Some people say rom-coms make love look too easy, but isn’t that kind of the point? Here are 10 movies to add to your watch-list because sometimes you just need a formulaic, predictable story in your life.
1. HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS
Whether you’ve heard about the famous yellow dress Kate Hudson wears at the end of the movie, the love interests’ rendition of “You’re So Vain,” or the riveting Knicks-Kings game where the Knicks actually win a championship, this movie is iconic for a reason. Andie Andrews (Hudson) is an advice columnist and aspiring journalist on assignment to find a guy and make him fall in love with her in ten days. She meets her match in advertising executive Ben Berry (Matthew McConaughey), who makes the same bet that he can make any woman fall at his feet in ten days. It’s mutual deception that ends in love. It also shows a multi-faceted woman with wit, humor, and goals—which rom-coms sometimes aren’t the best at doing—and it’s even kind of a love letter to basketball, if that’s your thing.
Where to watch: Netflix
2. 13 GOING ON 30
On her 13th birthday, Jenna Rink has a best friend who adores her, two loving parents, and a whole life ahead that she can’t seem to appreciate. Freshly teenaged, she makes a wish to be “30, flirty, and thriving.” It’s that typical story of always wanting what you can’t have, except she does get what she wants. When she wakes up a 30-year-old woman, Jenna (Jennifer Garner) realizes adulthood really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. While the whole world has moved on, Jenna’s last memories are of her birthday party. On her journey, Jenna achieves childhood dreams like working as a successful fashion magazine editor and having a famous boyfriend, while encountering things of her ‘past’ including her childhood best friend Matty (Mark Ruffalo), who was always in love with her. This movie is lighthearted, nostalgic, and teaches you to reflect on and embrace your child-like spirit.
Where to watch: Netflix
3. set it up
Modern New York City romance has never felt so sweet. This movie follows Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell), two exhausted, career-obsessed people who are taken advantage of by their bosses. To catch a break from the madness, they devise a plan to set their bosses up with each other. Naturally, spending so much time plotting against their higher ups pushes them closer together, and they fall in love. Since Powell is all the rage right now for his recent movie Anyone But You with Sydney Sweeney, this addition feels especially fitting.
Where to watch: Netflix
4. CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE
This classic rom-com stars Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, and Ryan Gosling, among several other Hollywood icons. After his wife reveals she was unfaithful and asks for a divorce, Cal (Carell), a middle-aged father, is recruited by a young eligible bachelor (Gosling) in an attempt to salvage his “manhood” and make him more attractive to women. It’s one of those movies with intertwining storylines, where connections are revealed at every turn, sometimes unexpectedly. Also, if you’re a sucker for the “kids being wiser than their parents” trope, you’ll adore this movie.
Where to watch: Hulu
5. MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING
This movie may be over 20 years old, but it’ll go down in history for being one of the most enjoyable on-screen love stories of the century. Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) is an unmarried 30-year-old working at her parents’ Greek restaurant in Chicago. Desperate to turn her life around, she starts working at a travel agency, where she eventually meets and falls in love with a man named Ian (John Corbett). When they decide to get married, Toula worries about her family’s reaction, rightfully so. Disapproving parents, a huge Greek family (with a million cousins named either Nick or Nikki), and cultural barriers are at the forefront of this story, making it an incredibly entertaining watch.
Where to watch: Max
6. DEFINITELY, MAYBE
There’s a chance you’ve never heard of this one, and — if that’s you — trust it will warm your heart. There’s just something about little Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Nim’s Island) harassing her dad (Ryan Reynolds) to tell her the story of how she came to be…in the middle of his divorce from her mother. When he begrudgingly agrees and recounts his relationships with three women, he changes their names so she has to guess which one is the woman he married.
Where to watch: Max
7. THE NOTEBOOK
It’s the quintessential rom-com, and for a reason. A 1940s southern romance starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams is simply going to hit every time. Noah and Allie fall desperately in love, but when Noah enlists in the army during World War II, their romance comes to a sudden end. There are a lot of moving parts, including disapproving parents, miscommunications, and another man (James Marsden). However, years later, Noah comes back, and the couple reunite in a super dramatic, but absolutely swoon worthy way.
Where to watch: Hulu
8. the proposal
When she receives news she will soon be deported to her home country of Canada, uptight book editor Margaret (Sandra Bullock) pretends to be engaged to her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). Andrew begrudgingly agrees in exchange for Margaret to meet his family, who lives in Alaska. The two put on the show of their lives despite several miscommunications and obstacles along the way, until it becomes anything but a show.
Where to watch: Hulu
9. 27 DRESSES
“Always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Jane (Katherine Heigl) has been a bridesmaid in 27 weddings, putting everyone else before herself and priding herself on being an ole reliable. But when her sister Tess suddenly falls in love with the man Jane has been secretly pining for, she finds herself at a crossroads. At the same time, a bitter reporter Kevin (James Marsden) is desperate to write something other than wedding announcements, so Jane’s untraditional lifestyle becomes his big story.
Where to watch: Prime Video
10. love rosie
This movie sure doesn’t help the “guys and girls can’t be friends” argument, but it’s so beyond heartwarming. Alex (Sam Claflin) and Rosie (Lily Collins) have seen each other at all stages of life, constantly testing the boundaries between friendship and romantic love. As they make plans to move from Dublin to America for university, Rosie falls pregnant and chooses to stay behind. Time continues to pass as they live separate lives, all while trying to maintain their relationship. The only qualm: it might annoy you to watch how long it takes for these two to get it together but such is life, right?
Where to watch: Paramount+
Romantic comedies make the world go ‘round. Whether you’re sad, having a stressful day, or just want to keep the good vibes going, it’s always a good idea to watch a classic rom-com you’ve never seen or rewatch one you can’t get enough of.
