I’ll be honest — I’m always in search of more movie recommendations. Whether we’re talking classic films like The Titanic or recent smash hits like The Avengers series, I’m willing to give just about any and everything a watch (or two). Movies always seem to transport me to another time, another place, allowing me to escape the realities of college, work, and just life in general. If you hadn’t noticed, Valentine’s Day season is in full bloom. And while I love shopping for the cutest heart-shaped decor, sometimes the holiday can just leave me in sort of a funk.
What better way to turn my mindset around than watching rom coms? Seriously, just because I’m in my single era doesn’t mean I can’t watch others be happily in love. It’s like I’m combining one of my favorite things, and one of my least favorite: movies and relationships! There’s been a few rom coms that have stood out to me that all happen to have premiered throughout the 2010s, so naturally, I decided to rank them. Let’s check out eight 2010s rom coms, ranked from worst to best.
- The Kissing Booth (2018): 6.5/10
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Movie reiterations of books are always the best, aren’t they? Netflix’s The Kissing Booth is the film of the novel series of the same name. When Elle’s harmless little crush on her best friend’s brother, Noah, turns into something more, her life gets pretty complicated. After running her very own kissing booth, Elle has her first kiss with Noah, and their relationship just keeps growing from there.
Seriously, I know everyone was obsessed with this movie when it came out, but it’s cheesier than Domino’s and Papa Johns combined. To make it even more predictable, Elle tries her hardest to hide her relationship with Noah from Lee Flynn (her bestie), but I think we can all see where that storyline is going.
- Always Be My Maybe (2019): 7/10
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If you’re into a second-chance love trope, this is the movie for you. Sasha and Marcus used to be best friends, and they even hooked up in high school. So, when the two reconnect right as Sasha’s fiance decides to call off their engagement, the two start reconnecting, big time. The state of their friendship (or relationship?) is up in the air, leaving both of them utterly confused.
As someone who loves to see a couple give it a second go, I love the concept of Always Be My Maybe, but the character’s humor is a little too dry for my liking. And (spoiler alert), despite the troubles that look like they’re going to stand in the way of Sasha and Marcus’ relationship, they end up together by the end. It’s a pretty foreseeable plot, but this movie still tops The Kissing Booth.
- Just Go With It (2011): 7/10
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With both Adam Sandler and Jennifer Anniston in one movie, it’s bound to be a good one.The title of the movie says it all: Just Go With It. Danny (Sandler) has spent years lying about having a wife… weird, I know, but the plot gets good quickly. When he meets a woman he feels he can really settle down with, she insists on meeting his “soon to be ex-wife,” aka his friend, Katherine. The two continue the facade, even going as far as to include Katherine’s kids in on the ordeal. Things get complicated pretty quick, and it’s one movie you’ll just have to see to believe… or not. I liked the movie, but I just can’t get over how every rom com recycles such foreseeable storylines.
- To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018): 7.5/10
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Yes, I know: You’re shocked I didn’t rank Netflix’s To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before as number one on this ranking. I love this movie too, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not better than some of the other films I’ve included on the list. If you somehow haven’t seen this movie yet, I’ll give you a quick rundown. Throughout Lara Jean’s life, she writes letters to all the boys that she’s “loved,” and then suddenly, all the letters get sent out to each of their recipients. Lara Jean scrambles to cover up her tracks by entering a fake relationship with one of the boys… but is it really so fake after all? This movie gave me life during my senior year of high school, but looking back on it, I’m shocked it caused such a buzz.
- The Big Sick (2017): 8.5/10
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The Big Sick is one rom com that is going to pull on your heartstrings. Never mind that, it’s going to unravel them, and it’s actually based on a true story. Kumail, a Pakistani comedian, meets an American girl named Emily at one of his comedy shows. The two hit it off, but the two deal with cultural differences that Kumail worries could keep them apart. When Emily rapidly falls into a coma, Kumail’s perspective shifts completely. The story itself touches on real issues that plague many individuals, and it’s definitely not as predictable as other rom coms you’ve seen.
- Love, Simon (2018): 9/10
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Love, Simon is one rom com that everyone needs to see. While a movie may never be able to encapsulate what coming out for a young LGBTQ+ person may feel or look like, this movie does a good job of pulling a little bit of the curtain back on what can be such a tough experience for some. Simon lives his life like every average teenager, except he’s holding in one major detail about his life: He hasn’t told his family or friends that he’s gay.
Maybe it’s because this movie came out in 2018, but it just has a more modern feel that other classic rom coms do. It touches on much deeper topics that many rom coms traditionally do, so of course I had to rank it pretty high up on this list.
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018): 9/10
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This movie caused a big stir when it came out back in 2018, and there’s one reason why — it’s just so good. When Rachel Chu goes on a trip with her boyfriend Nick Young to attend a friend’s wedding, she quickly learns that her man’s family is pretty wealthy. After meeting Nick’s family, it’s obvious that they believe Rachel isn’t good enough for their son. Will Rachel tough it out and finally gain Nick’s family’s approval, or will their love story be over before it’s had enough time to fully begin? You tell me… because you can probably guess what’s going to happen in this story. Still, I absolutely love the way that Crazy Rich Asians sets up the plotline between Rachel and Nick’s family, and it’s quite refreshing to see such a diverse cast in this style of movie.
- Me Before You (2016): 10/10
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Cue the tissues — you knew I was going to include Me Before You on this list, didn’t you? Living in a small town in England, one day, Louisa Clark ends up losing her job. She begins to look for work, and is then hired as a caregiver to Will Traynor. After becoming paralyzed from a motorcycle accident, Will finds little good in the world, even taking his negative emotions out on Louisa from time to time. As the two grow closer, their relationship blossoms, and it’s quite the beautiful story.
Get ready for a whirlwind of emotions if you choose to watch Me Before You any time soon… I run out of at least one box of tissues every time I watch this movie. Everyone loves to watch a coldhearted anti-hero shed their armor and open themselves up to love, so you really can’t blame me for ranking Me Before You as No. 1 on this list.