Romantic Comedies

[Princess Sparkle]

A Romantic comedy that I had enjoyed a lot, but that isn't all that well known was "What's your number?" With Anna Farris and Chris Evans. It followed the age old romcom formula, but the leads were charismatic enough to pull it off. Feel good, funny and fluffy with only a hint of vulgarity. Exactly the formula I like in romcoms...

I actually really, really enjoyed that movie.  Anna Farris and Chris Evans had such great chemistry together.  

 

I also, and I kind of hate that I'm saying this, really enjoyed Friends with Benefits.  Usually, Justin Timberlake leaves me cold as an actor, but I really liked him and Mila Kunis together.  Though, I did find the highlight of the movie to be Andy Samberg and Emma Stone at the beginning.

 

I do miss Drew Barrymore romantic comedies (her recent one with Adam Sandler doesn't count).  One of my all-time favorites is Never Been Kissed.  She just has this warm likability that I love watching on-screen.  

Edited July 21, 2015 by Princess Sparkle

[Spartan Girl]

I liked Friends With Benefits too! It was funny and way better than No Strings Attatched.

My favorite romantic comedy is Continental Divide. It's a pity it was so underrated because it's one of the few rom coms that was executed in a way that wasn't cliche or patronizing. Plus, and no disrespect to the late John Belushi because I do think he was attractive, but it was refreshing to see an average guy as the romantic lead, and not the usual one dimensional guy with a six pack.

Edited July 21, 2015 by Spartan Girl

[Athena]

I also, and I kind of hate that I'm saying this, really enjoyed Friends with Benefits.  Usually, Justin Timberlake leaves me cold as an actor, but I really liked him and Mila Kunis together.  Though, I did find the highlight of the movie to be Andy Samberg and Emma Stone at the beginning.

 

I do miss Drew Barrymore romantic comedies (her recent one with Adam Sandler doesn't count).  One of my all-time favorites is Never Been Kissed.  She just has this warm likability that I love watching on-screen.  

 

No shame about Friends with Benefits, friend. I liked it too because it just proves how much chemistry Mila Kunis can generate with 99% of Hollywood. I'm not saying Timberlake is a void, but their chemistry and combined charisma (mostly Mila for me) made that movie work. It was also decently shot and had some nice supporting actors even if the script was a bit weak.

 

Yes, I loved Never Been Kissed too. Michael Vartan was really good looking in that. When I started Alias, I remember him being the guy from NBK.

[aradia22]

 

I do miss Drew Barrymore romantic comedies (her recent one with Adam Sandler doesn't count).  One of my all-time favorites is Never Been Kissed.  She just has this warm likability that I love watching on-screen.

Never Been Kissed is good if you ignore the weirdness of it. Which is difficult. It's like She's All That but... less on purpose. I love Ever After though and Music and Lyrics. The Wedding Singer and 50 First Dates are OK but again they've got a big helping of that weird brand of comedy.

 

One of the better rom-coms I've seen lately (which was back in 2013) was the French movie Romantics Anonymous. I wonder what the rom-com game is like in other countries. 200 Pounds Beauty is a South Korean take with a giant heap of crazy.

[Crs97]

My favorite romantic comedy is Continental Divide. It's a pity it was so underrated because it's one of the few rom coms that was executed in a way that wasn't cliche or patronizing. Plus, and no disrespect to the late John Belushi because I do think he was attractive, but it was refreshing to see an average guy as the romantic lead, and not the usual one dimensional guy with a six pack.

Great movie! Thank goodness for cable because that is the only way I discovered this gem when I was younger!

[twoods]

I absolutely love You've Got Mail. I'm so bummed that Netflix doesn't stream it because I can watch it weekly and not get tired of it. Never Been Kissed, Wedding Singer, and Ever After are my favorites, but I also really liked 13 Going on 30. JG was great playing a confused 13 year old.

Another one that I love is Serendipity.

Edited July 23, 2015 by twoods

[Qoass]

Reading over the titles mentioned here, I would like to add that romantic comedies (or just about any other kind of movie) in which the male lead is over ten years older than the female lead seldom grab me.  I prefer to see couples who probably watched the same TV shows or danced to the same songs in high school.

[LADreamr]

I also liked Kate & Leopold with Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, and Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. I thought they were both well done and smarter than most rom-coms.

[Princess Sparkle]

I also liked Kate & Leopold with Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, and Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. I thought they were both well done and smarter than most rom-coms.

Music and Lyrics has the catchiest freaking song.  "Pop Goes My Heart" is an earworm that can stay in my head for DAYS.  

[dusang]

I also liked Kate & Leopold with Meg Ryan and Hugh Jackman, and Music and Lyrics with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant. I thought they were both well done and smarter than most rom-coms.

 

For some reason Kate & Leopold has been on my mind recently -- I only saw it once and didn't feel strongly either way but now I've forgotten how it ended, did they stay in the future or the past?

 

ETA: I IMDb'd it and it seems like they stay in the past.  I don't care how awesome the guy is, not even for actual Hugh Jackman would I choose to live in 1876 to be married and raise children.  Beyond the lack of basic conveniences such as plumbing, electricity, and antibiotics, women had no rights under law.

 

Thanks @Trini!

Edited July 28, 2015 by dusang

[Trini]

For some reason Kate & Leopold has been on my mind recently -- I only saw it once and didn't feel strongly either way but now I've forgotten how it ended, did they stay in the future or the past?

 

She went to the past to be with him.

[aradia22]

 

Reading over the titles mentioned here, I would like to add that romantic comedies (or just about any other kind of movie) in which the male lead is over ten years older than the female lead seldom grab me.  I prefer to see couples who probably watched the same TV shows or danced to the same songs in high school.

I agree but of course, if I don't notice then it doesn't bother me. I'm sure I watched a bunch of rom-coms when I was younger with notable (5+ years) age differences that didn't phase me because at that age everyone over 27 was old. 

[methodwriter85]

It really didn't strike me until now that Richard Gere was 40 and Julia Roberts was 22 when they made Pretty Woman together. Of course, to be fair, she's a prostitute and there were some subtle deals about how very young she was, but I was a pretty little kid when the movie was out so she didn't seem like a kid to me as a 5-year old.

 

Honestly, I'm kind of shocked they haven't tried to remake Pretty Woman with Jennifer Lawrence as Vivian and Bradly Cooper as Edward. (It's that pesky R-rated plot, I'm guessing.)

[raezen]

Ah, Pretty Woman. The tapestry that once you pull out one thread from the pretty picture you saw as a child unravels into a pile of thread.

[Ruby25]

I honestly couldn't even imagine Jennifer Lawrence in any "Julia Roberts" roles from the 90's. I've heard some people make the comparison in terms of fame level I guess, but honestly their personalities could not be more different. Julia Roberts in her prime was a sunny, smiling, inviting screen presence that attracted people to her and could do that kind of light comedy, and I see nothing like that at all in Jennifer Lawrence's movies. She's either stoic as hell (Hunger Games, X-Men) or screaming and shouting at people in the David O. Russell movies (not in a friendly way either). I don't see anything close to the old Julia Roberts "glow" (which she doesn't have anymore, but that was her in her prime). I think people mistake it for Lawrence's offscreen personality.

[raezen]

I honestly couldn't even imagine Jennifer Lawrence in any "Julia Roberts" roles from the 90's. I've heard some people make the comparison in terms of fame level I guess, but honestly their personalities could not be more different. Julia Roberts in her prime was a sunny, smiling, inviting screen presence that attracted people to her and could do that kind of light comedy, and I see nothing like that at all in Jennifer Lawrence's movies. She's either stoic as hell (Hunger Games, X-Men) or screaming and shouting at people in the David O. Russell movies (not in a friendly way either). I don't see anything close to the old Julia Roberts "glow" (which she doesn't have anymore, but that was her in her prime). I think people mistake it for Lawrence's offscreen personality.

For about 30 seconds in Easy A I though Emma Stone was close but that feeling passed. That's not a criticism of ES either.

I just had the worst idea for a film; a remake of My Best Friends Wedding starring Jennifer Lawrence as Jules, Bradley Cooper as Michael and, ,, someone older than JL as Kimmy. Add DOR as director of that duo and it becomes pitch black.

[Ruby25]

I would agree- Emma Stone to me, is more in that vein. She exudes a little more easy, natural charisma onscreen, and I just don't see that with JL. Again, I think people are mistaking it for her interview schtick.

[methodwriter85]

For about 30 seconds in Easy A I though Emma Stone was close but that feeling passed. That's not a criticism of ES either.

I just had the worst idea for a film; a remake of My Best Friends Wedding starring Jennifer Lawrence as Jules, Bradley Cooper as Michael and, ,, someone older than JL as Kimmy. Add DOR as director of that duo and it becomes pitch black.

 

Why, Amy Addams, of course. Only instead of being a young sorority girl, she's a twice-divorced socialite with frozen eggs she wants desperately for Bradley Cooper to fertilize.

 

And we'll spend the entire movie pretending that Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are peers who went to college together, and that they're both 35 years old. (The "pact" age gets moved up from 28.) It'll be like when we were asked to pretend that Patrick Dempsey was college-aged just ten years ago in Made of Honor.

 

Speaking of Amy Addams, I'm kind of surprised she didn't have more success in the romantic comedy biz, not for a lack of trying. She really had "It" in Enchanted...I just think she picked some shitty movies. (I love watching Leap Year but I also get that her character was extremely irritating.)

 

On the opposite end...thank god Kristen Bell realized that she was never going to cut it as America's Sweetheart. I like her, but she never really worked as a romantic comedy lead to me. As someone once put it, there's this cynicism to her, and this sardonic tone to her, that just never really worked when it came to putting her in romantic movies. Her personality just isn't right for it.

 

Sarah Michelle Gellar was a similar case, although thankfully she realized it pretty early.

Edited July 29, 2015 by methodwriter85

[OakGoblinFly]

Music and Lyrics has the catchiest freaking song.  "Pop Goes My Heart" is an earworm that can stay in my head for DAYS.  

 

 

Thanks - now that song is stuck in my head.  ;)

[Guest]

I think my favorite rom-com is Sweet Home Alabama.  My least favorite ones are where the leads embarrass themselves so badly that I cringe watching. An example of this would be How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.  The scene at the diamond party just makes me want to crawl into the floor.  Also, it didn't make sense. She was furious with him for dating her to win a bet, when she was only dating him to try to get him to dump her for an article.  They really should have just looked at each other and called it even.

[harrie]

Speaking of Amy Addams, I'm kind of surprised she didn't have more success in the romantic comedy biz, not for a lack of trying. She really had "It" in Enchanted...I just think she picked some shitty movies. (I love watching Leap Year but I also get that her character was extremely irritating.)

 

Agreed, Ms. Adams picked some stinkers (like Underdog), but she will always have my love and admiration for doing The Muppets.  She's also picked some dramatic roles (The Fighter, Doubt, American Hustle) that have netted her nominations, so I like to think it's more a case of her liking to mix up her parts so she doesn't get typecast as only a rom-com princess or a heavy dramatic actress.  Meg Ryan's sort of a poster child for having done one too many romantic comedies and then facing a backlash when she picked something edgier (In the Cut, I think?), and lots of actresses are likely consciously trying to avoid that trap, thanks to her.  JMO.

[aradia22]

 

My least favorite ones are where the leads embarrass themselves so badly that I cringe watching. An example of this would be How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

I agree that they were both horrible but I still enjoyed that movie. Bride Wars was the one I couldn't sit through. No one had any redeeming qualities.

 

I'm a vocal fan of She's All That. Head Over Heels also with Freddie Prince Jr. is pretty charming. There's a category of rom-com that I can't exactly describe as good but it was a lot of fun. I think the humor came at times from staring head first into insanity. Trying to replicate that in the late 2000's, I think they didn't really understand what made it work. 

[UYI]

If there is one thing that I wish would happen, it would be for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan to get together again for one more romantic comedy. That's the ultimate dream. But Meg is such a private person now (and her face looks SO different--sad), that I don't think it will ever happen. But her romantic comedies--WHMS, Sleepless in Seattle--are among my favorites. 

 

Hugh Grant was someone who also found quite a niche in romantic comedies--Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill are both great. About a Boy is good, too, but it's definitely on the borderline of being a romcom at best. It's a little too serious at times to be considered a "comedy."

 

But it does have two big earworms in it!

 

 

[Schweedie]

I'm a vocal fan of She's All That. Head Over Heels also with Freddie Prince Jr. is pretty charming. There's a category of rom-com that I can't exactly describe as good but it was a lot of fun. I think the humor came at times from staring head first into insanity. Trying to replicate that in the late 2000's, I think they didn't really understand what made it work. 

 

It's funny - I've been reading through this thread going, "Oh, I hate that one. And that one. Ugh, and that one," and then I see She's All That mentioned and go "Aw, yeah." I think I may judge those 90s teen comedies in a different way because of nostalgia, because as silly and cliché as it is, I have a weird fondness for that film. Same with Ten Things I Hate About You, although that one's much better. 

 

In general though, romantic comedies really are just not my thing. I don't know why, but I tend to have the opposite reaction to what the film is trying to give me. The Holiday? Love Actually? All those old Sandra Bullock and Meg Ryan ones? I just sit there squirming with annoyance.

There are exactly three that I genuinely really like; Just Like Heaven (you know, Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo), Notting Hill and Knocked Up. (And I do sort of enjoy 27 Dresses, too, I suppose.)

[ToxicUnicorn]

Hugh Grant was someone who also found quite a niche in romantic comedies--Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill are both great.

There are exactly three that I genuinely really like; Just Like Heaven (you know, Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo), Notting Hill and Knocked Up.

Four Weddings and a Funeral wins this category for me.  Hugh Grant in that movie beats those old Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan performances by a country mile.

 

I hated Notting Hill, though.  Guess I'm fickle.

[twoods]

I absolutely love 10 Things I Hate About You, and Just like Heaven. I think Reese W. does well in rom com movies.

Bend It Like Beckham is also a great one.

[caracas1914]

You have to include the underrated "The sure thing" with John Cuzack and Daphne Zuniga.

Repressed..repressed!!

Edited August 8, 2015 by caracas1914

[Schweedie]

Bend It Like Beckham is also a great one.

 

I adore that one, although I wouldn't really call it a romantic comedy as such - I feel like the romance is more of a subplot. 

[aradia22]

Good cast. Terrible looking movie that seems to think it's smarter than it is. 

[methodwriter85]

Good cast. Terrible looking movie that seems to think it's smarter than it is. 

 

The lead female is basically playing the same exact role she did in Maid of Honor- the "right woman" for the player, who is about to get married to a British dude. Or whatever the hell Kevin McKidd was in Maid of Honor.

[dusang]

Good cast. Terrible looking movie that seems to think it's smarter than it is.

How much of that movie did I just watch?

[Shannon L.]

I'm pretty sure I read a review of that movie a couple of months ago that was so bad, that it had me wanting to watch it just to see because I can't believe it's that bad.  However, I did see three scenes from three other movies:  Good Will Hunting, When Harry Met Sally (although, that one could have been intentional) and Grosse Point Blank (and that appeared to be on one of the When Harry Met Sally sets).  Nothing about it seems very original (although, what really is these days, right?).

 

 

How much of that movie did I just watch?

My guess is about all of it. 

 

But, damn, is Chris Evans a fine looking man. 

[dusang]

But, damn, is Chris Evans a fine looking man. 

 

Seriously, tho. I'm not actually sure how good What's Your Number? is but I certainly enjoy watching it.

[Guest]

If there is one thing that I wish would happen, it would be for Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan to get together again for one more romantic comedy. That's the ultimate dream. But Meg is such a private person now (and her face looks SO different--sad), that I don't think it will ever happen. But her romantic comedies--WHMS, Sleepless in Seattle--are among my favorites. 

 

Hugh Grant was someone who also found quite a niche in romantic comedies--Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill are both great. About a Boy is good, too, but it's definitely on the borderline of being a romcom at best. It's a little too serious at times to be considered a "comedy."

 

Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks were also great in You've Got Mail.

 

I think my favorite Hugh Grant RomCom is Music and Lyrics.  I love that. Though randomly "Pop Goes My Heart" gets stuck in my head and I hate it. 

[blugirlami21]

My favorite Hugh Grant romance is Two weeks notice.

I have a lot of favorites. I think an underrated one is Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. Their chemistry is great. I also love What's Your Number?

[spaceytraci1208]

What's Your Number? is adorable. I'll always stop and watch it for a little while if it's on. When Ally crashes the wedding and gets up on stage with the tambourine makes me chuckle.

[harrie]

Knight and Day is a guilty pleasure for me.  Cruise is a little smug and Tom Cruise-ish, but I like the chemistry between him and Diaz; and so much of it is pure chase/escapist fare that I enjoy checking the brain and watching it. 

[JBC344]

Knight and Day is a guilty pleasure for me.  Cruise is a little smug and Tom Cruise-ish, but I like the chemistry between him and Diaz; and so much of it is pure chase/escapist fare that I enjoy checking the brain and watching it. 

I can't remember if I actually saw this, but do remember the insane chemistry they had in Vanilla Sky which couldn't be any more different of a movie.  I still say Cameron was robbed of an Oscar nomination for Vanilla Sky.

[methodwriter85]

Trainwreck is right now about to hit 100 million at the domestic box office, the first romantic comedy to do so since Silver Linings Playbook in 2012/2013. Good for Amy Schumer. Big box office for romantic comedies have been pretty sparse in this decade.

 

I think its telling that the two biggest romantic comedies of the decade so far have been edgy, R-rated fare with some serious drama in them.

Edited August 21, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Guest]

My favorite Hugh Grant romance is Two weeks notice.

 

You're right.  That is superior to Music & Lyrics. I can't believe I forgot about that one! 

 

My top 5 modern day romantic comedies are probably:

1) Sweet Home Alabama

2) You've Got Mail

3) Hitch

4) 27 Dresses

5) Return to Me

[methodwriter85]

Can we really call You've Got Mail a modern romantic comedy? It came out seventeen years ago.

[UYI]

Well, Return to Me came out 15 years ago and Sweet Home Alabama 13 years ago, so I guess in this case "modern" is a relative term. ;)

[Guest]

I meant modern as opposed to the classics like "it Happened One Night" and "Bringing Up Baby" but I concede the point.

[AstaCharles]

1) Sweet Home Alabama

2) You've Got Mail

3) Hitch

4) 27 Dresses

5) Return to Me

I don't think I can list a top 5. I liked Return to Me, but I like Duchovny's Connie and Carla more. Hitch is up there and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I loved the first Bridget Jones' Diary. Ewan McGregor and Renee Zelleweger did a Rock and Doris type romantic comedy called Down with Love. It wasn't successful but it sure looked pretty, and Ewan was smoking.

[methodwriter85]

Trainwreck is now standing at 102 million dollars domestic box office, the first romantic comedy to hit 100 million domestic box office since Silver Linings Playbook in 2012/2013. It's only the third one to hit that in this decade so far- the first being Valentine's Day.

[Trini]

I really liked Hitch, and was surprised Will Smith hadn't done a rom-com before then. Or since. I know it wasn't huge, but it wasn't a flop either, right? I always thought there should be a Hitch 2.

[cpcathy]

I enjoyed Hitch but the best thing about it was Kevin James, except I can't say that about movies that he's actually the star.

[Rick Kitchen]

Sleepless in Seattle, bar none.

[JustaPerson]

Not modern but It Happened One Night, the modern romantic comedy from which all modern romantic comedies are descended from.

[Ruby25]

I have favorites from each decade:

 

1930's- Love Me Tonight, Trouble in Paradise, It Happened One Night, Swing Time, My Man Godfrey, Midnight, Ninotchka

 

1940's- His Girl Friday, The Shop Around the Corner, The Strawberry Blonde, The Lady Eve, The More the Merrier

 

1950's- Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Pillow Talk

 

1960's- The Apartment, The Graduate (I do think this can be considered one)

 

1970's- What's Up, Doc?, Annie Hall, The Goodbye Girl

 

1980's- Splash, Sixteen Candles, Moonstruck, Say Anything, Look Who's Talking, When Harry Met Sally

 

1990's- Honeymoon in Vegas, Groundhog Day, Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping, Clueless, The American President (kind of a comedy-drama but I think it counts), Jerry Maguire, My Best Friend's Wedding, The Wedding Singer, Shakespeare in Love, You've Got Mail, 10 Things I Hate About You

 

2000's- Bridget Jones's Diary, Amelie, Love Actually, Pride & Prejudice (kind of the original romantic comedy when you think about it)

 

2010's- Sadly, I haven't really liked a single one from this decade yet.

 

For me, funnily enough, the 30's/40's and the 90's were the times when romantic comedies most thrived.