Movies

Like I have mentioned before divorce is seen everywhere. Since the last 80’s there have been many blockbusters that have to deal with divorce. There are movies that deal with splitting up property, affects on children, remarrying, and much more. I was trying to find good movies that dealt with divorce so I could talk about them but I found a site that already did it perfectly. Debbie Divorce names the Top 10 Divorce Movies.

1. The War of the Roses (1989)
Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito

After a whirlwind romance, the Roses start to build their fantasy life: a prosperous career for Oliver (Douglas) and the perfect material possession to fill their dream home. The fantasy doesn’t last long and after filing for divorce, neither Oliver nor Barbara (Turner) want to give up the dream home they have built together. Their divorce battle grows heated. Throughout the movie, Oliver’s divorce lawyer (DeVito) discusses an important lesson learned on how far a divorce can go if you let it.

2. The Squid and the Whale (2005)
Starring: Owen Kline, Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney and Jesse Eisenberg

It’s 1986 in Brooklyn, NY when Bernard (Daniels) and Joan (Linney) divorce, driven apart by jealousy. The couple’s two teenage sons are left to form new relationships with their parents and quickly take sides. Walt (Eisenberg) stays with his father, and Frank (Kline) lives with his mom. The movie spins the tale of how the parents’ dysfunctional lives affect their two sons.

3. The First Wives Club (1996)
Starring: Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler and Diane Keaton

After meeting up again at a college friend’s funeral, three divorced women decide to take revenge on their husbands who left them for younger wives. Since these women helped their men climb the financial ladder of success, they decided to hit ‘em where it hurts. Although I don’t recommend getting nasty with revenge, justice can make for a good laugh.

4. Waiting to Exhale (1995)
Starring: Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine

This story follows the lives of four African American women as they deal with the ups and downs of life. Although these women are successful in their careers, they have trouble with love because they pursue stereotypes and bad habits. These four friends’ lives take different directions, but they find that their friendship is what helps them through the challenges of relationships, careers and family.

5. Stepmom (1998)
Starring: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon and Ed Harris

After Jackie (Sarandon) and Luke (Harris) divorce, their children have to deal with the fact that their father has found another woman, Isabel (Roberts). The children, Anna and Ben, follow the example set by their mother and give their second mother a lot of trouble. But when Jackie is diagnosed with a terminal illness, the family must figure out a way to coexist. The movie spins the tale of a blended family learning to accept one another.

6. The Whole Nine Yards (2000)
Starring: Matthew Perry, Bruce Willis and Amanda Peet

Although Nick ‘Oz’ Oseransk (Perry) isn’t happy in his marriage, he’s in for a shock when he finds out his wife is hiring a hit man to get rid of him. Enter Jimmy The Tulip (Willis), a Chicago hit man, who ratted out some members of the mob as a bargaining chip with law enforcement. Although this comedy is about an unsuspecting man getting caught up with both sides of the mob, it highlights the twists and turns of marriage and divorce.

7. One Fine Day (1996)
Starring: Michelle Pfeiffer and George Clooney

Two divorced parents meet during a morning mix up with their children. Jack (Clooney) and Melanie (Pfeiffer) end up spending the day together when the mix up causes the children to miss a class field trip. In the beginning, the two assume each other has the same negative stereotypes as their exes, but by the end of the day, they are brought together as they work to watch the children and keep their jobs. A cute comedy about leaving the past behind and preparing for love in the future.

8. Mrs. Doubtfire (1993)
Starring: Robin Williams, Sally Field and Pierce Brosnan

Daniel Hillard (Williams) gets hit with it all: He loses his job, gets divorced and isn’t granted child custody. In order to spend some time with his children, without his ex-wife (Field) knowing, Hillard dresses up like an old nanny and interviews for a position to care for the children. The plan works, until Hillard meets his wife’s new beau, Stu (Brosnan). A cute comedy for adults and kids alike about family life after divorce.

9. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
Starring: Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep

Ted Kramer (Hoffman) always let his work come before his family. Joanna (Streep) soon gets tired of coming second and leaves Ted with their son, Billy. Ted must learn to balance his career, while taking care of the home, his child and himself. Just as Ted is getting it all figured out, Joanna comes back for Billy. But Ted refuses to give up his so the two head to court. This drama, focusing on the battle for child custody, won five Oscars.

10. Along Came Polly (2004)
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Ben Stiller, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Debra Messing

Reuben Feffer (Stiller) had the perfect life planned out with his new wife, Lisa (Messing), until he found her cheating on him during the honeymoon. Devastated, Feffer returns home and runs into a former classmate, Polly (Aniston). Feffer tries to date the free-spirited Polly, but Lisa shows up, asking for Feffer to take her back. This quarky comedy shows how life doesn’t always end up the way we planned it, as Feffer decides whether to keep on the uncertain path with Polly or go back to his dream with a cheating wife.
Source: IMDB

Resources:
http://www.totaldivorce.com/blog/debbiedivorce/top-10-divorce-movies/