Best Movies About Divorce

From Richard Linklater, starring Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl
Rated R

Before Sunrise is a 1995 romantic drama directed by Richard Linklater. The film follows two young adults, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), who meet on a train traveling through Europe. Both Jesse and Celine are immediately attracted to one another and agree to spend the day together in Vienna before Jesse's flight home the following morning. During their day, the two talk and explore the city, developing a deep and intimate connection. Despite their short time together, the two develop a strong bond and exchange promises to meet in Vienna six months later to see if their connection will last. As Jesse catches his flight home, the two must part ways and the film ends with Jesse and Celine's uncertain future.

From Mike Nichols, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, Sandy Dennis
Rated Not Rated

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is a 1966 drama film directed by Mike Nichols and starring Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, George Segal, and Sandy Dennis. The film follows the tumultuous marriage of George (Burton) and Martha (Taylor) in the early morning hours after a university faculty party. As the night progresses, the couple engages in a series of vicious verbal and psychological battles, exposing the deeper issues underlying their marriage. The film is an adaptation of Edward Albee’s 1962 play of the same name. It was nominated for thirteen Academy Awards and won five. The movie is considered a landmark of American cinema and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made.

From Robert Benton, starring Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Jane Alexander, Justin Henry
Rated PG

Kramer vs. Kramer is a 1979 American drama film written and directed by Robert Benton. The film stars Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep as a couple going through a long, drawn-out divorce. Ted Kramer (Hoffman) is a workaholic advertising executive who has neglected his wife, Joanna (Streep). After she walks out on Ted, he is forced to take care of their son, Billy (Justin Henry), for whom he was largely an absentee father. As Ted and Billy slowly bond, Ted rediscovers the joys of fatherhood and begins to understand Joanna's actions. Meanwhile, Joanna struggles to establish an independent identity for herself and to come to terms with her past decisions. In the end, both parents must learn to put their son's needs ahead of their own.

From Abdellatif Kechiche, starring Léa Seydoux, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Salim Kechiouche, Aurélien Recoing
Rated NC-17

Blue Is the Warmest Colour is a 2013 coming of age romantic drama film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche and starring Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux. The film follows Adèle, a French teenage girl who discovers her own sexuality, after meeting an aspiring painter, Emma, with whom she falls in love. The story chronicles the progression of their relationship from Adèle's high school years to her early adult life and career as an art teacher. Along the way, Adèle struggles to reconcile her newfound sexuality with the conservative values of her family and environment, leading to emotional and physical conflict. The film was recognized for its frank depiction of sexuality, and won the Palme d'Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Todd Field, Sydney Pollack
Rated R

Eyes Wide Shut is a 1999 drama-mystery film directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The story follows a married couple, Dr. William "Bill" Harford and Alice Harford, whose relationship is put to the test after Alice admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met. Bill then embarks on an odyssey of sexual and moral discovery, during which he infiltrates a bizarre masked orgy of an elite society. As he delves deeper into the nightmarish underworld, the forces of jealousy and obsession take over and his life is thrown into danger. The film features themes of fidelity, sexual exploration, and power, as Bill and Alice's personal lives become intertwined with their professional lives. The film also serves as a commentary on the power of wealth and social status, as seen through the eyes of two different characters. Eyes Wide Shut is a haunting exploration of the nature of relationships and the consequences of infidelity.

From Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa, starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone
Rated PG-13

From Derek Cianfrance, starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, John Doman, Faith Wladyka
Rated R

From Todd Haynes, starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson
Rated PG-13

From Luca Guadagnino, starring Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Edoardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher
Rated R

From Charlie McDowell, starring Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson, Kiana Cason
Rated R

From Danny DeVito, starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Marianne Sägebrecht
Rated R

From Audrey Wells, starring Diane Lane, Raoul Bova, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan
Rated PG-13

From Ira Sachs, starring John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei, Charlie Tahan
Rated R

From Drake Doremus, starring Felicity Jones, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley
Rated PG-13

From Nancy Meyers, starring Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski
Rated R

From Sarah Polley, starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Aaron Abrams
Rated R

From Hugh Wilson, starring Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, Maggie Smith
Rated PG

From Andrew Jarecki, starring Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella, Lily Rabe
Rated R

From David Frankel, starring Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, Steve Carell, Jean Smart
Rated PG-13

From Michael Cristofer, starring Antonio Banderas, Angelina Jolie, Thomas Jane, Jack Thompson
Rated R