Relationships are a complex and fascinating part of the human experience. They can be beautiful, messy, and everything in between. Movies have long been a way for us to explore the different facets of relationships, and many unique relationship movies unconventionally do this.
We’ve recommended 8 movies that explore relationships in a way that you may not have seen before. These movies are all different in terms of genre, tone, and style, but they all share one thing in common: they offer a unique and fresh perspective on relationships.
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The Best Unique Relationship Movies List
Below are the unique relationship movies list we’ve covered in the blog post:
- Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
- The Lobster (2015)
- Paddleton (2019)
- Frances Ha (2012)Anomalisa (2015)
- Her (2013)
- Blue Valentine (2010)
- The Break-Up (2006)
1. Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
First on the list of unique relationship movies is Lars and the Real Girl. This is a heartwarming and heartbreaking 2007 American comedy-drama film directed by Craig Gillespie and written by Nancy Oliver.
Lars and the Real Girl stars Ryan Gosling as Lars Lindstrom, a socially awkward man who develops a relationship with Bianca, a life-size anatomically correct female doll.
Lars lives with his brother Gus and sister-in-law Karin in a small town in Wisconsin. He is painfully shy and has difficulty interacting with people. One day, Lars brings home Bianca, whom he introduces as his girlfriend. At first, Gus and Karin are skeptical, but they eventually come to accept Bianca as part of the family.
Lars and Bianca’s relationship is not without its challenges. Lars’s co-workers at the factory make fun of him, and some people in town believe that he is mentally ill. However, he remains steadfast in his belief that Bianca is real, and he eventually comes to terms with his social awkwardness.
The film centers on the power of love and acceptance.
2. The Lobster (2015)
The Lobster is a darkly comic film about a dystopian future where single people are forced to find a partner within 45 days or be turned into an animal. The film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who is known for his dark and absurd films. It stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, and Léa Seydoux.
In a dystopian future, single people are sent to a hotel where they have 45 days to find a partner. If they fail, they are turned into an animal of their choice.
David, a recently divorced man, is sent to the hotel. He meets a woman named Elisabeth, and they begin a relationship. However, their relationship is tested when Elisabeth is given the choice to stay with David or be turned into a dog.
In the end, David and Elisabeth decide to leave the hotel together and face the outside world. They know that they may not find love, but they are determined to try.
The Lobster is a film that is both funny and disturbing and will make you think about the nature of relationships in a new way.
3. Paddleton (2019)
Paddleton is a 2019 American comedy-drama film about friendship, love, and loss. It’s one of the unique relationship movies everyone should watch.
The film was released on Netflix on January 24, 2019. Two friends, Andy (Duplass) and Steve (Romano) are both terminally ill and decide to spend their remaining time together playing the made-up game of “Paddleton”.
Andy and Steve are two middle-aged men who have been best friends since childhood. They live in a small apartment together and spend their days playing the made-up game of “Paddleton”.
One day, Andy is diagnosed with terminal cancer. He tells Steve, who is understandably devastated. However, Andy insists that they continue to play “Paddleton” and enjoy their remaining time together.
The two friends spend their days playing the game, talking about their lives, and trying to make the most of the time they have left. As Andy’s health declines, Steve becomes increasingly worried about him. However, Andy remains positive and determined to live his life to the fullest.
Andy later dies peacefully in his sleep. Steve is heartbroken, but he is grateful for the time they had together. He continues to play “Paddleton” in Andy’s memory, and he eventually finds a new friend to play with.
4. Frances Ha (2012)
Frances Ha is a 2012 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Noah Baumbach. The film stars Greta Gerwig as Frances Halladay, a 27-year-old dancer who is struggling to make it in New York City. It’s one of the unique relationship movies that follows Frances as she navigates her relationships, her career, and her personal growth.
After Frances is fired from her dance company, she then moves in with her best friend Sophie (Mickey Sumner), but their friendship begins to strain as Frances’s life starts to fall apart. Frances also begins a relationship with a painter named Noah (Adam Driver), but the relationship is ultimately doomed.
With time, Frances begins to realize that she needs to make some changes in her life. She quits her dance company and starts to pursue a new career in writing. She also begins to repair her relationship with Sophie.
The film ends with Frances moving to Paris to pursue her dreams. She is finally starting to find her place in the world.
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5. Anomalisa (2015)
Anomalisa is a stop-motion animated film about a man named Michael Stone, a motivational speaker who is deeply unhappy with his life. He travels to a conference in Cincinnati, where he meets a woman named Lisa, who is the only person who can hear his voice as anything other than a monotonous drone.
Michael and Lisa strike up a connection, and they spend the weekend together exploring the city. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Michael is still struggling with his inner demons. He is haunted by the feeling that he is not good enough, and he is afraid of getting close to anyone.
However, Michael and Lisa are unable to overcome their respective issues, and they go their separate ways. However, their brief encounter has a profound impact on both of them. Michael realizes that he is capable of feeling real love, and Lisa learns that she is not alone in her struggles.
6. Her (2013)
Her is a science fiction film about a man named Theodore who falls in love with a computer operating system. The film is directed by Spike Jonze and stars Joaquin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson. It makes the list of unique relationship movies we recommend.
Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) is a lonely writer who is struggling to cope with the loss of his wife. He decides to purchase Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), a new operating system that is designed to be more than just a computer program. Samantha can learn and grow at an exponential rate, and she quickly becomes Theodore’s closest companion.
Theodore and Samantha begin to fall in love, and they share their thoughts and feelings in a way that Theodore has never been able to do with another person. However, their relationship is not without its challenges. Samantha is not a human being, and she does not always understand the nuances of human emotion.
As Theodore and Samantha’s relationship progresses, Theodore begins to question the nature of love and intimacy. He wonders if it is possible to love a machine, and he struggles to come to terms with the fact that Samantha may one day leave him.
7. Blue Valentine (2010)
Blue Valentine is a 2010 American romantic drama film that is both beautiful and heartbreaking but still among the unique relationship movies that’ll interest you.
The film is directed by Derek Cianfrance and stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as Dean and Cindy, a married couple who are struggling to stay together.
The film is told in two parts, the first set on their wedding day and the second set several years later when the couple is on the verge of divorce.
The first part is on Dean and Cindy’s wedding day, which is full of hope and promise, they are clearly in love and excited to start their lives together. However, the second part of the film shows that their marriage has not been as easy as they thought it would be. They have grown apart and are no longer able to communicate effectively. They are both unhappy and resentful, and their relationship is on the brink of collapse.
In the end, Dean and Cindy decide their future. They can either try to save their marriage or go their separate ways. The film leaves the ending ambiguous, so it is up to the viewer to decide what they think happens next.
Conclusion
That’s all of the many great movies that explore relationships uniquely and unconventionally. The films on this list are all available to stream on various platforms, such as Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
