Breaking Up with Your Best Friend

By Jordan DelFiugo

From amicable endings, to cheating scandals, to the classic "right person, wrong time,” there is seemingly a breakup film for every situation. However, often overlooked is an equally, at times even more devastating experience: the friendship breakup. While the end of a romantic partnership is typically met with support from friends and family, friendship breakups don’t always receive the same level of attention. In their wake, you’re usually left to grieve the unique, intimate, bond you shared with someone alone, forced to process the complicated emotions internally.

Films often explore how different life changes, such as moving away to college in Superbad (2007) or getting married in Bridesmaids (2011), can put a strain on friendships. However, in these films, the friends reconcile, their strong platonic bond pulling them back together. But what happens when love and loyalty aren’t enough to keep the friendship intact? What happens when a friendship breakup is an inevitable, necessary part of personal growth? 

Whether it’s the result of a dramatic fallout or a more subtle drifting apart, here are five films that poignantly capture the complicated nature of friendship breakups. 

Ghost World (2001) 

“I think only stupid people have good relationships.” 

Ghost World (2001) follows best friends Enid and Rebecca as they navigate life after high school. While Rebecca focuses on finding a job and moving out of her parents' house, Enid remains aimless and often feels as though she has no control over her rapidly-changing world. Her apathetic and often cynical outlook on life becomes emotionally draining for Rebecca, which creates an uncomfortable distance between the once inseparable duo. The film explores how shifting priorities and different life stages can affect the power dynamics of a friendship. By the end of the film, the two part ways, but it’s ultimately for the best, demonstrating that some friendships naturally come to an end as people grow. 

Jennifer’s Body (2009) 

“You were never a good friend, even when we were kids you used to steal my toys.” 

In the horror cult classic Jennifer’s Body (2009), Jennifer and Needy’s toxic friendship comes to a dramatic head. The two have been friends since childhood, but their relationship takes a dark turn after Jennifer transforms into a man-eating succubus after a ritual sacrifice gone wrong. Though the two share a rich personal history, Jennifer often exploits Needy's devotion, and their friendship is extremely one-sided. Despite its supernatural elements, the film accurately portrays the reality of a hypercompetitive friendship, where one person revels in dimming the other’s shine. The final confrontation, in which Needy airs out Jennifer’s toxic and draining behavior is extremely cathartic. Afterall, who hasn’t found themselves stuck in a friendship with someone so selfish that they start to resemble a soul-sucking vampire? 

Frances Ha (2012) 

“Don’t treat me like a 3-hour brunch friend!” 

Frances Ha (2012) follows two 27-year-old women, Frances and Sophie, whose friendship becomes distant when Sophie meets her boyfriend. The film captures the often painful reality of how a close friendship can shift when one friend meets and falls in love with their significant other. As Sophie’s relationship grows more serious, Frances feels pushed to the sidelines, competing for her best friend's attention while trying to be happy for her. Though the two don’t part on bad terms, their friendship is irrevocably altered, highlighting the inevitable evolution of relationships as life circumstances change. 

Thirteen (2003) 

“Oh my God, are you kidding me? Where do you think i learned all this sh*t from?”

Thirteen (2003) illustrates the demise of a mutually destructive, codependent friendship between two eighth-graders, Tracy and Evie. Drawn to each other’s contrasting qualities (Tracy's innocence and Evie’s rebellious nature) the two form an immediate, intense bond. Evie introduces Tracy to a world of sex, drugs, and theft, and the two push each other to increasingly dangerous limits. The film reveals how a friendship that initially seems to offer excitement and belonging can quickly become harmful. It captures the complex aftermath of a friendship that burns out as quickly as it began, showing how the end of such a relationship can be both heartbreaking and transformative.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) 

“You used to be nice… or did you never used to be? Oh, God, maybe you never used to be.”

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) is a rare film, in that it evocatively depicts the end of a male friendship. When Colm abruptly ends his long-standing friendship with Pádraic, Pádraic is left feeling both devastated and confused. The film provides a unique perspective on friendship breakups, presenting both sides of the equation: Colm, who no longer finds the relationship fulfilling, and Pádraic, who is heartbroken and searching for answers. The Banshees of Inisherin examines how difficult it can be to navigate the end of a friendship, especially when it happens suddenly and without explanation.