12 Movies Like Love of Your Life You Must See

Directed by Rachel Morrison, Prime Video’s ‘Love of Your Life’ is a romantic drama film that follows Maya (Margaret Qualley), a 26-year-old nurse living in Boston whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets Charlie (Gabriel Basso). Their connection soon develops into a serious relationship, and the two marry, believing they have found the person with whom they will share their future. However, their happiness comes to a devastating end when Charlie dies, leaving Maya struggling to imagine a life without him. Unable to move forward in familiar surroundings, she abandons her life in the US and cuts off contact with those she once held close, including her best friend, Jason (Patrick Schwarzenegger).

Seeking a fresh start, Maya travels to Portugal and embraces the life of a digital nomad. There, she meets Felix (Aaron Pierre), a man whose presence challenges her to reconsider her approach to love and relationships. Their connection forces her to confront the emotional baggage she carries. As she navigates new relationships and unfamiliar experiences, Maya must decide whether leaving her old life behind is enough to escape her grief. Ultimately, she faces the difficult question of whether she can accept her loss, understand herself better, and allow love into her life once more. These movies, similar to ‘Love of Your Life,’ explore complex human bonds and layered ideas of romance that will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

12. Wild (2014)

In ‘Wild,’ Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) decides to rebuild her life by undertaking a challenging solo hike following the death of her mother, the breakdown of her marriage, and a period of self-destructive behavior. Despite having no outdoor experience and carrying limited equipment, she sets out to traverse a thousand-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail. Still struggling with grief and addiction, Cheryl faces the physical demands of the trek alongside the emotional weight of her past.

She pushes herself through the rugged wilderness, and the journey becomes an opportunity to confront her pain, test her limits, and search for a renewed sense of purpose. Brought to life by Jean-Marc Vallée, the adventure drama film is based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir ‘Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.’ Both ‘Wild’ and ‘Love of Your Life’ follow women whose lives are profoundly changed by loss. Cheryl Strayed must confront her grief after her mother’s death, while Maya struggles to rebuild her life after losing her husband.

11. After Love (2020)

Penned and helmed by Aleem Khan, ‘After Love’ is the saga of Mary Hussain (Joanna Scanlan), whose life changes after the sudden death of her husband, Ahmed (Nasser Memarzia). Living in the port town of Dover, Mary is left grieving until she discovers, just a day after his burial, that Ahmed had kept a secret life across the English Channel in Calais. Determined to understand the truth, she travels to France, where she meets Genevieve (Nathalie Richard) and her son, Solomon (Talid Ariss).

Their connection to Ahmed forces Mary to question the marriage she thought she understood and reconsider her own identity. When she uncovers more about her late husband, Mary must confront the painful revelations that challenge everything she believed about their life together. The British drama film, akin to ‘Love of Your Life,’ is a meditation on grief, love, loyalty, liberation, and the female experience in the face of loss.

10. The Holiday (2006)

‘The Holiday’ is a rom-com that tells the story of two women who swap homes over Christmas in an attempt to escape their troubled love lives. Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz), a LA movie-trailer editor, discovers that her boyfriend has been unfaithful, while Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet), a journalist living in Surrey, is heartbroken over a man who is about to marry someone else. After connecting through a home-exchange website, they trade their homes for two weeks, with Iris settling into California and Amanda traveling to the English countryside. However, their plans for a romantic escape take an unexpected turn.

Amanda develops feelings for Iris’ brother, Graham Simpkins (Jude Law), while Iris begins a new romance with film composer Miles Dumont (Jack Black). What follows is a breezy tale of romantic tribulations and choices. Nancy Meyers serves as the writer and director of this film, which captures the essence of ‘Love of Your Life’ by focusing on the act of moving on. Amanda and Iris, akin to Maya in ‘Love of Your Life,’ experience painful changes in their romantic lives that prompt them to reconsider what they want from their relationships.

9. We Live in Time (2024)

In ‘We Live in Time,’ Almut (Florence Pugh), a talented chef, and Tobias (Andrew Garfield), a recently divorced man, meet by chance. Their unexpected encounter leads to a relationship, and they eventually build a home and start a family together. However, a painful revelation threatens the future they have planned, forcing them to rethink their lives and relationship. Told through moments from different stages of their time together, the romantic drama film follows Almut and Tobias as they face difficult circumstances and learn to value the time they have.

When their love is tested, they must find a way to navigate the uncertainty ahead while holding on to the experiences that brought them together. John Crowley’s directorial, along the lines of ‘Love of Your Life,’ is a journey of acceptance and reconciliation. Both films explore the fragility of happiness and the importance of cherishing relationships, showing how unexpected events can change the way people view their futures.

8. Eat Pray Love (2010)

Director Ryan Murphy’s ‘Eat Pray Love’ is a romantic drama film based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s memoir of the same name. Elizabeth Gilbert, AKA Liz (Julia Roberts), has a home, a marriage, and a successful career, but soon realizes that she and her husband have grown apart. Following their divorce, Liz begins a relationship with actor David Piccolo (James Franco), only to recognize that she needs time to understand herself.

She embarks on a year-long journey through Italy, India, and Indonesia, hoping to rediscover her love of food, find spiritual peace at an ashram, and seek guidance from Balinese medicine man Ketut Liyer. Along the way, unexpected experiences challenge her efforts to find balance and a renewed sense of purpose. ‘Eat Pray Love’ focuses on finding balance through food, spirituality, and personal exploration, whereas ‘Love of Your Life’ centers on accepting grief and deciding whether it is possible to welcome love again after loss.

7. Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)

In ‘Under the Tuscan Sun,’ after discovering that her husband has been unfaithful, Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) struggles to cope with the end of her marriage. Hoping to help her recover, her best friend, Patti (Sandra Oh), encourages her to travel to Italy. During a tour of Tuscany, Frances impulsively purchases a dilapidated villa and decides to rebuild her life there. With the help of a group of workers, she begins renovating the property while adjusting to her new surroundings.

As she forms connections with the people around her and meets the charming Marcello (Raoul Bova), Frances gradually discovers that a fresh start can bring unexpected possibilities, even when romance and happiness do not unfold as planned. Written and brought to life by Audrey Wells, the romantic comedy-drama is based on Frances Mayes’s memoir of the same name. Frances Mayes in ‘Under the Tuscan Sun’ and Maya in ‘Love of Your Life’ both struggle to rebuild their lives after painful personal losses, finding themselves at a crossroads that forces them to reconsider their futures.

6. Good Grief (2023)

‘Good Grief’ is a comedy-drama about Marc (Dan Levy), an artist who has built a comfortable life alongside his wealthy, charismatic husband, Oliver (Luke Evans). When Oliver unexpectedly dies in a car crash, Marc struggles to cope with the loss, having already experienced the death of his mother. Supported by his two closest friends, Sophie (Ruth Negga) and Thomas (Himesh Patel), he sets out for Paris in search of a way forward. However, Marc’s grief takes another turn when he discovers that Oliver had been keeping a secret life from him, including a separate apartment and a new love interest in Paris.

While Marc confronts these revelations and meets Theo (Arnaud Valois), he must face the painful truths surrounding his marriage and begin rebuilding his life. Written and directed by Dan Levy, the film, akin to ‘Love of Your Life,’ explores how grief can become more complicated when the past holds unresolved emotional truths. Both films force the main characters to confront feelings they cannot simply leave behind, no matter how hard they try.

5. One True Loves (2023)

‘One True Loves’ revolves around Emma’s (Phillipa Soo) life as it changes when her beloved husband, Jesse (Luke Bracey), dies in a helicopter crash on their first wedding anniversary. Unable to move past the tragedy, she returns home and gradually rebuilds her life. Four years later, Emma finds happiness again with Sam (Simu Liu), her lifelong friend, and prepares to marry him. However, her fresh start takes an unexpected turn when Jesse reappears, revealing that he survived the crash.

Suddenly faced with two relationships that mean so much to her, Emma must reconsider what love means and decide whether to return to the husband she thought she had lost or build a future with the man who helped her move forward. Helmed by Andy Fickman, the romantic comedy-drama film is based on Taylor Jenkins Reid’s eponymous novel. ‘One True Loves’ builds its central conflict around choosing between a husband who returns and a fiancé who has become part of Emma’s new life, whereas ‘Love of Your Life’ focuses on whether Maya can confront her emotional baggage and accept love after devastating loss.

4. The Letter (2004)

Helmed by Pa-oon Chantornsiri, ‘The Letter’ or ‘Jod mai rak’ is a Thai romantic drama film, which serves as a remake of the Korean film ‘Pyeon ji.’ After losing her best friend and roommate, Dew (Ann Thongprasom), a young computer programmer, moves to Chiang Mai. There, she meets Ton (Uttaporn Teemakorn), an officer at an agricultural research center, and the two fall in love and eventually marry. They enjoy a peaceful life together until Ton develops a brain tumor and dies, leaving Dew to face life without him.

However, after returning home from his funeral, she discovers a letter written by her late husband. The unexpected message brings a new emotional dimension to her loss and reminds her of the love they shared. While Maya in ‘Love of Your Life’ meets Felix as she tries to open herself to love again, Dew receives letters from her late husband that help her navigate her grief, thus connecting the two main female characters on a thematic level.

3. Return to Me (2000)

Set in Chicago, ‘Return to Me’ is a Bonnie Hunt directorial that follows Bob Rueland (David Duchovny), an architect struggling to cope with the death of Elizabeth, his wife. A year after the death, Bob’s friend, veterinarian Charlie Johnson (David Alan Grier), encourages him to start dating again. Although a blind date goes nowhere, Bob soon meets Grace Briggs (Minnie Driver), a waitress who has recovered from a serious heart condition after receiving a heart transplant. The two fall in love without knowing that Grace received Elizabeth’s heart.

However, as their relationship deepens, Grace’s hesitation to reveal details of her transplant and the emotional weight of their unexpected connection threaten their future together. The romantic comedy-drama film, much like ‘Love of Your Life,’ is about uncertainty, hope, and love. Bob and Maya both struggle to move forward after losing their spouses, with grief shaping their ability to embrace the possibility of a new relationship.

2. Love Again (2023)

‘Love Again’ is a romantic comedy-drama film by writer-director James C. Strouse that serves as a remake of the German film ‘SMS für Dich.’ Mira Ray (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) is a children’s book designer struggling to cope with the death of her fiancé. Unable to let go of her feelings, she continues to send romantic messages to his old phone number, unaware that it now belongs to Rob Burns (Sam Heughan), a journalist moved by the honesty of her words. Intrigued by the messages, Rob becomes interested in the woman behind them.

His work soon brings him into contact with music superstar Celine Dion (playing herself), whom he asks to help him meet Mira in person. As an unexpected connection develops between the two strangers, Mira must find a way to move beyond her grief and consider the possibility of love again. Like Maya in ‘Love of Your Life,’ Mira must consider whether she can open herself to love again after a devastating loss. While Mira’s messages bring her into an unexpected connection with Rob, Maya’s new life in Portugal introduces her to Felix.

1. P.S. I Love You (2007)

‘P.S. I Love You’ revolves around the experiences of Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank), whose life falls apart after her husband, Gerry Kennedy (Gerard Butler), dies following an illness. Unable to come to terms with her loss, Holly struggles to imagine a future without him. However, Gerry has made arrangements to help her through her grief. Beginning on her 30th birthday, she receives a series of letters he prepared before his death, each containing instructions and challenges intended to encourage her to move forward. As Holly follows his messages, she begins to explore new experiences and discover more about herself.

Although her family and friends worry that the letters are keeping her tied to the past, Gerry’s final gesture may help her find a way to rebuild her life. Crafted under the direction of Richard LaGravenese, the romantic comedy-drama film is an adaptation of Cecelia Ahern’s eponymous novel. Loss of a loved one, the uncertainty of life, acceptance of the truth, moving on from tragedy, and the complexities of love are themes that both ‘P.S. I Love You’ and ‘Love of Your Life’ intricately explore.