I consider myself to be somewhat of a romantic comedy, more commonly known as rom-com, connoisseur. I give myself this title because I have seen more rom-coms than the average person has in their lifetime. From cult classics like When Harry Met Sally to newer releases like The Kissing Booth, I have seen them all. However, in recent years, there has been an online debate about how modern-day rom coms do not match up to the classics of the 90s and early 2000s. Although I agree with this statement, I think it’s hard to replicate the nostalgia these older movies bring us when we watch them. With all that being said, I have created a list of what I think are the best rom-coms released in the last 10 years. In my opinion, these movies recreate some of the magic from those early 2000s classics while still giving us new and interesting storylines and perfectly crafted characters to fall in love with.
Little Italy (2018)
Little Italy follows Nikki Angioli, played by Emma Roberts, as she returns to her Canadian hometown after leaving for culinary school in London a couple of years prior. While at home, she reconnects with her childhood best friend Leo, played by Hayden Christensen. She has a job offer awaiting her back in London but being home and seeing a special someone starts to make her question if that is where she truly belongs. Although this isn’t the most tantalizing plot, it’s a cute, humorous rom-com to make you laugh, and that is why I have put Little Italy in my fifth-place spot.
Set It Up (2018)
Harper Moore, played by Zoey Deutch, and Charlie Young, played by Glen Powell, are two very diligent assistants to two very demanding bosses. They have a chance meeting one day and come up with the idea to set their bosses up together as a way for them to be able to work less and have more free time. Through all this meddling, Harper and Charlie start to develop their own relationship, which eventually leads to them getting together at the end of the movie. This is another cute and lighthearted rom-com but with somewhat of a better plot, which is why I placed Set It Up in fourth.
Love, Rosie (2014)
Love, Rosie follows lifelong best friends Rosie Dunne, played by Lily Collins, and Alex Stewart, played by Sam Claflin, and their relationship over the course of 12 years. They both seem to like each other romantically, but so many obstacles intervene and prevent their friendship from developing into something more. As the audience, it’s so frustrating every time they’re about to get together but don’t, but that’s also the best part of the movie. I just love this movie and Love, Rosie rightfully deserves its third-place spot.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Lara Jean writes all her crushes love letters but never actually planned on sending them out. However, one day they accidentally were. This would be mildly embarrassing but totally okay if one of her crushes wasn’t her older sister’s ex-boyfriend. To avoid his awkward line of questioning, Lara Jean gets into a mutually beneficial fake relationship with Peter Kavinsky, another recipient of a love letter, to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. However, as time goes on, Lara Jean realizes her feelings may not be so fake anymore. This movie is a book adaptation and having read the book, I truly do think it does it justice. Sadly, the following two sequels fall flat in comparison, but To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a great movie with two great main characters that have amazing chemistry. This is why it ultimately takes my second-place spot.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu as she travels with her long-time boyfriend, Nick Young, to Singapore to meet his family and attend his best friend’s wedding. The one thing Nick has failed to mention is that he comes from one of the richest families in Singapore and they might not be as welcoming as Rachel had hoped. Crazy Rich Asians is cinematically one of the most beautiful movies I’ve ever seen. Watching this movie, you go through every emotion possible from happiness to sadness to anger. Movies that make you feel something like that are truly the best. I have put this in my first-place spot. This movie is one of the greatest rom-coms, not just of the last 10 years, but of all time.
*Coincidentally, 4 out of 5 of the rom-coms on this list were released in 2018. This was not planned but it obviously means that it was a stellar year for rom-coms.
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