From the fresh Materialists to the classic Casablanca – your attention to 10 striking love triangles in cinema.

When a film like Materialists comes out, you wonder: why do stories where one person is torn between two others hit so hard? Maybe because in life we most often choose between 'heart' and 'mind', 'stability' and 'adventure', and sometimes between donuts and eclairs. In cinema, the stakes are always higher, and the passions are at such a fever pitch that it's better not to show them to a doctor. Let's recall ten films where the love triangle is the main driving force of the plot.

Materialists (2025)

In the latest work by Celine Song, the heroine named Lucy (Dakota Johnson) finds herself between two men: Harry (Pedro Pascal), embodying comfort and material well-being, and John (Chris Evans) — the one her heart truly desires. Here, the triangle is not so much an excuse for romantic vacillation as a mirror of internal conflicts: what is more important — comfort or real feelings?

The film deftly balances between irony and drama, without sinking into melodramatic gum, and makes you wonder if we ourselves are too materialistic in our relationships.

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Past Lives (2023)

If you think a triangle is always a battle for love, the previous work by the same Celine Song will surprise you. The heroine finds herself between her husband and a childhood love that suddenly returns from the past. But instead of the usual 'who will she stay with,' the film invites you to think: can you even choose between different versions of yourself?

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This film is not about victory or defeat, but about growing up and accepting yourself — and yes, tears are guaranteed for the most impressionable viewers.

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

Perhaps the most British love triangle of all time: Bridget (Renée Zellweger), charming rogue Daniel (Hugh Grant), and shy but genuine Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Here the struggle is both for the heroine's heart and for the right to be 'the one' in her diary.

Even more than twenty years later, the film works as a textbook on self-irony and honesty with oneself — and, of course, you want to give a standing ovation for the iconic fight in the rain.

Challengers (2024)

A love triangle on the tennis court — why not? Three athletes, three ambitions, three versions of happiness. Here passions boil not only on the court but also off it: someone plays to win, someone plays not to lose.

The film briskly mixes genres, adding sports drive to the eternal theme of choosing between the past and the future.

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The Favourite (2018)

If you think triangles only happen between men and women, watch this film. Here two court ladies (Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz) fight for the attention and love of the eccentric Queen Anne (Olivia Colman).

This film is like a chess game with political stakes — and with so much 'poison' that Othello nervously smokes on the sidelines. Not surprising, since the film was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, who in his works does not show much love for the human race.

Brooklyn (2015)

Young immigrant Eilis (Saoirse Ronan) is torn between two worlds, two countries, and two men. In New York, a passionate Italian awaits her, while at home in Ireland, a modest and reliable guy. This is simultaneously a story about love and about how hard it is to choose between the past and the future when both are dear in their own way. Sentimental, but without cloyingness — a rare combination.

The Notebook (2004)

Here everything is simple: if you didn't cry at The Notebook, you're either a robot or you've never been in love. Allie (Rachel McAdams) is torn between passionate Noah (Ryan Gosling) and respectable Lon (James Marsden), while viewers are torn between wanting happiness for everyone and craving a dramatic finale.

The film by Nick Cassavetes has become a modern classic not only because of the beautiful faces but also due to its honesty in depicting complex feelings.

Fight Club (1999)

Yes, this is also a triangle — albeit a very unusual one. The main character (Edward Norton), his alter ego (Brad Pitt), and Marla Singer (Helena Bonham Carter). Love here is not only for a woman but also for different versions of oneself.

The film manages to combine a psychedelic drama, a satire on consumerism, and a triangle where the rivals are literally the same person. A puzzle for those who like to dig into themselves.

The Worst Person in the World (2021)

Julie (Renate Reinsve) is a heroine who just can't make up her mind about either work or men. One is stable and mature, the other is free and a little crazy.

The entire film is an attempt to understand who you really are when there are so many options around. Light, witty, with a dose of Scandinavian melancholy and without moralizing.

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Casablanca (1942)

Good old cinema, where the triangle is about love, but also about duty, honor, and war. Rick (Humphrey Bogart), Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), and Victor (Paul Henreid) — each is right in their own way, and each is unhappy in their own way. This is a whole layer of cultural references and quotes that still live in popular culture. And yes, sometimes the right choice is the most painful.

Love triangles in cinema are an excuse for passions. But they also serve as a litmus test for our own fears and desires. In them, we recognize ourselves: wavering, doubting, dreaming of the impossible. So if after Materialists you want to reflect a little more on the choice between 'I want' and 'I need' — feel free to turn on any of these films. After all, sometimes three is not a crowd, but the perfect formula for a good story.