Last Updated on October 6, 2021 by
Romcoms have been a recurring element in the film world ever since the 1930s.
Since then, however, a lot has happened within the genre and so we think it is in its place with a juicy list of 19 really cozy and great romantic comedies! Listed in no particular order.
Best romantic comedies
1. The Spy who dumped me (2008)
Hysterically funny “Dumped” is loosely based on the protagonist Jason Segel’s own experiences with former girlfriend Linda Cardellini. Among other things, we get to see Russel Brand as the divine rock star, Kristen Bell as the nasty ex-boyfriend and Mila Kunis as the undiscovered soul mate. Not surprisingly, Jonah Hill and Paul Rudd, among others, also appear in funny toddlers.
2. Jerry Maguire (1996)
Tom Cruise plays the unsympathetic sports agent Jerry Maguire in this romantic classic that has given us several immortal movie replicas. Or how about “You had me at hello”, “Show me the money!” and “You complete me”? The chemistry between Cruise and opponent Renée Zellweger is obvious (especially in the final scene) and Cuba Gooding Jr. was awarded an Oscar for the best male supporting role.
3. Groundhog Day (1993)
Recently departed Harold Rami’s cult-declared classics with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell in the lead roles have become a mandatory feature during the Christmas holidays and have an act that doesn’t necessarily follow the usual template. Murray, a self-proclaimed reporter, must relive the same day over and over again until he becomes a better version of himself and thus can get out of the curse and win MacDowell’s heart.
4. High Fidelity (2000)
“High Fidelity” is the filming of Nick Hornby’s novel of the same name where John Cusack plays the music geek Rob who runs a record store in Chicago. When he is dumped by his girlfriend Laura (played by Danish Iben Hjehle), he decides to seek out his former girlfriends to find out why his relationship has ended. In the process, of course, he realizes that he has neglected the perfect girl.
“High Fidelity” is a fun and insightful film about life and is of course packed with wonderful music references and brilliant film music. The fact that Rob is also a list nerd of rank does not make us less lyrical.
5. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Bored Lucy (Sandra Bullock) works as a security guard and daydreams about the fancy man (Peter Gallagher) who passes through her lock every morning on his way to work. One day, the man is robbed and falls on the track, whereupon Lucy rescues him from being run over. He ends up in a coma and is driven to the hospital where his relatives realize that Lucy is his fiancee, while she begins to have feelings for her husband’s brother (Bill Pullman). When the man eventually wakes up, the Calabash is a fact of this sweet comedy with a cozy 90s feel.
6. (500) Days of Summer (2009)
This modern love story with Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead roles succeeds with the art piece of depicting love without getting caught in the cliche. The classic roles turn upside down as we follow Tom Hansen’s (Levitt-Gordon) emotional roller coaster in the pursuit of fellow Summer Finn (Dechanel) in a film that contains both humor and blackness.
7. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
For about two hours we get to see Ted (Ben Stiller) and his competitors humiliate over and over in the hunt for irresistible Mary, played by Cameron Diaz. This sick comedy signed The Farrelly Brothers is full of creepy elements, and we mainly think of the scenes involving zips and “hair jelly” … Despite the screwed action, however, the film still manages to become a sweet love story.
8. Lars and The Real Girl (2007)
In this American-Canadian movie gem, girl favorite Ryan Gosling begins a relationship with a sex doll, believing that she is real. In the end, the whole village plays along and does everything to make the new resident feel at home, while his immediate family begins to question Lars’s mental well-being. The script written by Nancy Oliver received a well-deserved Oscar nomination and the movie is truly an attraction!
9. My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
“My Best Friend’s Wedding” starring Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz and Dermot Mulroney in the lead roles is a hysterical triangle drama where you can’t really decide who you are really cheering for. Old friends Julianne (Roberts) and Michael (Mulroney) have pledged to marry each other if they are still single at 30. When the 30th day approaches, Michael calls to tell him to marry Kimmy (Diaz ) and Julianne immediately throws herself in there to do everything to stop the wedding. Rupert Everett makes a brilliant supporting role as Julianna’s friend and the scene where Cameron Diaz sings karaoke is the film’s absolute highlight.
10. Hitch (2005)
Will Smith plays the professional love consultant Alex “Hitch” Hitchens who specializes in helping men lace the perfect woman. While helping the naughty tax consultant Albert Brennan (Kevin James) win the heart of his hot celebrity client, he dates the cynical reporter Sara Melas (Eva Mendez), who is by accident in search of the notorious love doctor. In other words, it is obvious for trouble in this sweet and entertaining love story.
11. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Perhaps we associate the biggest rom-com most of the 80’s with the scene where Meg Ryan fakes an orgasm in a cafe. The film addresses the issue of whether men and women can really just be friends and revolve around the college friends played by Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. The film which became a massive success has been hailed for decades and is considered by many to have revolutionized the romantic comedy.
12. Moonstruck (1987)
Cher won an Oscar for best female lead for her role as Loretta Castorini, tempted by her boyfriend’s younger brother, played by a very young Nicholas Cage. At the same time, she has to make sure her noisy Sicilian family is happy and of course, everything ends up in a single soup.
13. Juno (2007)
Ellen Page was nominated for an Oscar for her role as a 16-year-old Juno who becomes pregnant after seducing her friend Paulie Bleeker, played by Michael Cera. She decides to keep the baby and starts looking for a perfect couple to adopt it for. Juno eventually realizes that it’s Paulie she wants and along with the wonderful movie music, this indie romance is top-notch.
14. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
“Sleepless in Seattle” is a homage to “An Affair to Remember” from 1957. The hot story is about a boy trying to find a girl for his widowed father (Tom Hanks). Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks became the world’s darling couple and it just doesn’t get any more romantic than in the final scene when they meet at the top of the Empire State Building, which certainly helped make the place so immensely popular to vacation. Typical American!
15. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Renée Zellweger charmed the trolls of us as cranky Bridget Jones when the movie went to the cinemas in 2001. The single girl Bridget desperately tries to get a man on the hook and ends up in a romantic triangle drama between her slimy boss (Hugh Grant) and stele lawyer Mark Darcy (Colin Firth ). It’s hard not to sit like a needle when Bridget repeatedly gets into terribly embarrassing situations and the stress factor is, to say the least, high in this charming movie. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the sequel “On Reconnaissance with Bridget Jones” which came a few years later.
16. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
“Four Weddings and a Funeral” was the first in a series of charming and funny romantic comedies directed by the British Mike Newell (Bridget Jones Diary, Love Actually, Notting Hill and others). The film marked Hugh Grant’s major breakthrough and the film was actually nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Film category.
17. Pretty Woman (1990)
“Pretty Woman” must still be regarded as the most stylistic American romantic comedy made in modern times. The film, starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, is a classic Ashes tale, of course, with the exception that the Ashes in this version are prostitutes. Vivian falls for the emotional boy and successful businessman Edward Lewis, during the week he pays for her company. The movie has everything a real rom-com should have; impossible love, betrayal, reconciliation, tears, tearing up feelings and revenge. And when the notes for Roxette’s “It must have been love” are played in the film’s most classic scene, it probably even burns in the most cynical of the hearts.
18. Notting Hill (1999)
When two of the whole genre’s giants, Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, play against each other it can be nothing but success! To say the least, there are sparks about the couple in cozy “Notting Hill” where the awkward bookseller falls for an American movie star. The replica “Im just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her” is a modern classic.
19. Amelie from Montmartre (2001)
After all, it is still French “Amelie from Montmartre” who reigns on the romcom throne. The peculiar story of the lonely young woman Amelie who decides to improve the lives of people around her is both beautiful and sad at the same time. The film has managed to capture the magic of the Parisian environment and the fantastic film music by Yann Tiersen contributes to the special mood of the story. The film became a major audience and critic success received five Oscar nominations and won several other prestigious film awards.