The Hallmark movie, the chick flick, the romantic comedy. I have to admit that the “rom-com” genre, often a guilty pleasure of mine, may be my favorite. It appeals to the hopeless romantic in me and while some films may be cliche or kitschy, they can also be entertaining and heartwarming. There are a lot of great romance films out there like Before Sunrise or Sabrina, but when it comes to a cheesy romcom, this is my ideal lineup.
I really am biased to a classic 90s romcom and there’s no other classic quite like When Harry Met Sally. I watched this film for the first time this year, and I can’t wait to rewatch it. This movie stars 90s romcom royalty, Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. The love interest is not my typical heartthrob but I was moved nonetheless. It follows Harry and Sally’s relationship from when they first met in college to 10 years later. They both go through their own respective heartbreaks and form a friendship in the process, ultimately testing the age-old question if men and women can be just friends. If you enjoy friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, and a slow burn, then this is the film for you!
As mentioned, Meg Ryan is 90s romcom royalty and another classic of hers is Sleepless in Seattle. When it comes to romcoms, the more eccentric the plot the better. Tom Hanks stars alongside her as a widowed father in Seattle whose son calls into a radio show looking for a new wife for his dad. Despite being engaged and in Maryland, Ryan hears the broadcast and can’t help but fall for him. As a romantic gesture, she writes to him with a proposal to meet her at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. Hank’s father-son relationship and experience as a widow is a storyline that tugs at the heartstrings.
Another romcom that has a special place in my heart is While You Were Sleeping. It stars Sandra Bullock who’s a transit worker grappling with her loneliness during the holiday season. One day, the frequent train rider she has a longing crush on falls on the tracks and she saves his life. He falls into a coma and she accompanies him when he is brought to the hospital. However, there’s a mix-up and she’s introduced to his family as his fiance. She plays along, not bearing to tell them the truth, but further complications arise when she starts to fall for his brother. This movie makes you feel things, whether you’re empathizing with her loneliness, swooning over the cute moments, laughing at her weird landlord, or cringing at how long she has to keep up the charade.
13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo is a fun, youthful romcom. After wishing to be “thirty, flirty, and thriving,” Garner wakes up in the body of her future 30-year-old self while still mentally being 13. Garner’s reconnection with Ruffalo, her childhood best friend, along with the 2000s imagery heals the audience’s inner child. Paired with a glamorous job at a magazine and her New York lifestyle, 13 Going on 30 is a fun, timeless watch.
Speaking of Mark Ruffalo romcoms, Just Like Heaven is another favorite of mine, especially as a Bay Area resident. If you aren’t invested in Ruffalo’s romance in the film, you’re sure to be in love with his San Francisco apartment. It’s a gorgeous place with a beautiful bay window and rooftop access. He finds this apartment after Reese Witherspoon’s character falls into a coma and is subletting the space. The only caveat to this beautiful Victorian is that Witherspoon is haunting it and Ruffalo is the only one who can see her. The film finds a way to make falling for the ghost of an unconscious woman endearing.
10 Things I Hate About You has to be one of the most popular rom coms amongst the Gen Z population and for good reason. Our modern-day “Taming of the Shrew” starring Julia Stiles and the late Heath Ledger has become quite a classic. Whether you identify with Stile’s headstrong character or you can’t help but fall for Ledger’s rendition of an Australian bad boy, they’re a movie couple you can’t help but root for.
My Best Friend’s Wedding is yet another film with a questionable premise, however it’s one of the many good Julia Roberts romcoms. In this film, Roberts’ long-time best friend, whom she has a marriage pact with, is getting married and asks her to be the maid of honor. However, she realizes she’s in love with him and spends the wedding weekend trying to win him over. Objectively, trying to break up a marriage is an awful thing to do but it does make for an entertaining movie.
Matthew McConaughey was in a similar rom-com based on breaking off a marriage at the last minute, however How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with Kate Hudson is arguably his most iconic rom com. Everyone knows this film is based on two opposing bets– Hudson is supposed to drive a man away and McConaughey needs to make a woman fall for him. We also all know her iconic yellow dress, the buzzer beater scene, and “Princess Sophia.” Both McConaughey and Hudson are a delight to watch in this film and not to mention easy on the eyes.