It is officially cuffing season and whether you’re looking to get cuffed, are cuffed, or are happily not buying into this societal construct, you’re going to want some good romantic comedies to get through it! So, grab your partner, a group of friends, or a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and curl up in front of your laptop!
“LOL”
This movie is an American version of a French film by the same name. It stars Miley Cyrus pre-VMAs and Demi Moore pre-finalized divorce from Aston Kutcher. Both are great and authentic in this coming of age film. Miley’s Lola finds herself trapped in a romantic tangle of feelings about her best friend and her ex. The film deals with these topics of sex and love in an awkward but considerate way instead of being creepy. And of course, they travel to Paris and everything gets worked out. Also, the fake band Douglas Booth’s character is in is pretty good.
“What a Girl Wants”
This movie showcases Amanda Bynes during the height of her career and has a nice role for Colin Firth as an aristocratic absentee dad. Bynes’ character is searching for her father who just happens to be a rich Lord in modern-day England hoping to make a splash in the House of Lords. There’s picturesque scenes of modern London and fancy houses and gowns. And conveniently, Bynes finds a cute musician who rides a motorcycle and goes on dates with him that include nice boat rides. And there’s a second layer of potential romance between Firth and Kelly Preston, the mother of Bynes’ character. On a deeper level, this movie is about characters challenging others’ expectations of them. The end is very sappy all around.
“How to Be Single”
Just the title alone is perfect for the season. This film stars Dakota Johnson as a recently single woman in New York and Rebel Wilson (a scene stealer if you ask me) as a master of being single who takes Johnson under her wing. Johnson’s character has awkward run-ins with guys in bars and her ex in and around New York (you’d think the city was the size of Ann Arbor). And beyond the comedy and the cute hook-ups, it shows us that we are made up of conflicting goals about love and what we want in others. Very introspective underneath the theme of “small town girls in New York looking for love.” Also, sidenote, Jake Lacy is a cute, young 20-something whose ideal career is to be a supportive stay-at-home dad because it is the 21stst century people!
“Hitch”
This season really makes singles pessimistic so this movie is perfect. Will Smith is a charismatic “Date Doctor” helping nice guys get the confidence to talk to women who are way out of their league. Along the way, he converts a pessimist that romance isn’t dead and that sometimes you find people who are genuinely interested in being with you. There are so many sweet moments in this movie and you’re going to want to eat a whole pizza under a snuggly blanket while watching it.
“John Tucker Must Die”
This is the type of movie you watch with your amazing group of girls while you’re all wearing face masks drinking rosé. There are so many hidden gems of actors in this movie. Dan Humphry (Penn Badgley) makes a cameo (though I’ll never forgive him, GG fans know) and Chloe from Pitch Perfect (Brittney Snow) is the dorky girl who gets a makeover in order to take down the hottest f***boy at school, John Tucker. There are many hilarious moments, but the best has to be when a grown man scales a building in a thong. In the end, we learn that honesty is necessary for keeping relationships and having supportive girlfriends who will tear down your ex for you is a goal we should all strive for.
“The Duff”
This film is based on a book by the same name, but the book is PG-13/R. Would recommend you check that out too. The movie is pretty tame, but the Wesley Rush/Bianca relationship is still incredibly adorable. In particular, the mall scene is my favorite because I identify with it on so many levels. This movie is really about someone who feels like they don’t fit in broadly with the track that other people are on in their relationships. For the person who gains enough confidence to ask someone out, only to be misled. Afterwards, you’ll all be trying to figure out who the “D.U.F.F.” is, but if you have the right friends, you’ll end up laughing it off because you’re all spectacular in your own ways!
“Just Wright”
Common and Queen Latifah? Yes please. Girl Next Door has an amazing career and steals the guy from the mean girl? Again, yes please. Queen Latifah is always turned down by guys who see her as just a “friend” while all the typically, beautiful women she’s with seem to end up happy. Then she takes a job as a PT for a basketball star, fixes him up, and makes all the right jokes. She owns her independence and doesn’t wait for him to make up his damn mind. Confidence is key and there’s no one better to represent that then Queen Latifah.
“Beastly”
Okay, one Alex Pettyfer is GD gorgeous even with tattoos and cuts all over and is a great pick-me-up. Two, the plot is a stretch I know, but just ignore it for the point of the rom-com. Vanessa Hudgens is the hopeless romantic inside all of us. And Alex is the awkward, self-conscious part that needs to accept himself before he can love someone else. I laughed, I cried, I found myself wanting to build a green house full of roses. And, everyone got what they rightfully deserved ;)
“Princess Diaries 2”
Chris Pine, Chris Pine, Chris Pine! Honestly, he could try and steal my throne any day. We all loved the first Princess Diaries, but in my opinion the sequel is so much better. Mia has to find a husband because The Patriarchy and Julie Andrews just wants to retire from collecting chickens from the plebs of Genovia. Chris Pine is so mischievous and Anne Hathaway is all of us when we’re so fed up with our significant others that we just want to eat a whole pint of ice cream. Not only is it a rom-com, but it’s also a great movie to inspire you to be empowered to challenge social norms. Also, her closet is amazing and I would want to hide in it, too.
“The Proposal”
Put Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock opposite each other and flip the gender roles and you’ve got me hooked. Not only are they a great comedy duo, but Betty freakin’ White is in it. I really want to be as witty as her when I’m past ninety. There’s romantic misunderstandings, Reynold’s a**, and the perfect “get the girl” moment at the end. Who else would you want to be cuffed to in the Alaskan wilderness? Also, I highly recommend watching the scenes during the credits because their dry humor is amazing and I can’t get enough of it.
“That Awkward Moment”
Just three bro-tatoes trying to support each other and avoid getting cuffed. Zac Efron’s beard should be enough to make you keep watching, but if you need more info, Michael B. Jordan’s abs should help you out. All three guys are hilarious together with their hyper-masculine jokes, hiding the fact that they do want to settle down eventually – just with the right chick who can drink Scotch and own them in COD. This is the bro film every dude could stand to watch and the rom-com that every girl will watch even if they have to endure a couple d*** jokes (they’re all hilarious). And each story is wrapped up in a nice bow at the end because, after all, love is what drives you to sit out in the cold for the right one.
Images courtesy of: Giphy and PS I Love You