Best Movies About Friendship, Not About Romance
When Moana rode into theaters last year, there was a marked difference about this Disney princess: she wasn't defined by a romantic storyline. And trust us, that's a good thing. Best of all: throughout the history of movies, she's not alone.
Not every movie needs to end in romantic bliss. While we'll always have space in our hearts for a good rom-com or sappy drama, it can often be more fun to chill out with a movie where romance is not the central plot or be-all and end-all. Sure, Elle Woods ends up with the sweet lawyer Emmett at the end of Legally Blonde, but Elle finding love definitely isn’t the point of her story. Neither Elsa nor her sister Anna fixate on marrying a prince in Frozen, and the whole point of classic girl-power movies like Waiting to Exhale and Now and Then is female friends supporting and loving each other through life.
And the fact of the matter is, recognizing these relationships — and yes, this includes the one you have with yourself — is just as important as recognizing the romantic relationships in your life. Here are 13 movies that redefine the "happily ever after" in the best way possible.
1/13Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion
Romy and Michele may have been the underdogs in high school, but when they return for their reunion, they’re determined to show all the mean girls that they’ve made a life for themselves in the world. They may not have actually invented Post-Its, but their friendship is something to be proud of.
2/13Frozen
*Frozen * was so refreshing to moviegoers because the story is about the love between two sisters, not between a prince and a princess. Anna even gives her initial love interest the boot when she realizes he’s a bad guy trying to steal the throne from her sister. Because relationships may come and go, but family is forever.
3/13Legally Blonde
Elle Woods starts off *Legally Blonde * heartbroken over the loss of her would-be fiancé, Warner, but the movie quickly becomes a story of Elle being herself, doing what’s right, and totally exceeding everyone’s expectations. What, like it’s hard?
4/13The Cheetah Girls
You know this was one of your fave Disney Channel movies back in the ‘00s, so why not revisit it a few years later? The whole movie is about accomplishing your goals, following your dreams, being a good friend, and staying true to who you are.
5/13The Craft
*The Craft * may be about witchcraft on the surface, but it’s also about feeling out of place in the world and finding a group of people you identify with and who accept you with zero strings attached. And isn't that a kind of magic all its own?
6/13Paris is Burning
This groundbreaking documentary from 1990 tells the story of a group of performers in NYC. Many of them compete in extravagant “drag balls,” but their outfits and walks aren’t the whole story. Some have been disowned by their families and have created families where they’re accepted and celebrated. Family isn’t always the crew you’re born into — sometimes it's the one you create for yourself. *Paris is Burning * is about beauty, diversity, family, and hope.
7/13Now & Then
Now & Then is beloved by a whole generation of young women who considered the movie foursome the ultimate #friendshipgoals. If you’re lucky enough to have lifelong friends, you know just how much Now & Then tugs at your heartstrings.
8/13Blue Crush
*Blue Crush * is the story of three dedicated surfers who also happen to be best friends. They push one another to be better, to work harder, and to never give up, even when the waves seem impossible.
9/13Waiting to Exhale
This ‘90s classic is about four women who are going through Big Stuff in their lives — like love, divorce, and motherhood — and shows how they lean on each other for support when things get complicated. That’s what friends are for!
10/13How to be Single
Dating is hard. Dating in your early 20s — when you’re still trying to figure out who you are and who you want to be — can sometimes feel impossible. That’s the story for Alice, who moves to New York City and has her whole life flipped upside down after a breakup. After making her fair share of mistakes, she learns what she’s looking for — and realizes that relationships don’t define you. You do.
11/13Clueless
Cher may try and set up everyone in sight (she *is * based on Jane Austen’s Emma, after all), but *Clueless * is really about how Cher learns who she is and what she can be all on her own… with a little help from her BFFs Dionne and Ty.
12/13The Hunger Games
Yes, this franchise does feature a love triangle between Katniss, Peeta, and Gale, but that is 100% *not * the focal point of the trilogy. It’s about one girl helping topple an empire, duh. Katniss doesn’t end the Capitol’s tyranny on her own, though — she gets help from her friends along the way. That includes Rue, who reinforces her commitment to end the Games forever.
13/13The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
Carmen, Tibby, Bridget, and Lena are best friends, though they’re all from different worlds. They stay bonded through one very fateful summer via a pair of perfect jeans, and though each girl changes a great deal in that time, they find that their friendship, like the jeans, stretches to fit them all perfectly. Plus, the “sisters” are BFFs IRL too, which makes it even more fun to watch.
