Since its release in May of 2022, eclipse over $1 billion worldwide, impressively in the span of fewer than two months. There's certainly no crash landing anytime soon.
Maverick does have a love interest in the film, but it surprisingly isn't Charlie. Love stories embedded in war movies like this often work because the romance balances out the horrors of war. There are actually some epic love stories buried in war films, and many Redditors have suggestions on the best of them. Some of the titles are lesser-known, but still worth watching.
The English Patient (1996)
Stream on HBO Max
In this Anthony Minghella saga, a nurse tends to a badly burned patient at the end of World War II. The titular patient Almasy (Ralph Fiennes) tells of his tragic affair with an Englishwoman through flashbacks.
The English Patient won 9 Oscars, including Best Picture, and a Reddit names it as a great war romance. The tragic story is engulfed in war and betrayal, and there are multiple love stories that take place, one as interesting as the other. Ultimately, it's a story about love, loss, regret, forgiveness, and redemption.
Enemy at the Gates (2001)
Stream on Prime Video
During the Battle of Stalingrad, a Russian sniper, Vasily Zaitsev (played by Jude Law), plays a deadly game of cat and mouse with a German sniper to see who will get caught in the trap first.
Charlemagne712 suggests that the love triangle in Enemy at the Gates is what sets it apart. Vasily and Commisar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) compete for the affection of Tania (Rachel Weisz). What also makes this love story such a unique one is that there are real stakes that impact the war story as a whole. The conclusion of the triangle is as shocking as it is meaningful.
From Here to Eternity (1953)
Stream on Prime Video
With the attack on Pearl Harbor looming in the distance, a private is chastised by his superior officer for not wanting to box. Meanwhile, the officer's wife has an affair with a sergeant.
Redditor mvario believes the Oscar-winning classic From Here to Eternity fits the bill for a great war love story. The film won an astonishing 8 Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. The most well-known moment in the film is perhaps the beach kissing scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr, as many who don't recognize the movie will likely still recognize the scene. Because the film was released in the 1950's, this was seen as very controversial.
Atonement (2007)
Stream on HBO Max
In this beautiful period piece, a thirteen-year-old girl thwarts the love between her older sister and a private in the British army, mistakenly accusing him of a crime he didn't commit.
One of Keira Knightley's best films, Atonement was nominated for 7 Oscars, and won Best Original Score. This tragic love story is best represented by its winning score, as thefidlerontheroof suggests. "One of the songs from it's score, 'Elegy of Dunkirk' is so emotional to me". The lyrics and instrumentals show how distant Robbie is from Cecilia, and the soldier yelling "I'm coming home!" just rubs salt in the wound.
A Very Long Engagement (2004)
Stream on Prime Video
In A Very Long Engagement, a young French woman searches relentlessly for her fiancé who was thought to be dead in No Man's Land during World War I.
ZorroMeansFox suggests that A Very Long Engagement is indeed a great war romance movie. The film literally shows the distance someone will go through for love, as Matilde walks with a limp due to a bout with childhood polio, making the journey towards her fiancé even more palpable. The ambiguous ending emphasizes the unpredictability and acceptance of war itself.
chendaele (2008)
Stream on Tubi
chendaele tells the tale of three characters in the Canadian Expeditionary Force whose lives intersect during the battle of chendaele in Belgium.
"I think chendaele was alright. Good balance of romance and battle." says Redditor Coliee. The romance is interwoven in between the gritty war scenes. What is also unique about the film is that because director Paul Gross is Canadian, rather than focusing on classic war film POVs, he shoots it from a rarely-seen Canadian perspective.
Allied (2016)
Stream on Paramount+
A Canadian intelligence agent teams with a French resistance fighter, but things could turn deadly when they become more than just partners.
A lesser known Brad Pitt movie, Allied is a war film that soodge1234 feels has a great love story. Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard's chemistry is off the charts, making their spontaneous romance and eventual relationship and marriage believable. The film definitely has an intriguing premise - it is suspected that Cotillard's character is a German spy. This is a huge blow to Pitt's character, especially since they have a child together.
Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
Stream on Prime Video
After rescuing a small boy, 4 Black soldiers are trapped in a small Italian village in 1944 in the final throes of World War II. Directed by Spike Lee, Miracle at St. Anna was adapted from a 2003 James McBride novel.
Helichopper says that the film "has a little romance". And the romance it does have comes as an interesting plot point. Two of the soldiers are caught in a love triangle with Renata, and this love triangle tests their friendship, even putting their lives and the mission in jeopardy.
Lust, Caution (2007)
Stream on Prime Video
A secret agent has to seduce and then assassinate a high-profile officer in the early 1940s in China. The only problem is, she starts to fall in love with him. The Ang Lee-directed film Lust, Caution (original title is Se, jie) is a war romance film that Redditor MiserableSnow recommends.
There are some explicit scenes, making it not child friendly. However, the bond between the two characters is evident, which further clouds the undercover agent Chia Chi's decision.
Top Gun (1986)
Stream on Paramount+
Tom Cruise stars as Maverick, who enters the Top Gun program in hopes of being the best pilot, but not without competition.
Maverick does have a different love interest in the sequel.
