10 Most Controversial Romance Movies Of All Time

Warning! This article contains descriptions of violence and abuse.A good romance movie is often a little controversial, as depictions of love onscreen are told through metaphor or involve extreme situations for the sake of drama. However, just because a film is controversial doesn’t mean that it will age badly. Some of the older movies that feature taboo love stories or intense sexual situations have become cult classics with time. How audiences and critics respond to an onscreen relationship that could be deemed controversial is always impacted by the story, the performances, and the direction. Additionally, some romance movies tackle these subjects to make a comment on them.

While this isn’t always the case, overwhelmingly, romance movies are called out when they have particularly graphic sex scenes. What audiences and critics deem graphic has changed over time, as the boundaries of what can be shown onscreen have evolved with cultural opinion and the open forum on the internet. Recently, movies like The Idea of You have gained traction, exploring age gaps in contemporary relationships. This opens the door for frank conversations about sexuality and romantic discovery. Making room for uncomfortable situations onscreen must be done gracefully, giving romance movies the space to be open about their flaws.

10

Don’t Look Now (1973)

John & Laura’s relationship

Though not a typical romance movie, Don’t Look Now is fueled by the interpersonal relationships at the heart of the story, particularly between the two leads. John (Donald Sutherland) and Laura (Julie Christie) are ravaged by grief in the wake of the death of their young daughter, and this takes a heavy toll on their romantic relationship. Ahead of its time in many ways, Don’t Look Now shocked audiences with a sex scene between John and Laura that showed a lot more than audiences were used to seeing in the 1970s.

While this moment might seem comparatively tame by today’s standards, it was what audiences remembered most about the film at the time. The flames of this controversy were fanned by the unsubstantiated rumor that the sex scene was unsimulated (via Collider). As one of Donald Sutherland’s best movies, Don’t Look Now is remembered as a vital addition to the erotic-thriller genre and deserves to be remembered for much more than its sex scene.

9

It Ends With Us (2024)

Lily & Ryle’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel, It Ends With Us is a drama-romance film directed by Justin Baldoni. The film follows a recent college graduate named Lily, who meets a man named Ryle and falls in love with him. However, a traumatic incident compounded with her former high-school sweetheart re-entering her life complicates her plans.

Release Date

August 9, 2024

Runtime

130 Minutes

Cast

Blake Lively
, Justin Baldoni
, Brandon Sklenar
, Jenny Slate
, Hasan Minhaj
, Amy Morton
, Kevin McKidd
, Isabela Ferrer
, Alex Neustaedter
, Robert Clohessy
, Robyn Lively
, Megan Robinson
, Robin S. Walker
, Emily Baldoni
, Adam Mondschein
, Caroline Siegrist
, Steve Monroe
, Daphne Zelle

Director

Justin Baldoni

Writers

Christy Hall
, Colleen Hoover

Studio(s)

Columbia Pictures
, Wayfarer Studios
, Saks Picture Company

Expand

The recent film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s popular novel, It Ends With Us, has been a source of intense drama and publicity since the production was announced. While the off-screen legal battles between the movie’s stars, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, have been a significant source of controversy, the subject matter itself has also sparked discussion (via ScreenRant). How the material grapples with domestic abuse has been widely discussed, especially in combination with how the film was marketed.

Related

Every Colleen Hoover Book Being Turned Into A Movie

After the success of 2024’s It Ends With Us, author Colleen Hoover is having even more of her romance novels adapted to the silver screen.

There’s little question that It Ends With Us ultimately condemns domestic violence and sees its protagonist break free of the cycle of abuse. However, there’s an argument to be made that the seriousness of the story wasn’t fully communicated by the press materials leading up to the movie’s premiere. Additionally, It Ends With Us has been accused of glamorizing abuse, largely because the promotional trailers and discussions frame the relationship as one that would be found in a classic rom-com rather than an interrogative drama.

8

Love Actually (2003)

Many relationships throughout the film

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

The 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually follows various couples as they explore their relationships throughout the Christmas season. With a star-studded cast composed of Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Rowan Atkinson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman, and Martine McCutcheon, Love Actually has since become a Christmas staple for rom-com lovers.

Release Date

November 14, 2003

Runtime

135 minutes

Director

Richard Curtis

Writers

Richard Curtis

Budget

45million

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures

Expand

This Christmas-themed rom-com is a beloved but dated addition to the romance genre, and every holiday season, its controversies are rehashed. Following its ensemble cast traversing many tales of love and loss during the time of year when everyone is looking for a connection, there’s a reason why Love Actually is such a classic film. However, this doesn’t mean that there aren’t parts of it that have stirred critical conversations, especially as it ages and audiences become more willing to talk about its flaws.

Of the many couples who appear in Love Actually​​​​​​, two of the most problematic are between the Prime Minister (Hugh Grant) and Natalie (Martine McCutcheon) and Juliet (Keira Knightley) and Mark (Andrew Lincoln). The Prime Minister and Natalie’s storyline features a body-shaming storyline and is an abuse of power on the part of the Prime Minister since Natalie is his employee. Additionally, Mark makes his declaration of love to Juliet after she marries his best friend, and she ends up kissing him, making the viewer question both of their characters.

7

Fifty Shades Of Grey (2015)

Anastasia & Christan’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Based on the book by E.L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey is the first film in the trilogy that follows naive literature student Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), whose life changes upon meeting the complicated and tormented billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dorman). Drawn to each other, the two start a romantic relationship where Steele uncovers Grey’s secrets – and explores her own personal desires.

Release Date

February 13, 2015

Runtime

125 Minutes

Director

Sam Taylor-Johnson

Writers

Kelly Marcel

Budget

$40 Million

Studio(s)

Focus Features
, Michael De Luca Productions
, Trigger Street Productions

Expand

When it was announced that E.L. James’ explicit romance book, Fifty Shades of Grey, was going to be adapted into a movie, it sparked both excitement and uncertainty. Onscreen depictions of BDSM relationships have always been a bit taboo, even if this has started changing in the past few years. However, when Fifty Shades of Grey premiered, there were plenty of people who opposed the film, not just for its graphic content but because of the toxic elements of the central relationship.

Anastasia (Dakota Johnson) is a young and inexperienced woman who gets caught in the web of the rich and powerful Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). Through their dynamic and Christian’s obvious power in the situation, the viewer questions if both of the characters are fully in control of their behavior. Plenty of movies like Fifty Shades of Grey show positive examples of BDSM, but Fifty Shades of Grey has been criticized for showcasing this kind of romantic dynamic incorrectly.

6

The Piano Teacher (2001)

Erika & Walter’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

The Piano Teacher is a psychological drama directed by Michael Haneke that chronicles the life of Erika Kohut, a strict piano instructor portrayed by Isabelle Huppert. Living with her domineering mother, Erika’s repressed desires manifest in disturbing ways when she becomes involved with her student, Walter Klemmer, played by Benoît Magimel. The film delves into themes of control, obsession, and the complexities of human relationships.

Release Date

September 5, 2001

Runtime

131 Minutes

Cast

Isabelle Huppert
, Annie Girardot
, Benoît Magimel
, Susanne Lothar
, Udo Samel
, Anna Sigalevitch
, Cornelia Köndgen
, Thomas Weinhappel

Director

Michael Haneke

Writers

Michael Haneke
, Elfriede Jelinek

Though there isn’t much true romance in The Piano Teacher, this erotic thriller is one of Isabelle Huppert’s best movies and pushes the boundaries of depictions of sadomasochism onscreen. Benoît Magimel stars alongside Huppert’s Erika as her student, Walter, and the pair embark upon a violent and sexually provocative relationship. Grappling directly with repression and deeply uncomfortable imagery onscreen, The Piano Teacher is critically lauded but not for the faint of heart.

There’s little question that The Piano Teacher is unapologetically disturbing, touching upon power dynamics in sexual relationships and never shying away from the complexities of its relationships. Highly influential and well-known today, The Piano Teacher centers on Erika’s experience of her relationship with Walter and her mother, which informs how she expresses her hidden desires. Without the anchoring performance from Huppert, The Piano Teacher wouldn’t be half as successful. While it’s difficult to watch, there’s a reason why so many contemporary filmmakers were inspired by it.

5

Blue Is The Warmest Color

Adèle & Emma’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Based on a graphic novel, Blue is the Warmest Color stars Adèle Exarchopoulos as Adele, a teenager whose passionate relationship with an older female artist is documented over the course of several years. Léa Seydoux stars alongside Exarchopoulos as Emma, the blue-haired freespirited artist that Adele falls in love with at 15. 

Release Date

October 9, 2013

Runtime

180minutes

Cast

Lea Seydoux
, Adèle Exarchopoulos
, Salim Kechiouche
, Aurélien Recoing
, Catherine Salée
, Benjamin Siksou

Director

Abdellatif Kechiche

Writers

Julie Maroh
, Abdellatif Kechiche
, Ghalia Lacroix

Budget

$4 million

Expand

Boundary-pushing and highly controversial, Blue Is The Warmest Color is one of the most famous LGBTQ+ movies of all time, but many viewers in LGBTQ+ circles have major issues with the film. Known for its raw and graphic sex scenes and challenging portrayal of an emotionally abusive relationship, Blue Is The Warmest Color has a complicated legacy. Léa Seydoux and Adèle Exarchopoulos star as Emma and Adèle, two young women who embark on a tumultuous and sexually explosive relationship.

The director, Abdellatif Kechiche, was criticized for his lack of awareness and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and the fact that the sex scenes felt as if they were created for the male gaze rather than for women. This was particularly controversial because Blue Is The Warmest Color was so popular and lauded because of its depiction of a lesbian relationship when it felt disingenuous to many members of the community. Blue Is The Warmest Color makes critics and audiences question the difference between good representation and any representation at all.

4

Adore (2013)

Ian & Roz’s and Tom & Lil’s relationships

The complex relationship between two best friends and their adult sons unfolds in the 2013 movie Adore. When Lil (Naomi Watts) and Roz (Robin Wright) begin having affairs with the other’s 18-year-old sons, Ian (Xavier Samuel) and Tom (James Frecheville). While both women admit to each other that they believe their relationships to be wrong, they can’t stop themselves from becoming entangled with the young men, even as time passes and they start families of their own.

Though films that touch upon older women having affairs with younger men have become more popular in recent years, it was still more controversial when Adore first premiered. Adore was ahead of its time in tackling the issue of women remaining sexually fulfilled and desirable as they age. Conversely, the inappropriate dynamic between the two families quickly becomes uncomfortable in Adore, as the lines of familial love blur, and the two men are very young when the affairs begin.

3

My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)

Julianne & Michael’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Upon hearing of her friend Michael’s engagement, Julianne Potter realizes she loves him and schemes to disrupt his wedding to win his heart.

Release Date

June 19, 1997

Runtime

105 Minutes

Director

P.J. Hogan

Writers

Ronald Bass

Studio(s)

TriStar Pictures
, Zucker Brothers Productions
, Predawn Productions

Expand

Though Julia Roberts is giving a fantastic performance in My Best Friend’s Wedding, it’s easy to hate her character, Julianne, as she tries relentlessly to sabotage the titular wedding. While Julianne and her best friend Michael (Dermot Mulroney) have excellent chemistry, this doesn’t make it easier to stomach the fact that she’s pursuing a man about to marry someone else. It’s almost remarkable how determined My Best Friend’s Wedding is to push Julianne to her limits and make her an anti-hero.

Related

Every Julia Roberts Rom-Com, Ranked Worst To Best

Sometimes known as the queen of rom-coms, Julia Roberts has made many films in the genre, but not all of them are her best or most iconic.

Cameron Diaz plays Kimmy, the young woman who Michael is marrying, who does nothing to warrant the terrible treatment she receives from Julianne. Fortunately, Michael goes on to marry Kimmy, and Julianne ends up accepting this, even if it takes the entire movie and Michael physically running away from her for the fact that he doesn’t love her to sink in. While some viewers might want Julianne and Michael to end up together, My Best Friend’s Wedding ends up softening Julianne’s resolve, allowing the movie to age well.

2

Me Before You (2016)

William & Louisa’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Me Before You is a romantic drama directed by Thea Sharrock and based on the bestselling novel by Jojo Moyes. It follows the story of Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke), a quirky young woman who becomes a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a wealthy, paralyzed man. As they grow closer, their relationship transforms both of their lives, exploring themes of love, loss, and personal growth.

Release Date

June 3, 2016

Director

Thea Sharrock

Writers

Jojo Moyes

Me Before You was more heavily criticized for its depiction of living with a disability rather than the romance between Lou (Emilia Clarke) and Will (Sma Claflin). Based on the book by Jojo Moyes, Me Before You touches upon serious themes and has a bittersweet, tear-jerker ending. The plot revolves around Will’s decision to be euthanized following an accident that paralyzes him. Around that time, Lou enters his life as a caregiver, and they fall in love.

One of the biggest complaints about the story is that it could be interpreted to promote the idea that the disability of a loved one is a burden that holds others back. This is because Will frames his decision as a way to ensure that Lou lives her life to the fullest as if she couldn’t do this in a relationship with him. The choice to cast a non-disabled actor, Claflin, in the role of Will also sparked discussions about representation onscreen.

1

Passengers (2016)

Aurora & Jim’s relationship

Your changes have been saved

My List

My Favorite Movies
My Watchlist

Set on a colony ship carrying hibernating human passengers to a distant alien world, Passengers stars Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt as Aurora and Jim, two passengers on the ship who are awakened from their induced sleep almost a century too early. As the two begin to come to terms with their isolation and start to form a bond, Aurora begins to suspect that Jim is not as innocent in the accident as he claims to be. 

Release Date

December 21, 2016

Runtime

116minuntes

Cast

Laurence Fishburne
, Aurora Perrineau
, ​Chris Pratt2
, Jamie Soricelli
, Jennifer Lawrence
, Kimberly Battista
, Andy Garcia
, Michael Sheen

Director

Morten Tyldum

Writers

Jon Spaihts

Budget

$110 million

Expand

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt star in the sci-fi romance Passengers, a movie that takes a dark turn halfway through the story. When Aurora (Lawrence) awakens early on a spaceship destined for a new planet, she only has Jim (Pratt) for company, as his pod also seemingly malfunctioned. The pair start a relationship as the only two people awake on the ship, and though their connection seems real, Aurora discovers that Jim purposefully woke her up so he wouldn’t be alone, dooming her to die on the ship.

Despite this, after teaming up to prevent the spaceship from being destroyed, Aurora forgives him and chooses to stay awake with him, living out the rest of her life on the ship. This happy ending to this complex romance film put many viewers and critics off, as Jim’s actions could easily be considered inexcusable. It’s difficult to root for the pair to be together after learning that Jim selfishly woke Aurora up because he thought she was beautiful, not caring about the consequences.