The Thing Called Love (1993)

The Thing Called Love (1993) may be infamous as the film River Phoenix was working on when he died of a drug overdose in front of the Viper Room in Los Angeles, but it deserves a viewing on its own merits. Legendary director Peter Bogdanovich casts a funny and touching story of young love and its various pitfalls. Samantha Mathis moves to Nashville to follow her musical muse only to get sidetracked in a whirlwind romance and marriage to Phoenix. The movie deals unsentimentally with the trials and tribulations of staying together after the spark that ignited your love has dimmed. What never dims, however, is the allure of Samantha, who doesn't even have to show her dirty bits in a bedroom scene to make viewers think dirty thoughts. Your thing will love this.