My favorite genre of movies is romantic comedies (rom-coms). They have formed a comfort genre for me. They are perfect for when I need to laugh or cry, and they will always make me feel better.
There are certain clichés and identifiable aspects of each rom-com that they share. There will be a main love story, although the relationships can be very different, ranging from enemies to lovers to childhood best friends. They also will have a dramatically cheesy scene, or lots of them; the best rom-coms have you cringing in your seat the entire movie. They will have a drifting scene when it seems like all is lost for the couple and a reunion scene where they make up and have a magical kiss. There also must be a comedic aspect to it, movies such as The Notebook and Titanic gravitate more towards romantic dramas and movies like Mamma Mia are more musicals.
There are countless rom-coms and so many options within them if it’s the category you are searching in. There are Crazy Rich Asians, Clueless, and many more, which I adore. Out of those, there are five of many that I would rank as my favorites.
1: 27 dresses
This movie is the definition of always a bridesmaid, never a bride. It follows Jane (Katherine Heigl), a woman who has been a bridesmaid in a total of 27 weddings and has big dreams for her wedding. When her sister gets engaged to her boss, they get the wedding covered by Kevin (James Marsden), a profound journalist who is secretly reporting on Jane’s bridesmaid journey while falling in love with her. It is such a sweet movie with such a unique storyline and characters. I watched it for the first time when I was little, and since then, I have always found it a favorite.
2: How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days is an enemies-to-lover plot, but little do they know that they are in the relationship both on different bets. Andie (Kate Hudson) is in a bet to be the most repulsive partner possible in order to write a story on how to lose a guy in ten days, but on the other hand, Ben (Matthew McConaughey) is trying to make Andie fall in love with him in ten days. It is a movie that intertwines two different storylines and is hilarious in both people’s efforts, along with the fake couple slowly falling in love.
3: Anyone but You
This is a fairly new movie, but after the first time I watched it, I adored it. I feel as if the late 90s and early 2000s were rom-com capital, obviously with occasional outliers. With Anyone but You releasing in 2023, it had a high expectation to relive that 2000s rom-com style, and it did just that. The movie follows Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) after a one-night stand when their sister and best friend get married in Australia. They form a fake relationship to reach other goals and to ease hardships from their past for the wedding. They slowly realize that they are still in love while doing insane stunts to prove their love, such as how Bea’s parents fell for eachother. It is an adorable and hilarious movie that has proven the movie industry can still succeed.
4: Princess Diaries 2
Although it may be a Disney movie, it can fall into the rom-com category. The first movie follows a girl, Mia (Anne Hathaway), who discovers she is hereditarily a princess. The second follows the same character but in her search for a husband. It is an enemy-to-lovers trope and is a perfect, princess story. It is just the movie for reminiscing that all ages can enjoy. Although some song choices make me cringe, I overall love this movie and have seen it countless times. Disney outdid themselves with this movie for the rom-com and sequel aspect.
5: Notting Hill
Notting Hill is a movie I tend to forget about, but when I remember, I love it. It is a classic rom-com about a generic man, William (Hugh Grant), living in Notting Hill, England, and a famous actress, Anna (Julia Roberts), who falls in love with her after she comes into his travel bookstore. The unique storyline and adorable scenes, along with rough patches along the way, cause a perfect rom-com movie. My parents first watched the movie with me one rainy night, and since it has fallen into one of my top favorites.
