My Fave Five Romantic Comedy Films

Hello, friends! And happy Valentine’s Day!

Today is a day of expression. Today is a day of love. Today is a day of romance. When it comes to romantic films, they aren’t usually my cup of tea. However, if you combine romance in a movie with my favorite genre, comedy, well then I’m a little more likely to check that movie out. Over the years, there have been some pretty fantastic romantic comedies, particularly from directors like Gary Marshall, Nora Ephron, and Judd Apatow. I’ll admit that my experience with romantic comedies is pretty limited, not extending much before my lifetime, so all the entries on this list are fairly recent. However, I still believe you will find these to be some pretty solid selections. So without any more delay, here are my five favorite romantic comedy films.

5) Hitch

Of all the films on this list of romantic comedies, Hitch is the closest to being a pure romance film. It’s entertaining to watch Hitch, a man who has helped dozens of men find love and relationships, struggle to take the advice he so often hands out. The charismatic Will Smith has magnificent chemistry with Eva Mendes, who plays his love interest, as well as Kevin James, Hitch’s lovable insecure client. While Smith does much of the comedic heavy lifting, James provides a lot of laughs in classic James fashion. There is plenty of heart to be found in this film which is why I find myself continuously coming back to it.

4) She’s Out of My League

Jay Baruchel is the embodiment of awkwardness and my spirit animal. When his character, Kirk, meets Molly, a woman he perceives to be “out of his league,” he begins overthinking and gets in his own head. I feel that. As much as I like Baruchel, the supporting cast is top notch in this film as well. With actors and actresses like TJ Miller, Nate Torrence, Kyle Bornheimer, Krysten Ritter, Debra Jo Rupp, Geoff Stults, and Hayes MacArthur, there are laughs aplenty. While some of those names might stand out, their faces surely will. She’s Out of My League gives hope to those of us who might be a little socially awkward that there is someone out there for everyone.

3) When Harry Met Sally…

When Harry Met Sally… is the oldest film on this list and one of my more recent watches, having first seen it just three years ago. Immediately I understood why it is hailed as a rom-com classic. Vital to any romantic comedy is the chemistry between the two leads and Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have this in spades. Their bantering feels natural and their improved story during the couples’ stories segments sounds too real to be improvised. What makes this film stand out among other romantic comedies is that it’s story doesn’t follow the same pattern as most similar films, which is refreshing when most films in the genre have a very predictable and similar template. And who can forget that diner scene? I’ll have what she’s having.

2) The 40-Year-Old Virgin

Judd Apatow has had several big hits, especially during the 2000s, but The 40-Year-Old Virgin stands out above the rest. Steve Carell is simply charming as the titular 40-year-old. Carell’s unique brand of humor mixed with Apatow’s signature style make a perfect pairing. Every scene is memorable. Catherine Keener is every bit as sweet and charming as an Ebay saleswoman as you’d expect. Together Carell and Keener with Apatow’s direction, give performances that are heartfelt and delightful. Like I’ve commented on about other films on this list, the supporting cast helps make the film. Actors like Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, and Seth Rogan make it so Carell and Keener don’t have to carry the film alone, making every minute enjoyable and memorable, a true mark of an instant classic.

1) Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Everyone who has been through a break up knows the heartbreak that often accompanies it. Sometimes you just have to get away to move on. Unfortunately for Peter, he decides that place was Hawaii, where he and his ex-girlfriend Sarah had talked about visiting together. Surprise surprise, he runs into Sarah in Hawaii. Jason Segel is an amazing choice to play the deadpan Peter, which I guess makes sense given the film was written by Segel. Opposite him is Kristen Bell who, in my eyes, is fantastic in everything she does. Throw in the likes of Russell Brand, Mila Kunis, Jonah Hill, and Jack McBrayer and you have a rom-com all-star cast. Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the perfect storm of cast, writing, and directing, offering the perfect mix of comedy and romance in a romantic comedy.

---

My honorable mentions are Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Yes Man, Home Again, There’s Something About Mary, and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

What are some of your favorite romantic comedy films?

Until next time, cheers!

Movie Quote of the Week – 2/17/17

Answer to MWL 2/15/17: Harry (Billy Crystal) – When Harry Met Sally…

Sally: I’m sorry, Harry. I know it’s New Year’s Eve. I know you’re feeling lonely but you just can’t show up here, tell me you love me and expect that to make everything all right. It doesn’t work this way!
Harry: Well how does it work?
Sally: I don’t know but not this way?
Harry: Then how about this way: I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend a day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.
Sally: You see? That is just like you, Harry! You say things like that and you make it impossible for me to hate you.

Thanks for everyone’s submissions and 500 points to the following people for answering correctly:

Charlene (Charlene’s (Mostly) Classic Movie Reviews)
Jackie
Catherine (Thoughts All Sorts)
Rob (Movierob)
That Other Critic (That Other Critic)

Lightning Review: When Harry Met Sally…

Synopsis
Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) have known each other for years and are very close friends. They want to move their relationship forward but fear that sex would ruin their friendship.

Review
When Harry Met Sally… is a widely beloved romantic comedy, and it isn’t hard to see why. Being one who doesn’t watch a lot of romance films, I found myself thoroughly enjoying this movie. A big part of that is the chemistry between the two leads, Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. Their conversations and their back-and-forth feels smooth and natural. It’d be easy to forget you weren’t watching a movie but two actual, long-time friends bantering. Of course, this feeling of comfortability would not be possible without the well-written script by Nora Ephron and crisp directing by Rob Reiner. Together, they have managed to make what is essentially a ninety-minute Seinfeld episode. If you think about it, this movie is about nothing. The simplicity is ingenious, which might be what I like best about it. There is no, conflict. There is no big hurdle Harry and Sally need to overcome. This is a movie about a man and a woman being platonic friends. The whole sex-ruining-the-friendship part is a driving force for the story but it is only brought up sporadically and doesn’t significantly impact it until the end.

I thought When Harry Met Sally… was GREAT 😀 The leads, the directing, and the script dovetail harmoniously to create a simple yet touching story. This truly sets a standard for romantic comedies that many films are still trying to touch today.

Trivia
The stories told by the couples during special segments throughout the film were real stories, collected by Rob Reiner for the film.  Harry and Sally’s segment was completely improvised by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.

Favorite Scene

Trailer

Cast & Crew
Rob Reiner – Director
Nora Ephron – Writer

Billy Crystal – Harry Burns
Meg Ryan – Sally Albright
Carrie Fisher – Marie
Bruno Kirby – Jess
Steven Ford – Joe
Lisa Jane Persky – Alice
Michelle Nicastro – Amanda

When Harry Met Sally by Life of This City Girl – Ultimate 80s Blogathon

Welcome to the penultimate review from our guests for the Ultimate 80s Blogathon! Today, Natasha from Life of This City Girl takes a look at the romantic comedy classic When Harry Met Sally.  Natasha writes reviews for all kinds of movies and TV series, as well as participates in the blindspot series and 100 Happy Days, plus much more. There is a lot going on at her site so go give it a look if you don’t follow her already.  But for now, let’s look at her thoughts on When Harry Met Sally.

---

Plot: Harry and Sally have known each other for years, and are very good friends, but they fear sex would ruin the friendship

Rating: 8.5/10

Goodness! I am so happy that Kim and Drew got this idea – it made me actually sit down and watch this movie, something that I’ve been meaning to get to for ages. I am so glad that I did. I had an absolutely fantastic time. I’m going to confess that I deviated just a tiny bit from the rules here (sorry guys!) and watched this for the first time for the blogathon. But what a great idea from myself if I say so – the modesty! – because When Harry Met Sally is going to go into my ever changing list of romantic comedies that are very worth watching.

Let’s first say this – When Harry Met Sally is so very 80s. The hairstyles, the absolutely horrendous clothing. It was obviously a time when female independence was associated with dressing really ugly, and I am very happy that we are now in a time where you can be independent and dress in nice clothes. Meg Ryan’s hair though. It gave me such life. I do wish we could still be okay with walking around with bed hair every day without caring. It would have been so amazing!

The dialogue is witty and sharp. That counts really in the favour of any film, and here it is no different. Billy Crystal is Harry, the slightly cynical man who starts out with questionable morals but as age works its’ magic he too becomes a grown-up and slightly scarred by life. Meg, as you’ve correctly guessed, is Sally, the OTT girl who should be really annoying but still remains charming (got to love the rom-coms for that!) They naturally start out hating each other and after the expected friendship drama strikes through impetuous hormones and the two realize they love each other.

Why does this work so well? If you throw in a witty dialogue, two actors who are both attractive and have chemistry and manage to tell a story without whining on and on about it, you generally have a great chance of making a movie that is worth watching. When Harry Met Sally has all of this and a real feel-good factor to it. It asks the valid question of whether men and women can actually be platonic friends (I believe they can!) and while the movie eventually points out that it leads to marriage, which is dramatic to say the very least and certainly not what I think, I loved the theme and the execution of it. If you haven’t managed to see this yet, I suggest that you try it out. Totally worth the watch!

Thanks Kim and Drew! This is such a good idea and was such fun doing it 🙂