Summary
The fascinating movies from the niche genre of dark romance explore another side of human desire and take their viewers on intense journeys. It’s not a genre for everyone, and the subject matter is often controversial and unsettling.
Common themes in dark romance movies include forbidden romances and heartbreak, while some deal with mental health issues as well as death.Movie fans can explorepost-apocalyptic romance sci-fi movies as well as classic romances inspired by literature and even real historical events
Updated on Jun 03, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:Dark romance has its popular appeal, with Oscar winners like Poor Things being a popular example. This is an example of a dark romance that is also a comedy and plays with the elements of horror and surrealism, which is a common template for the genre. Many of these romance movies show the tough times in relationships, but fans can also explore supernatural romances where ghosts and eerie secrets are involved or step into fictional worlds where the usual laws of physics don’t apply.
13Blue Valentine
The Unpredictability Of Love
Blue Valentineis a must-watch for those movie fanswho love psychological horrormovies. This movie takes viewers on a heartbreaking journey and shows them that love doesn’t always lead to happy-ever-after moments. Instead, it shows the real challenges couples have to face. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams and cleverly moves between the passionate beginnings and the heavy-hearted endings of a relationship.
Just as horror movies delve into fears, this film exposes the scary reality of how love can change over time. Dean and Cindy’s relationship, once full of promise, transforms in ways that will remind viewers that love can sometimes be as unpredictable and eerie as any ghost story. It’s a great pick for dark romance lovers who are craving a story that explores the shadowy corners of the heart.
12Only Lovers Left Alive
A Twist On The Legend Of Adam And Eve
Adam and Eve have been an on-and-off couple for centuries. They’revampires and live forever,but that’s the least of their problems. Immortality is exhausting, as it turns out, but vampires also have to deal with mundane issues that pester mortals, like dealing with annoying family members.
Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton star as the main characters, reunited by their mutual disappointment in the evolution of human civilization and watching it crumble from exotic settings like Tangiers and Detroit. A dark romance that’s also a comedy, it’s a creative look at the often-generic vampire genre, and the casting is on-point.
11Let the Right One In
The Horror Of Romance
InLet the Right One In, the chilling streets of Sweden set the stage for a romance that’s far from ordinary. The story follows Oskar, a young boy frequently targeted by bullies, who finds solace in Eli, a mysterious girl new to the neighborhood. But as they grow closer, Oskar soon realizes that Eli isn’t just another kid and that she is hiding a supernatural secret.
This unique romance film brilliantly intertwines the eeriness often found in horror movies with the genuine warmth of a budding romance. As their unique bond deepens, the story unravels both the haunting struggles of Eli’s existence and the challenges of Oskar’s daily life. However, this dark tale reminds viewers of the importance of human connections and how they can help us overcome difficult times.
10Revolutionary Road
Dark Romance In America’s Suburbs
There are plenty of dark Leonardo Dicaprio movies, but few explore the romance between married people as deeply asRevolutionary Road.This story pulls back the curtain on the allure of 1950s American suburbia to expose its cracks and crevices. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunite as Frank and April Wheeler, breathing life into a couple whose outward sparkle hides inner tumult.
Together, they share dreams of a life beyond their white-picket-fence existence. However, these dreams soon clash with harsh truths and societal constraints.Revolutionary Roadchallenges the notion of the “American Dream” and makes viewers question just how much they’re willing to sacrifice to achieve it. This movie is a deep dive into the intricate dance of aspirations, relationships, and the paths we choose.
9Anna Karenina
A Stunning Literary Romance And Period Drama
Joe Wright’s most heartbreaking and darkest romance movie isAnna Karenina. This stunning film was inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s classic novel of the same title and explores one of the most volatile and dysfunctional relationships ever on screen.
Anna’s forbidden love story with the young Count Vronsky ended up ruining not only her marriage but her entire life and eventually led to her tragic death.Anna Kareninais a great choice for movie fans who lovemovies based on booksand meaningful stories that explore the themes of society, sexual desire, passion, and hypocrisy.Anna Karenina’s story follows Anna’s journey after the young married woman falls hopelessly in love with a handsome cavalry officer.
8Crimson Peak
A Haunting Gothic Romance
Crimson Peakis one of the most haunting gothic movies, featuring a dark love story between a young girl and a charming and mysterious man. Even though this dark romance movie has supernatural and fantasy elements, it still deals with meaningful themes about sexual passion and family tragedies that can define a person’s life forever.
This atmospheric gothic film is also Guillermo del Toro’s most underrated movie.Crimson Peakfollows a young woman’s life after she moves into a ghostly mansion with her new husband and his sister. However, she soon realizes that her new home and her new family have some deadly and dark secrets.
7Phantom Thread
Art, Life, And Poison
According to the plot in Phantom Threads, dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock is the best, most talented tailor that 1950s London has to offer. Anyone who considers themselves one of the city’s elite, from movie stars to royalty, visits his fashion house for the best and latest designs. The romance comes in when Woodcock meets Alma Elson, who becomes his model, muse, and lover until they eventually get married, but only after some dark and even sinister moments.
The couple has a tumultuous relationship and they often fight, one point of contention being that Reynolds is aloof and impossible to please. After one nasty tiff over a “romantic” dinner, Alma decides to put her husband in his place by poisoning his tea with some local mushrooms. She never tells him what she did, but after he recovers and she overhears some unfavorable gossip, she does it again. By the end of the movie, he’s figured out the secret of her cooking prowess and eats the omelet anyway, confirming their mutual enmeshment in a dark romance.
6The Reader
A Childhood Romance Turns Dark
The Readeris one of the most touching and emotional Kate Winslet movies. In it, she portrayed Hanna, an illiterate woman with a dark secret. The story takes place just after World War II, and it tells the love story between a teen boy named Michael and an older woman named Hanna.
While their romance starts touchingly, it soon turns into a highly dysfunctional one. One day Hanna moves away without a word, leaving the heartbroken young boy behind. Michael doesn’t hear from her for many years until one day he learns that Hanna is on trial for Nazi war crimes.
5Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Burning Passion And Forbidden Love
Portrait of a Lady on Fireis a perfect choice for those who love great historical movies and thought-provoking horror films with stunning cinema photography. This gorgeous and dark French romance drama tells the passionate love affair between an aristocrat named Marianne and a young painter named Heloise, who was commissioned to paint her portrait.
Portrait of a Lady on Fireis a slow-burning forbidden love story about just how transformative love can be. While the movie has its sensual and romantic moments, it also has plenty of darker and even terrifying scenes. It’s a great choice for romance movie lovers who prefer intelligent and meaningful stories that will make them reflect on life and true love.
4Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World
The Comedy Of The Apocolypse
Seeking A Friend For The End Of The Worldis one of the saddest movies about the end of the world, but it’s also a surprisingly charming yet dark romance. This oddly beautiful film tells the love story between a bland but warmhearted insurance salesman Dodge, and his eccentric young neighbor, Penny.
The plot follows Dodge and Penny’s adventures after they embark on a road trip to find true love before the world is destroyed by an enormous asteroid. It’s a great choice for those who love disaster movies and want to watch a meaningful dark romance movie with relatable characters and dark humor.
