Love, uncoupled: 5 great films—and one TV series—about unconventional queer romances
only each other.Why, then, do so many LGBTQ+ films feel the need to follow suit? We certainly can’t complain about seeing queer love of any kind represented on our screens, but wouldn’t it be great if, in addition to reflecting the diversity of identities and sexualities in our community, the movies also showed us the different ways we can (and do) love?With that in mind, this Valentine’s Day, we decided to look beyond the couple to bring you a list of quote-unquote “nontraditional” queer love stories—romances that forego the notion of the one-on-one relationship to show us a world much bigger than two.While this list is far from exhaustive, read on below for movie (and one TV show!) recommendations to get you in the mood for all kinds of love this holiday.This U.K.
dramedy takes up the mantle of the “sex farce”—a genre that hinges on different combos of characters jumping into bed with one another—and make its even more (delightfully) chaotic with a whole ensemble that’s either queer or questioning.
Leo (Rome‘s Kevin McKidd) begins seeing “straight” hunk Brendan (James Purefoy, also from Rome), who still lives with his ex-girlfriend Sally (Zero Dark Thirty‘s Jennifer Ehle), and, well, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for this raunchy romp where the romantic possibilities are endless.Streaming on Tubi, Freevee, Pluto TV, and YouTube (with ads).One of the last films from provocative director Bernardo Bertolucci, The Dreamers has a lot on its mind about youth, art, and revolution, set against the backdrop of the Parisian student riots in ’68.
