February may be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean we need to stop being cheesy with our partners. Or that we shouldn’t watch some hilarious romantic comedies with our special someones–or by ourselves–and have a few good laughs.
Here are 15 must watch romcoms that have a little something for everyone!
My 15 Must Watch RomComs
- The Proposal
- Hitch
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall
- Wedding Crashers
- I Love You, Man
- The Holiday
- Crazy Rich Asians
- How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
- The 40-Year-Old Virgin
- Groundhog Day
- Zombieland
- Palm Springs
- Two Weeks Notice
- The Wrong Missy
- Wall-E
Some of these may have you raising an eyebrow, but when you think about it, they all do contain those romantic comedy ingredients we all know and love. So let me elaborate:
The Proposal (2009)
A quick-witted editor’s assistant gets wrangled into a green card marriage to his pushy Canadian born boss. Starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, The Proposal gives us the snarky comebacks, male and female perspectives (versus mostly female POV), and some genuine heartfelt moments with family. This is definitely an enemies to lovers and we’re here for it!
P.S. It’s even funnier when you consider that Bullock is American and Reynolds is Canadian born…the irony.
Hitch (2005)
Let’s take a suave matchmaker and put him up against a cynical columnist, all while trying to help a shy accountant get the woman of his dreams. Hitch, played by Will Smith and starring opposite Eva Mendes and Kevin James, is a delightful chuckle-fest in my opinion. Great one-liners, some hilarious cringe, and some very, very relatable sentiments. Here we have another enemies to lovers, with a sidekick. And a secondary romantic sub-plot that just makes you go, “Awww…”
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
What happens when you take a breakup particularly hard? Well you go to Hawaii, oh, and it just so happens the ex you can’t seem to get out of your mind is also there…with her new man. Toss in an attractive and down-to-earth reception clerk in Mila Kunis and you have the perfect storm for a romantic comedy.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall stars Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, and Russell Brand with a little Paul Rudd in the mix. The performances are hilarious and the situations are equally funny. Watching our poor MMC (male main character) thrown into forced proximity with his ex and her new boyfriend will leave you feeling thankful that this–hopefully–has never happened to you.
Wedding Crashers (2005)
The story follows a pair of womanizers who love to–crash weddings–to take advantage of the hopeless romantics, when one of them actually succumbs to love himself. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn’s characters will find themselves with opposite agendas, and a lot of opportunities for hilarity to ensue in Wedding Crashers. With a cast that includes Rachel McAdams, Christopher Walken, and Bradley Cooper this is star-studded cast that delivers the promise of a good time.
I Love You, Man (2009)
Who doesn’t love Paul Rudd? Most of us fell for the sweetheart as Mike in the well-known series, Friends. And he’s just as much that lovable goof in I Love You, Man starring with Jason Segel and Rashida Jones.
The story really begins when recently engaged Kevin (played by Paul Rudd) comes to the realization (with the help of others) that he doesn’t have any guy friends, and certainly no one to be his Best Man. So begins the hunt for a friend and Best Man, and when the new friendship he strikes with Jason Segel’s character tests his relationship with his fiancee played by Rashida Jones, it makes for some very relatable moments. Sometimes those bonds formed between friends can be equally as powerful as those formed with a romantic partner…so where are the lines drawn?
The Holiday (2006)
Now, we all know I love this movie. It made its way onto My Top 5 Holiday Movies with ease. And even though it does technically take place during December and the Christmas holiday, a holiday is also a term for a vacation. And when two single women exchange houses–and continents–over the holiday, they wind up falling for the locals.
There are two stories taking place in The Holiday but my favorite is that between Kate Winslet’s character and Jack Black’s. And though this is probably the most “sappy” and predictable romance on the list, I’ve heard two or three men say how much they love it, and that’s not including my own husband.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Based off the novel by the same name, written by Kevin Kwan, Crazy Rich Asians is a fun rom-com with some serious family drama that we can all relate in some form or another. When Henry Golding’s character brings his girlfriend Rachel, played by Constance Wu to his home in Singapore, both will be met with fierce opposition from his strictly traditional family.
Does their relationship have what it takes to withstand the barrage that is family and old tradition?
p.s. the book is very good! Highly recommend!
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
When an advertising executive and a journalist meet, not entirely by chance, one with the goal make a woman fall in love with him in 10 days, and the other to get a guy to dump her in 10 days, you get the perfect rom-com storm.
In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey’s characters go through a series of trials and cliches to try and achieve their goals. Neither planned to actually fall for the other though…isn’t that how it always goes?
Though predictable, this is a battle of the sexes movie, that I’m sure we’ve all thought about doing to a partner at one point or another. It’s funny, endearing, and we get our HEA (happily ever after) in the end.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005)
What happens when your work “buddies” find out you’ve never been with a woman? I’ll tell you what, a lot of crude and hilarious attempts at righting this “wrong” that go horribly wrong.
In The 40-Year-Old Virigin Steve Carell’s character keeps coming up short of going all the way, especially after meeting a single-mother who just may be the one. And what I love about this movie, that if you can get through the waves of crude humor and over-the-top displays (this movie is rated R for a reason) it actually has a really good message.
Waiting isn’t the worst thing, especially if you’re waiting for the one.
Groundhog Day (1993)
When a self-centered weatherman, played by Bill Murray, gets stuck in a time-loop on Groundhog Day, the only way to escape is to get the day right. And what first appears as a thrill of getting to experience the same day over and over, quickly turns into dread and spending eternity this way.
This is a great one, thanks to the talent of Bill Murray, Groundhog Day maintains a high level of humor and quick-wit from start to finish. Romance is there, but it is a sub-plot and therefore doesn’t get too sappy for viewers.
Zombieland (2009)
Zombieland one is near and dear to my heart, and part of the reason it’s on my l list of must watch rom-coms. It’s stretch for sure. I acknowledge that. But we do have a strict rules guy falling hard for a bad-ass chick, getting left hand-cuffed at times, stranded at others etc. all in a zombie-infested world. It’s funny and there are romantic moments! So it makes my list.
Not to mention, Zombieland: Double Tap (the sequel to Zombieland and possibly even more toward the rom-com zone) was the first date I went on with my man who would become my husband.
So though this is a zombie movie, romance is present, humor is present, and at the end of the day, it’s a sense of love that drives people do the right (but dangerous) thing.
Palm Springs (2020)
Kind of in the same line as Groundhog Day, two people attending a wedding find themselves stuck in a seemingly infinite time-loop, experiencing the same day over and over again. Each day brings new adventure, and a romance that neither expected.
In Palm Springs when Cristin Miliota’s character, starring with Andy Samberg, discovers that even death does not end the loop, she sets out on a mission to discover a way out.
A hilarious series of events peppered with some serious life questions makes this a great rom-com to add to your list.
Two Weeks Notice (2002)
I am a big Sandra Bullock fan, I love her older films just as much as her latest ones. Two Weeks Notice sets her against Hugh Grant for a rom-com of the ages.
Bullock is a lawyer who’s just wants to save her local Community Center, and she signs on with her arch-enemy in Grant in order to achieve this. But after time passes and she realizes she’s more of a personal assistant verging on nanny for her self-centered boss, she decides to put in her…wait for it…two weeks notice.
It’s a hilarious enemies (of sorts) to lovers romance where each party learns that the other isn’t at all what they were after romantically, but may be exactly what they each need.
The Wrong Missy (2020)
When David Spade’s character text’s Missy, inviting her to a work retreat in Hawaii, he is horrified to find he’s actually invited a woman that was a horrible blind-date.
In The Wrong Missy we get a fun opposite’s attract story, combined with not knowing what we as romantic pursuers may be after. Filled with hilarious and raunchy moments (though not quite to the extent of The 40-Year-Old Virigin) this movie wasn’t what I was expecting but actually turns into a heartfelt movie.
You gotta find the crazy that matches…or compliments, your crazy.
WALL-E (2008)
I know this is an animated film, and that may be a no-go for some people. But I absolutely love the love-story that is present in Disney Pixar’s WALL-E.
Set against the very relevant story of preserving earth and taking care of it after human’s have literally trashed it, you have two robots who fall in love over the course of the stars, and who will help decide the fate of man and earth.
When WALL-E meets E.V.E. for the first time it is love at first sight. And he will do everything in his power (solar powered of course) to win her over. Including presenting her with a prized possession, a plant. And the directive-driven E.V.E. will soon realize that there is more to existence than her pre-programmed mission.
There are a lot of cute moments, and I think it should be a good example of there being absolutely nothing wrong with one falling hard and unapologetically for another.
In Conclusion
From the animated to the raunchy, here were 15 rom-coms that offer a little something for everyone. I know these movies always make me smile and laugh. If you’ve not seen some of these, maybe you’ll add them to your list and find a new favorite.
And remember, just because February is over doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a rom-com now and again. Or everyday if that’s what you fancy!
What are some of your favorite rom-coms? Let me know in the comments below!
Until Next Time,
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