In honour of Valentine’s Day (a holiday I personally use to justify eating lots of chocolate), I have compiled a list of five of the best traditional and not-so-traditional rom-coms. Now, this may be a little biased based on what I’ve enjoyed as an avid rom-com fan, but I promise these are worth watching!
- Girls Trip (2017)
Yes, this isn’t the rom-com you had in mind but instead of romantic love (which some of the characters do find), Girls Trip centers on the platonic love of female friendship. The star-studded cast includes Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah and Jada Smith. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like a group I’d want to spend Valentine’s Day with. The chemistry between these women is contagious, and there are laughs in almost every scene. Even though there are some serious plotlines (such as infertility and adultery), this movie is an example of lasting friends who nourish us at every stage in life and encourage us to let go and be wild once in a while!
- How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days is arguably one of the best and most iconic rom-coms of all time. I said what I said! This is a classic, lighthearted romantic comedy that chronicles the life of a dating advice writer Andie (Kate Hudson). On her mission to write a begrudged piece on “How to find and lose a guy in 10 days,” she starts looking for a man to use in her experiment. Things begin to shift when Andie meets Ben (Matthew McConaughey), who is also conducting an experiment of his own that he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days.
- Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel with the same name, the plot tells the story of Rachel (Constance Wu), a Chinese-American professor who visits Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family and is shocked to learn that they are among Singapore’s wealthiest. You could never tell that Henry Golding, the male lead, had no prior acting experience because this movie was seamless. I personally love it because it’s the perfect balance of being flashy and over the top, but still grounded. The secondary characters actually have a plotline and aren’t just used as a device to service the main characters, which is always a bonus to see.
- How To Be Single (2016)
Dakota Johnson, who plays Alice, is an awkward twentysomething who has never understand what it is like to be independent of her parents and long-term boyfriend Josh (Nicholas Braun). Moving to NYC was the breath of fresh air she needed as she meets Robin (Rebel Wilson) who teaches her how to get free drinks, talk to men and enjoy her singledom. This film is a treat for the ladies who are always looking for “the one” and never get a break from having a partner. It shows us how to love ourselves and be entirely happy with ourselves. With all of the various characters and their views on love, the movie effectively conveys the idea that “love comes when you’re not looking.”
- Set It Up (2018)
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell’s genuine friendship off-screen made for an incredible on-screen bond between Deutch’s Harper and Powell’s Charlie. The story follows the two assistants who are being troubled by their respective bosses, Lucy Lui and Taye Diggs. Of course, while Harper and Charlie are trying to set their bosses up together, they end up falling in love. This office romance is sneaky, cheesy (just the right amount) and raunchy, and if that hasn’t sold you, it also has Pete Davidson.