Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood
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This month it’s Valentine’s Day, when everyone who has a special somebody in their life gets the chance to shower them in gifts and affection. However, for many of us, the holiday is just a reminder that we’re single. Normally this conjures up visions of people sitting sadly in their pyjamas eating a lot of ice cream, but is being unattached really such a bad thing? Movie history has a number of stories where the protagonists end up alone – and better off for it. Here are some of our picks for the best movies that don’t need a romantic pay-off. As you might imagine, there are spoilers ahead!

By Victoria Luxford

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Little Women
Little Women (2019) – It should be no surprise that Greta Gerwig, acclaimed director of Lady Bird, takes Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel and gives the ending a slight twist. Traditionally strong-willed Jo (Saoirse Ronan) breaks her vow to be unmarried and ends up with handsome suitor Bhaer. This adaptation splits reality, meaning that the book Jo writes (entitled Little Women) features that original ending, but in her reality she is happily single, running a school with her beloved sisters. Gerwig reportedly brought about the twist after she learned that Alcott was forced by her publisher to add the original ending.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Waitress
Waitress (2007) – It may be more famous as a Broadway musical, but Waitress is a fine cinematic example of putting your own happiness first. This wonderful 2000s indie comedy focused on pregnant waitress Jenna (Keri Russell), who struggles with impending motherhood while being torn between her abusive husband (Jeremy Sisto) and a doctor she has fallen for (Nathan Fillion). Once she meets her child, she finds a new sense of power and decides to break it off with both men. All she needs is herself, her baby, and her newly opened diner specialising in pies. A wonderful story of self-discovery from writer-director Adrienne Shelly, who was tragically murdered just before the film’s release.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Casablanca
Casablanca (1942) – Hollywood’s most famous romance actually has a somewhat ‘unhappy’ ending, with one of the lovers deciding the other would be better off with someone else. Bar owner Rick (Humphrey Bogart) reunites with lost love Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), now married to a man who is vital for the Allied war effort. In a scene that would make history, Rick sacrifices their love for the greater good – as well as for her happiness – by smuggling her out of Casablanca with her husband. It’s an act of self-sacrifice from a character who’s used to looking out for himself, rendering this decision to be alone an act of personal redemption.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
500 Days
500 Days of Summer (2009) – “This is a story of boy meets girl, but you should know upfront, this is not a love story.” So begins the narration of this quirky romance that, as you may imagine, does not end in happily ever after. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) falls for Summer (Zooey Deschanel), and we see a romance blossom before it unravels in spectacular fashion. While Tom is distraught that the person he loved may not have felt the same way, the end of the relationship teaches him to find independence, and that happiness is not always something to be sought in another person.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Muriel
Muriel’s Wedding (1994) – Toni Collette rose to fame in this Aussie hit, playing a woman who believed getting married would solve all of her problems and get her out of her small town. This dream becomes something of a nightmare when various plans do not work out and she agrees to wed a foreign athlete as part of an arranged marriage. Redemption comes, however, when tragedy reminds her of what is truly important. She asks for a divorce, stands up to her tormentors, and heads off to Sydney with her best friend. If anyone feels that what they need to be happy is a ring on their finger, Muriel’s Wedding is a great way to debunk that theory!

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Fantastic woman
A Fantastic Woman (2017) – Daniela Vega’s star-making turn isn’t necessarily about choosing to be alone, but rather having the strength to stand up for yourself when that happens. She plays a transgender woman who loses her lover suddenly, finding herself abused and pushed around by both her lover’s family and the authorities. It’s a story of a woman who finds herself suddenly defenseless, surrounded by aggression on all sides, and who then finds her independence through necessity. An inspiring message from an Oscar-winning drama that breaks barriers while unveiling a truth that will speak to almost anyone who sees it.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
whip it
Whip It (2009) – “Be your own hero” is the message of Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut, about a listless teenager named Bliss (Ellen Page) who finds her calling in the offbeat sport of roller derby. At the film’s heart is a message of sisterhood, with Bliss struggling to honour her commitments to her teammates and her best friend, while embarking on a whirlwind romance with a rock musician. In the end, she decides that she deserves better after being made to feel insecure by her boyfriend, leaving him and going off into the sunset with her newfound family.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
The Break Up
The Break Up (2006) – The very title of this film suggests that it’s not going to end well. Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn play a couple whose relationship disintegrates in front of our very eyes, leading to elaborate arguments and acts of revenge. The split isn’t pretty, and we don’t see a smooth journey toward self-discovery like we do in other movies, but it does force them to look at their lives and move towards finding their own fulfilment. It shows that sometimes things just don’t work out, but however messy it gets, taking a step out on your own can lead to better things.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Best friend
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) – As the song goes, you can’t hurry love. Nor can you derail the wedding of your best friend simply because of a pact you made to marry each other if you’re both single at 30. Julia Roberts’ hit romcom doesn’t have the storybook ending you might expect; instead, her character realises that she cannot force her own priorities on the lives of others. She ends up at the reception of the wedding, dancing with her friend George (Rupert Everett). Will she find love? Who knows, but her decision takes her a step closer to finding happiness.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Ghost
Ghost World (2001) – Much of the discomfort from not being in a relationship can stem from being uncomfortable with yourself. In this sense, offbeat high school graduate Enid (Thora Birch) becomes a fascinating subject of this story. While she pretends to be repulsed by everyone and everything, she actually clings to best friend Rebecca (Scarlett Johansson) and awkward crush Seymour (Steve Buscemi). When both begin to find lives away from her, she reacts badly, before deciding to strike out on her own. Enid is a true individual of modern fiction, making her final mysterious bus journey at the end of the film all the more compelling.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Brave
Brave (2012) – Unlike many Disney princesses, Brave’s Merida treads her own path, refusing her potential suitors and deciding to live her own life free from the expectations pressed upon her by tradition. She remains a shining example of a different kind of hero in a genre where the lead female character often exists simply to wait for the handsome prince. It’s no surprise, then, that the film is remembered fondly by animation fans for its determination to break from the past and set a new blueprint for the future.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Frozen
Frozen (2013) – The very next year, Disney were once again celebrated for bringing us more princesses who refused to be defined by who they married. Sisters Elsa and Anna are the focus of the film’s drama, with the two saving each other. While Anna does find love with Kristoff, it’s not the defining message of the film, and Elsa is equally as happy without a love interest once she learns to control her powers and be comfortable with who she is. It’s been dubbed one of the more progressive fairy tales in movie history, and should encourage single people feeling sad to let it go!

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Princess
The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) – Feeling sad because all your friends are getting engaged? Take a lesson from Anne Hathaway’s future royal, pushed into marriage in order to ascend to the throne, only to decide that she deserves her own happy ending – on her terms. It’s a bold message for the family comedy, telling the audience to marry because you found the right person, not because you feel pressure to do so. As Hollywood still grapples with its portrayal of women on film, this is a welcome step out of the ordinary.

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood.
Spring Breakers
Spring Breakers (2013) – While our final choice doesn’t involve princesses, Harmony Korine’s story should be a cautionary tale for anybody (single or otherwise) about falling for the wrong person. Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine play four young women on Spring Break who get involved with Alien (James Franco), a charismatic drug and arms dealer who leads them into a dark world of disorder. One by one the ladies realise their mistake, and that a life alone is far happier (and safer) than a life of crime. Ok, so it’s not the most traditional romantic tale, but you’d be hard-pressed to find romantic feelings after watching this!

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Happier Alone: 14 Romcoms That Celebrate Singlehood

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