9 Romantic Movies That Aged Badly and Taught Me Absolutely Nothing About Love —and the 3 I'll Defend Forever

Mar. 15, 2025

‘Titanic’.Photo:CBS via Getty Images

CBS via Getty Images

WithValentine’s Dayupon us, there is no better time to cuddle up with your love, a pal or a bowl of popcorn and watch your favorite tear-jerker.And while there we have a plethora of rom-coms and romantic dramas to choose from, so many of the movies we loved when we were younger have simply not aged well. TakeTitanic,for example: The 1997 classic was a staple in our childhood movie viewing experience and had us doodling “Jack Dawson” in our notebooks for months.However, as the millennials who grew up watching it have applied a more critical eye, the “could Jack have fit on the door?” debate has caught fire, so much so that everyone — from James Cameroon toKate WinsletandLeonardo DiCaprio— have weighed in on the matter.Of course, these movies are classics for a reason and I’ll be watching them on repeat when I’m old — no one is disputing thatJames CameronandGina Prince-Bythewoodare filmmaking geniuses — but it’s just to note that as time goes on and we grow, some of the messaging in our favorite childhood movies has simply not held up. (Sorry, but we’re not getting a perm to get a guy, even if hedoeslook like John Travolta in 1978.)Below, check out the 9 romantic movies that have aged badly and taught me nothing about love … and the 3 I’ll be defending until the wheels fall off.

WithValentine’s Dayupon us, there is no better time to cuddle up with your love, a pal or a bowl of popcorn and watch your favorite tear-jerker.

And while there we have a plethora of rom-coms and romantic dramas to choose from, so many of the movies we loved when we were younger have simply not aged well. TakeTitanic,for example: The 1997 classic was a staple in our childhood movie viewing experience and had us doodling “Jack Dawson” in our notebooks for months.

However, as the millennials who grew up watching it have applied a more critical eye, the “could Jack have fit on the door?” debate has caught fire, so much so that everyone — from James Cameroon toKate WinsletandLeonardo DiCaprio— have weighed in on the matter.

Of course, these movies are classics for a reason and I’ll be watching them on repeat when I’m old — no one is disputing thatJames CameronandGina Prince-Bythewoodare filmmaking geniuses — but it’s just to note that as time goes on and we grow, some of the messaging in our favorite childhood movies has simply not held up. (Sorry, but we’re not getting a perm to get a guy, even if hedoeslook like John Travolta in 1978.)

Below, check out the 9 romantic movies that have aged badly and taught me nothing about love … and the 3 I’ll be defending until the wheels fall off.

01of 12

‘Cinderella’

Let’s start from the beginning. Fairy tales, in general, have lost their luster over the years as women have realized hinging your entire identity on the prospect of a man coming to save you is simply not a sustainable way of life. And while it’s a sweet bedtime story with some great songs,Cinderellareally set many of us up for disappointment; we still have to do the laundry even after meeting Prince Charming.

02of 12’Titanic'‘Titanic’.CBS via Getty ImagesWhat I learned: Just because you’ve changed someone’s entire outlook on life does not mean they’re going to scoot over and create room for you so you don’t freeze to death in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.And no, I don’t think Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) would have fit on the door, but Rose (Kate Winslet) didn’t eventryto come up with a solution to save him.

02of 12

‘Titanic’

‘Titanic’.CBS via Getty Images

What I learned: Just because you’ve changed someone’s entire outlook on life does not mean they’re going to scoot over and create room for you so you don’t freeze to death in the middle of the Atlantic ocean.

And no, I don’t think Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) would have fit on the door, but Rose (Kate Winslet) didn’t eventryto come up with a solution to save him.

03of 12’Love and Basketball’Sanaa Lathan as Monica Wright and Omar Epps as Quincy McCall in ‘Love and Basketball’ (2000).Sidney Baldwin/New Line/Kobal/ShutterstockGrowing up is realizing that Quincy (Omar Epps) did not like Monica (Sanaa Lathan). And if he didn’t support her college basketball career, the thought of him morphing into an understanding husband who then supported her flourishing WNBA career just seems implausible to me.Still,Love and Basketballremains a good watch, and I can never get over that heart-wrenching spring dance scene of Q and Monica looking and pining for each other while dancing with separate dates.

03of 12

‘Love and Basketball’

Sanaa Lathan as Monica Wright and Omar Epps as Quincy McCall in ‘Love and Basketball’ (2000).Sidney Baldwin/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

Sidney Baldwin/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock

Growing up is realizing that Quincy (Omar Epps) did not like Monica (Sanaa Lathan). And if he didn’t support her college basketball career, the thought of him morphing into an understanding husband who then supported her flourishing WNBA career just seems implausible to me.

Still,Love and Basketballremains a good watch, and I can never get over that heart-wrenching spring dance scene of Q and Monica looking and pining for each other while dancing with separate dates.

04of 12’Sex and the City'‘Sex and the City 2’.Craig Blankenhorn/Warner BrosAnd speaking of male characters who clearly did not like their partners, how many times and in how many ways did Mr. Big (Chris Noth) have to show Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) that he wasn’t into her? The manliterallybailed on their wedding day, but we were somehow meant to believe that getting married at City Hall placated his commitmentphobia.

04of 12

‘Sex and the City’

‘Sex and the City 2’.Craig Blankenhorn/Warner Bros

Craig Blankenhorn/Warner Bros

And speaking of male characters who clearly did not like their partners, how many times and in how many ways did Mr. Big (Chris Noth) have to show Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) that he wasn’t into her? The manliterallybailed on their wedding day, but we were somehow meant to believe that getting married at City Hall placated his commitmentphobia.

05of 12

‘Two Can Play That Game’

Nowadays, I watch this film because Morris Chestnut and Vivica A. Fox’s performances in it were just too good. However, the idea of “training” your partner and implementing rules to get them to act right is so mind boggling. Whatever happened to good ol' communication?

06of 12’Think Like a Man'‘Think Like a Man’.Screen Gems / SonyThe title alone lets me know I’m way beyond my depths. Based on the Steve Harvey novel of the same name,Think Like a Manfollows a group of women who get a hold of Harvey’s novel and start to apply all these tips and tricks to get their men to act how they want. With an all-star cast featuring Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, Taraji P. Henson, Michael Ealy, and more … I really watch this for the laughs, not the lesson.

06of 12

‘Think Like a Man’

‘Think Like a Man’.Screen Gems / Sony

Screen Gems / Sony

The title alone lets me know I’m way beyond my depths. Based on the Steve Harvey novel of the same name,Think Like a Manfollows a group of women who get a hold of Harvey’s novel and start to apply all these tips and tricks to get their men to act how they want. With an all-star cast featuring Regina Hall, Kevin Hart, Gabrielle Union, Meagan Good, Taraji P. Henson, Michael Ealy, and more … I really watch this for the laughs, not the lesson.

07of 12

‘Clueless’

CBS via Getty

08of 12’John Tucker Must Die’Jesse Metcalfe, Sophia Bush ‘John Tucker Must Die’.Diyah Pera/20th Century Fox/Kobal/ShutterstockEvery time I watch this, I can’t help but wonder: If they all knew John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) was a player, dated him anyway, and then sought out to punish him for living in his truth, were the four leads (Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Brittany Snow and Arielle Kebbel) not bullies, then?

08of 12

‘John Tucker Must Die’

Jesse Metcalfe, Sophia Bush ‘John Tucker Must Die’.Diyah Pera/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Diyah Pera/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Every time I watch this, I can’t help but wonder: If they all knew John Tucker (Jesse Metcalfe) was a player, dated him anyway, and then sought out to punish him for living in his truth, were the four leads (Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Brittany Snow and Arielle Kebbel) not bullies, then?

09of 12

‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’

Dermot Mulroney and Julia Roberts in ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’.TriStar Pictures

TriStar Pictures

Between the ploy to get Michael jealous, shade towards Kimmy (Cameron Diaz) and of course, that email which crossed all sorts of boundaries, I’m no expert, but the social media reviewers of today would be so quick to call Jules a narcissist if the film were released today. I would have to agree.

10of 12I Stand By: ‘The Way We Were’Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, ‘The Way We Were’.FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives/GettyThis gut-wrenching gem from 1973 has never failed to make me cry. Mostly because it’s so emblematic of how a lot of real-life love stories I know end. Sometimes, you can wholeheartedly love a person, but if your value systems don’t align, it can never work.And while I would personally take out the Hubbell affair out of the plot line — because I think their differences were strong enough to cause the break up — I can judge this film within the context of its time and say it deserved all six Academy Award nominations it got.

10of 12

I Stand By: ‘The Way We Were’

Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, ‘The Way We Were’.FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives/Getty

FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives/Getty

This gut-wrenching gem from 1973 has never failed to make me cry. Mostly because it’s so emblematic of how a lot of real-life love stories I know end. Sometimes, you can wholeheartedly love a person, but if your value systems don’t align, it can never work.

And while I would personally take out the Hubbell affair out of the plot line — because I think their differences were strong enough to cause the break up — I can judge this film within the context of its time and say it deserved all six Academy Award nominations it got.

11of 12I Stand By: ‘Brokeback Mountain’Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Brokeback Mountain’.Kimberly French/Focus FeaturesI watchedBrokeback Mountainonce back in 2015 and vowed never to watch it again. It’s too devastating. Much likeThe Way We Were,it spoke to the real-life issues that can tear relationships apart — including the role societal pressures and expectations play in who we end up with. That’s all changing, of course, but seeing Ennis (Heath Ledger) weep for Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) in that last scene makes this an easy pick — assuming your heart can handle the rewatch.

11of 12

I Stand By: ‘Brokeback Mountain’

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Brokeback Mountain’.Kimberly French/Focus Features

Kimberly French/Focus Features

I watchedBrokeback Mountainonce back in 2015 and vowed never to watch it again. It’s too devastating. Much likeThe Way We Were,it spoke to the real-life issues that can tear relationships apart — including the role societal pressures and expectations play in who we end up with. That’s all changing, of course, but seeing Ennis (Heath Ledger) weep for Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) in that last scene makes this an easy pick — assuming your heart can handle the rewatch.

12of 12I Stand By: ‘Waiting to Exhale’Loretta Devine, Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon ‘Waiting to Exhale’.Randee St Nicholas/20th Century Fox/Kobal/ShutterstockIt’s cheesy to say, but the older I get, the more I realize the bond with your friends is just as important to fortify as the one with your romantic partner, and this female-centric drama starring Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Divine and Lela Rochon exemplifies that perfectly.

12of 12

I Stand By: ‘Waiting to Exhale’

Loretta Devine, Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Lela Rochon ‘Waiting to Exhale’.Randee St Nicholas/20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

It’s cheesy to say, but the older I get, the more I realize the bond with your friends is just as important to fortify as the one with your romantic partner, and this female-centric drama starring Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Divine and Lela Rochon exemplifies that perfectly.

source: people.com