The entertainment industry has one constant theme it’s been fixated on, era after era — cheating. Affairs, as portrayed in films, often serve as cautionary tales. From little white lies to full-on adultery, cheating comes in many different forms in movies. Other times, it’s not even blatantly revealed, which makes viewers question the line between a harmless friendship and a torrid love affair. However, not all cheating movies are created equal.
While a lot of these movies provide touching or soul-wrenching conclusions, some just end horribly for at least one person in the equation. Some affairs in movies just take incrediblymind-blowing twists and turnsthat leave their audiences horrified, stunned, or even traumatized. Whether it’s to serve as a lesson or for shock value, we compiled 19 movies where cheating led to horrible outcomes. Spoiler alert as we break down how even the smallest lies can end so tragically.
Updated August 03, 2025: This article has been updated with additional content to keep the discussion fresh and relevant with even more information and new entries.
19Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Eyes Wide Shut
Stanley Kubrick’s final film has a twisted take on extramarital affairs, as it’s not the act but the implication of cheating that kick-starts the plot ofEyes Wide Shut. Starring Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, and Sidney Pollack, the story centers around a successful lawyer and his wife as they prepare for an evening out. While getting dressed, Alice admits openly to fantasising about another man whom she would cheat on him with if she had the chance.
An Innocent Woman’s Selfless Act Backfires
Bill doesn’t take this information well and seeks to retaliate by cheating on his wife. He suddenly finds himself drawn to a costumed party he manages to infiltrate for the ultrarich and wealthy. His infiltration is quickly detected by a woman who states he shouldn’t be there, which is dismissed until the host of the festivities calls him out, and the unknown woman offers to save him.Although the film never confirmsit, it’s suggested that this little escape cost the life of the woman who saved him.
18American Beauty (1999)
American Beauty
Sam Mendes' Oscar-winningpsychological dramedyAmerican Beautyexplores the fractured relationship between the unhappy, middle-aged family man Lester (Kevin Spacey) and his status-hungry wife Carolyn (Annette Bening), as he grows frustrated by his monotonous suburban life and becomes enamored by his teenage daughter’s best friend. Meanwhile, Carolyn begins an illicit affair with her colleague, with the couple’s reckless choices ultimately leading to tragedy.
Lester & Carolyn’s Troubled Union
Lester faces a midlife crisis and spends his time fantasizing about Angela (Mena Suvari), impulsively quitting his job, and buying a classic car while also working as a fry cook at a fast food restaurant. He discovers his wife’s affair while working the drive-thru window, though he is completely unbothered by their romantic dalliance. The film ends tragically for Lester after he is brutally murdered by an unseen assailant, with a series of misunderstandings and deceit leading to his demise, yet long-awaited happiness.
17A Perfect Murder (1998)
A Perfect Murder
The title of 1998’sA Perfect Murdergives a good idea of what’s to come: Michael Keatonand Gwyneth Paltrowportray Steven and Emily Taylor, an affluent Manhattan married couple whose relationship is plagued by lies, deceit, and betrayal as Emily begins an affair with the artist David (Viggo Mortensen). When Steven catches wind of the liaison, he offers David $500,000 to murder Emily.
A Deadly Tale Full of Twists & Turns
Based on Frederick Knott’s acclaimed stage playDial M for Murder, the crime thriller brilliantly tackles themes like psychological manipulation, greed, vengeance, and the sordid side of human nature, as David is actually revealed to be a conman who targets wealthy women. Jam-packed full of juicy twists and turns,A Perfect Murderresults in both scheming men getting exactly what they deserve as their hunger for wealth causes them to self-implode and leads to their violent deaths.
16Match Point (2005)
Match Point
Written anddirected by Woody Allen, the 2005 psychological thrillerMatch Pointtakes place in London. There, the recently retired professional tennis player Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) marries into a wealthy family and reclaims his former prestige. However, he soon finds his coveted social position threatened after he begins an affair with the aspiring American actress Nola Rice (Scarlett Johansson), the girlfriend of his brother-in-law.
Power & Prestige Come With a Price
Determined to maintain his affluent lifestyle and status by any means necessary, Chris resorts to murder to protect what he’s carefully built, as Nola gets devastatingly caught in the crossfire after revealing that she is pregnant. Chris stages a robbery at her apartment and horrifically kills her after Nola threatens to tell his wife of their affair, only to be haunted by her apparition, in which she warns him that his actions have consequences.Match Pointexamines the overwhelming allure of power, ambition, and moral compromise and the aftermath of betrayal.
10 Best Movies About Forbidden Love, Ranked
Whether it’s race, gender, class, or ancestry, society is always getting in the way of romance, as seen in these great movies about forbidden love.
Revolutionary Road
Hollywood dream teamLeonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winsletonce again delivered phenomenal performances when they joined forces for the harrowing romantic dramaRevolutionary Road. The movie takes place against the backdrop of 1950s suburbia, where the relationship between Connecticut couple Frank and April Wheeler is tested by infidelity and lost dreams. Despite appearing as though they have a perfect relationship, Frank loathes his job while aspiring actress April yearns for adventure outside of Middle America.
A Harrowing Look at Unfulfilled Hopes & Dreams
When Frank has an affair with his secretary, the dalliance begins to chip away at their already troubled marriage as April also seeks comfort from her neighbor, Shep Campbell (David Harbour). After April becomes pregnant, she starts to feel suffocated in the relationship and trajectory of her life, as her hopes and dreams of stardom begin to wane right along with any love she once had for her husband. Trapped in her marriage to Frank, April goes to extreme measures to end her pregnancy, leading to her heart-wrenching death and his crushing anguish.
14Little Children (2006)
Little Children
AlthoughLittle Childrenhas a genuinely creepy title, the film is about adults' lives around children. Written and directed by Todd Field, the film stars Kate Winslet, Jennifer Connelly, Patrick Wilson, and Jackie Earle Haley. In the story,a woman named Sarahfeels her marriage crumbling after finding out her husband has a crippling addiction to pornography. Soon enough, she meets Brad, a manchild who takes his child to the same park Sarah goes to. Brad loves an easy life and strays away from responsibilities, but he still gets Sarah’s attention despite being married.
On the other side, we have a man named Ronnie, a convicted sex offender, trying to insert himself into society again but having a hard time doing so. The film profoundly explores the relationship between Sarah and Brad, who go beyond a single fling and engage in wild sex while their kids nap at home. The illusion is broken after Brad gets in an accident while skateboarding and calls his wife, and Sarah thinks her daughter is endangered after seeing Ronnie in the park.
13Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain
Ang Lee challenged every societal norm of 2005 with an LGBTQ+ movie that brought him critical praise and many awards.Brokeback Mountaindepicts an affair between two gay cowboys who work together as sheepherders at a ranch during the summer. They develop feelings for each other and get into a romantic relationship over 20 years, being free to be who they are only when they meet each other.
A Forbidden & Transcending Love Affair
Based on the short story of the same name by Annie Proulx, we get cowboys Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, played by Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal. Ennis has a wife and daughter named Alma, and while hislove for Jack is real, he can’t deny his responsibility to his family. Jack pushes the issue by visiting him and reminding him how willing he is to live his life together with him; Alma eventually finds out and leaves him. The two never get to be together, and Jack eventually dies in an accident, leaving Ennis devastated.
12Cape Fear (1991)
Martin Scorsese’sCape Fearis a remake of a film that grounds the plot in reality to make it more unsettling than the original. Starring Nick Nolte, Robert De Niro, and Juliette Lewis, the film pits Max Cady against his former defense lawyer, Sam Bowden, who mismanaged his case and sent him to prison. Cady has been busy for the past 18 years learning everything he needs about the rule of law and researching his former lawyer tomake his life a living hell.
The Devastating Effects of Sam’s Dalliance
Sam has a happy family at home, but like many successful men, he has a fling on the side with Lori Davis, a County Courthouse clerk. Cady tracks down Lori, seduces her in a bar, and later takes her home. When she invites him over for a drink, he brutally beats and rapes her. Cady would later infiltrate Sam’s daughter’s high school, passing himself as a new drama teacher just to hit on and seduce Danny Bowden, much to the dismay of the disgruntled lawyer, who makes arrangements to have Cady beaten by thugs.
11In the Mood for Love (2000)
In the Mood For Love
In the Mood for Love, directed by Wong Kar-wai, is an incredible subversion of expectations. The plot has a few twists and turns that paint extramarital affairs as something bound to personal worldviews. Featuring the acting talents of Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung, this is a love story, unlike anything you’ve ever seen. The story is set in 1962 British Hong Kong as Shanghai expatriates Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen rent rooms in adjacent apartments.
A Bittersweet Lose-Lose Situation
Mo-wan is a journalist, while Li-zhen is a secretary at a shipping company. Both married, they find themselves in each other’s company more than usual as their respective spouses are always away working their day jobs. They eventually discover in separate ways thattheir partners are cheating on them. While they sincerely care about and love each other, they choose not to engage in a relationship to avoid lowering themselves to the same level as their partners. That’s a lose-lose situation if we’ve ever seen one.
10Unfaithful (2002)
Unfaithful
Released in 2002, this erotic thriller stars Richard Gere, Diane Lane, and Olivier Martinez.Unfaithfultells the story of a married couple, Edward (Gere) and Connie (Lane), whose lives turn upside down after Connie engages in an extramarital affair with a stranger. A small chance encounter brings this couple down to a fatal conclusion. The movie’s heartbreaking take on affairs will make you root for the married couple as usual. However, as passion takes over, so do dark intentions.
At its climax, Edward confronts Paul (Martinez) about his wife, ultimately resulting in him ending the life of his wife’s paramour. A police investigation ensues, but the couple remains in the clear. Time passes, and it seems like life is beginning to turn back to normal for the couple, but guilt continues to eat at Edward. As Connie suggests starting a new life somewhere else, Edward ultimately makes the decision for both of them, as it’s implied that he surrenders himself to the police. It’s a heartbreaking tale of how your darkest thoughts and impulsive decisions can lead to a lifetime of guilt and regret.
