Top 10 I HATE YOU Scenes in Movies
#10: April Wheeler to Frank Wheeler
“Revolutionary Road” (2008)
This film about a troubled married couple in the 1950s is deeply tragic and all kinds of emotional. April and Frank Wheeler have loud and intense arguments throughout the movie, but the moment where this scene quiets down for April to calmly tell her husband she hates him is just brutally heartbreaking. Her serious tone tells Frank that she truly means the words she is saying, and it’s clear this is a surprise to him. The incredible acting makes it all the more difficult to watch. Kudos to the talents of Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, but this painful moment makes us really miss their Titanic days.
#9: Billy Kramer to His Dad, Ted
“Kramer vs. Kramer” (1979)
After Ted Kramer’s wife Joanna walked out and left him to care for their son Billy, this workaholic father had to make some big changes in his life. One night, after Billy was misbehaving at dinner, the two got into a massive argument. Both father and son, feeling equally sad, frustrated, and exhausted, rashly declared they hated each other. It’s a scene that honestly shows the sometimes very difficult moments of parenting. The hurt caused by losing Joanna made them both say things they didn’t mean, but allowed for a significant turning point in their relationship. After this, Ted was able to be more honest with his son and the two began to form a tight bond like they never had before.
#8: Yvette to Joseph "Jody" Summers
“Baby Boy” (2001)
Yvette is frustrated with the immaturity and commitment issues of Jody, her boyfriend of five years. She accuses him of cheating and chases him out of her apartment while declaring she hates him. To say their relationship is complicated would be an understatement, but one thing that remains clear throughout this film though is that Yvette truly could never hate Jody: she loves him far too much. This scene is one of many factors that push Jody to get his act together to eventually be the kind of man Yvette wants and deserves - so they’re finally able to put many of the difficulties and challenges of their relationship behind them.
#7: Nemo to Marlin
“Finding Nemo” (2003)
Marlin, an anxious clownfish, is overprotective of his adventurous son Nemo after a barracuda attack that killed Nemo’s mother and siblings-to-be. Marlin’s overly cautious nature humiliates Nemo on his first day of school in front of his friends, causing Nemo to angrily mutter his discontent under his breath. This clearly shocks Marlin and hurts him deeply to hear. Things only get worse seconds later when Marlin’s worst fears become a reality, and Nemo is taken by scuba divers. Despite what Nemo said, Marlin proves he would do whatever it takes to get his son back, ultimately leading to a heartwarming reunion that leaves us crying every time.
#6: Scott Evil to Everyone
“Austin Powers in Goldmember” (2002)
Scott had been trying for ages to prove to his father, Dr. Evil, that he has what it takes to be a villain, only for Dr. Evil to decide to turn good right after Scott finally earned his approval. In response, an absolutely enraged Scott looks around at everyone in the room, from Dr. Evil to Austin Powers and even Mini-Me, and declares that he hates them all. This moment was the final catalyst for Scott Evil to, ultimately, follow in his father’s footsteps and start his own criminal empire. The best part of this scene though is definitely Scott’s goofy run after he makes his sinister threat, which makes him lose all credibility as an intimidating villain.
#5: The Joker & Batman to Each Other
“The Lego Batman Movie” (2017)
Batman and his nemesis the Joker have one of the longest and most complicated relationships in comic book history. This relationship was parodied hilariously in this Lego movie. The climax in particular feels like a scene straight out of a romance flick with just a few words changed. The way they confess their hatred for each other feels like such a tender moment that it cracks us up every time, but it’s also surprisingly genuine and heartfelt. Plus, it reminds us of the time Superman expressed his super-hatred in the first Lego movie. It’s the little touches like these that make the witty and satirical Lego movies so popular and beloved by fans of all ages.
#4: Allison "Allie" Hamilton to Noah Calhoun
“The Notebook” (2004)
These star-crossed lovers are forced to face reality when heiress Allie’s parents forbid her from seeing her lower class boyfriend, Noah. Allie is desperate to try to work things out, but Noah is less optimistic, causing the couple to break up. Allie is devastated and becomes so emotional in the moment she screams at Noah, telling him she hates him. This scene is especially painful for anyone who’s experienced heartbreak and can relate to how Allie is feeling. Everyone in the audience is fully rooting for Allie and Noah to be together, and this scene is just the tragic beginning of a long, sad road toward finally getting their happy ending.
#3: The Grinch to Every Who
“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000)
The Grinch is a character absolutely filled to the brim with hatred, especially for the Whos and their love of Christmas. Before the Grinch finally learns how to love, he first shows off tons of his skills in the art of hatred. One of the best examples of this is when he uses the Who phonebook to tell every Who that he hates them by bellowing down to Whoville from the top of Mount Crumpit. It’s truly a whole new level of petty, a kind that would require a serious commitment to loathing to follow through with the plan. At the same time, practically everyone has experienced a totally Grinch-like bad mood before, so we can kind of relate.
#2: Katarina "Kat" Stratford to Patrick Verona (via Poem)
“10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
In the scene that gives this classic rom-com its name, Kat shares a poem listing things she says she hates (but truly loves) about Patrick, who was initially paid to date her. The poem is based on Shakespeare’s Sonnet 141, fitting in with the many Shakespeare references in this modern adaptation of “The Taming of the Shrew”. The piece of writing fits sarcastic and cynical Kat’s character perfectly, as she has a difficult time expressing her true emotions. The admittedly cheesy poem gave her the chance to tell Patrick she forgives him for lying to her, and that she just wants to be with him. Props to her: sharing your feelings is hard enough, let alone doing it in front of your entire class.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Gabriel "Gabe" Burton to His Love Interest Rosemary Telesco
“Little Manhattan” (2005)
Megan Mayron to Her Stepfather, Brad Whitaker
“Daddy’s Home” (2015)
Gilda & Johnny Farrell to Each Other
“Gilda” (1946)
Sally Albright to Harry Burns
“When Harry Met Sally...” (1989)
#1: Anakin Skywalker to Obi-Wan Kenobi
“Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith” (2005)
In the final installment of this prequel trilogy, Star Wars fans finally got to learn the full backstories of Darth Vader and many other beloved characters from the original series. When an attempt by Jedi Master Obi-Wan to convince Anakin to turn away from the dark side turns into a dangerous duel, Obi-Wan tries to make one final plea to Anakin’s conscience. This proves fruitless as Anakin gives him an absolutely visceral and evil-sounding response that cuts deeper than any physical wound could. A devastated Obi-Wan knows there’s no hope for him now, and anyone who’s seen the original trilogy knows exactly what happens next.