What to stream: Love triangle movies with a winning formula
Published in Entertainment News
Celine Song’s “Materialists” hits theaters this weekend, bringing old-fashioned romance back to the movies, with a smart, witty love triangle among characters played by three attractive movie stars: Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans. If the movie gives you a hankering for more complicated love geometry, here’s a list of our favorite love triangle movies and where to stream them.
Of course, you have to start with Song’s 2023 debut feature “Past Lives,” starring Greta Lee as a woman choosing between her American husband (John Magaro) and her childhood crush (Teo Yoo) from South Korea. This sensitive and beautifully made film is the obvious perfect pairing for “Materialists.” Stream it on Netflix or Paramount+ (or rent).
Fun fact: Song’s husband Justin Kuritzkes is also a screenwriter and he penned the script for Luca Guadagnino’s smash hit “Challengers,” a certified cultural phenomenon last year. Starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, this love triangle plays out on the tennis court, where all three characters are phenomenal players. Stream “Challengers” on Prime Video, MGM+ or rent it on iTunes.
Take it back almost 30 years to the James L. Brooks romance that never gets old: “Broadcast News.” This workplace love triangle stars Holly Hunter as an enterprising producer juggling a neurotic reporter (Albert Brooks) and a charming himbo anchor (William Hurt) in a film that’s a news media commentary and relationship tangle in one. Stream it on Starz or rent it elsewhere.
The underrated 2011 film “Take This Waltz” by Sarah Polley stars Michelle Williams as a woman straining against the tethers of her marriage to her affable husband (Seth Rogen) when she meets the artist/rickshaw driver (Luke Kirby) across the street. Filled with excellent performances and Polley’s signature observational quality, “Take This Waltz” is worth the watch (or rewatch). Stream it on Prime Video, Peacock and Kanopy.
Joachim Trier’s “The Worst Person in the World” (2021) features a whirling dervish of a woman who spins her way from one lover to another and then back again, featuring a breakout performance by Renate Reinsve, who stars as Julie opposite Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum. Nominated for two Oscars, this exhilarating romantic drama captures the ineffable about what it means to find yourself, exactly where you are. Stream it on Hulu, Kanopy or rent.
Alfonso Cuaron’s sexy road trip movie “Y Tu Mama Tambien” put love triangles on the cinematic map in 2001. Starring Diego Luna and Gael Garcia Bernal, the film will forever be associated with these actors and their legacy. Stream it on Netflix or Hulu.
John Hughes knew his way around a high school love triangle, especially in “Pretty in Pink,” starring Molly Ringwald, torn between a sensitive rich kid (Andrew McCarthy) and her loyal best friend Duckie (Jon Cryer), with a sexy James Spader in the mix to boot. Directed by Howard Deutch, “Pretty in Pink” (1986) is streaming on Paramount+, AMC+ or is available to rent.
Finally, no love triangle list would be complete without Ms. Jones, Bridget Jones that is. In 2001, she burst onto the scene with her awkward, confessional style, based on the hit novel. Renee Zellweger has now played the character in four films, and she’s finally not juggling the two opposing suitors played by Hugh Grant and Colin Firth, though we love to watch the struggle. Stream it on Max or rent it elsewhere.
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