Valentine’s day is quickly approaching, and with more time indoors than ever and the unprecedented amount of breakups caused by the pandemic, you may need some company to fuel you through this three day weekend. Here’s a list of the best romantic comedies to watch and where to stream them.
10 Things I Hate About You (Disney +)
Who doesn’t love a young Heath Ledger serenading a soccer field with Fanki Valli? The 1999 classic based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew follows Kat, aggressively skeptical of love, as she is whisked off her feet by the charming Patrick Verona.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (Hulu)
The first of a trilogy (the other two are worth skipping) follows Bridget Jones (Renee Zelwegger) as she decides to take control of her life and keep a diary. It features a very young (and very cute) Colin Firth and Hugh Grant as Bridget gets caught up in a whirlwind love triangle, and a perfect “kiss in the rain” scene.
Trainwreck (Hulu)
This film stars the hilarious Amy Schumer and Bill Hader in an unexpected romance that unfolds over the course of an interview for a magazine. This witty comedy packs a powerful punch about the importance of love and vulnerability as it follows the “trainwreck” that is Amy and her (failed) quest to fervently avoid monogamy.
Jerry Maguire (Amazon)
Sports agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) poaches former assistant Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) and from there unfolds an unlikely tale of a big shot agent falling for a humble single mother and her adorable young son. This movie has many memorable lines (from “show me the money!” to “did you know the human head weighs 8 pounds?”) and a heart wrenching final monologue from Hollywood’s favorite Scientologist.
Before Sunrise trilogy (HBO Max)
After a chance encounter on a train leads to spontaneous night in Vienna, Before Sunrise will make you fall in love with love. The nuanced performances and clever writing provide the perfect amount of escapism to a better, less isolated time. And oh what I would give to stroll along the river with a young Ethan Hawke.
13 Going on 30 (HBO)
Who doesn’t want to be thirty, flirty, and thriving? This movie will remind you that the joys of youth don’t have to go away once we grow up, plus it has a pretty great dance number to “Thriller.”
Crazy Rich Asians (HBO)
I think we all remember the collective (and justified) craze when Crazy Rich Asians graced the screens in fall 2018. So why not revisit that and think of the times when we could actually go to the movies?
When Harry Met Sally (HBO)
When Harry Met Sally begs the question, can men and women ever actually be friends? Is Billy Crystal not our typical heartthrob who is absolutely out of Meg Ryan’s league? You bet. But is it also THE romantic comedy that is not worth missing? Sure is.
The Big Sick (Amazon)
This incredible true story about a couple beating the odds of a mysterious illness will leave you feeling uplifted and hopeful that you too could meet your soulmate in a comedy club.
Crazy, Stupid, Love (HBO)
This star-studded cast (Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, to name a few) explores the messy, complicated, stupid parts of love. The plot twist at the end will keep the viewer engaged, but Ryan Gosling’s dreamy recreation of the Dirty Dancing lift is the true selling point of this film.
Silver Linings Playbook (Netflix)
David O Russell’s 2012 film follows Pat (Bradley Cooper) and Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) trying to build their lives after the loss of their respective spouses. The film is witty, poignant, and has a killer dance number at the end. It will make even the greatest cynics believe that true love can be found anywhere.