As Valentine’s Day gets closer and closer, I would like to list a couple of my favorite romantic comedies that I believe are completely underrated and deserve the same hype and attention as Clueless, 10 Things I Hate About You, Sixteen Candles, and so on. Some you might have heard of, some you might’ve not, but without further ado, here are my favorite underrated romantic comedies:
- Jerry Maguire
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Starting off strong with a personal favorite and a not so underrated movie. Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) is one of the best sports agents in the sports world until he has an existential crisis and gets fired from his job. After his firing, he can only hold on to one of his clients, Rod Tiwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.), and he decides to start his own sports agency alongside Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger), a single mother who was inspired by the heartfelt company memo he wrote during his existential crisis. As they try to make this new agency thing work, Jerry and Dorothy begin to fall in love. I absolutely love this movie, not only because Tom Cruise looks like a total stud, but also because this romantic comedy is a mix of sports, drama, comedy, and action a.k.a. my favorite genres all piled up together.
- She’s All That
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This movie is about your stereotypical jock and outcast love story: the jock gets dumped by this super hot cheerleader, so he takes a bet to make an outcast prom queen. However, the joke is on him, as he begins to realize that he is starting to fall in love with her. This movie is packed with great actors such as Paul Walker, Freddie Prince Jr., Matthew Liliard, and Rachael Leigh Cook, and while a little bit stereotypical, there are a few unexpected twists and turns that’ll keep you at the edge of your seat at all times.
- 27 Dresses
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This movie is the interpretation of the phrase “always a bridesmaid, never a bride.” Jane (Katherine Heigl) has been a bridesmaid 27 times and is your go-to gal if you want the perfect wedding. Jane loves her role and has all 27 bridesmaid dresses saved in her closet until her younger sister (Malin Akerman) gets engaged to a man she secretly loves. As she questions everything she’s ever done, she meets a wedding reporter (James Mardsen) who is interested in writing about her story of being a bridesmaid 27 times. As he interviews her and learns about her story, they begin to fall in love. I love this movie since it’s a different storyline than other rom-coms and not to mention, James Marsden looks amazing in this movie.
- Definitely, Maybe
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Okay, maybe this one is not as underrated but I feel like not enough people know about it. Will Hayes (Ryan Renolds) is a thirty-something-year-old man that works for an advertising agency and is going through a divorce. He has a daughter named Maya(Abigail Breslin), who after having a sex-education class at school, asks him about the life he had before he married her mother. Will is hesitant to tell the story, but agrees to do so, with one condition: out of the three women he has been romantically involved with during his younger years, Maya will have to guess who her mother is. I think this movie is so cute and it keeps you at the edge of your seat since as a spectator, you will also have to guess who Maya’s mother is. It’s also packed with a great cast, alongside Ryan Renolds we have Elizabeth Banks, Isla Fisher, Rachel Weis, and Derek Luke.
- Drive Me Crazy
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Nicole is your typical preppy popular girl full of school spirit while Chase is your typical outcast who is counting down the days until high school is over. They’re next-door neighbors living completely different lives. One day Nicole gets dumped. So does Chase. Together, they come up with a plan to stage a relationship to make their exes jealous. However, as they spend more time together, they begin to question who they really like. This movie is your classic teen drama with a pretty predictable storyline, however, I think this movie is highly entertaining, with a lot of amusing conversations and a great soundtrack.
- Just My Luck
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Ashley Albright is considered by many as the luckiest woman in Manhattan. On the other hand, Jake Hardin has the absolute worst luck. When the two meet at a masquerade and kiss, they unexpectedly switch lucks, turning Ashley’s life upside down while Jake begins to experience a series of incredible events. Ashley realizes her luck changed when she kissed that stranger at a masquerade ball and has to find him again. This movie has two of my favorite all times actors in it – Chris Pine and Lindsey Lohan – and I think the storyline is pretty interesting and unique.
- The Wedding Planner
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Okay, another that is also not as underrated, but definitely worth mentioning. Mary, played by the queen herself, Jennifer Lopez, is a wedding planner (duh), who just scored a big-time wedding: the wedding of the Internet-famous Fran Dolley (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras). As she is celebrating her new accomplishment, she is rescued from being hit by a car by a super handsome pediatrician named Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey). They end up spending a great evening together, and Mary is beginning to think that the time has finally come to her, until the next morning, when she realizes that Steve is the groom of the wedding she is planning. I love this movie, not only because I absolutely adore Jennifer Lopez and believe that anything she is in is an amazing work of art, but also because the cast is amazing and the storyline is even better.
- What Happens in Vegas
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While this is more of a comedy than a rom-com, I still wanted to include it in case anyone is looking more for a laugh than romance. Joy McNally is a career-driven woman who just got dumped. Jack Fuller just got fired by his own dad. To drown out their sorrows they both go to Las Vegas and unexpectedly get married while drunk, which they both want to get out until they win 3 million dollars. Unsure of who should get it, they go to court, and the judge rules that they need to remain married for 6 months and then they can get a divorce and split the money in half. As they move in together, they both learn that if one of them asks to get out of the marriage, the other gets the full amount, so they try to drive each other crazy. However, as they spend more and more time together, they begin to realize that maybe they’re not that bad. I think this movie is so witty and entertaining and has a great cast as well, and as I said, it’s perfect if you’re looking for a more funny rom-com.
- The DUFF
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A pretty recent movie, the DUFF is about Bianca, who’s a high school senior whose perception of high school changes completely after she finds out she is the DUFF – the Designated Ugly Fat Friend. Apparently, every friend group has one. And she’s the one in her group. Even though she is shattered by it, she decides to partner up with Wesley Rush, your typical high school popular jock, who happens to be her neighbor. Bianca will help Wes pass science, and Wes will help Bianca “de-DUFF” her and prep her to go on a date with her crush: Toby. I think this movie is really sweet and has an underlying meaning to it that I think a lot of people will like.
- The Sweetest Thing
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Now before I say anything else, this movie is rated R and it’s also more of a comedy than a romance movie but I think it was 100% worth mentioning, because not a lot of people know about it and the ending is so cute. Christina Walters is not the relationship type and has spent years avoiding men. One night, while she was at a club, she suddenly met her perfect match while hanging out with her best girlfriends Jane and Kourtney. Then she finds out that he left town, so she and Courtney set off on a trip to find him. This movie made me laugh and cry and it’s by far one of my favorites, but again, I must warn you, it is rated R for a reason.
Now all you need to do is grab a blanket, your closest friends or significant others, grab some popcorn, snacks, and a cup of your favorite drink, and I hope you enjoy watching these as much as I did!