Check. Check. Check annnnnd check. Heartily endorse all of these choices! Although I’m not the biggest fan of JRo, she is a delight in those roles, especially as the pseudo-version of her famous movie star self in Notting Hill.
(BTW, every time I read your Substack, I think to myself, to paraphrase Will’s goofy sister Honey to Anna Scott: “I absolutely adore you and I genuinely believe and have believed for some time now that we can be best friends.”)
While this list is perfection, I’d also give a nod to Sandra Bullock’s romcom masterpieces, While You Were Sleeping and Two Weeks’ Notice, aka her Likeable Lucy double header.
I adore you back!! And that is such a great quote in a movie filled with them. I LOVE those two Sandy films. And Bill Pullman was so unexpected and lovely as a leading man.
My Best Friend's Wedding is definitely in my top 3 rom-coms of all time, followed by The Wedding Planner and Down with Love with Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger—probably watched it so many times I wore out the DVD!
Also: can we please dedicate a post to all of Hugh Grant's contributions to this genre? I know Notting Hill is the fan fave, but there are so many other underrated works: About a Boy, Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics.
YES. I would love to do that post. And you just reminded me that I need to rewatch Music and Lyrics, which never got its due in the best-of romcom canon! I miss Renee Zellweger in romcoms too. So many great performances, including in Jerry Maguire.
It really didn't get its due, I feel like the timing was too late! The premise of Drew Barrymore being a college dropout was a little implausible but Hugh Grant's hip rolls made up for it.
Speaking of Drew Barrymore, I need to edit my best-of romcom list to include The Wedding Singer. (Can you tell I'm into movies with a strong musical/nostalgia component?)
Great list -- I was very happy to see the love for LONG SHOT! A question for the expert -- did you see NO HARD FEELINGS last summer and would you consider it a romcom? I thought it was hilarious but thought it didn't qualify as a romcom since the "rom" is basically a ruse.
Yes!!! Lots of shared love for Long Shot on here! Re: No Hard Feelings, it is NOT a romcom, you're absolutely right on that front. I thought it had more in common with Charlize Theron's Young Adult than a romantic comedy. It's a coming-of-age story starring Jennifer Lawrence. (With an excellent Bob Seger soundtrack.)
I really love that Nora Ephron's movies were included as a trifecta. It would be impossible to separate them!
Would love to add honorable mentions for some other recent additions to the romcom canon: Set It Up and I Want You Back.
Not so surprising to me that Shop Around the Corner is set in Budapest since it's based on the Hungarian play Parfumerie that also inspired the delightful musical She Loves Me (also set in Budapest).
She Loves Me is SUBLIME. I saw a charming community theater version last summer; never saw the Broadway revival with Laura Benanti, one of my biggest regrets! Re: Set It Up, what a superb cast. It's rare for a hot, young actor like Glen Powell to accept a romcom role, even with the genre's streaming revival, and I'm glad to see him continuing to star in romcoms post-Top Gun. We'll see how he does in Anyone But You!
I realize you’re young, so prejudiced towards ‘90s-‘00 films, but what’s your opinion of the late ‘50s-early ‘60s rom-coms of Doris Day/Rock Hudson/Cary Grant/James Garner etc? Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, Send Me No Flowers, That Touch of Mink, and the like?
My mother loved those movies and as a young boy would drag me to the theater to see them when my father travelled on business. They were some of the first “adult” movies I saw, followed by “Goldfinger” which remains my all-time favorite Bond movie, but that’s a different story!
Pillow Talk is exceptional and a prime example of the power of a killer screenplay, cast and story - I should add that, but not Goldfinger, to my Honorable Mentions!
Love love Always Be My Maybe (such a hidden gem) and I think the best other modern rom com is maybe Set It Up!! Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell are a perfect duo 🫶
I rewatched Long Shot recently and enjoyed it just as much the second time! That negotiation scene is screamingly funny. I'd love to see Charlize in more romcoms!
Check. Check. Check annnnnd check. Heartily endorse all of these choices! Although I’m not the biggest fan of JRo, she is a delight in those roles, especially as the pseudo-version of her famous movie star self in Notting Hill.
(BTW, every time I read your Substack, I think to myself, to paraphrase Will’s goofy sister Honey to Anna Scott: “I absolutely adore you and I genuinely believe and have believed for some time now that we can be best friends.”)
While this list is perfection, I’d also give a nod to Sandra Bullock’s romcom masterpieces, While You Were Sleeping and Two Weeks’ Notice, aka her Likeable Lucy double header.
I adore you back!! And that is such a great quote in a movie filled with them. I LOVE those two Sandy films. And Bill Pullman was so unexpected and lovely as a leading man.
My Best Friend's Wedding is definitely in my top 3 rom-coms of all time, followed by The Wedding Planner and Down with Love with Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger—probably watched it so many times I wore out the DVD!
Also: can we please dedicate a post to all of Hugh Grant's contributions to this genre? I know Notting Hill is the fan fave, but there are so many other underrated works: About a Boy, Two Weeks Notice, Music and Lyrics.
YES. I would love to do that post. And you just reminded me that I need to rewatch Music and Lyrics, which never got its due in the best-of romcom canon! I miss Renee Zellweger in romcoms too. So many great performances, including in Jerry Maguire.
It really didn't get its due, I feel like the timing was too late! The premise of Drew Barrymore being a college dropout was a little implausible but Hugh Grant's hip rolls made up for it.
Speaking of Drew Barrymore, I need to edit my best-of romcom list to include The Wedding Singer. (Can you tell I'm into movies with a strong musical/nostalgia component?)
Please do!!! I would love to read that.
Fab list worthy of the restack I did! You are a gem, Erin. Find me in your email as I'd love for to write for https://innerlifecollaborative.substack.com
Thank you, Mary!
Great list -- I was very happy to see the love for LONG SHOT! A question for the expert -- did you see NO HARD FEELINGS last summer and would you consider it a romcom? I thought it was hilarious but thought it didn't qualify as a romcom since the "rom" is basically a ruse.
Yes!!! Lots of shared love for Long Shot on here! Re: No Hard Feelings, it is NOT a romcom, you're absolutely right on that front. I thought it had more in common with Charlize Theron's Young Adult than a romantic comedy. It's a coming-of-age story starring Jennifer Lawrence. (With an excellent Bob Seger soundtrack.)
"The Shop Around the Corner" is one of my all-time favorite movies!
It’s incredible and makes me want to go to Budapest. *Sigh*
I really love that Nora Ephron's movies were included as a trifecta. It would be impossible to separate them!
Would love to add honorable mentions for some other recent additions to the romcom canon: Set It Up and I Want You Back.
Not so surprising to me that Shop Around the Corner is set in Budapest since it's based on the Hungarian play Parfumerie that also inspired the delightful musical She Loves Me (also set in Budapest).
She Loves Me is SUBLIME. I saw a charming community theater version last summer; never saw the Broadway revival with Laura Benanti, one of my biggest regrets! Re: Set It Up, what a superb cast. It's rare for a hot, young actor like Glen Powell to accept a romcom role, even with the genre's streaming revival, and I'm glad to see him continuing to star in romcoms post-Top Gun. We'll see how he does in Anyone But You!
Have you watched the proshot of She Loves Me on Broadway HD?
Very curious about Anyone But You!
Ahhhh I need to get Broadway HD! ON IT.
I realize you’re young, so prejudiced towards ‘90s-‘00 films, but what’s your opinion of the late ‘50s-early ‘60s rom-coms of Doris Day/Rock Hudson/Cary Grant/James Garner etc? Pillow Talk, Lover Come Back, Send Me No Flowers, That Touch of Mink, and the like?
My mother loved those movies and as a young boy would drag me to the theater to see them when my father travelled on business. They were some of the first “adult” movies I saw, followed by “Goldfinger” which remains my all-time favorite Bond movie, but that’s a different story!
Pillow Talk is exceptional and a prime example of the power of a killer screenplay, cast and story - I should add that, but not Goldfinger, to my Honorable Mentions!
Love love Always Be My Maybe (such a hidden gem) and I think the best other modern rom com is maybe Set It Up!! Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell are a perfect duo 🫶
CANNOT WAIT to see Glen and Sydney Sweeney in Anyone But You
No worries. Just a shout out for a super romantic one. Plus bonus in Eugene Levy’s character!
Wait, no Serendipity?
Oh, man. Cusack is so great but even he couldn’t save that movie. Look, these lists are subjective! Lots of people love Serendipity.
Perfect list, no notes! (Except a note to myself to rewatch Long Shot, which gave me a surprising new crush on Seth Rogen.)
I’m so glad you enjoyed!! Long Shot made me a Rogen fan for LIFE.
I rewatched Long Shot recently and enjoyed it just as much the second time! That negotiation scene is screamingly funny. I'd love to see Charlize in more romcoms!
An underrated romcom queen!