, Michael Berg (David Kross), and an older, enigmatic woman, Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet), who develop an intense, passionate, and ultimately heartbreaking relationship that endures for years. Hanna is later put on trial for her involvement in war crimes, and Michael must come to terms with who she was and the impact of his relationship with her. The film explores themes of guilt, shame, justice, and forgiveness.

From Todd Field, starring Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley
Rated R

Little Children is a 2006 drama film directed by Todd Field and starring Kate Winslet and Patrick Wilson. The film follows the lives of three adults in a suburban community, focusing on Sarah and Brad, two married people who have an affair with each other and Ronnie, a convicted sex offender who moves into the neighborhood. As their lives become intertwined, Sarah and Brad must confront the consequences of their affair and the prejudices of their neighbors, while Ronnie struggles to redefine his identity. As they all confront their own inner struggles and societal pressures, they must ultimately decide how much they are willing to risk in order to find true happiness.

From Nikolaj Arcel, starring Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Trine Dyrholm
Rated R

"A Royal Affair" is a period drama set in 18th-century Denmark, when an enlightened and idealistic doctor named Johann Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen) is appointed to the court of the mad King Christian VII (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard). Despite their social differences, the two men develop an unlikely friendship, and Struensee begins to help the King by introducing sweeping reforms to the kingdom. Struensee also falls in love with Christian’s English-born queen, Caroline Mathilde (Alicia Vikander), leading to an affair that proves to be dangerous for all involved. Struensee’s revolutionary ideas make him unpopular with the court and powerful enemies, ultimately leading to his downfall.

From Jane Campion, starring Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin
Rated R

The Piano is a 1993 romantic drama film directed by Jane Campion, and starring Holly Hunter, Sam Neill, and Anna Paquin. The film follows the story of Ada McGrath (Hunter), a mute Scottish woman who travels to 19th century New Zealand with her young daughter and her beloved piano. Upon arrival, Ada is sold into marriage to a local man, with the piano posing as her dowry. Ada's husband refuses to allow her to keep the piano, so she makes a deal with a local landowner: she agrees to give him lessons in exchange for being allowed to keep the piano. Ada eventually falls in love with the landowner, and the two must fight to keep their love alive in a hostile land. As the movie progresses, Ada learns to express herself through her music and discovers her own strength and determination.

From Anthony Minghella, starring Ralph Fiennes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin Scott Thomas
Rated R

From John Curran, starring Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Catherine An
Rated PG-13

From Leo McCarey, starring Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson
Rated Not Rated

From Mike Nichols, starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Julia Roberts
Rated R

From Neil Jordan, starring Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Heather-Jay Jones
Rated R

From Frédéric Fonteyne, starring Nathalie Baye, Sergi López, Jacques Viala, Paul Pavel
Rated R

From Karel Reisz, starring Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Hilton McRae, Emily Morgan
Rated R

From Saul Dibb, starring Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Dominic Cooper, Charlotte Rampling
Rated PG-13

From John McTiernan, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo, Denis Leary, Ben Gazzara
Rated R

From Kevin Reynolds, starring James Franco, Sophia Myles, Rufus Sewell, David O'Hara
Rated PG-13

From Adrian Lyne, starring Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez, Erik Per Sullivan
Rated R

From Louis Malle, starring Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson, Rupert Graves
Rated R

From Joe Wright, starring Keira Knightley, Jude Law, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Matthew Macfadyen
Rated R

From Miguel Arteta, starring Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gyllenhaal, Deborah Rush, Mike White
Rated R