A Love Letter To Female Friendship

Romantic movies have createda vision of what love is supposed to look like. There’s usually a dramatic airport run or a rain-soaked confession that somehow fixes everything. Real life, however, is never that cinematic and far more reliant on your female friends talking you out of making another poor decision within your love life. But, if you pay close enough attention, you’ll notice that another love story lives within a romance film, quietly hidden in the background. 

In your lowest moments when you’re considering texting your crazy ex-situationship, it’s often the women in your life who show up to talk you back to reality and comfort the friend they love so deeply. Through the switch of holidays, it’s your closest girl friends who stick beside you through all the good and bad that life has to offer. 

This Valentine’s Day, instead of cozying up with your favorite romcom that makes you yearn like no other, let us focus on these films that center on female friendship and remind us that love doesn’t have to be romantic. Sometimes, it’s simply the people who make you laugh until you cry. 

Someone Great

After Jenny Young just ended her relationship with her long-term boyfriend, she navigates the heartache while going on one last adventure with her two best friends before her big move to San Francisco. After watching this movie for the first time, I fell in love with the bond between these besties. The way they cried, laughed, and confided in each other made this movie feel so relatable, entertaining, and a great V-Day watch. 

Little Women

As a sister myself, this movie hits a little closer to home. Following the March sisters throughout the movie, we see the complex relationship within sisterhood. Though this movie is filled with romance, its emotional core lies within these sisters. They may fight and bicker, but most importantly, they realize that their relationship with each other is much more valuable and central to their independent character growth than any other.

How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days

This movie will forever live at the top of my favorite rom-coms list. But after an unhealthy amount of rewatches, you can notice that another love story takes place. Andie and Michelle are the ultimate best friend duo. Who else do you know would fake being a couple’s therapist in order to fool the guy that you’re dating? Michelle is willing to go above and beyond to help Andie out, no questions asked, and we should all aspire to have or be a friend like her. 

Booksmart 

Change can be terrifying for most people. Booksmart takes that fear and turns it into a comically hilarious coming-of-age story between two best friends, Amy and Molly. As high school graduation quickly approaches and a new chapter in life is soon to begin, these two main protagonists remind us that growing up doesn’t require outgrowing the people who know you best, sometimes it’s learning to love each other in new ways. 

Valentine’s Day constantly (sometimes obnoxiously) reminds us that romantic love is the ultimate goal, but these films tell a much fuller story. If you’re able to look past the dreamy love interest, you may find that the woman’s first love was truly her own best friend. 

To quote the famous character, Jo March, “I’m so sick of people saying that love is all a woman is fit for.”

And I couldn’t agree more, female friendships are just as powerful, transformative, and life-altering as any love interest. I take comfort knowing that whatever happens in life, bad dates, embarrassing moments, or last night rants, I’ve got my girls by my side. And honestly, that may be the greatest love story of all.