4. Swingers (1996)
Set in Los Angeles, Swingers has an atmosphere like no other. It stars Jon Favreau (who also wrote the film) as Mike and Vince Vaughn as the outgoing Trent. Mike has left New York and his ex behind while trying to make a living as an actor. Despite years having passed, he's still very hung up by his former girlfriend leaving him for another man, even thousands of miles away. Trent tries to bring Mike out into the social world and liven him up a little. Mike is so consumed by the thought of his loss, that he constantly checks the messages on his answering machine, hoping that his ex will call back wanting to get back together. He can be self-loathing and distant at times, but he truly does try to step outside his comfort zone and back into the real world. What makes this film unique is that it's told through Mike's perspective. A person who's fallen out of love, but very much hung up on the idea that there's still a possibility at reconciliation. It's easy to empathize with the character as we've all been there at one point or another. In a lot of ways, Mike leans on an emotional crutch that stunts his growth as an individual. When he separates himself from Trent and builds up the confidence to talk to Lorraine (Heather Graham), a woman he meets at a club, he finds that not only is she responsive to his needs, but that the ability to progress was within him all along. It's easy to understand his sorrow and rationale in his dissonance. It's a story of how to become whole after your other half leaves, how to pick up the pieces, how to survive heartbreak, and perhaps a reminder that no matter how bleak, there's always hope.