Whether it's wine night with the girls or a quiet night solo, I love a good romantic comedy. While there are many classic romantic movies like "The Notebook" that nearly made this list, a recent re-watching made me realize many weren't all that funny and haven't aged well. With these 5 movie choices, I wanted to share my favorite more modern and diversified romantic comedy favorites. Whether you need a good laugh or a good cry, these movies will do the trick!
Set It Up (2018)
This is hands-down one of those movies that I could just watch over and over again happily. In "Set It Up", two assistants working in the same building team up to get their bosses together by doing what assistants do best: managing their bosses' lives. Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell play the two overworked ambitious assistants for their demanding bosses Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs-both iconic duos in their own ways. I personally love this movie because it fulfills my dream of falling in love as an exhausted assistant in New York City, and Pete Davidson has a supporting role as Powell's roommate.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
"When Harry Met Sally" is an absolute classic and rightfully so. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star at first as "friends-of-friends" reluctantly sharing a car ride from Chicago to New York, but over the years and through life events they become incredible friends. This movie explores the curious question: "Can men and women truly just be friends?". Crystal and Ryan's chemistry will make you root for them throughout the film with their memorable quirks and love.
One Day (2011)
"One Day" is like the more modern version of "When Harry Met Sally" of bringing two seemingly opposite people together. "One Day" stars Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess as two students brought together by the celebration of their college graduation. Though they couldn't be more different people, her an idealist and him a playboy, they begin a friendship spanning the next 20 years where every July 15th they meet again to revisit their friendship.
The Big Sick (2017)
Starring comedian, Kumail Nanjiani, and Zoe Kazan, "The Big Sick" is based on the true story of how Nanjiani met his wife. Kumail meets Emily (Kazan) at one of his stand-up shows where their relationship begins, but the relationship is found to be unsustainable because of Kumail's concern for his parents' traditional Pakistani values. While wrestling with his family's beliefs on marriage and relationships, Kazan falls ill and into a coma. While awaiting Emily to wake again, Kumail finds an unlikely friendship with her concerned parents. This movie already has so much depth with the focus on Emily's illness, but the addition of Kumail's cultural struggle with his family's perspective on relationships and love really adds to the versatility of "The Big Sick".
(500) Days Of Summer (2009)
"(500) Days of Summer" is hailed a great romantic comedy for the quirkiness of its protagonists, but it made my list because of how the protagonists must reflect on their perceptions of love. Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star as a young couple of Summer and Tom, she a disbeliever in love and him a hopeless romantic. When she suddenly breaks it off with him, Tom finds himself again through reflection on the 500 days in which their relationship lasted. Past all the general hype this movie received, I loved the theme of reflection and growth portrayed by the characters. The emphasis on finding happiness and peace after a hard break-up is a lesson we can all use in our real lives.
