The Best Love Triangles In Movie History

Released: 2004

Triangle: Cady, Aaron, and Regina

Mean Girls is a case study in girl-on-girl bullying—and proof that Aaron Samuels' hair looks sexy pushed back. In Tina Fey's high school comedy classic, frenemies Cady (Lindsay Lohan) and Regina (Rachel McAdams) compete over, among other things, the affection of Aaron "Terrible at Math" Samuels (Jonathan Bennett).

Released: 2004

Triangle: Noah, Allie, and Lon

The Notebook is a story of love-almost-lost. And no complicated and winding path to happily ever after is complete without a detour down Triangle Lane. Before Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) end up together, she comes *this close* to marrying nice guy Lon (James Marsden).

Released: 1991

Triangle: The Narrator, Marla Singer, and Tyler Durden

Like everything else about the movie, Fight Club's twist on the love triangle between Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, and Brad Pitt's characters is definitely unique.

Released: 2002

Triangle: Peter, Mary Jane, and Harry

Before Sony and Marvel were battling it out over Spidey's future, before Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone fell for each other IRL while filming their own version of the story, there was the OG Spider-Man movie, which came complete with a love triangle between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), his OTP Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) and his BFF/future nemesis Harry Osbourn (James Franco).

Released: 2000

Triangle: Cooper, Jody, and Charlie

Lots of movies include love triangles (clearly), but how many turn them into epic ballet/hip-hop/interpretative dance hybrids for their finale? At least one. In Center Stage, unlikely ballerina Jody (Amanda Schull) is torn between professional dancer/bad boy Cooper (Ethan Stiefel) and nice guy (and also a fellow dancer) Charlie (Sascha Radetsky).

Released: 1997

Triangle: Jack, Rose, and Cal

Titanic is one of the most epic love stories ever committed to film, so it's easy to forget sometimes that the movie is also a member of the love triangle society. Even though Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet) are clearly tragic soulmates, we can't forget that Jack is, technically speaking, a sidepiece, since Rose is officially with Cal (Billy Zane) when they meet.

Released: 2011

Triangle: Rachel, Dex, and Darcy

Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) loves Dex (Colin Egglesfield), who happens to be engaged to her best friend, Darcy (Kate Hudson). Talk about inconvenient. But when Rachel and Dex realize their feelings for each other can't be ignored, Rachel wavers between playing the role of supportive friend and backstabbing temptress. While we don't condone actively ruining relationships, this is one instance where we're rooting for the other woman.

Released: 1997

Triangle: Julianne, Michael, and Kimberly

Best friends Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and Julianne (Julia Roberts) promise to wed if neither are attached by the time they're 28. Days before her fateful birthday, Julianne receives the news that Michael is set to marry a young, hot blonde. If that's not enough of a letdown, Michael's fiancée, Kimberly (Cameron Diaz), is, well, perfect. Chaos ensues, including Julianne's futile attempt to explain that while Michael is Jell-O, Kimberly will always be crème brûlée. Who knew dessert could be so enlightening?

Released: 1967

Triangle: Mrs. Robinson, Benjamin, and Elaine

Long before the term "cougar" entered the lexicon, Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) was setting the standard for MILFs everywhere. College grad Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) finds himself in a sticky situation when he begins an affair with the much-older wife of his father's business partner. To make matters worse, he finds himself dating—and falling for—her age-appropriate daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). Talk about keeping it in the family. We're just glad Grandma wasn't thrown into the equation.

Released: 2005

Triangle: Nola, Chris, and Chloe

Chris (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a former tennis pro turned instructor, is introduced to friend Tom's little sister, Chloe (Emily Mortimer). She sparks Chris' interest but doesn't catch his eye quite like Tom's girlfriend Nola (Scarlett Johansson). Proving he's as skilled at juggling women as tennis balls, Chris carries on an affair with Nola soon after marrying naive Chloe. Nola then throws a curveball at her lover, resulting in a catastrophic ending for both. Put simply, this Woody Allen thriller makes us thankful for background checks.

Released: 2001

Triangle: Mark, Bridget, and Daniel

Finally, a damsel in distress with real-life woes we can relate to. Insecure with her weight, career, and imperfections, Bridget (Renée Zellweger) makes a resolution to journal the truth and nothing but the truth. Things soon get complicated when she must juggle the affections of her seedy boss Daniel (Hugh Grant) and the much-too-uptight Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). All ends well with Bridget's story, reassuring us that you don't have to be perfectly poised to find Mr. Right.

Released: 2008

Triangle: Cristina, Juan Antonio, and Maria Elena

Surprise! Yet another movie where ScarJo finds herself mixed up in a romantic trio. Risk-taker Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) and modest Vicky (Rebecca Hall) travel to Spain and meet artist Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem). He boldly asks them to spend a weekend together, and the women agree. Juan's serious baggage—in the form of his psychotic, knife-wielding ex-wife, Maria Elena (Penélope Cruz)—joins the bunch and, naturally, complicates things further.

Released: 1939

Triangle: Rhett, Scarlett, and Ashley

In the midst of the Civil War, Scarlett (Vivien Leigh) is desperate (and may we add, a little selfish?) for the affections of two different men: new suitor Rhett (Clark Gable) and longtime love Ashley (Leslie Howard). Several years, marriages, children, and (sheesh!) deaths later, Rhett becomes fed up with Scarlett's indecisiveness and chooses to leave her with one of the most famous lines in movie history: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn!"