The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Sarah Marshal
Everyone remembers cinema’s great love affairs. From When Harry Met Sally to Casablanca, Hollywood has always adored stories of two people finding their soulmate in the least likely of circumstances.
But things don’t always work out that way.
Some films opt to delve into the darker side of romance – of love affairs that quickly go sour and spiral into destruction.
Often, this is deliberate. Films such as Nicolas Roeg’s Bad Timing or Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine steer viewers through the choppy waters of a toxic relationship. All you can do is watch through your fingers in horror as something once sacred goes painfully wrong.
Sometimes, however, the toxicity is entire accidental – a horrific mismatch of people that’s framed as a heartwarming love story (something that’s particularly prevalent in older films like Grease or The Breakfast Club, in which troubling relationships are scrutinised more harshly decades after release).
