Best Romantic Movies Of 2014

 1. That Awkward Moment

Starring: Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan, Imogen Poots
Director: Tom Gormican
Out: 31 January 2014

 

Romantic comedy about three male friends (Efron, Teller, Jordan) in Manhattan who make a pact to remain single just as they start falling in love. Cue relationship talk and frat-friendly gross-out gags. Think ‘Sex in the City’ for dude-bro guys, taking the conventions of female rom-coms and centering them around male characters. The writer-director is new and the script was on Hollywood’s Black List (of the best unproduced screenplays). Critics say the romantic scenes are formulaic and too little is at stake, while the comedy is forced. But Zac Efron/Miles Teller fans have enjoyed it. 

2. About Last Night

Starring: Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Regina Hall, Joy Bryant, Paula Patton
Director: Steve Pink
Out: 14 February 2014

Two new couples form, making the journey from the bar to the bedroom and eventually get put to the test in the real world. From the director of ‘Accepted’ and ‘Hot Tub Time Machine’, and the screenwriter of ‘Bachelorette’, this is a R-rated reimagining of the 1986 Rob Lowe/Demi Moore romantic-drama as a romantic-comedy with an African-American cast. Both are based on ‘Sexual Perversity in Chicago’, the play that established David Mamet. Despite being an ensemble, Kevin Hart is the dominating presence. It’s actually higher rated by critics than the original, thanks to its engaging cast and good balance of love and laughs. Public have been so-so on it.

3. Winter’s Tale
Starring: Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly
Director: Akiva Goldsman
Out: 14 February 2014











In 1916, a burglar (Farrell) falls for an heiress (Jessica Brown Findlay, ‘Downton Abbey’) as she dies in his arms. Nearly a century later, after being mystically transported to modern day New York, he learns about reincarnation and he sets out to find her again. It’s a story of miracles, crossed destinies, and the age-old battle between good and evil. The film marks the directorial debut of veteran screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (‘A Beautiful Mind’, ‘Batman and Robin’), who also wrote the screenplay, based on the acclaimed ’83 novel. This has a stellar cast and the novel is reportedly touching and beautifully written. However these sort of mythical romantic time-benders like ‘The Fountain’ and ‘Cloud Atlas’ struggle to connect with mass audiences, and I don’t sense much excitement any more for Colin Farrell as a romantic lead, especially with a Hitler haircut. This may be headed for a cult following.


4. Endless Love
Starring: Alex Pettyfer, Gabriella Wilde, Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Out: 14 February 2014




The story of a privileged, innocent girl (Wilde) and a charismatic boy with a dark past (Pettyfer) whose instant desire sparks a love affair made only more reckless by parents trying to keep them apart. Remake of the terrible Brooke Shields romantic-drama from ’82 and based on the well-received ’80 book about an affair between two 15-year-olds. Of course that’s too tricky an area for the studio to tackle, so a 23 and 24-year-old get cast as the leads. The director brought us the decently-done ‘Country Strong’, but the subject matter here is less interesting – “Rich mom and dad don’t approve of their daughter’s boyfriend” couldn’t be more familiar in romantic cinema. Although the movie tries to romanticise young passion, there’s a good chance you’ll end up agreeing with the parents’ point of view. Still if ‘The Notebook’ by-the-numbers approach doesn’t bother you then this delivers a solid fix.


5. In Secret
Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Felton, Oscar Isaac, Jessica Lange
Director: Charlie Stratton
Out: 21 February 2014




Dark and intense erotic thriller set in the the lower echelons of 1860s Paris. A sexually repressed beautiful young woman (Olsen), is trapped in a loveless marriage with her sickly cousin (Felton) by her domineering aunt (Lange). She spends her days confined behind the counter of a small shop and her evenings watching her aunt play dominoes with an eclectic group. After she meets her husband’s alluring friend (Isaac) she embarks on an illicit affair that leads to tragic consequences… This adaptation of Émile Zola’s 1867 classic novel ‘Thérèse Raquin’ comes from a first time feature director. Reaction has been reasonable. The pace may be lacklustre at times and the mood glum, but that’s offset by Jessica Lange’s much-praised performance.


6. Pompeii
Starring: Kit Harington, Emily Browning, Carrie-Anne Moss, Kiefer Sutherland
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Out: 21 February 2014




In 79 A.D. a slave turned invincible gladiator (Harington, ‘Game of Thrones’) finds himself in a race against time to save his true love (Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator (Sutherland). As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him…. Modelled after the ‘Titanic’ action/romance-in-midst-of-disaster/tragedy, this has a bland pair of leads and comes from dreaded director Paul W.S. Anderson (‘Resident Evil’, ‘The Three Musketeers’). While ‘Titanic’ satisfied both a male and female demographic, this falls short of satisfying either. 

7. Le Week-End
Starring: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, Jeff Goldblum
Director: Roger Michell
Out: 14 March 2014




A married academic couple from Birmingham hoping to rejuvenate their increasingly tense marriage mark their 30th anniversary by revisiting Paris, the place they honeymooned three decades ago. Amongst their misadventures they bump in to a successful former student of his (Goldblum), and attend a dinner party that opens up a new view of life and love for the couple. From the director of ‘Notting Hill’, this received strong reviews across the board in the UK, but failed to find much of an audience. For the older crowd this is an insightful, bittersweet comedy-drama.


8.Breathe In
Starring: Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Amy Ryan
Director: Drake Doremus
Out: 28 March 2014




A married high-school music teacher (Pearce) has his world turned upside down when a beautiful 18-year-old British exchange student (Jones) comes to stay in their home in upstate New York. She represents everything he loved about his previous life as a free and happy musician before becoming a father and being forced to retire to suburban life. The director is known for an intimate style, using hand-held cameras, often right in the actors’ faces, and his ability to draw out natural performances. ‘Breathe In’ has been described as beautiful and tragic, with great cinematography and nuanced performances from the leads. The plot may be slight and overly familiar, with the simmer only coming to a boil right at the end, but it’s watchable overall.


9. The Other Woman
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kate Upton, Nicki Minaj
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Out: 25 April 2014




A New York career woman (Diaz) thinks she’s finally found The One in her new partner (Coster-Waldau). But when she drives up to his house dressed as a plumber to surprise him, the door is opened by his wife (Mann). The shocked wife keeps stopping by her office wanting to know what happened, and soon the pair realise they have a lot in common and become best friends. And when yet another affair is discovered (Upton), all three women team up to plot mutual revenge on the serial adulterer. From the director of ‘The Notebook’ and other romantic dramas, Cassavetes switches over to comedy effortlessly. Mann and Diaz have great chemistry and this is an energetic, entertaining film that gets solid laughs from an event of emotional anguish. Mann in particular has never been better. Nicki Minaj is a bit rubbish as Diaz’s P.A. but what did we expect. 


10. The Fault In Our Stars
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Sam Trammell, Willem Dafoe
Director: Josh Boone
Out: 6 June 2014




Follows two teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them on a journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous given that her other constant companion is an oxygen tank, that he has a prosthetic leg, and they met at a cancer support group. From the director of the well-liked ‘Stuck in Love’, and adapted by the screenwriters of ‘(500) Days of Summer’. The New York Times bestseller was described as a blend of melancholy, sweet, philosophical and funny. But be warned, it didn’t shy away from tragic realism. Shailene Woodley starred in last year’s top-notch romantic-drama ‘The Spectacular Now’, so there’s perfectly suited talent throughout the production. Having romantic leads who are suffering from cancer can be an obstacle to audience enjoyment, but if you’re prepared for it, this charms, amuses and brings on the waterworks.


11. Think Like A Man Too
Starring: Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Terrence J, Jerry Ferrara, Gabrielle Union
Director: Tim Story
Out: 20 June 2014




All the couples are back for a wedding in Las Vegas, but plans for a romantic weekend go awry when their various misadventures get them into some compromising situations that threaten to derail the big event. A sequel to 2012’s ‘Think Like A Man’, which took its cues from an actual self-help book proposing that the key to relationship success for women was to “act like a lady while thinking like a man”. The book was written by a guy who’s been divorced twice. That movie has some good laughs, a fun vibe and a fair amount of charm. Cue the usual diminishing returns of a rom-com sequel, with an extra beefed up part for man-of-the-moment Kevin Hart. With the same director and writers returning you’d think any fan of the first would have a good time, but the reaction has been poor.

12. Third Person
Starring: Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Olivia Wilde, Adrien Brody
Director: Paul Haggis
Out: 20 June 2014




Follows three interlocking love stories involving couples in three cities: Rome, Paris, and New York. One relationship marks the beginning of love (Brody, Moran Atia), the other marks the journey of love (Neeson, Wilde), and the last couple (Franco, Kunis) is on the verge of a divorce. Neeson plays a journalist, Wilde a gossip columnist, Kunis an ex-soap opera actress, and Franco an artist. From Paul Haggis, the writer-director of ‘Crash’, the extensive dramatic ensemble also includes Maria Bello, Casey Affleck and Kim Basinger. It’s got fine talent in front and behind the camera but long delays suggest something’s gone flat.  


13. They Came Together
Starring: Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Ed Helms, Jack McBrayer
Director: David Wain
Out: 27 June 2014




Parody of rom-coms and their cliches. When Joel (Rudd) and Molly (Poehler) meet, it’s hate at first sight: his big Corporate Candy Company threatens to shut down her quirky indie shop. Plus, Joel is hung up on his sexy ex. But amazingly, they fall in love, until they break up about two thirds of the way through, and Molly starts dating her accountant. But then right at the end…well you’ll just have to see. (Hint: Joel makes a big speech and they get back together.) From the director of ‘Role Models’ and ‘Wanderlust’, this is a reunion for the team behind ‘Wet Hot American Summer’. Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler have great comic chemistry and this is sharply observed, if a little uneven. For a spoof it’s misleadingly marketed, and too subtle for its own good, the poster looks like a conventional rom-com, which has caught romance fans out and caused a lot of negative feedback. Watching it many have missed that it’s satire and written it off as just being a “bad, cliched rom-com”. Others have got annoyed that it’s “taking the piss” out of the genre. Which is a shame. Because it’s actually pretty clever.



14. Begin Again
Starring: Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, Adam Levine, Hailee Steinfeld
Director: John Carney
Out: 11 July 2014




Seduced by dreams of making it in the big city, Gretta (Knightley) and her long-time boyfriend (Levine) move to New York to pursue their passion for music. She’s heartbroken when he dumps her for the fame and fortune of a big solo contract. Left to sleep on the couch of an old friend, Gretta reluctantly agrees to play an open mic night where a down-on-his-luck record producer (Ruffalo) is captivated by her raw talent and inspiring authenticity. They may be each other’s last chance to turn their lives around. The writer-director of this romantic drama gave us ‘Once’ and that’s the biggest reason to be cautiously excited. It’s the first film role for Adam Levine, real-life frontman of Maroon 5 and judge on ‘The Voice’. Cee Lo Green also features in the cast. ‘True Grit’ star Hailee Steinfeld plays Ruffalo’s disrespecting daughter. Judd Apatow exec-produces. It’s been very well received by critics and public alike.


15. Step Up: All In
Starring: Ryan Guzman, Alyson Stoner, Briana Evigan, Adam Sevani
Director: Trish Sie
Out: 25 July 2014




3D dance/romance drama. Multiple stars from previous installments come together in glittering Las Vegas, battling for a victory that could define their dreams and their careers. Otherwise known as ‘Step Up 5′, there’s been an installment every two years since 2006. The new helmer is a Grammy-winning choreographer and music video director, best known for creating OK Go videos. This is something of a series reunion with Sean Asa, Andie, Camille Cage and Robert “Moose” Alexander III returning alongside Jenny Kido, Jason Hardlerson, Hair, Monster, Vladd, The Santiago Twins, and Eddy. But no Channing Tatum, who made his name off the first film. The franchise has remained consistently well-liked by audiences and this has the same kinetic appeal, good looks and smooth moves. Just don’t go looking for a complex or profound love story.  

16. What If
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Zoe Kazan, Adam Driver, Rafe Spall
Director: Michael Dowse
Out: 8 August 2014




A romantic-comedy about being stuck in the friend zone. Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Kazan, ‘Ruby Sparks’) meet at a party and have an instant connection. When she reveals she has a boyfriend, the pair embark on a long friendship during which Wallace is secretly pining for her but trying to ignore it. Is she developing feelings for him? That’s entirely ambigious. From the director of ‘Take Me Home Tonight’ and ‘Goon’. Contemporary and light is actually a departure for Radcliffe. Reviews have been positive, calling it funny and sweet.


17. If I Stay
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Liana Liberato
Director: R.J. Cutler
Out: 22 August 2014


[Critics: 38%] [Public: 7.0]


18. The Best Of Me
Starring: Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Liana Liberato
Director: Michael Hoffman
Out: 17 October 2014




Two former small-town high school sweethearts (Monaghan, Marsden) from opposite sides of the tracks are now middle-aged and departed long ago to take wildly divergent paths. However neither has forgotten their first love affair, and when they return to their hometown for a funeral, the pair meet to confront the past and a possible future. Based on the latest novel by love-story-factory Nicholas Sparks, author of ‘The Notebook’, ‘Dear John’ and ‘Safe Haven’. The late Paul Walker was replaced in the lead by James Marsden, himself a key part of ‘The Notebook’ a decade ago. From the director of ‘One Fine Day’ and ‘The Last Station’, expect the usual slick Sparks adaptation that’s slightly contrived but hits the spot for devotees of the genre. 


19. Say When (aka Laggies)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Chloë Grace Moretz, Sam Rockwell, Mark Webber
Director: Lynn Shelton
Out: 24 October 2014




Drama-comedy about a 28-year-old woman (Knightley, complete with American accent) stuck in permanent adolescence. When she attends her 10 year high school reunion she realises how little has changed in her life. She still lives with her high school boyfriend (Webber), and works as a sign flipper. When her boyf proposes, she panics, and crossing paths with a 16-year-old (Moretz) she lies to her fiancé about going on a retreat to spend the time hanging out with her – and her attractive, single dad, (Rockwell). Stories of arrested adolescences tend to be from a male point of view, so this could be interesting. From the director of ‘Your Sister’s Sister’, festival reviews say this has polish and a nice sense of realism in the performances, and is all enjoyable if you can forgive some tonal problems and unlikely plot contrivances.  


20. Life Partners
Starring: Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs, Adam Brody, Gabourey Sidibe
Director: Susanna Fogel
Out: 5 December 2014