Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches, but not all of us have been struck by Cupid’s arrow.
The hopeless romantics are busy celebrating their loved ones with boxes of chocolates, lavish bouquets of roses, and fancy meals out on the town.
But if you’re just not feeling the day of love, you might be looking forward to an evening curled up on the sofa with snacks and the TV.
Inevitably, you’ll be inundated with the greatest romance flicks, from Notting Hill to The Notebook and When Harry Met Sally.
If meet cutes written in the stars and marriages for the ages aren’t on the menu this month, we’ve got the perfect selection that will turn you off Valentine’s Day – and maybe even relationships – for good.
And what’s more, you can stream them all right now in the UK.
The Loved Ones
Where to watch: StudioCanal via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
Getting turned down by your crush is never fun, but this certainly isn’t the way to go about getting your own back.
Directed by Sean Byrne, The Loved Ones sees high school student Brent (Xavier Samuel) turn down classmate Lola’s (Robin McLeavy) invitation to go with her to the school’s formal dance in favour of going with his girlfriend Holly (Victoria Thaine).
He soon finds himself in a living hell when he is kidnapped by Lola and her father Eric (John Brumpton), imprisoned in their home, and subjected to horrific acts of violence. Can he escape before it’s too late?
Gone Girl
Where to watch: Disney Plus, ITVX, Now TV, Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
Based on the 2012 book of the same name, Gone Girl terrified cinemagoers upon its release and became director David Fincher’s highest-grossing film.
Teacher Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) is plunged into a living nightmare when he returns home on his fifth wedding anniversary to discover his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) is missing.
Amy is the inspiration for her parents’ best-selling children’s book series, which ensures wide press coverage of her disappearance. But soon, the media turns on Nick who becomes the prime suspect in the case.
Gerald’s Game
Where to watch: Netflix
Thinking of spicing things up in the bedroom to celebrate Valentine’s Day? If so, don’t watch the nail-biting thriller Gerald’s Game first.
Directed by Mike Flanagan and based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, it tells the story of married couple Jessie (Carla Gugino) and Gerald Burlingame (Bruce Greenwood) who visit an isolated lakehouse for a romantic getaway.
Gerald handcuffs Jessie to a bed as they prepare to get steamy, but when Gerald suddenly dies of a heart attack, Jessie must find a way to survive.
Fatal Attraction
Where to watch: Netflix and Paramount Plus
If you’ve ever wondered where the term ‘bunny boiler’ comes from, look no further than this terrifying 1987 film.
Fatal Attraction begins with Dan Gallagher (Michael Douglas) engaging in an affair with book editor Alex (Glenn Close) behind his wife Beth’s (Anne Archer) back.
But when he rejects Alex, she begins obsessively stalking Dan and his family to the point he realises hiding his affair pales in comparison to the main issue at hand – saving his and his family’s lives.
The Tinder Swindler
Where to watch: Netflix
If you’re tempted to head to the apps this Valentine’s Day, maybe don’t watch this documentary.
The Tinder Swindler took Netflix by storm on its release in 2022 featuring a group of women all linked by one master manipulator on the popular dating app.
The documentary tells the story of conman Simon Leviev who used Tinder to connect with individuals who he then manipulated into sending him money to support his lavish lifestyle under the guise of needing the money to ‘escape his enemies.’
Marriage Story
Where to watch: Netflix
Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson painted the difficult picture of a marriage breaking down in the heart-wrenching 2019 drama Marriage Story.
The film follows Charlie Barber (Driver), a successful theater director in New York City, and his wife of ten years, Nicole (Johansson), beginning right in the midst of their relationship difficulties.
When Nicole is offered a role in Los Angeles, she takes her and Charlie’s son Henry (Azhy Robertson) to live with her mother, setting in motion the couple’s separation and the tense conversations and custody battle that follows.
It Follows
Where to watch: Netflix, Mubi, Plex, Curzon, Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
Far from your average ghost story, It Follows uses its central entity as a metaphor for morality, sexuality, and sexually transmitted diseases.
Student Jay Height (Maika Monroe) enjoys a movie with her boyfriend Hugh (Jake Weary), culminating in them having sex for the first time. Shortly after he incapacitates her with chloroform and she wakes up tied to a wheelchair.
Then, Hugh explains that he passed something to her via sexual intercourse and she will be pursued by a being that only she can see, can take the appearance of any person, and will stop at nothing to get to her unless she passes the curse on.
Get Out
Where to watch: Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
Meeting your partner’s parents can be daunting, and there’s no more terrifying familial introduction than that in Get Out.
Jordan Peele’s acclaimed directorial debut follows Chris (Daniel Kaluuya), a Black man, who decides to visit his white girlfriend Rose’s (Allison Williams) parents during a weekend getaway.
He is unnerved by the behaviour of their Black servants, and soon uncovers a terrifying secret hidden behind closed doors.
Closer
Where to watch: Apple TV and the Sky Store
With both Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations under its belt, 2004 psychological drama Closer is the perfect uncomfortable Valentine’s Day watch.
Starring Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen, the film tells the story of American stripper Alice (Portman) who moves to London and strikes up a relationship with Dan (Law).
After writing a novel about Alice, Dan grows bored and flirts with photographer Anna (Roberts). Impersonating her in a chat room, he meets dermatologist Larry (Owen) and accidentally orchestrates a meeting between the pair.
Revolutionary Road
Where to watch: Paramount Plus, Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
After first appearing together in 1997 blockbuster Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, and Kathy Bates reunited in 2008’s Revolutionary Road.
Based on Richard Yates’ book of the same name, the film follows Frank (DiCaprio) and April Wheeler (Kate Winslet), a newly married couple who have grand plans to escape the conventionality of suburbia.
But their plans to rebel are put on hold when April discovers she is pregnant, pushing the couple to their limits and testing their marriage.
Blue Valentine
Where to watch: StudioCanal via Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Sky Store
A couple’s marriage fails to stand the test of time as they try to raise their young daughter in Blue Valentine.
The film begins with Dean (Ryan Gosling) and his daughter Frankie (Faith Wladyka) searching for the family dog, waking his wife Cindy (Michelle Williams) who seems annoyed and reminds Dean their daughter needs to be on time for school.
Over the course of the film, the cracks in their marriage are explored culminating in an explosive, alcohol-fuelled showdown that changes their relationship forever.
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