Warner Bros. / Seven Arts The notion of the “road movie” has been around since the early days of cinema. Oftentimes, these films–in which characters embark upon a journey of self-discovery along the open road–intersect with broader genres, from dramas (2006’s “Little Miss Sunshine”) to comedies (1983’s “National Lampoon’s Vacation”) to horror films (1975’s “Race With the Devil”). Others are best described as a crossover between the road movie and the action genre; a handful of these represent well-known, high-intensity thrillers that play directly into the classic “couple on the run” trope. Stacker surveyed the cinematic history of lovers on the run films and ranked the top 25 according to IMDb. To qualify for consideration, the movie had to focus on a romantic couple on the run and hold at least a 7.0 user rating on IMDb (with 5,000 votes) or a 70 Metascore (with at least seven reviews). Ties were broken by IMDb user votes. The first instances of the trope’s appearance on the big screen go back at least to the story of Bonnie and Clyde, a young couple who escalated from small-time crime to full-on armed robbery. The pair popularized the romantic idea of the outlaw couple in the early 1930s, mere years before the earliest film on this list. Since Bonnie and Clyde first captured America’s attention, amorous criminal duos have become an idealized mainstay of pop culture. You may also like: Biggest box office bombs of all time #25. Thieves Like Us (1974) George Litto Productions – Director: Robert Altman – IMDb user rating: 7.0 – Metascore: 82 – Runtime: 123 minutes “Thieves Like Us” follows convicted criminal Bowie (Keith Carradine) as he attempts to balance running from the police, robbing banks, and romancing Keechie (Shelley Duvall)–an easy task if not for his trigger-happy partner Chicamaw (John Schuck). Altman’s film is a faithful adaptation of the novel of the same name by Edward Anderson and went out of its way to film on location in Canton, Mississippi, to bring the small-town feel of the book to life. #24. The Honeymoon Killers (1970) Roxanne – Directors: Leonard Kastle, Martin Scorsese, Donald Volkman – IMDb user rating: 7.0 – Metascore: 82 – Runtime: 107 minutes A cult classic shot in a gritty black & white realist style, “The Honeymoon Killers” follows Martha (Shirley Stoler), a lonely nurse who falls in love with Ray Fernandez (Tony Lo Bianco), a con artist with a talent for seducing single women. Martha discovers Ray’s criminal career and attempts to help, but her wild jealousy leads the pair into a serial killing spree of the women they target. The film takes its inspiration from the real-life “Lonely Hearts Killers” who, in the 1940s, targeted women who placed singles ads in the newspaper. #23. My Own Private Idaho (1991) New Line Cinema – Director: Gus Van Sant – IMDb user rating: 7.0 – Metascore: 77 – Runtime: 104 minutes An anarchic road movie and a loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” “My Own Private Idaho” stars Keanu Reeves and the late River Phoenix, whose story takes place against the beautiful backdrop of the Pacific Northwest. While Mike (Phoenix), a narcoleptic sex worker with a traumatic childhood, sets out to find his missing mother, he is accompanied by his close friend Scott (Reeves), a wealthy politician’s son using sex work as a way to rebel against his father. This film was added to the Criterion Collection in 2015 and has garnered a cult following largely due to Phoenix’s heartfelt performance and the queer-coded bond between the two leads. #22. Out of Sight (1998) Universal Pictures – Director: Steven Soderbergh – IMDb user rating: 7.0 – Metascore: 85 – Runtime: 123 minutes “Out of Sight” has an impressive set of names attached to it, with Stephen Soderbergh directing, Danny DeVito producing, and stars like George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, and Catherine Keener gracing the screen. The plot centers around Clooney and Lopez as Jack and Karen, the former being a longtime bank robber and the latter working as a U.S. Marshal who will stop at nothing to track him down (and maybe flirt with him along the way). The film was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Film Editing at the Academy Awards in 1999, and in 2008 Entertainment Weekly voted it the “sexiest film of all time.” #21. Queen & Slim (2019) Makeready – Director: Melina Matsoukas – IMDb user rating: 7.1 – Metascore: 74 – Runtime: 132 minutes “Queen & Slim” is the only film on this list to have come out in the past five years. But the romantic crime film fits in nicely amidst its older peers. Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim (Daniel Kaluuya) are forced to go on the run after an encounter with the police on their very first date. Written by Lena Waithe, who created the celebrated series “The Chi,” the film also features the talents of actress Chloë Sevigny, Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, and country singer Sturgill Simpson. You may also like: 100 best international movies of all time #20. Wild at Heart (1990) PolyGram Filmed Entertainment – Director: David Lynch – IMDb user rating: 7.2 – Metascore: 52 – Runtime: 125 minutes In this high-stakes romantic thriller, Lula (Laura Dern) and Sailor (Nicolas Cage) run away to California to escape Sailor’s parole term and Lula’s controlling mother–who responds by hiring gangsters to hunt them down. The film features a strikingly stacked cast, including Willem Dafoe, Diane Ladd, Isabella Rossellini, and Harry Dean Stanton. While the film received very mixed reviews upon its release (film critic Roger Ebert called it “repulsive and manipulative”), the film still managed to secure the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990. #19. Natural Born Killers (1994) Warner Bros. – Director: Oliver Stone – IMDb user rating: 7.2 – Metascore: 74 – Runtime: 119 minutes “Natural Born Killers” stands out on this list due to its death toll of almost 100 people, the bloody handiwork of Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory (Juliette Lewis), a sadistic married couple who start and end the movie high-tailing it from the cops. The plot follows the duo as they commit crimes all across New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada, becoming glorified figures in the media thanks to the television personality Wayne (Robert Downey Jr.). The film is still deeply controversial with the Washington Post calling it a “vulgarian sham” and Entertainment Weekly rating it eighth on its list of the “25 Most Controversial Movies Ever” for allegedly inspiring copycat killings. #18. You Only Live Once (1937) Walter Wanger Productions – Director: Fritz Lang – IMDb user rating: 7.3 – Metascore: data not available – Runtime: 86 minutes Fritz Lang’s film noir crime drama tells the tragic tale of Eddie (Henry Fonda), who attempts to live a crime-free life with his wife Joan (Sylvia Sidney) upon his release from prison. This endeavor falls apart when Eddie is falsely accused of committing a bank robbery and is sentenced to death. When our accused hero escapes at the last second, he goes on the run with Joan, who has become pregnant. Released in the early days of the Hays Code, about 15 minutes of footage determined to be too violent were cut from the film. #17. The Getaway (1972) First Artists – Director: Sam Peckinpah – IMDb user rating: 7.3 – Metascore: 55 – Runtime: 123 minutes Based on the 1958 novel of the same name by Jim Thompson, “The Getaway” stars Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw in their primes as the criminal couple the McCoys. After being denied parole, Doc (McQueen) convinces his wife to cut a deal with a slimy but influential businessman for his freedom on the condition that he aid with a bank robbery upon his release. However, when the robbery goes south, the couple is forced to run for the hills in the hopes of crossing the border into Mexico. #16. Drugstore Cowboy (1989) Avenue Pictures – Director: Gus Van Sant – IMDb user rating: 7.3 – Metascore: 82 – Runtime: 101 minutes “Drugstore Cowboy” explores the lives of a drug-addicted gang led by Bob (Matt Dillon) and Dianne (Kelly Lynch), a married couple who are being surveilled by the police for frequently robbing local pharmacies. The film is based on an autobiography of the same name by James Fogle and received widespread acclaim upon its release, with critics specifically highlighting Gus Van Sant’s direction and Dillon’s performance. You may also like: 100 best American movies of all time #15. Raising Arizona (1987) Circle Films – Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen – IMDb user rating: 7.3 – Metascore: 69 – Runtime: 94 minutes Nicolas Cage once again headlines a film on this list, this time playing Hi, a career criminal who kidnaps one baby from a set of quintuplets with the help of his police officer wife Ed (Holly Hunter). Sure enough, the couple’s plan falls apart when Hi’s ex-partners escape from prison and crash at their trailer. “Raising Arizona” is the Coen Brothers’ second feature film and their first foray into the comedy genre–a successful venture, it seems, given the film is ranked 31st on the American Film Institute’s list of 100 Funniest American Films. #14. They Live by Night (1948)
Best movies about couples on the run
