The 15 Best Movies About Divorce, Ranked

One of the greatest powers that films have is the ability to generate empathy. Even if we have a hard time understanding the issues that other people are dealing with, a great movie can open us up to someone else's experience. While some people go to the movies simply for escapism, films can be a tool for healing and learning.

Divorce is a topic that cinema has flirted with since the golden age of Hollywood, and classic films bravely took on these topics. Comedies like "His Girl Friday" and "The Awful Truth" dealt with non-traditional relationships, in which the couple has to consider the vows they want to make to each other. Although the 1970s saw many serious dramas about the legal proceedings of divorce, such as "Scenes From A Marriage" and "An Unmarried Woman," there have also been more humorous interpretations like "Something's Gotta Give" and "It's Complicated."

Here are the 15 best movies about divorce, ranked.

"Joy," released in 2015, allowed Jennifer Lawrence to step into a slightly more mature role. Loosely based on a true story, "Joy" follows single mother and inventor Joy Mangano.

Immediately, we have empathy for Joy because of the failed marriages in her life. In addition to dealing with her obnoxious ex-husband, Tony (Edgar Ramirez), her father, Rudy (Robert De Niro), decides to complicate her life when he moves into her basement after his divorce. We understand the stigma around divorce that so many women have to deal with. Joy has trouble finding career opportunities while she raises her children. However, Tony and Rudy get up to mischief after their marriages fail. "Joy" does a great job of showing these systemic issues.

"Joy" also shows how people can rebound from a divorce to find a different type of relationship. While Joy and Tony may not be as close as they once were, he eventually learns to respect and advise her. In what feels like an apology for failing her mother, Rudy ultimately decides to support his daughter. It's a bit overlong, but the sensitive depiction of motherhood earns it a place near the bottom of the list.

There are still issues surrounding female representation in many modern films. This is why Sebastian Lelio's 2013 film, "Gloria," feels like such a breath of fresh air. The story is so good that Lelio decided to helm an English-language remake in 2018 titled "Gloria Bell."

"Gloria Bell" follows a recently divorced woman (Julianne Moore) who yearns for the opportunities of her youth. Gloria is in an awkward position, as her son, Peter (Michael Cera), is married with a child. In a bit of humorous irony, Peter has to care for his child all day, but his mother gets to let loose and go to parties. It's an interesting inverse of roles that Lelio maximizes to comedic effect. It's refreshing to see a woman with real agency, and Gloria doesn't apologize for her divorce.

"Gloria Bell" explores the difficult process of healing. Initially, Gloria flirts with a divorced man named Arnold (John Turturro), who seems to have the same independence that she does. However, she discovers that Arnold isn't willing to commit to her fully. It's an interesting example of a woman choosing a single life rather than risking another divorce. The only reason "Gloria Bell" ranks lower is that it borrows heavily from Lelio's original film.

Woody Allen followed up his funniest movie, 1977's "Annie Hall," with one of his frankest and most disturbing projects ever. "Interiors" is a pessimistic examination of a splintering family.

"Interiors" follows the relationship between attorney Arthur (E. G. Marshall) and his three adult children, Renata (Diane Keaton), Flyn (Kristin Griffith), and Joey (Mary Beth Hurt). Although Keaton played a joyous, free-spirited character in "Annie Hall," Renata is a depressed poet amid a divorce from her husband, Frederick (Richard Jordan). "Interiors" shows the struggles that Renata faces during her breakup. Her husband resents her success, and she must choose between her career and her marriage.

"Interiors" shows how people going through a divorce still have to live their everyday lives. While the divorce proceedings are stressful enough, Renata has to deal with the mental health issues that her mother, Eve (Geraldine Page), is coping with. However, the controversy surrounding Allen prevents Interiors from ranking any higher.

Hollywood often creates unrealistic standards of masculinity. Jim Cummings' 2016 short film "Thunder Road" (which he wrote, directed, and starred in) couldn't have felt more different than the stories the industry usually tells. Cummings stars as Jim Arnaud, an emotional police officer who mourns the death of his mother. Cummings fleshes out the story in more detail in his 2018 film by showing the effects that Jim's divorce has on him.

The death of Jim's mother may have caused him to spiral into sadness, but it's not the only trauma he is dealing with. He is in the middle of a divorce from his wife, Rosalind (Jocelyn DeBoer). This is difficult for Jim to deal with, but he's even more upset that he's not able to spend as much time with his daughter, Crystal (Kendal Farr). The film exposes some of the issues within the justice system. Jim knows he will have a hard time convincing a jury that he can be a father.

The film does a great job of showing how the divorce affects every aspect of Jim's life. He's fearful of doing anything embarrassing that could sway the case proceedings, and he's humiliated when he's served divorce papers at work. Despite its simplicity, "Thunder Road" is worthy of inclusion on this list.

Todd Haynes' deeply moving historical drama, "Carol," explores the stigma surrounding gay people in the 1950s and exposes the issues with the era's pristine reputation. "Carol" is a movie about lovers who can't express themselves.

Cate Blanchett stars as the titular character, a struggling wealthy woman embroiled in a difficult divorce from her husband, Harge Aird (Kyle Chandler). Although Carol is expected to not show signs of grief in public, she takes a moment to bond with aspiring photographer Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara). There's no hope for their relationship. Carol is wealthy and glamorous, while Therese works as a cashier at a department store. The film shows how Carol isn't granted any freedom by her divorce, as she's now unable to pursue someone that she loves.

The film shows how toxic masculinity extends far beyond divorce. Even though Carol and Harge are in the midst of a breakup, he still feels he owns her. It's a disturbing look at how the legal system works. Perhaps, if we got more insight into Harge's perspective, "Carol" could have reached a higher position on this list.

Steven Spielberg has tackled nearly every genre, but "The Fabelmans' is truly a story that only he could tell. The semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama follows aspiring young filmmaker Sammy Fabelman (Gabrielle LaBelle). In the HBO documentary "Spielberg," the famous director discusses how his parents' divorce affected his development. "The Fabelmans" brings that story to life as Sammy has to cope with the divorce of his parents, Mitzi (Michelle Williams) and Burt (Paul Dano).

"The Fabelmans" is beautiful because neither character is aggressive. They are simply at different stages in their lives. Mitzi is free-spirited and adventurous, but Burt is considerate and level-headed. They care for each other, but it becomes clear to Sammy that his mother has taken an interest in his father's best friend, Bennie Loewy (Seth Rogen). Spielberg does a great job of showing how the couple tries to save their marriage up until the point that it's no longer possible.

"The Fabelmans" is a reflection of Spielberg's entire career, and it makes his other films more powerful. It's a film that will likely age very well and could potentially even rank higher on this list in the future.

Paul Dano is one of the industry's finest actors, but he also directed the incredible period drama "Wildlife." "Wildlife" shows the breakdown of the marriage between the golf pro Jerry Brinson (Jake Gyllenhaal) and his wife, Jeanette (Carey Mulligan). Instead of showing the marriage's failures in a traditional way, Dano explores the divorce's impact on their son, Joe (Ed Oxenbould).

This point of view makes the divorce even more heartbreaking. Joe has an idealized vision of his parents and their marriage, and it's sad to see the cracks in the facade emerge. "Wildlife" is one of the rare films about divorce in which the audience can sympathize with both characters. Jerry is prideful and confident, but his refusal to accept jobs he doesn't like forces Jeanette to look for love elsewhere. The heartbreak of the divorce is epitomized in the final shot. Joe tries to take the perfect photo of the family together, but it's clear that they've grown far apart. Its subtlety earns it a place in the top ten.

"Enough Said" gives both of its stars a chance to show a different side of their personalities. Divorced massage therapist Eva is a much sadder and more serious character than Julia Louis-Dreyfus' roles on "Seinfeld" or "Veep." Albert couldn't be more charming and awkward than James Gandolfini's iconic role as Tony Soprano. "Enough Said" shows how these disenfranchised people attempt to find love in the wake of their divorces.

Both characters struggle to discuss their divorces in public. There's an awkwardness that they both feel as they try to reenter the dating scene. It's nice to see both characters use their relationship as a way to heal. This gets more complicated when Eva discovers that Albert's ex-wife is her friend, Marianne (Catherine Keener). It's an awkward coincidence that "Enough Said" uses to create tension while it questions why the subject of divorce is considered so taboo. This earns "Enough Said" a spot in the top half of the list, but it doesn't rank any higher because of the slightly inconclusive nature of the ending.

"Her" was predictive of new developments in technology. The film explores the life of a divorced man, Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix), who suffers from serious depression due to the divorce from his childhood girlfriend, Catherine Klausen (Rooney Mara). Despite the sci-fi setting, "Her" treats the subjects of loneliness and depression respectfully. Phoenix's emotional yearning is heartbreaking as he contemplates the reality of being alone for the rest of his life.

"Her" shows Theodore's struggles in starting a new relationship in the aftermath of his divorce. He falls in love with the artificial intelligence program Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). As she serves him divorce papers, Catherine chastises Theodore and accuses him of not being able to form human connections. While these scenes are hard to watch because of their emotional frankness, the film goes in a slightly more optimistic direction as Theodore bonds with his divorced neighbor, Amy (Amy Adams).

"Her" is so emotionally overwhelming that it's hard to rank it any higher. However, there is somewhat of a happy ending to the story, as Phoenix and Mara are married in real life!

Not every movie about divorce has to be completely depressing! "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is an old-fashioned romantic comedy that does everything right. It's the rare film about breakups that allows each character to have a happy ending. "Crazy, Stupid, Love" is a film that may provide comfort to anyone dealing with divorce because it shows that there is a reason to be hopeful.

At the beginning of the film, Cal Weaver (Steve Carrell) discovers that his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), is having an affair, prompting him to ask for a divorce. Although this is used as a comedic moment, it does a great job of showing how blindsided Cal is. Ironically, the prospect of divorce actually inspires Cal to pursue his marriage once again with newfound optimism. In a hilariously heartfelt moment, Cal helps his son, Robbie (Jonah Bobo), give a speech about love before his entire school. 

"Crazy, Stupid, Love" is a little too predictable at points to get to the very top of the list, but its consistent humor earns it a high position.

"Blue Valentine" is unafraid to look at the most intimate, horrifyingly realistic scenarios that a struggling couple could go through during a divorce. "Blue Valentine" doesn't attempt to sanitize its story in any way (as evidenced by its graphic sexual content). The nonlinear narrative makes the story even more heartbreaking, as happy moments from the couple's early relationship are intertwined with their struggles and divorce.

The film explores the relationship between high school dropout Dean Pereira (Ryan Gosling) and nursing student Cindy Heller (Michelle Williams). Cindy is initially charmed by Dean's goofy mannerisms, but following their marriage, she realizes that he's not responsible enough. It's sad to watch the stages of the divorce, particularly as Dean attempts to reignite their relationship.

The film beautifully shows the idealized version of their marriage and why it will never be possible. Dean may show brief signs that he's a loving father, but it's not something that he can sustain. "Blue Valentine" isn't a film that you will ever want to watch again, but its sensitivity earns it a high spot on the list.

There aren't many filmmakers who are as good at telling stories about familial dysfunction as Noah Baumbach. Many movies about divorce try to make the audience sympathetic to both characters, but "The Squid and the Whale" gives you a reason to hate both parties!

The film follows egocentric author Bernard Berkman (Jeff Daniels), whose masculinity is threatened by the success of his wife, Joan (Laura Linney). While Bernard's arrogance makes him detestable, Joan is unfaithful and gleefully mocks her husband. The film shows the awkward conversations that they have with their two sons, Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) and Frank (Owen Cline). He does a great job of connecting the stress of the divorce to the developmental issues that both boys are dealing with. While the film is funny enough to get a high ranking, there's another Baumbach movie about divorce that's more emotional and earns a higher place.

Often you will find beloved classics that tackle surprisingly modern themes. In addition to being one of the funniest movies ever made, "The Philadelphia Story" is also an earnest examination of the challenges of divorce. While there are many classics about divorce and remarriage, "The Philadelphia Story" resists some of the sexist stereotypes of the era.

The film follows socialite Tracy Lord (Katherine Hepburn), who was recently divorced from her husband, C.K. Dexter Haven (Cary Grant). Although she intends to marry George Kittredge (John Howard), Dexter tries to crash the wedding ceremony. The brief scenes we get of Dexter and Tracy together do a pretty great job of explaining why they broke up. They both have very dominant personalities and don't like to lose arguments.

It's a film in which both characters are idiosyncratic and charming in their own ways. Eventually, the audience realizes that bickering is how they show their affection for each other. It's easily the funniest movie about divorce, but the top two slots go to more serious films.

Films about divorce are often quite nasty and aggressive, but Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story" shows that the end of a marriage doesn't signify the end of a relationship. While Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are no longer able to sustain their marriage, they still have compassion for each other. This is shown through the beautiful symmetry of the couple writing down everything they love about each other, which ties into the ending.

The tragedy of the film is that Charlie and Nicole simply want different things. They're both ambitious artists, but neither one is completely prepared to raise a child. The film shows how the complex legal process forces the couple to embrace their worst impulses. Their lawyers, Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern) and Jay Marotta (Ray Liotta), encourage them to be more aggressive. Baumbach makes it clear that the stress of the case forces them to spout mean comments towards each other that they don't really believe.

"Marriage Story" thoroughly explores both perspectives. However, the only film that ranks above it set a precedent of excellence.

Despite being a relatively traditional film, "Kramer vs. Kramer" was a risky endeavor in 1979. Not only did the film openly deal with controversial topics like infidelity, female autonomy, and depression, but it was unafraid to question gender stereotypes. Ted Kramer (Dustin Hoffman) is forced to be a single father, and his wife, Joanna (Meryl Streep), is willing to fight for her agency. The film is sensitive in showing how thoroughly people can change because of a nasty divorce.

Initially, it doesn't seem like "Kramer vs. Kramer" is very impartial. Ted is very irresponsible and doesn't know the first thing about being a father. By comparison, it's very easy to sympathize with Joanna's feelings of sadness. However, "Kramer vs. Kramer" shows how the experience is ultimately important for Ted. Saddled with a newfound responsibility, he begins making the decisions to best serve his son, Billy (Justin Henry). It shows how even a simple playground injury can fundamentally change the nature of the case.

We ultimately get a great sense of both characters' perspectives, and the film's conclusion is a satisfying payoff to their arcs. While it's hardly a heartwarming film, "Kramer vs. Kramer" acknowledges reality, and shows how to make real progress.