Movies that involve both action and romance have been around forever. There’s nothing like an adventure to enhance sexual tension. Action romance movies are filled with witty banter in dramatic and exciting situations. The love interest is often a foil in the adventure and there are many mysteries as to whom to trust. Action romance movies are exciting, sexy and fun. Here are our picks for the top 20 action romance movies of all time.
North By Northwest
North By Northwest is one of the best action romances of all time. Cary Grant plays Roger Thornhill, a handsome New York City ad man living a boring life, when he is mistaken for a spy. Thornhill is kidnapped by foreign spies and framed for murder. He escapes but is on the run from the police because the American government does not want to let the foreign spies in on their secrets. In the meantime, Grant’s Thornhill escapes and boards a train where an attractive blond, Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint) helps him hide. It turns out that Ms. Kendall isn’t who she seems to be. This Alfred Hitchcock 1959 classic is filled with plot twists, action, and as much heated talk the lead characters could get away with in 1959. The movie culminates on Mount Rushmore where Thornhill pulls Kendall up off a cliff, saving her life. The unlikely couple end up married, aboard a train where as Thornhill pulls Kendall into the bed, the scene cuts to the train going into a tunnel.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Smith isn’t just an action romance film. The 2005 movie actually catapulted Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie into a whirlwind romance in real life. The movie is about a couple who meet in Columbia where each is secretly on the run from Columbian authorities. It turns out both John and Jane are assassins working for different organizations. The couple pair up to avoid capture without either one knowing their true identities. They fall in love and marry. John and Jane Smith live a normal life in the suburbs while each secretly works as an assassin without the other knowing. After a few years of marriage, both are bored until they are both assigned to kill a DIA prisoner during his transfer and discover who they are really married to as they both botch the job. Both Mr. and Mrs. Smith now have a hit on them as they are each assigned to kill the other but realize they might truly be meant to live together as a happily married couple.
Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark
In everyone of the Indiana Jones movies, Jones (Harrison Ford) has a love interest. In every one of the Indiana Jones movies, there is a lot of action. The first of the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark has the most sexual tension combined with action. The 1981 Steven Spielberg movie takes place in 1936 as archaeologist Indiana Jones must find the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazis find it. Jones runs into an old flame, Marion Ravenwood (Karon Allen) on his journey. It’s clear that the two have feelings for each other but as they run from one disaster to the next, their love is never fully requited. The couple exchange a lot of witty banter as they flirt, and it’s clear that Jones is often intimidated by Ravenwood who is just as driven and plucky as him.
The Getaway
Ali McGraw and Steve McQueen’s sexual tension in the 1972 action movie The Getaway was not just for the film. The couple got together in real life, ending McGraw’s marriage to producer Robert Evans. The couple married in 1973 but divorced in 1978. Their sexual tension can clearly be felt when watching The Getaway, a movie about a released ex convict, “Doc” McCoy who must rob a bank in Texas to appease other inmates. His wife Carol helps him, but the heist goes awry and the couple flee from police and other criminals as they try to get over the border to Mexico.
Casino Royale
When Casino Royale came to theaters in 2006, we saw a different kind of James Bond than in all the previous installments. This James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) is less comedic and more emotional. We see Bond’s interpersonal relationships for the first time. While Bond girls of the past were for visual purpose, Vesper Lynd (Eva Green) means much more to this James Bond. Casino Royal tells the story of the first Bond movie. Bond has earned his “00” status but is taking his license to kill far too seriously. He is sent on Holiday and winds up finding a terrorist ring involving a high stakes poker game. Lynd is the accountant who must oversee Bond’s spending of government money as he tries to earn back the money in the poker game. Lynd is more than eye candy in this installment of James Bond films.
Date Night
In 2010’s Date Night Steve Carell and Tina Fey play a bored married couple trying to spark up their romance. The couple, Phil and Clair Foster, decide to have a weekly date night. They hire a babysitter and head to Manhattan for a night of romance. When Phil steals the reservation of a no-show couple, he unwittingly puts the Fosters on the run from mobsters. The no-show couple owe the mob a lot of money, so Phil and Clair go on a venture through Central Park and Manhattan running away form the mob. The adventure brings the about to be over couple back together again.
Romancing the Stone
Romancing the Stone is one of the most classic action romance movies of all time. Robert Zemeckis directed the 1984 film about a cynical romance novelist trying to rescue her kidnapped sister in Columbia and enjoying some much needed action in her life. Kathleen Turner plays Joan Wilder who finds herself in Columbia amid a dangerous hunt for treasure alongside a rogue mercenary, Jack Colton (Michael Douglas). The movie is a crazy adventure filled with tense action and comedic banter between Colton and Wilder who never would have met or bonded under any other circumstance.
Foul Play
In the 1978 comedy action film, unlikely couple Gloria Mundy (Goldie Hawn) and Detective Tony Carlson (Chevy Chase) begin a romance. Recently divorced and shy Gloria is saddled with a secret microfilm left in her purse by a dying agent is thrust into an action filled plot. Detective Carlson helps Gloria as she tries to prevent the nefarious plot to kill the Pope from unfolding. Foul Play is a comedy and spoof more than anything, but Gloria and Detective Tony Carlson play up the romance.
Charade
Charade stars Cary Grant as Peter Joshua, a dashing man with a lot of secrets in 1963’s Charade. He comes to the aid of Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn), an American living in Paris, after her husband is killed. Regina was about to divorce her husband, Charles, because of his many secrets and lies. It turns out he sold off all of their marital possessions before he was killed. It also turns out that Charles had stolen money from the US Government during World War II. Charles’ cohorts were behind the stolen money and killed Charles while trying to find it. Regina is now at risk of being killed as she tries to find the money and return it to the US Government. In the meantime, Peter Joshua helps her and she falls for him. The problem is that Peter Joshua may not be whom she thinks. Regina is not sure who to trust.
Prizzi’s Honor
Prizzi’s Honor is one of Jack Nicholson’s best movies. The 1985 movie was direct by John Huston. Nicholson plays mafia hit man Charley Partanna who falls for mob daughter Irene Walker (Kathleen Turner). The couple team up to kidnap a guy and eventually marry. When Irene ends up owing money in Las Vegas, Charley is ordered to kill her. Irene is a challenge, but in the end, she is killed by her own husband.
The Thomas Crown Affair
The 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair is just as exciting as the original 1968 version of the movie. In the original the main characters were played by Steve McQueen and Faye Dunaway. The remake starred Pierce Bronson and Rene Russo. Thomas Crown is a self made billionaire who can have any woman he wants. Bored, he develops a hobby of stealing art masterpieces. When Crown steals a Claude Monet painting, Catherine Banning is the insurance investigator assigned to get the painting back. Banning is able to match Crown’s wits. However, the two fall for each other. Thomas Crown never met a woman like Catherine Banning.
Out of Sight
George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez paired up in 1998’s Out of Sight. The movie helped establish the handsome television actor as a movie star and the talented singer as a starlet. Clooney plays Jack Foley, a career criminal who breaks out of prison. He choses an escape car with US Marshal Karen Sisco in it. The two go on a wild adventure and give in to their sexual tension. Clooney is sly and charming. Lopez is seductive and gritty. The couple are a match made in Heaven.
Bird on a Wire
Bird on a Wire is an action packed romantic comedy. The 1990 movie stars Mel Gibson as Rick Jarmin. Jarmiin is a relocated FBI informant. The once criminal is protected by the FBI because he helped convict a drug dealing FBI agent. Fifteen years later, the agent and his accomplice want revenge. Jarmin runs into his former girlfriend Marianne Graves (Goldie Hawn) who recognizes him. While she goes along for the ride as Jarmin tries to outwit the men that want him dead. The couple’s romance is reignited.
Killers
2010’s Killers shows heat between its stars Ashton Kutchner and Katherine Heigl. When Heigl’s character, Jen breaks up with her boyfriend, she goes to Nice, France with her parents (played by Tom Selleck and Catherine O’Hara) to rejuvenate. She meets a charming and good looking man, Spencer, but is leery of getting too involved. It turns out that Spencer is an assassin. He even carries out a job during the couple’s first date. Spencer decides he doesn’t want to be a hitman anymore but his boss won’t let him out of his contract. Spencer defies his boss and returns to suburban America to live happily ever after with Jen as his wife. Spencer’s father in law has his suspicions about his son in law. Three years later Spencer’s boss puts a hit on him. Spencer must dodge bullets from everyone from he and Jen’s neighbors and good friends to a deliveryman. A pregnant Jen plans to leave her husband, but realizes how much she loves him.
Someone to Watch Over Me
In 1987’s Someone to Watch Over Me, Tom Berenger plays New York City Police Detective who falls for a socialite played by Mimi Rogers. Berenger’s Mike Keegan is assigned to protect Rogers’ Claire Gregory so she can testify in Court against murderer Joey Venza (played by Andreas Katsulas). Claire had attended a party celebrating her good friend Winn (John Rubinstein), an artist. Claire witnesses Venza, Winn’s former partner, murder him as she steps off an elevator at the gala. Until she can testify that Venza committed the crime, Claire must be protected by the police. Detective Keegan goes above and beyond his duties to protect Claire as he falls in love with her. The problem is that Keegan has a wife and family and Claire has a boyfriend. In the end, Keegan returns to his family as Claire breaks off her relationship.
The Mexican
The Mexican teams up Brad Pitt with Julia Roberts for an adventure romance. The 2001 movie follows the adventures of Jerry Welbach who works for the mob. Jerry’s boss assigns him to go to Mexico and steal an ancient pistol, “The Mexican”. In the meantime, Jerry’s girlfriend, Samantha, gives him an ultimatum: quit his criminal life or she is gone. With Jerry’s life on the line, he must do as his boss says. Getting the gun is easy but getting it home is problematic. The gun is said to hold a mysterious curse and just about everything that can go wrong for Jerry does on his return trip. In the meantime, Samantha is held hostage by a hit man, Leroy (played by James Gandolfini). Is Jerry and Samantha’s love strong enough? She gives him a run for his money.
Maximum Risk
Nothing says action romance like Jonathan Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge. In 1996’s Maximum Risk, Van Damme plays a policeman who finds out he has a twin brother. When his twin is killed during a violent altercation, the man takes his brother’s place to solve the crime. In the meantime, Van Damme’s character inherits his brother’s beautiful girlfriend. Van Damme’s police detective incognito exposes corruption and FBI collusion with the Russian mafia while falling in love with his brother’s girlfriend.
Wild at Heart
1990’s Wild at Heart was directed by David Lynch. While Lynch wrote the movie based on a novel, he changed a lot of it to match his own take on cinema. Nicolas Cage plays Sailor, a young criminal in love with Lulu played by Laura Dern. Lulu’s mother played by Diane Ladd will stop at nothing to separate the couple because she doesn’t want her daughter with a man like Sailor. Mom arranges a hit on Sailor but Sailor kills the guy and is sentenced to prison despite a self defense plea. When lulu picks Sailor up from prison, the couple decide to leave. They travel from Cape Fear, North Carolina to California and meet up with all sorts of bizaare situations along the way. Lulu’s mom hires a hitman to follow them and kill Sailor. When the couple witness a horrific car accident they see it as a bad omen which is correct. In the end, Sailor tries to leave Lulu because she’d be better off without him, but he can’t leave his true love.
The Tourist
2010’s The Tourist is a remake of a 2005 French film. Johnny Depp plays Frank Tupelo/Alexander Pearce. Pearce owes millions in taxes to the British government and goes on the run. Pearce is living as Frank Tupelo, an American in Paris trying to mend a broken heart. French police and Scotland Yard inspector John Acheson (Paul Bettany) must find Pearce. They use a beautiful woman, Elise (Angelina Jolie) to try and capture the criminal. Elise deliberately crosses paths with Frank/Pearce and has an agenda of her own. The Tourist is filled with adventure and romance.
Gross Pointe Blank
1997’s Gross Pointe Blank combines the criminal action of a paid assassin with romantic comedy and a high school reunion. John Cusack plays Martin Q. Blank. Martin grew up in Gross Pointe, Michigan and enlisted in the army. The army psych tests indicated that Martin would make a good CIA assassin, but Martin decided to freelance as an assassin instead. Ten years later, Martin becomes disillusioned with his career choice and begins to fumble his hits. His psychiatrist recommends that he attend his 10 year high school reunion and reconnect with his old life. In the meantime, Martin is given an assignment for a hit in his hometown at the same time as his reunion. With federal agents and another assassin after him, Martin reunites with old friends including his old flame Debi Newberry (Minnie Driver). Martin is also sought after by his biggest assassin rival, “Grocer”, who wants Martin to join the “Assassin’s Union”. A lot of adventure and action ensues as Martin reconnects with his former classmates and especially Debi. The two end up rekindling their high school romance as Martin reveals to Debi the truth about his life.
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