Whether you’re in the mood for a classic tearjerker, an indie gem, or a sweeping epic, here are five romantic dramas that deliver emotional depth and unforgettable performances. Dir. Wong Kar-wai

A box of tissues and a firm belief that forgiveness is complicated. 3. For the Hopeful Soul: About Time (2013) Dir. Richard Curtis

Set on a remote French island in the 18th century, a painter (Noémie Merlant) is hired to secretly paint a bride-to-be (Adèle Haenel) who refuses to sit for her portrait. What follows is a slow-burn, visually stunning romance built on stolen glances and the heat of a fire that never quite ignites—until it does. Every gesture becomes a confession: the placement of a hand, the choice of a page number. The final shot, a single long take of Haenel’s face as Vivaldi’s “Summer” plays, is arguably the most powerful acting of the decade.

No film captures the agony of almost-love quite like this masterpiece. Set in 1960s Hong Kong, two neighbors (Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung) discover their spouses are having an affair. As they reenact possible scenarios, they fall into a delicate, unspoken intimacy—one they vow never to betray. Every frame drips with longing: the narrow staircases, the rain-slicked streets, the way her cheongsam brushes against his sleeve. It’s a film about restraint, and how sometimes the deepest love is the one you never act on.

A single lie, told by a jealous 13-year-old, unravels the lives of two lovers (Keira Knightley and James McAvoy) against the backdrop of WWII. Atonement is a lush, cruel, and achingly beautiful film. The famous five-minute Dunkirk tracking shot is a technical marvel, but it’s the final revelation—a quiet, devastating twist—that will leave you breathless. This is romantic drama as tragedy: love that survives war, injustice, and time, only to be defeated by a child’s misunderstanding.

A rainy Sunday and a desire to feel grateful. 4. For the Intellectual Romantic: Before Sunrise (1995) Dir. Richard Linklater

A long walk at dusk, followed immediately by its sequels ( Before Sunset , Before Midnight ). 5. For the Epic Romance: Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019) Dir. Céline Sciamma