Romantic comedies are often criticised for being cheesy and unrealistic, and many often deem them guilty pleasures rather than recognising them for the enjoyable genre that they are. Even if the movie is of objectively bad quality, watching one can still provide a sense of comfort and an escape from reality like nothing else.
Although this may or may not have started as an excuse for me to watch 25 chick flicks, it quickly became a form of mild torture when I reached the cinematic horrors that are ‘Tall Girl’, ‘After’ and ‘Sierra Burgess is a Loser’. So that you don’t have to suffer as I did, I have summarised the pros and cons of every beloved (or not) romantic comedy below.
Clueless
Not sure if this is incest?
“You’re a virgin who can’t drive” will go down in history
They really skim over the part where Cher is robbed at gunpoint like its nothing.
Cher’s closet is what 2000s dreams are made of.
The Kissing Booth
The 2 minute montage of Elle slowly jogging in the rain while a voiceover of her thoughts plays is so strange. I did not need to sit through that.
Nobody who worked on this movie has seen the inside of an actual school for at least a few decades.
In what world does Noah get into Harvard? I genuinely doubt he can read.
The only positive is that Jacob Elordi is in this. But even he hates this film so make of that what you will.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 days
Whoever decided that the main characters should be called Andie Anderson and Benjamin Barry did not care about their job enough. Those names sound like they walked right out of a math question.
You can’t spell Kate Hudson without ‘ate’.
Bend It Like Beckham
When Jess gets a racial slur shouted at her and Joe turns around and says ‘I get it, Im Irish’… ended racism.
The love interest was so forced… I genuinely forgot he existed. Great movie, just not a romantic comedy.
“Lesbian? I thought she was a Pisces!”
13 Going on 30
The message we should all take away from this movie is that 2000s Mark Ruffallo is perfect.
The scene of Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo doing the Thriller dance is adorable.
Classic friends to lovers trope.
First Daughter
Eleanor Waldorf is the First Lady and Batman/Beetlejuice is the president.
The plot twist took my breath away.
Honestly she should have known when her classmate looked like a 40 year old.
They never mentioned what political party her dad was in… he played the villain in Spiderman so he just gives me mass murderer vibes in general.
10 Things I Hate About You
Christopher Nolan saw Heath Ledger singing and dancing down those steps and decided he was going to be the Joker.
Kat hates everyone, likes Sylvia Plath and fell in love with Heath Ledger. So relatable.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt features <3
But mostly I hate the way I don’t hate this movie. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.
She’s the Man
Another Shakespeare adaptation, there can never be enough.
Olivia fell in love with Viola in a wig, but when Viola took it off and introduced her twin brother Olivia just accepted it and kissed him?
Amanda Bynes played a guy so well that she gave herself gender dysphoria.
Amanda Bynes could do ‘The Twelfth Night’ but Shakespeare couldn’t do ‘She’s the Man’.
Mamma Mia
Maybe the real dad is the friends we made along the way? It still bothers me that there was never an official reveal of the dad. I know that it’s not the point, but still.
Another Amanda Seyfried classic.
Heaven is living on a Greek Island and singing ABBA songs
The drama of the Voulez-Vous scene can never be topped: all 3 dads realise they’re Sophie’s dad, Sophie panics, Donna runs away from Sam while dancing, men drop from the roofs on ropes all while everyone dances in a circle and yells VOULEZ-VOOOOUS at Sophie until she faints.
Meryl Streep is the mother of cinema.
Crazy Rich Asians
Rom-coms died when the 2000s ended, but this movie single-handedly revived the genre.
Astrid is the original girlboss. “It’s not my job to make you feel like a man. I cant make you something you’re not”.
The only public proposal that will ever be cute.
10/10 rewatchabilty: every time I’m on a plane I watch this again.
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
If British people have no culture explain this?
Justice for Slaggy Lindsay (yes, that is her actual name); she got spied on while she was changing, slut shamed, got her man stolen, party ruined and her clothes taken off on stage with an audience. For what? Being pretty and popular?
Representative of the bad outfits we all wore when we were 14.
Ultraviolet by The Stiff Dylans is on 3 of my playlists. What a banger.
Legally Blonde
“What, like it’s hard?” > the Godfather Trilogy
This is set in the early 2000s, so Elle Woods was at Harvard at the same time as Mark Zuckerberg. Can you believe that Mark was lucky enough to be in the presence of one of the greatest minds of our generation. So jealous.
Unironically, Elle Woods is a feminist icon.
Wild Child
“You shake the hand of the Head Girl, out of respect.”
That dye job and haircut was criminal. It looked noticeably worse than the blonde.
This was exactly what I expected going into boarding school…from the fake phones to the hardcore sport.
The Other Woman
Nicki Minaj feature
The original girl’s girls.
The acting was questionable…
Trigger warning: poo
The Duff
Single-handedly set back feminism by 20 years.
Bella Thorne jumpscare.
The lead is neither fat nor ugly… just because the love interest looks like a gigachad doesn’t mean he can be the worst person ever.
Set It Up
The leads have great chemistry, which is surprisingly rare.
I forgot Pete Davidson was in this… why is he the gay best friend? Loved it but a bit random.
Enemies/rivals to lovers and every trope ever.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before
An actually good YA book adaption, never thought I’d see the day.
Cute
King Bach is in this… get him off my screen
I can’t look at Noah Centineo without thinking of those Snapchats. If you don’t know what I’m talking about consider yourself lucky.
Sierra Burgess is a Loser
I rarely hate the main character … but this one deserves jail time
The movie really glosses over how she sexually assaulted that guy
How is catfishing romantic?
Sometimes people (Sierra) have no friends for a reason
“I’m not like other girls” SHUT UP
Tall Girl
How did this get a sequel?
I’m glad that a marginalised group like tall white girls is finally getting some empathy. Don’t suffer in silence queens – I’d say keep ur chin up but I don’t think the ceiling is high enough.
That homecoming outfit is the equivalent of a war crime to me.
Size 13 Nikes
Sabrina Carpenter, I love you!
Someone Great
Arguably the best movie to ever exist.
I became a fan when Supercut by Lorde started playing 3 minutes in.
The whole soundtrack is just a masterpiece.
The script seems like it was written by Buzzfeed *derogatory*.
After
For those of you who aren’t aware, this was adapted from a One Direction fanfic. Hardin is allegedly Harry Styles (allegedly due to copyright issues), which makes this movie even more worrying.
All of Tessa’s outfits scream Mormon
Riverdale vibes
S(he) be(lie)ve(d)
The actor who plays Hardin is actually British, so how come his accent was so horrific?
If I was Harry Styles I would sue the author, Anna Todd, into oblivion. And then make her pay for my therapist.
Easy A
Stanley Tucci is too powerful. Please adopt me.
“If God wanted him to graduate, God would have given him the right answers!”
I’m choosing to ignore the mild homophobia for my peace of mind
Joe Goldberg, what are you doing here?
The Holiday
Christmas classic
Jude Law says “I’ve got the girls for new Year” but who else would have had custody? Their dead mother?
Cameron Diaz yelling Mr Brightside was so real.
Jude Law. That’s it.
Jack Black’s character was so cringe… needed more of Jude Law and less of him.
50 First Dates
Adam Sandler’s dedication to only co-starring with the most beautiful 20 year olds is truly inspiring.
Literally the same as any other Adam Sandler rom-com. He’s made the same movie 10+ times.
Not a rom-com, but honourable mention:
Mean Girls
A cult classic.
The reveal of Regina putting her own picture in the Burn Book – biggest plot twist of all time, jaws across the world dropped.
Anyone who doesn’t recognise the impact this movie has had on cinema needs to grow up.
Karen Smith lives in a bubble of peace we can only dream of reaching
Regina has posters of the The Strokes up in her bedroom – celebrities, they’re just like us.
