What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Heartbreak Kid
Peter Farrelly · Film · 2007
If you loved The Heartbreak Kid, start with The Love Haters (Katherine Center) — a book on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Heartbreak Kid across media.
If you enjoyed the cringeworthy poor choices in The Heartbreak Kid, you will appreciate these portraits of spectacular personal disaster.
Books on the same thread
The Getaway
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2017
Explores: Family Vacation, Dysfunctional Family, Road Trip.
Just as the honeymoon in The Heartbreak Kid goes horribly wrong, this story captures the escalating misery and inevitable chaos that follows a family trying to escape their reality.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2007
Explores: social awkwardness, middle school hierarchy, coming of age.
You will recognize the same social awkwardness found in The Heartbreak Kid as you navigate the painful, relatable struggles of a protagonist attempting to survive the hierarchies of middle school.
The Love Haters
Katherine Center · Book
Explores: career reinvention, opposites attract, emotional healing.
Much like the impulsive marriage explored in The Heartbreak Kid, this story centers on a major life transition that forces a sudden, messy confrontation with one's own personal unhappiness.
The Third Wheel (Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Book 7)
Jeff Kinney · Book · 2012
Explores: Awkwardness, Middle School, Family Life.
Similar to the desperate decision-making in The Heartbreak Kid, this book follows a character whose frantic need to avoid being alone leads to a series of truly uncomfortable situations.
Series on the same thread
Arrested Development
Mitchell Hurwitz · Series · 2003
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Wealth and Privilege, Family Business.
If you enjoyed the dysfunctional family dynamics in The Heartbreak Kid, you will appreciate this look at a wealthy clan struggling to maintain their composure after losing everything.
Party Down
Paul Rudd · Series · 2009
Explores: Hollywood satire, struggling artists, failure.
This series captures the same cringe comedy energy seen in The Heartbreak Kid by focusing on a group of cynical dreamers who are perpetually stuck in their own failures.
Married... with Children
Michael G. Moye · Series · 1987
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Working Class Struggles, Misogyny (satirical).
Fans of the cynical tone in The Heartbreak Kid will appreciate this show's portrayal of a miserable, dysfunctional household where every choice seems to lead to more collective disappointment.
Californication
Tom Kapinos · Series · 2007
Explores: Sex Addiction, Dysfunctional Family, Writer's Life.
This series mirrors the self-destructive behavior of the lead in The Heartbreak Kid, focusing on a man whose inability to stop making bad decisions ruins his most important relationships.
Podcasts on the same thread
The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler
The HoneyDew with Ryan Sickler · Podcast
Explores: adversity, resilience, vulnerability.
Just as The Heartbreak Kid finds humor in a disastrous honeymoon, this podcast explores the resilience found in laughing at the absolute worst lowlights of one's own life experiences.
Stugotz and Company
iHeartPodcasts · Podcast · 2026
Explores: absurdism, unfiltered opinion, camaraderie.
The irreverent and unpredictable absurdity found here matches the tone of The Heartbreak Kid, offering a unfiltered look at the nonsense that happens when people just stop caring.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Heartbreak Kid about a bachelor?
Yes, The Heartbreak Kid follows Eddie, a 40-year-old confirmed bachelor who finally decides to marry. After he says I do to Lila, he discovers during their honeymoon in Mexico that his new wife is a nightmare, leading him to realize he rushed into the marriage too quickly.
What happens to Eddie during his honeymoon in The Heartbreak Kid?
In The Heartbreak Kid, Eddie travels to Mexico for his honeymoon with his new wife, Lila. Once they arrive, he discovers that the woman he believed was his dream partner is actually a total nightmare, causing him to regret his decision to get married.
Does Eddie get married in The Heartbreak Kid?
Yes, Eddie gets married in The Heartbreak Kid. Although he is a 40-year-old confirmed bachelor who has never been able to commit, he eventually says I do to Lila. However, he quickly realizes that he jumped the gun once they begin their honeymoon in Mexico.
Is The Heartbreak Kid set in Mexico?
The honeymoon portion of The Heartbreak Kid takes place in Mexico. This is where the protagonist, Eddie, discovers that his new wife, Lila, is not the person he thought she was and realizes that he made a mistake by marrying her.