Valentine's Day is an odd holiday because even if you're in a relationship, you might still hate the hallmark date and all it stands for. Personally, for me, it's Galentine's Day that matters—the unofficial holiday coined by Amy Poehler's Leslie Knope in Parks and Recreation (2009).
However, with "Wuthering Heights" (2026) releasing in theaters soon, it's understandable why the hype surrounding Emerald Fennell's reimagining might have people searching for all types of compelling love stories. If you're looking for guaranteed happy endings and swoon-worthy rom-coms, this isn't the list for you. Instead, these are the love stories you should hold off until after the holiday because they're the opposite of a romance.
From "Wuthering Heights" to the best version of Romeo + Juliet (1996), here are some of the best tragic love stories, as well as where to stream them on platforms such as Prime Video, Netflix, and more.
“Wuthering Heights” (2026)
There's a lot of controversy surrounding Fennell's adaptation of "Wuthering Heights" and the detail that Jacob Elordi isn't from Romani descent like Heathcliff is in Brontë's book. That point alone is likely keeping die-hard book fans out of the theater, but Fennell's vision as a director could still provide something worthwhile if we look at it as its own entity outside of the book.
As a story, "Wuthering Heights" is for the type of fans who love angsty forbidden pairings and the relationships that have a means of haunting people for years. It's iconic for a reason, but it's never been a romance. Catherine and Heathcliff's story is instead one of the more tragic accounts in literature, and it's one that allows for plenty of analysis to dissect social conflicts, expectations from love, and vengeance. So while the movie sounds like it could be a good Valentine's Day blockbuster, prep the tissues if you don't know what's coming.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
There are a few movies that capture tragedy as beautifully and as dazzlingly as Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!. The jukebox musical centered around the Bohemian movement in Paris during the late 1800s is a masterclass in performances and storytelling. It might bring one of the greatest heartbreaks of all time with death from tuberculosis, but the love story that we get between Ewan McGregor's Christian and Nicole Kidman's Satine is legendary for a reason.
In many ways, despite the loss and darkness, Moulin Rouge! isn't a hard movie to watch. You'll cry, yes, but Luhrmann's directorial vision is so distinct that you won't mind revisiting his world over and over again (ask me how many times I've been lucky enough to see the Broadway musical.) It's a riveting, lavishly breathtaking movie that's perfect for anyone who wants love to hit in all the right ways, even if it'll simultaneously rip your heart out in the end. Moulin Rouge! is fully in a league of its own.
Roman Holiday (1953)
Roman Holiday isn't a traditional romance because of its bittersweet ending, but it's a classic love story still worth watching as a blueprint of the idea that a single day can change a person's life. It's the type of classic that's yet to be replicated, nor is there anything quite like it in a sea of love stories. Somehow, though, it remains one of the more underrated films, so if you love Casablanca (1943) but have somehow never seen Roman Holiday, run, don't walk after Valentine's Day.
Overflowing with impeccable chemistry and achingly romantic longing, every moment that Audrey Hepburn's Princess Ann and Gregory Peck's Joe Bradley spend together tugs on the heartstrings and proves that if she weren't royalty, their love could stand the test of time. It also features the single greatest (and most heartbreaking) last line of any film. Perfect, by all means, Roman Holiday is perfect. It's an inimitable accomplishment in tragic storytelling in a manner that makes it so vastly excellent, I can go on and on for hours.
The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
The Phantom of the Opera is a tricky one. If you're a fan of Christine and Raul, then watch the movie on Valentine's Day. But if you're a brooding girl and have always been rooting for the Phantom, then hold off until after. The dark and sweepingly romantic but utterly tragic love story makes for the kind of movie that's absolutely delicious on all fronts. And I'll fully admit that I prefer it to the Broadway musical for how it captures adoration and Gothic elements on-screen.
In many ways, a large part of the reason Frankenstein (2025) was such a hit with romance fans was because of how the Creature and Elizabeth's fascination with one another is portrayed. And if you loved it, but have yet to watch The Phantom of the Opera, now's the best time to do so. Emmy Rossum and Gerard Butler are magnetic together, and the whole film is especially appropriate for this season.
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Also directed by Moulin Rouge!'s Baz Luhrmann, this adaptation of Shakespeare's most renowned tragedy is the best one yet. Maybe the only one that even matters. As a stark hater of the story from all my years of studying it in school, Luhrmann's modernization speaks to the urgency and pain in a way no other version does. How he makes their love story feel earned and life-altering, to allow their deaths to hit even harder, is no small feat.
In a lot of ways, it's likely similar to how “Wuthering Heights” will be in modernizing the source material to absurd and overdramatic lengths. There are understandably Shakespearean purists who may not appreciate all that Luhrmann explores and projects, but it's the kind of film that's an all-around force to be reckoned with. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes deliver impeccable performances through and through, and it features one of the best soundtracks to date, with the kind of screenplay that's electric in its means of honoring the play.
Atonement (2007)
If you want to have your heart ripped to shreds with the type of ending that'll never once stop haunting you with five words, then watch Atonement. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy deliver breathtaking performances throughout, but it's young Saoirse Ronan who proves she's a star in the making. The tragic turn of events in Atonement makes it such a hard film to revisit, but there are moments throughout that are so lovely, you'll find yourself replaying them over and over.
There's also a good chance you'll want Knightley's green dress because it's that iconic. Ultimately, if you love Joe Wright's vision and picturesque directing in Pride and Prejudice (2005) and are willing to put up with a story that doesn't deliver a lasting romance, Atonement will at least be a visual feast for the eyes. It's haunting and dark, but so beautifully done that saving it for this time of year feels especially suitable.
