NOT SURE WHICH FILM TO WATCH?
ELAHE IZADI Here’s a breakdown of the different kinds of romantic comedies out there, with top picks for each category: RAUNCH-COMS There’s a bit of sappiness but also plenty of jokes about genitalia and flatulence. See: There’s Something About Mary (1998); Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008); Trainwreck (2015) BEST FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS Being stuck in the “friend zone” is a tale as old as time. See: When Harry Met Sally (1989); Brown Sugar (2002); Just Friends (2005) SPORTS ROM-COMS All’s fair in love and athletic competitions. See: Fever Pitch (2005); Bend It Like Beckham (2002); Bull Durham (1988) OLD-SCHOOL LITERARY INSPIRATION If someone accuses you of watching a shallow, lowbrow movie, kindly remind them that rom-coms are basically the William Shakespeare plays and Jane Austen novels of today. See: Clueless (1995) (Austen’s Emma); She’s the Man (2006) (Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night) OH GOOD, A WEDDING Nothing like watching two individuals commit themselves to each other forever to get you thinking, “Hey, I’m lonely!” See: My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002); Runaway Bride (1999); Bridesmaids (2011) LOVE TRIANGLES Congratulations, you’ve managed to find two or more human beings whom you’re attracted to and love being around. See: Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001); My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997); Mamma Mia (2008) PREGNANCY Procreation is a classic comedic foible. See: Knocked Up (2007); Nine Months (1995); Fools Rush In (1997) CAN SHE HAVE IT ALL? How do you balance leaning in, climbing ladders and shattering glass ceilings while also being ready to love? See: The Devil Wears Prada (2006); The Proposal (2009) ENSEMBLE Why watch just two people fall in and out of love when you can watch six of them? See: Love Actually (2003); Think Like a Man (2012); He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) TEEN These coming-of-age tales can make you feel nostalgic for a high school experience you never really had. See: 10 Things I Hate About You (1999); Pretty in Pink (1986) OLDER LOVE Oh, look, a full-grown adult with a plethora of life experiences and self-awareness has fallen in love. See: Something’s Gotta Give (2003); It’s Complicated (2009); Grumpy Old Men (1993) CLASSICS Rom-coms existed before the 1980s and they were actually pretty good. See: Pillow Talk (1959); Annie Hall (1977); The Philadelphia Story (1940) ACTION ROM-COMS Guns, car chases and explosions. See: This Means War (2012); The Bounty Hunter (2010)