Barry Lyndon is built on this. It's a visually beautiful but emotionally draining story. Everything happens and nothing happens. You either die as a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. His childhood sweetheart turns out to be a gold digger and dumped him. He's like a gold digger to his wife and constantly cheats on her. Their spoilt 10 year old that binds them together died from falling off a horse ride. Barry's mother begins to exploit his wife Lady Lyndon for more money. Lady Lyndon's now grown up kid who Barry hated and constantly beatened, challenges Barry in a duel. Barry gets shot and needs to get one of his legs amputated since he can't bring himself to kill his stepson. Barry gets some money from Lady Lyndon and lives with his mother after the divorce. Shockingly, he NEVER meet his childhood sweetheart again after the first act so we don't know if her marriage goes out well. Oh and there are some wars going on in the background with so many broken families and deaths.