The Movie That Actually Gets Its Love Triangle Right

Love triangles are a common trope within both literary fiction and cinema. More often than not, a love triangle is just an excuse for lazy dramatic tension, as it's generally fairly obvious which partner a character may end up staying with. While love triangles are often a fun way to hook in an audience, the dramatic stakes of a love triangle rarely feel like a realistic take on an actual relationship. However, the notion of choosing between two different romantic partners can be an effective source of dramatic tension if done correctly. The excellent 2015 period piece Brooklyn shows how two romantic partners can represent different sides of a character’s personality; choosing one potential suitor over another forces the protagonist to choose between two very different cultures.