For decades, cinema has instilled in us the belief that love always overcomes all obstacles and ends like a fairy tale. Modern films sometimes debunk this myth of the happy ending, bringing us back to a reality that differs from the movies.
Anti-romcoms are films about feelings without promises, where no one swears eternal love, and "and they lived happily ever after" remains an alien line from another genre.
"The Worst Person in the World" (dir. Joachim Trier, 2021)
The story of a woman who thinks too much, doubts too often, and therefore is always late, including in her relationships. Love here does not collapse; it simply cannot withstand uncertainty.
"In the Rhythm of the Cha-Cha-Cha" (dir. Cooper Raiff, 2022)
A story of affection that looks like the beginning of a romcom but suddenly veers towards maturity. A film about how good people do not always suit each other.
"Sad Jane" (dir. Georgia Oakley, 2022)
A quiet story about the impossibility of being oneself in a relationship when the world around is not ready to accept your truth. Love here loses to fear.
"My Sun" (dir. Charlotte Wells, 2022)
A film about love that is realized too late. No confessions, only memory and a sense of loss.
"All's Fair" (dir. Chloé Domont, 2023)
A film about how ambitions gradually push feelings aside. Romance ends where competition begins.
"Passages" (dir. Ira Sachs, 2023)
The story of emotionally immature adults who confuse freedom with selfishness. Love exists here, but respect does not.
"We Are All Strangers" (dir. Andrew Haigh, 2023)
A haunting and very personal story about love that confronts unresolved loss. A film about how the past interferes with the present.
"May December" (dir. Todd Haynes, 2023)
A distorted story of a relationship where love is merely a mask for dependence and control. Very uncomfortable, yet precise cinema.
...The anti-romcoms of recent years no longer attempt to comfort the viewer; they honestly acknowledge that love does not always heal, does not always save, and certainly does not have to end with a shared future. Sometimes it simply happens—to teach letting go, growing up, and moving on without illusions. These films are not about "happily ever after," but about feelings that were important but did not become eternal.
