If you loved the heartwarming romance and emotional story of The Longest Ride, you’re probably craving more movies that give you all the feels. Nicholas Sparks has a knack for writing tearjerker love stories that translate beautifully to the big screen.
The Longest Ride follows the parallel love stories of a young couple, Luke and Sophia, and an elderly man, Ira, reflecting on his decades-long romance with his beloved wife Ruth. It’s a touching tale of enduring love that spans generations.
Luckily, there are plenty of other movies out there that capture the same magic and sweeping romance as The Longest Ride. Here are 15 of the best movies like The Longest Ride that will make you believe in the power of love all over again:
1. Dear John (2010)
Another Nicholas Sparks adaptation, Dear John stars Channing Tatum as a soldier who falls for a college student (Amanda Seyfried) while home on leave. But their romance is put to the ultimate test when he re-enlists after 9/11.
Like The Longest Ride, it’s a story of a couple trying to make their relationship work despite difficult circumstances. The chemistry between the leads is palpable and the love story is truly moving. Keep tissues handy for this one.
2. The Notebook (2004)
The movie that made Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams stars is pretty much required viewing for any hopeless romantic. Told both in the past and present, it follows the decades-long love story of Noah and Allie.
The Notebook set the standard for Nicholas Sparks movie romances and is arguably still his best film adaptation to date. The heartbreaking but ultimately uplifting story is guaranteed to make you both swoon and sob.
3. Safe Haven (2013)
Julianne Hough stars as a woman with a mysterious past who arrives in a small North Carolina town and falls for a widowed father played by Josh Duhamel. Like The Longest Ride, it has a bit of suspense mixed in with the romance.
The coastal setting is absolutely gorgeous and the story takes some unexpected turns. But at its core, Safe Haven is about learning to love again after loss and hardship.
4. The Best of Me (2014)
High school sweethearts reconnect after 20 years apart in this romantic drama based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden play the adult versions of the couple.
The Best of Me doesn’t shy away from the melodrama and heartstring-tugging moments Sparks is known for. But it’s hard not to get swept away by the romance, even if it requires some suspension of disbelief.
5. The Choice (2016)
Teresa Palmer and Benjamin Walker play neighbors who fall in love in this Sparks adaptation set in a coastal town. But a life-changing event forces the couple to make an impossible choice.
The Choice starts out as a charming love story but takes a more serious turn that packs an emotional punch. It’s a tearjerker for sure, but delivers a meaningful message about the enduring power of love.
6. The Vow (2012)
Inspired by a true story, The Vow stars Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum as a happily married couple whose lives are turned upside down after a car accident leaves her with severe memory loss. He has to find a way to make her fall in love with him all over again.
It’s a unique twist on the typical romance storyline that’s elevated by the very real performances from McAdams and Tatum. You’ll be rooting hard for this couple to get their happy ending.
7. The Lucky One (2012)
Zac Efron plays a Marine who travels to North Carolina after serving in Iraq to find the woman (Taylor Schilling) he believes was his good luck charm during the war.
The Lucky One has the classic Sparks combination of a dreamy romance complicated by secrets from the past. Efron proves he’s leading man material and has easy chemistry with Schilling. It’s a sweet, escapist love story.
8. Nights in Rodanthe (2008)
Richard Gere and Diane Lane reunite as two wounded souls who find love and healing together at an inn in the Outer Banks. She’s a wronged wife and he’s a surgeon consumed by guilt over a patient’s death.
Nights in Rodanthe is more of a mature love story compared to some of the other Sparks adaptations. But Gere and Lane’s natural rapport keeps you captivated even when the plot gets a bit far-fetched. Sometimes you just want to watch beautiful people fall in love in a beautiful place.
9. The Last Song (2010)
Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth met and fell in love while making this Sparks adaptation about a rebellious teen sent to spend the summer with her estranged father.
The Last Song is definitely geared towards a younger audience, but it has its charms. Cyrus and Hemsworth have a natural spark and the story of family reconciliation is genuinely touching. Plus it features a young, pre-Hunger Games Hemsworth!
10. A Walk to Remember (2002)
Mandy Moore and Shane West star in this beloved coming-of-age tearjerker about a minister’s daughter who falls for a troubled teen, but their romance is overshadowed by a devastating secret.
A Walk to Remember is an unabashedly sentimental film that leans into its old-fashioned melodrama. But Moore is luminous in a breakout performance and West brings depth to what could have been a stock bad boy character. It’s the kind of movie you loved as a teen that still holds up.
11. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Based on the bestselling YA novel, The Fault in Our Stars follows the poignant love story between two witty, soulful teenagers (Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort) who meet in a cancer support group.
Yes, it’s a tearjerker, but it earns every emotion with its honest, sensitive portrayal of young love and loss. Woodley and Elgort’s palpable bond anchors the film. It captures the euphoric highs and gutting lows of an epic, against-all-odds romance.
12. Remember Me (2010)
Robert Pattinson proves there’s life after Twilight in this romantic drama about two wounded, guarded souls who find love and healing in each other. Emilie de Ravin plays his love interest.
Remember Me builds to a shattering twist that some critics found manipulative. But there’s no denying the emotional impact of the ending and the journey the characters take to get there. Pattinson and de Ravin create a believable, affecting central romance.
13. One Day (2011)
Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess play friends whose lives intersect year after year in this sweeping romantic saga told in a unique way – it only shows one day (July 15) in each year over a two decade span.
One Day is more grounded than the typical Sparks romance, but it has the same theme of love enduring and evolving over time. Hathaway and Sturgess have a warm, easy rapport that makes you believe in their bond, even as life keeps pulling them in different directions. It’s a poignant, full-circle love story.
14. The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009)
Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana star in this mind-bending romantic drama about a woman whose great love (Bana) has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably.
The Time Traveler’s Wife requires you to just go with the fantastical premise. But if you can suspend disbelief, you’ll be swept away by the epic, heartbreaking romance at the center. McAdams is radiant as always and Bana brings depth and gravitas to a challenging role. Keep tissues handy for the emotional gut punch of an ending.
15. The Age of Adaline (2015)
Blake Lively gives a luminous performance as a woman who stops aging after a freak accident and has to navigate the complications of falling in love as an immortal being. Michiel Huisman plays her soulmate.
The Age of Adaline has the grand, sweeping feel of an old-fashioned romance, with lush visuals and a captivating lead performance from Lively. The love story is swoony and passionate, with just the right amount of angst and magic. If you like a good fantasy mixed in with your romance, this one’s for you.
These 15 movies, like The Longest Ride, offer a diverse range of heartwarming, passionate, and emotionally charged love stories that will make you believe in the magic of romance. From classic tearjerkers to modern-day fairy tales, these films explore the many facets of love and the challenges that come with it. So grab some tissues, cuddle up with your loved one, and get ready to be swept away by these unforgettable tales of love, loss, and everything in between. Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or simply in need of a good cry, these movies are sure to touch your heart and remind you of the incredible power of love.
