The Irish actor Colin Farrell is well-known for his striking good looks and has starred in several romance movies over the years. However, the harsh truth is that some were definitely better than others, as they include disappointing box office flops, forgotten cult favorites, and some critically acclaimed hits.
Some of the best Farrell movies had elements of romance to them, and as viewers get ready to see him opposite Margot Robbie in their fantasy romance A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, there’s never been a better time to reflect on his career in this genre. From myth-inspired tales to sweeping historical dramas, Farrell’s romantic roles have been incredibly varied.
Winter’s Tale (2014)
Winter’s Tale sadly lacked the enchanting wonder of Mark Helprin’s original novel, as weak characters, a lack of emotional depth, and nonsensical narrative choices meant this romance was a complete dud. With a struggling Colin Farrell as a man with the gift of reincarnation, this journey across timelines felt disappointingly hollow.
As a box office bomb that was torn apart by critics at the time, Winter’s Tale represented the bottom of the barrel for Farrell’s romance movies and proved it takes more than a pretty face to convince audiences. Despite an impressive supporting cast, including Russell Crowe and Will Smith, Winter’s Tale failed on all fronts.
Ask The Dust (2006)
While screenwriting legend Robert Towne was behind the scripts for classics like The Last Detail and Chinatown, his final movie as a director couldn’t hold a candle to his best work. This was Ask the Dust, a romance set during the Great Depression, starring Colin Farrell opposite Selma Hayek in a story of race, immigration, and identity.
Ask the Dust had its moments, with the standout performance being Hayek, and Farrell feeling miscast by comparison. Despite being based on the powerful 1939 novel of the same name, the film version failed to accurately mimic the original’s striking portrayal of Los Angeles and was a shallow retread without depth.
Miss Julie (2014)
Miss Julie was a fascinating adaptation of the 1888 play by August Strindberg that was written and directed by Ingmar Bergman’s frequent collaborator and muse, Liv Ullmann. Set over the course of a single Midsummer Night with the location changed to Ireland, Colin Farrell and Jessica Chastain delivered impressive performances in this powerful love story.
While Miss Julie could be defined as a romance, the themes underpinning the pair’s courtship had more to do with class and power dynamics. With Julie as the daughter of an Anglo-Irish landlord, her affair with the lowly peasant valet John quickly reveals the complexities of inequality in love.
A Big Bold Beautiful Journey (2025)
Colin Farrell and Margot Robbie were thrust on a grand adventure through memory itself in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. With two compelling leads at the center of its story, this unique romance balances humor and heart as David and Sarah relive moments from their past, with the potential to alter the future.
This high-concept story had its moments, but A Big Bold Beautiful Journey also felt a bit too schmaltzy to resonate with mainstream audiences. While there will surely be some who are totally swept away in the grandeur of this romance, for many, it just won’t live up to the promise of its title.
Ondine (2009)
Colin Farrell teamed up with the director behind Irish movie classics like Michael Collins to make a romance inspired by Irish mythology called Ondine. This unique story explores the myth of the selkie, a shapeshifting cross between a seal and a human that brings hope and love into the lives of a struggling fisherman and his daughter.
As a small-scale contemporary fairytale with a sparse, dreamlike quality, Ondine explored complex themes of justice and family bonds through the lens of Ireland’s ancient mythological beliefs. As an underrated entry in both Farrell and Jordan’s filmographies, those with a love of myth, magic, and wonder should seek Ondine out.
The New World (2005)
With his signature sense of grandeur and visual splendor, director Terrence Malick made an incredible historical romance with The New World. This ensemble film features Colin Farrell as Captain John Smith, a central figure in the founding of the Jamestown settlement in Virginia during the 17th century.
Inspired by real historical figures, The New World saw Captain Smith fall for the Powhatan tribeswoman Pocahontas in a love story most historians agree did not take place. While Malick may have taken some poetic license with his narrative, the result was a powerful exploration of themes surrounding beauty, faith, power, and science.
The Lobster (2015)
While Colin Farrell has starred in several outright romantic films, few movies have addressed the complexities of romance itself better than The Lobster. As a surreal story from director Yorgos Lanthimos, The Lobster addressed how the absence of romance can lead to social exclusion and explored the social stigma of being single.