Four Rom-Coms To Watch This Valentine's Day

By Danielle Wirsansky on February 12, 2018

Everyone likes to celebrate a holiday in their own way, and Valentine’s Day is no different! Whether you are single, in a relationship, or something more complicated like that, there are so many different rituals you can partake in to acknowledge the day. One steadfast tradition on Valentine’s Day is to watch a rom-com (or romantic comedy) movie. They give you light romance and comedy, something that appeals to most everyone.

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Guardian writer, Mariella Frostrup, captures why romantic comedies are so popular, explaining, “Romantic comedies seem to take over where the fairytales of childhood left off, feeding our dreams of a soulmate; though sadly the Hollywood endings prove quite elusive in the real world.”

But there are literally thousands of rom-coms to choose between, and should you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day watching a rom-com or two, how ever will you choose? The choice is rather overwhelming. Do not let yourself be bogged down by all your options and allow us to make a recommendation or two… or four! Read on to learn my top four rom-coms to watch this Valentine’s Day! From silly to serious to straight-up hilarious, these movies have got you covered.

“How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days”

This film was released in 2003, and though critics only gave it a 42% on Rotten Tomatoes, audiences gave it overall a 77%, which is not too shabby! Starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey, it is based after a self-help relationship book by the same name.

Its official synopsis is such: “An advice columnist, Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), tries pushing the boundaries of what she can write about in her new piece about how to get a man to leave you in 10 days. Her editor, Lana (Bebe Neuwirth), loves it, and Andie goes off to find a man she can use for the experiment. Enter executive Ben Berry (Matthew McConaughey), who is so confident in his romantic prowess that he thinks he can make any woman fall in love with him in 10 days. When Andie and Ben meet, their plans backfire.”

With a silly premise but an all-star cast, it is the kind of movie fluff you can watch just to enjoy for how unrealistic it actually is.

“Pretty Woman”

“Pretty Woman” is a little bit more of a throwback movie, and if you have not seen it, you definitely should as it is considered a classic of American cinema. Released in 1990, it stars Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, one of the most iconic romantic pairings in cinema. They have since made several movies together, including “The Runaway Bride.” It was also directed by celebrated Director Garry Marshall. Julia Roberts even won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her turn in the role—this story is even being turned into a musical right now!

The official synopsis is as follows: “In this modern update on Cinderella, a prostitute and a wealthy businessman fall hard for one another, forming an unlikely pair. While on a business trip in L.A., Edward (Richard Gere), who makes a living buying and breaking up companies, picks up a hooker, Vivian (Julia Roberts), on a lark. After Edward hires Vivian to stay with him for the weekend, the two get closer, only to discover there are significant hurdles to overcome as they try to bridge the gap between their very different worlds.”

The film had the highest number of ticket sales in the U.S. ever for a romantic comedy, only just ahead of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” the next film on our list!

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“My Big Fat Greek Wedding”

Considered a sleeper hit, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of all time, though it never reached number one at the box office during its release in 2002. It is also considered one of the top romantic films of the 21st century, so if you have not seen it, you should definitely give it a chance!

Check out the official summary of the movie: “Everyone in the Portokalos family worries about Toula (Nia Vardalos). Still unmarried at 30 years old, she works at Dancing Zorba’s, the Greek restaurant owned by her parents, Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan). After taking a job at her aunt’s travel agency, she falls in love with Ian Miller (John Corbett), a teacher who is tall, handsome and definitely not Greek. Toula isn’t sure which will be more upsetting to her father, that Ian is a foreigner or that he’s a vegetarian.”

If you enjoy the film, you may also consider checking its sequel, which was was released 14 years later in 2016, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.” It follows Ian and Toula (and Toula’s family) as they try to raise their daughter.

“The Princess Bride”

Another oldie but goodie is ”The Princess Bride!” This movie was released in 1987 and quickly became a cult classic.  The film has many credits, including being listed as #88 on The American Film Institute’s list of the 100 greatest film love stories. Recently in 2016, the film was inducted into the National Film Registry, being deemed as “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” It has even earned itself a 97% review from Rotten Tomatoes!

The official synopsis describes the moves as “A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her. They must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other. Based on the William Goldman novel ‘The Princess Bride’ which earned its own loyal audience.”
If you have not seen this cult classic, definitely add it to your list. You do not want to miss out on what many consider to be the best romance AND best comedy movie of the last century.

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