The romance genre is easily one of the most watched in the film industry, with many resorting to their emotional narratives for comfort and solace or even as an attempt to heal from heartbreak. In the genre, non-linear narratives can be particularly effective for several reasons, with their enhanced emotional impact — often because they reveal key moments in a relationship without chronological order — making them rank high at the top of the list.
Although several more conventional romance films have captured the attention of many, others that rely on less common narrative structures have intrigued worldwide audiences. From500 Days of SummertoEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,we look back at some of the best non-linear narrative romance movies, ranking them by greatness and examining what exactly makes them so good.
10’The Time Traveler’s Wife' (2009)
Director: Robert Schwentke
Directed byRobert Schwentkeand based onAudreyNiffenegger’s 2003 novel of the same name,The Time Traveler’s Wifesees a librarian named Henry DeTamble (Eric Bana), who has a unique gene that allows him to travel through time involuntarily. The movie depicts his wife’s (Rachel McAdams) difficult time dealing with it.
Featuring an unconventional form of time travel where the protagonist does not have much control over his skill, involuntarily making his way through it,The Time Traveler’sWifeis a great example of a non-linear romance story in film. Thanks to its complex narrative, it manages to generally highlight the complexities and unpredictability of relationships, exploring love that transcends the boundaries of time and assuring audiences that it persists despite eventual challenges.
The Time Traveler’s Wife
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9'500 Days of Summer' (2009)
Director: Marc Webb
Marc Webb’s 2009 movie has rapidly become a cult classic romance film, and it is not difficult to grasp its appeal. The movie starsZooey DeschanelandJoseph Gordon Levittin the lead roles, following a hopeless romantic who, after being dumped by the girl of his dreams, meditates on their relationship and attempts to figure out where things went wrong.
500 Days of Summeris, too, an interesting non-linear narrative pick, essentially for its back-and-forth jumps within the 500 days of the protagonist’s relationship and explores Tom’s character growth. Another one of the standout elements in Webb’s picture is how it sheds a realistic light on relationships, providing audiences with a bittersweet portrayal of love that reinforces that not every relationship is meant to last forever.
500 Days of Summer
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8’The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' (2008)
Director: David Fincher
InDavid Fincher’s mind-blowingThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button—looselyadapted from the 1922 short story of the same name by iconic authorF. ScottFitzgerald— audiences are introduced to a man born in 1918 as an elderly man who ages in reverse. He makes his way through life, experiencing love and heartbreak, eventually leaving this earth as a “newborn” baby.
Although more of a drama and fantasy film than really a romance,The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttonfeatures a meaningful relationship at its center that left a lasting impact onBrad Pitt’s protagonist. Dealing with themes of aging, time, and love across different stages of life — and how it endures even as people grow and transform in unexpected ways —Fincher’s film is certainly one that comes to mind when it comes to the best non-linear narrative romance films.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
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7’Blue Valentine' (2010)
Director: Derek Cianfrance
Ryan GoslingandMichelle Williamsbring an ordinary contemporary married couple to life inDerek Cianfrance’s heartwrenching romantic drama. Adopting a raw and emotionally compelling non-linear narrative structure, the movie spans over the years, cross-cutting between time periods, chronicling the evolution and deterioration of their bond.
The perfect choice for anyone who is intosad romance films,Blue Valentineis guaranteed to move audiences to tears — part of this has to do with its incredible exploration of realistic, at times even brutal love not often depicted in film and the effective non-linear structure that makes it an even more impactful movie. This is mostly because audiences get to watch the love and passion shared by the protagonists declining and their dreams decaying while being met with new challenges.
Blue Valentine
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6’La Notte' (1961)
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni
Directed by the Italian filmmaking iconMichaelangelo Antonioni,La Notteis a landmark in dramatic cinema for its narrative style and the existential themes it deals with. The captivating black-and-white drama chronicles a day in the life of an unfaithful married couple (Jeanne MoreauandMarcelloMastroianni), reflecting on their slowly deteriorating relationship.
La Notteis a wonderfully crafted movie that stands out for the way it unfolds mostly in one day and night, exploring alienation and disconnection in relationships with intriguing results. Although it takes place over 24 hours, the characters often reflect on their past and the couple’s earlier days, leaving audiences intrigued and wondering what went wrong. No doubt,La Notte’s episodic structure is one of its most memorable aspects.
5’Out of the Past' (1947)
Director: Jacques Tourneur
Image via RKO Pictures
Another picture that deserves a nod thanks to its well-crafted storyline isJacques Tourneur’sOut of the Past. The film noir follows a private eye (Robert Mitchum) who escapes his past to run a gas station in a small town. When he lets his past catch up with him, he finds himself forced to return to the world of corruption and danger he once thought he was free of.
Not only doesOut of the Past’s non-linear structure deepen the romantic premise by shedding light on Jeff’s romantic relationships, but it also adds a layer of mystery, suspense, and intrigue to the noir story. Furthermore, this particular structure makes the movie’s outcome more heartbreaking and impactful, lingering on the audience’s minds after the credits roll and helping establishOut of the Pastas one of the best classic film noirs of all time.
Out Of The Past
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4’La Jetée' (1962)
Director: Chris Marker
Particularly known for its use of non-linear narrative,Chris Marker’s trailblazer science fiction focuses on the story of a man who is forced to explore his memories in the wake of World War II. The movie is told mostly through still images.
La Jetéeremains a blueprint in cinema, especially in the science fiction genre, for the singular way that it tells a story almost entirely through images, and how it mostlyfeatures a non-linear narrative. All of this makes it an unforgettable picture that reinforces themes of predestination and free will, tackling time and love while delivering an intriguing premise.It is a powerful and poignant love story elevated by its unconventional structure. Movies like12 Monkeyswere heavily inspired by the iconic piece of filmmaking which remains highly influential these days.
Watch on Criterion
3’Hiroshima Mon Amour' (1959)
Director: Alain Resnais
Alan Resnais’Hiroshima Mon Amourstands as a must-see romance movie, particularly among other classics, with its well-crafted narrative being a part of its enduring appeal. The film focuses on a French actress (Emmanuelle Riva) filming an anti-war movie who has an affair with a married Japanese architect (Eiji Okada), with the two sharing their differing perspectives on war.
Exploring memory and trauma through an emotionally involving premise,this must-see French New Wave is said to have walked soOppenheimercould run.Hiroshima Mon Amour’s well-crafted non-linear narrative mirrors memory’s fragmented nature, with its disjointed structure reflecting how past experiences can influence the present. By the time of its release, the French New Wave must-watch was a groundbreaking experiment that challenged normal storytelling, resulting in a blueprint in cinema that stands the test of time today.
Hiroshima Mon Amour
2’Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (2004)
Director: Michel Gondry
This essential in the science fiction genre endures as a beloved watch, withJim CarreyandKate Winsletdelivering top-notch performances. The plot focuses on a couple whose relationship turns sour and decide to undergo a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories permanently.
One of the most defining aspects ofEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis its non-linear narrative, as the story primarily unfolds within the mind of protagonist Joel, jumping back and forth between different moments in his relationship with Winslet’s character Clementine. Equal amounts entertaining and heartbreaking, Gondry’s fan-favorite sic-fi delves deep into the role of memory in both one’s identity and the relationships he/she shares. It is a profound and thought-provoking watch that subverts romantic tropes, remaining a must-see today.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
1’Rebecca' (1940)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
InAlfred Hitchcock’s iconic Gothic romanceRebecca, based on the 1938 novel of the same name byDaphne du Maurier, a self-conscious and insecure woman (Joan Fontaine) attempts to adjust to her new role as an aristocrat’s (Laurence Oliver) new partner while attempting not to be intimidated by his first wife’s spirit.
Although subtle,Rebecca’s non-linear narrative plays a crucial role in its storytelling, helping to create the movie’s iconic eerie atmosphere and building suspense, with the past and the present constantly interwoven to keep viewers invested. Meditating on the complications of love while analyzing past and present relationships, identity, and buried secrets, this iconic Alfred Hitchcock landmark in cinema easily stands among the best of its genre even after all these years, whether because of its masterful direction or the complex central love story.
