Gay Movies with Happy Endings: Adorable Characters, Lovable Stories, and a HAPPILY EVER AFTER
Trying to find a feel-good "gay" movie to watch is like playing a game of Russian Roulette with your soul, and I think that's shitty: There's a difference between a "gay drama", an "important gay movie", a "gay romance", and a "gay rom-com"... and I'm here to celebrate the latter two!
Every movie in this list is, SPOILER ALERT, guaranteed to end happily, with the two leads living happily-ever-after.
I like romance movies, and I'm not apologizing for it! Because sometimes it's important to know, when you decide to watch a movie, that the lovable couple you're giddy for isn't going to be shattered by horrible death or separated forever in lonely despair by the time the credits roll.
Alas, in gay cinema, our most-mainstream movie ends with our protagonist sniffing the jacket of a man who was tire-ironed to death on the side of a freeway; our most critically-lauded flick ends with our star-crossed lovers hurtling themselves to their deaths against an electric fence. Needless to say, the "gay romance" genre has been utterly supplanted by the "Gay" genre, with a capital "G": The meaningful, the artful, the insightful and the powerful.
Fuck that noise!
I mean, it's bad enough that "gay" is literally all we get in a movie category. Beyond the fact that a film's been vaguely aimed at us, we have no goddamn clue what we're in for when we start to watch! I mean, Christ, is a bit of granularity too much to ask for in a genre? A devastating, powerful, hard-hitting gay drama like "Bent" should not be on the same shelf as my scratched-from-overuse copy of "Shelter", dammit!
And so, with all that out of the way, I present to you my list of good, happy movies---where the guys you root for actually end up happy.
Every movie in this list is, SPOILER ALERT, guaranteed to end happily, with the two leads living happily-ever-after.
I like romance movies, and I'm not apologizing for it! Because sometimes it's important to know, when you decide to watch a movie, that the lovable couple you're giddy for isn't going to be shattered by horrible death or separated forever in lonely despair by the time the credits roll.
Alas, in gay cinema, our most-mainstream movie ends with our protagonist sniffing the jacket of a man who was tire-ironed to death on the side of a freeway; our most critically-lauded flick ends with our star-crossed lovers hurtling themselves to their deaths against an electric fence. Needless to say, the "gay romance" genre has been utterly supplanted by the "Gay" genre, with a capital "G": The meaningful, the artful, the insightful and the powerful.
Fuck that noise!
I mean, it's bad enough that "gay" is literally all we get in a movie category. Beyond the fact that a film's been vaguely aimed at us, we have no goddamn clue what we're in for when we start to watch! I mean, Christ, is a bit of granularity too much to ask for in a genre? A devastating, powerful, hard-hitting gay drama like "Bent" should not be on the same shelf as my scratched-from-overuse copy of "Shelter", dammit!
And so, with all that out of the way, I present to you my list of good, happy movies---where the guys you root for actually end up happy.
List activity
4.8K views
• 2 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
13 titles
- DirectorJonah MarkowitzStarsTrevor WrightBrad RoweTina HolmesWhen his college dreams are sidelined by family obligations, a young man finds comfort in surfing with his best friend's brother.See those two guys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
This has been my favourite gay movie for a decade.
A modern classic---(you shut your whore mouth it SO is!)---featuring a compelling love story with great, adorable protagonists, and a happy ending that needs neither qualification nor caveat.
Despite the brevity of this review, I will say that, Shelter is, for me, the paragon of the "gay romance" story: sexy, believable, satisfying.
If you haven't seen this movie, well, you're doing it wrong. - DirectorChristian FaureStarsCyrille ThouveninStéphan Guérin-TilliéÉva DarlanAfter his gay cousin dies from hepatitis, young Laurent, who lives with his best friend Carole, falls in love with Cedric, a plant scientist. He's afraid to inform his conservative parents that he is gay.See those two boys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
You may know this as "Juste Une Question D'Amour", which is the French name for this French movie---WARNING: SUBTITLES INBOUND.
But don't despair! The struggle you'll face darting your eyes between film and subtitle is the kind of struggle you WANT to have, because, Spoiler Alert: They live Happily Ever After!
AND, you'll be pleased to know: they're muffins, those two. You'll want to take them home with you. Just sexy, SEXY muffins, they are, through-and-through. - DirectorCraig JohnsonStarsMichael AbelaDaniel DohenyBrendan ArcherAlex, high school class president, nerd and a straight A student, has been dating Claire a long time. They decide to sleep together but then he meets a gay guy and he's confused.See those two guys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
This movie shares a lot in common with "Love, Simon" --- same time period, same setting, and a similar plot. But where "Love, Simon" took a very wholesome, very mainstream-palatable, very family-friendly approach to gay highschool romance, Alex Strangelove... doesn't.
And that's why I loved the shit out of it.
From licking hallucinogenic frogs, to practicing dirty-talk with a stuffed animal, to projectile-vomiting gummy-worms over your two best friends at a party, to not one, but two hilariously-awkward "I think I can, I think I can" failures as our self-denying lead tries out sex with a girl, this movie reminded me a lot of raunchy comedies like American Pie or Superbad---in a very good way.
I particularly loved the journey the lead took while coming to terms with his sexuality---it felt very authentic, helped along by some really great acting by the three leads; the chemistry between our two star-crossed lovers-to-be was especially excellent, and often lacking in movies of this genre.
Yes, like American Pie, Superbad, and other movies of that ilk, it's formulaic and largely predictable, and a lot of you won't like that---but I found more than enough touching curve-balls to keep me interested until the credits rolled. - DirectorGreg BerlantiStarsNick RobinsonJennifer GarnerJosh DuhamelSimon Spier keeps a huge secret from his family, his friends and all of his classmates: he's gay. When that secret is threatened, Simon must face everyone and come to terms with his identity.See that boy on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: He lives Happily Ever After with [REDACTED]. (Even I won't spoil this one, since so much of the plot revolves around the mysterious identity of 'Blue'.)
Obviously, having not spent the last two years under a rock, I knew quite a bit about this movie before I saw it --- it's arguably the first "important gay movie" that's also a lot of fun to watch and also has a happy ending. Gay celebrities the world over bought out whole theaters to showcase this movie for free in their hometowns; the movie inspired the star's brother to come out of the closet; and it ranks as the all-time highest-grossing gay movie with a happy ending.
Even so, I honestly didn't expect it to be as good as it was. The end of the second act (the classic nadir, where the protagonists find themselves at the lowest place in the narrative, thus setting the stage for a powerful third act crescendo) didn't merely throw our protagonist under a bus --- it made a powerful point: that, as difficult a journey as the coming-out process is, there may be other things that are more important.
Really a wonderful movie! Now, it's by no means as sexy as many of the other films on this list --- if you want feel-good sexy, watch Shelter; if you want a super-hot lead, watch Five Dances; etc. --- but its authentic, believable, current approach combined with fantastic performances and its wonderful, genuine message absolutely earn it the lofty praise it has received.
"But you get to exhale now, Simon. You get to be more you, than you have been in... in... a very long time."
For me, that line... well, wow. That line. - DirectorAnnemarie van de MondStarsMajd MardoJosha StradowskiJenny Arean6 time Award winning romantic comedy about two young men, from mixed backgrounds, falling love ...and their clashes with their overbearing mothers.See those two fine-looking young men on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
A warm, endearing, sexy, uplifting romance, this gift from the Netherlands ticks all the boxes. The leads are a perfect mix of adorable, cute AND hot, and the camera knows it: expect plenty of lingering shots on sweaty abs set to radio-ready love songs (there's even a bit of Justin Timberlake in the mix).
Of course, this movie is more than two gorgeous leads framed by titillating camera work: Watching their romance develop is a treat, thanks to the solid acting from all involved and excellent chemistry between our leading men. There's conflict, and our leads are both flawed in their ways, but all of it only serves to make the happy outcome more poignant.
Sure, it's formulaic and predictable (hell, the trailer is basically a summary of the entire plot). But if you didn't want predictable, you wouldn't be reading a list of movie recommendations that each begin by spoiling the ending! - DirectorAlan BrownStarsRyan SteeleReed LuplauCatherine MillerThe coming of age tale of an extraordinarily gifted young dancer recently arrived in New York City.See those two dudes on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After!
Oh wow. Check out the trailer to this movie, and if you dig the two leads, then you just go right ahead and dive in.
Because this movie is a slow burn. But it's really, really excellent---from the atmosphere to the cinematography to the utter, innocent, pure sweetness exuded from every pore of the lead... (and holy Christ on a cracker, I never "got" ballet until I saw it on elegant display here)... this is not one to miss! - DirectorAndré TéchinéStarsSandrine KiberlainKacey Mottet KleinCorentin FilaDamien lives with his mother Marianne, a doctor, while his father is on a tour of duty abroad. He is bullied by Thomas, whose mother is ill. The boys find themselves living together when Marianne invites Thomas to come and stay with them.See those two angry-looking dudes on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
This is a real gem: A tale custom-made for our fantasies, where a school bully is revealed to be a tragic figure with a heart of gold when his schoolyard target finally cracks his icy, defensive exterior and releases the spirit of love, baby.
Now, this is a slow one, and sparks don't start to fly until well into the movie---but when they do... well, hot damn, the French sure do know how to film a desperate, passionate teenage love scene (even though the down-and-dirty mechanics of the whole thing are a bit... well, fanciful).
Inirregardless, this one's great. Everyone gets it, everyone is realistic, and---most importantly---there are no shocking deaths, suicides, or any such schlock waiting in the shadows to ambush your enjoyment.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There is just a wee bit of maybe-ambiguity to the ending of this movie, and so I'll describe that ambiguity as spoiler-free as I can in the next paragraph---just so you can be as fully-informed going in as possible:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Okay: One of our leads may have to leave town, and he cynically suggests (in the last line of the movie) that our other lead won't want to follow him. But (A) the movie ends with the two kissing happily in a meadow, and (B) the whole movie has impressed upon us how willing both boys are to travel any distance they need to, and (C) it's not even certain that the lead will be leaving town. So I'd be very confident in declaring this a happy ending, even if this teeny-tiny wrinkle is left to our speculation. - DirectorAndrew NackmanStarsParker YoungEvan ToddChord OverstreetA car mechanic in a small, working class town comes out of the closet to his unsuspecting, blue-collar best friends.See those four guys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: One of them is gay and he finds love while the other three support him like good friends should and live happily ever after!
This is a great comedy with real heart, a vision of acceptance that is as realistically-drawn (I mean, by the standards of a rom-com!) as it is encouraging.
In a nutshell, it tells the story of our lead coming out to his three best blue-collar friends, and all of the hilarious hi-jinks and endearing moments that follow. Wholeheartedly recommended! - DirectorC. Jay CoxStarsWes RamseySteve SandvossMary Kay PlaceA promiscuous gay party animal falls for a young Mormon missionary, leading to crisis, cliché, and catastrophe.See those two boys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
I first watched this movie a long while ago, and vaguely recalled it as little more than pretty and colourful entertainment---skin-deep, with nothing but fluff on the inside. Precisely thirty-one minutes and fifteen seconds into this marvellous movie, I hope you'll join me in laughing at the irony of that misconception.
In point of fact, Latter Days is a savoury, fulfilling, prime-cut of classic Happy Gay Cinema.
But, as the best critics should, let me deflate your expectations (only so you can more-radiantly enjoy the movie, of course): the first Act is borderline abysmal, plagued with overacting undoubtedly due to a micromanaging director: You'll have trouble empathizing with characters who, at first, seem stiff and one-dimensional---you'll "feel" the director behind the camera, telling who to say what, and how, and when. If only the director had enough confidence in his great cast to let them breathe a little in that opening act, even ad-lib the odd line in the heat of the moment... but he didn't, and so too much dialogue feels telegraphed to unnecessary precision, lending a bit of inauthentic stiffness to the air.
But, like a butterfly bursting from a chrysalis, Latter Days becomes something truly glorious in Act 2, when the bumpy start of Act 1 vanishes into background static: Those leads, who were so stiff and cliched when you first met them? Watch them suddenly ignite before your eyes with believable, beautiful, touching chemistry that persists until the credits roll, and will keep you enthralled well past the Happily Ever After you know is coming. (And the Mormon boy? He fills out shirts so well, you'll find yourself hoping he STAYS clothed! I mean, what kind of devilish sorcery is at work here?!)
Plus, Joseph Gordon Levitt! And Buffy's Tara lives again!
And, best of all, at precisely one hour, twenty-five minutes and five seconds, the greatest whisky of all time is poured! Note to American bartenders: When a Canadian asks for "rye", THAT'S what we're talking about. (May God have mercy on your soul: If you pour me one more Morgan's-Spiced-Rum-And-Coke when I ask for a Rye-and-Coke, I swear to whatever god you hold dear that I'll burn your establishment to the ground.) - DirectorThomas BezuchaStarsArye GrossEric SchweigTim DeKayBig Eden is a small, fictional northwestern Montana town.See that boy on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: He finds love and they live Happily Ever After.
I can only explain my tardiness in actually finishing this movie on a dirty little secret of this list: sexiness matters to me. Call me shallow or puerile, but I prefer happily-ever-afters when they star dreamy boys.
THAT BEING SAID:
There's a reason this movie's on my list despite its lack of physical chemistry: It's positively lovely, with a steady burn that ramps up into something that transcends sexual titillation in a way that surprised me --- I found myself loving this movie because of the redneck townspeople, or the delightful widow (who was SO mistreated by the leads, I can't even say), and, yes, ultimately, by the genuine and real connection between our unlikely stars.
This is a hard movie for me to recommend. On one hand, it's rightly-lauded as one of the best "feel-good" gay movies out there. But, on the other hand, it's not quite as SATISFYING, on that "feel-good-visceral" level---at least in my opinion.
Maybe I'm shallow? - DirectorFrancis LeeStarsJosh O'ConnorAlec SecareanuGemma JonesSpring. Yorkshire. Young farmer Johnny Saxby numbs his daily frustrations with binge drinking and casual sex, until the arrival of a Romanian migrant worker for lambing season ignites an intense relationship that sets Johnny on a new path.See those two guys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
I really liked this one. It felt very _real_ to me---not at all a fairy tale, but rather a sincere depiction of the isolation of being gay in a tiny, rural town... and of how important it can be for you to seize love when you find it.
Part of the gritty realism of this movie comes from the authenticity of the leads and their sort of clumsy-yet-passionate coming-together that---if you're anything like me---you'll immediately relate to. They aren't _trying_ to be sexy for the audience---and, so, this isn't an especially _sexy_ movie, let me be clear. Sure, there's the nudity we expect of liberated European fare, but there's a complexity and anger to the characters that isn't resolved until almost the last scene...
... but I'd never leave you astray: A Happily Ever After IS in store, and there's no lingering anger to sully it :) - DirectorXavier VillaverdeStarsAstrid Bergès-FrisbeyÁlvaro CervantesLlorenç GonzálezThe established relationship between university student Bruno and aspiring photographer Carla is thrown into turmoil when Bruno feels drawn to sexy karate instructor/break dancer Rai. Complications ensue.See those two boys and a girl on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
Wait. What?
Let me break it down for you: Boy meets Girl. Boy and Girl live in love for a decade. Then, Boy meets Boy, and Girl walks in on Boy doing Boy in the shower. And that's merely the beginning of this story. (Ahhh, Spain, you unsung hero, you.)
But let's get real: Imagine what would happen if, instead of turning on each other, the Girl and the two Boys each saw their rivals to be the good, well-meaning, sincere people they really were? What if, instead of a tragedy, they told a sexy story that challenged all of the "oh, no!" vibes we get when we read the above paragraph?
WARNING: This story is, ultimately, about a trio---our two Boys and a Girl---all falling in love with each other. Yep, a Girl.
Now, if you had told me that I would ever like a movie in which a meddlesome straight girl comes "between" our two sexy male lovers, I'd have told you to [[REDACTED]]. But the girl in this movie? She's just so lovable, so compassionate, so understandable AND understanding (!)... she transcends the role of adversary, and becomes the kind of girl you want in your camp. She doesn't get in the way of sexy-time NOR a fulfilling ending for our two sexy heroes.
So start this movie by rooting for all three of 'em! The girl won't cheat you out of the Happily Ever After I bank my word on promising! - DirectorJ.C. CalcianoStarsHouston RhinesNoah SchuffmanMatt LewisA gay man nearing 30, and in a 7-year relationship rut, taps into an otherworldly Internet ad that starts omnisciently controlling his life.See those two guys on the cover? SPOILER ALERT: They live Happily Ever After.
Like hunting for gold at the end of a rainbow, this movie offers happy rewards... if you're willing to put in the slightest bit of effort. Why? Because we're way over the rainbow with this one, people: With the exception of a surprising cameo near the end, this movie is utterly devoid of females---and the only straight male we meet announces his hipness-to-the-gayness with his very first line of dialogue (literally). It's a fairy tale in every sense of the word, my friends, and you'll enjoy it far better if you know this going in!
So my advice is to pace yourselves (yes, watch this with your beau) with a bottle or two of wine before the end: I promise, that's all it'll take to blur out the bumps and leave you clapping with joy like a brain-damaged seal.
Ignore the unwashed masses who, wallowing in the muck of self-inflicted cynicism, soberly gave this a sub-par IMDB rating. I wouldn't have this on my list if it were soulless tripe, cringe-worthy, unbelievable, or incompetently acted.
Indeed, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how adorable the characters are, and how deep this movie's messages can be, given its shallow aspirations.