Movies can be the perfect way for couples to pass the time.
They're entertaining, easily shared experiences, and they tend to teach us a thing or two about
each other's tastes.
There are some movies, however, that are probably best viewed alone so as to avoid arguments,
general awkwardness, or sudden distrust.
These films are totally worth your time…as long as you're by yourself.
Fair warning: There are spoilers aplenty about each of these titles.
Gone Girl
David Fincher's adaptation of the creepy mystery novel Gone Girl is the kind of movie that
can easily leave partners second-guessing what they really know about one another.
Chances are, your lover isn't going to disappear and frame you for it just out of spite.
But given the graphic lengths to which Rosamund Pike's "Amazing Amy" was willing to go to
deliver payback to Ben Affleck's cheating Nick Dunne, it's just better to avoid the
potential for romantic fallout that might result from sharing a viewing.
That said, it's still totally worth a solo screening because it's still a pretty solid
adaptation of an intensely gripping narrative.
Sweet November
For a movie that's been billed as a romantic drama, Sweet November sure has its twistier
moments.
The film centers around Charlize Theron's character Sara Deever who, at first, seems
like your prototypical precocious manic pixie dream girl.
But as Keanu Reeves' Nelson Moss, soon discovers, she has a devastating secret beneath all those
scarves.
For some, this might seem like a heart-wrenching story of star-crossed love, but for others,
it might just be maddening that this poor schmuck could be duped into giving his heart
to someone so tragic.
In the interest of avoiding unnecessary arguments on the homefront, this one's best reserved
for a solo screening.
Unfaithful
Any attempt at discussing this movie is going to start an argument, guaranteed.
Diane Lane's character Connie Summer is a married mother in a lustless marriage, but
that all changes when she comes across Olivier Martinez's character Paul Martel.
The resulting affair is sensuous and intoxicating, but has grave consequences for her marriage
and her paramour.
Without spoiling all of the details, let's just say that crimes of the heart aren't the
only ones that result from her duplicity.
It's what happens next that's bound to be a point of severe derision from those who
regard adultery to be the ultimate deal-breaker.
So, to avoid the conversation catastrophe that's sure to ensue from watching this movie
on date night, save it for a rainy day all by your lonesome.
The Good Girl
Jennifer Aniston fans will definitely want to see this movie because The Good Girl marks
an impressive departure from the generic rom-com fare she's usually found in.
That said, this one is also completely Not Safe for Couples.
The movie revolves around her store clerk character Justine being stuck in an emotionless
marriage, until she's swept up by her handsome, albeit obsessive coworker, played by Jake
Gyllenhaal.
From there, things seem to spiral out of control for all characters involved, and let's just
say the potential for post-credits squabbling looms large.
So it's best to just steer clear of coupling up for this cinematic experience altogether.
Revolutionary Road
Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio made blockbuster magic together in Titanic—and their reunion
a decade later for Revolutionary Road was nothing to shake a stick at either.
The two play the Wheelers, a couple who share two kids and a run-of-the-mill '50s suburbanite
existence but grow increasingly unhappy with each other and their place in the world.
They eventually decide to move to France, where she can be the breadwinner—but when
she becomes pregnant with their third child, everything falls apart in a spectacular series
of screen arguments that showcase the actors' gifts for cutting remarks.
At the same time, the movie's unblinking look at the demise of a once-perfect couple can
easily plant the seeds of doubt into even the most promising pair, so don't go queueing
this one up on date night.
Away from Her
Sarah Polley's adaptation of the Alice Munro short story "The Bear Came Over the Mountain"
is a masterclass in film making in many ways, but it isn't likely to give couples a case
of good vibrations.
A man who deeply loves his wife watches as her Alzheimer's washes away all memory of
the life they shared, while she gives her heart to a fellow patient who suffers from
a similar condition.
Naturally, he tries to break them up by running interference, but he eventually finds that
his wife's broken heart outweighs his own.
Needless to say, it's heartbreaking—and for any couple hoping they'll grow old together,
this might be a rude wake-up call that invites all kinds of ethical debates.
The Gift
With The Gift, Joel Edgerton proved his talents extend well beyond a strong screen presence.
The accomplished actor made his writer-director debut with this eerie mystery-thriller, and
pulled off one of the most satisfying—and unsettlingly ambiguous—endings in the entire
genre.
As Gordo, a man who shares a mysterious past with Jason Bateman's character, Edgerton lingers
at the margins of everything his old acquaintance has built for himself—a great job, a beautiful
wife and home, and even a growing family.
The title "gift" can be seen in several different ways during the movie, but perhaps the movie's
most lasting effect is the gnawing sensation it leaves you with.
Questions like "Who was right?," are bound to pop up after letting this mindtrip of a
movie sink in.
So, definitely check it out … just wait 'til your significant other is otherwise occupied
before pressing play.
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