Ah, the romantic comedy. Whether you’re hosting a mani-pedi girls night in, primping for a hot date, or just curling up on the couch after a long day, the rom-com can serve as the perfect distraction from our everyday lives. Though the genre is often called out for being trite and predictable, there are always some gems that pack a few punches to remind us to be kind to others, and ourselves.
Clueless (1995) Some of the most immortal lines of the 90’s teen film genre were delivered from the perfectly glossed lips of Cher (Alicia Silverstone), Dionne (Stacey Dash) and Tai (Brittany Murphy). Clueless was loosely based on the Jane Austen novel Emma, so of course we’re dealing with headstrong, independent women, even if they can be somewhat oblivious to certain issues around them. But we can’t deny that despite all her faults, Cher has a pretty good handle on her priorities…even if she is a terrible driver.
13 Going On 30 (2004) Ever been a teenage girl, frustrated with life and willing to trade it all to fast-forward to a more glamorous future? When Jenna Rink makes a birthday wish that ages her 17 years, she learns that adulthood isn’t always as “flirty and thriving” as the glossy magazine pages would have us believe when we’re young and impressionable. What matters most is the deep relationships we create, and the time we spend with the people who accept us as we are. If that’s not empowering enough for you, a killer sleepover fashion show scene and a Pat Benatar sing-a-long will surely win you over.
Mean Girls (2004) On the surface, Mean Girls is another gold mine of hilarious zingers, and what else could be expected from a script penned by Tina Fey? But beneath the surface, Mean Girls (based on the novel Queen Bees and Wannabes) dives into the very real girl-on-girl bullying that, unfortunately, many of us experience in high school. While Gretchen’s grasp of feminism is a bit misguided, she has a point: we often dismiss respect and support for our girlfriends in order to obtain the things we think will make us happy and successful.
Bridesmaids (2011) While we’ve finally graduated from high school, the struggle isn’t over yet. Bridesmaids introduces us to Annie, who’s stuck in a routine of self-sabotage, while everyone around her is moving forward. Life is full of ups and downs and it’s easy to fall into a pattern of self-pity and even jealousy of others, but it’s important to remember that we choose our perspective on those problems; only we are responsible for ourselves.
By no means is this list the be-all-end-all of great romantic comedies, but now you have some great suggestions for the next time you’re scrolling around on Netflix!