It’s that time of year! Beaches! Vacations! Swimsuits! Sweat, heat, and humidity! But, if by some chance you decide you want to sit inside and chill in the A/C for a little while, here is a list of 10 summer movies that you can enjoy without experiencing swamp ass or boob lagoon!
01. Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
After getting dumped by his famous girlfriend, Sarah Marshall, Peter (Jason Segal) flies to a Hawaii resort to try and get over her. That proves extremely difficult when he runs into Sarah (Kristen Bell) and her new rock star boyfriend (Russell Brand). Fortunately, a beautiful, free-spirited hotel employee (Mila Kunis) helps Peter mend his broken heart. This is a genuinely hilarious rom-com that’s just as much for the guys as it is for the gals.
02. Dirty Dancing (1987)
During the summer of 1963, Baby (Jennifer Grey) and her family spend a week in the Catskills Mountains, where she meets Johnny (Patrick Swayze), the bad boy dance instructor who teaches her some dirty moves. With an iconic soundtrack and some smokin’ hot dance sequences, Dirty Dancing is one of the perfect movies to watch in the summertime.
03. 27 Dresses (2008)
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. That’s Jane (Katherine Heigl) in a nutshell. And her 28th wedding will be for her sister, who is engaged to the man Jane has been in love with for years. Enter journalist Kevin (James Marsden) finds Jane’s story fascinating enough to write about. This movie is beloved in the rom-com community, and it’s worth a watch during wedding season, at least to gag at all of the hideous bridesmaids’ dresses Jane has had to wear over the years.
04. Mamma Mia (2008)
Based on the music of ABBA, Mamma Mia! is about a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) who is desperate to know her dad before she gets married. Enter THREE of her mother’s ex-lovers and three potential fathers. If you love ABBA. romance, exotic locations, and cheesy musicals, this is the one for you. Oh, and it has Meryl Streep, so that’s a bonus, right?
05. Roman Holiday (1953)
Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) is exhausted and bored with her strict daily routine. So, one night, Ann sneaks off into the streets of Rome to experience life the way she has never been able to before. She meets Joe (Gregory Peck), who realizes what a story he has on his hands once he recognizes who she is. What follows is a funny, lively adventure with romance at their fingertips—a genuine classic.
06. Plus One (2019)
With a hectic wedding season on the horizon, two friends (Maya Erskine and Jack Quaid) agree to attend every wedding together to ease the pressure of finding a plus one. This is not your typical rom-com fare, and I guarantee you’ll enjoy this one if you’re a fan of rom-coms like When Harry Met Sally and more realistic romances. Erskine and Quaid shine together.
07. Something Borrowed (2011)
In most romantic comedies, cheating is a no-no. But Something Borrowed isn’t your typical romance. Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) has been in love with Dex (Colin Egglesfield) for a while now. The only problem is he’s engaged to her best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson). When Dex finds out, let’s just say he has some unrequited feelings for Rachel as well. Cue drama!
08. Palm Springs (2020)
Okay, Palm Springs takes place in November. But it takes place IN Palm Springs, so it can still be a summer movie, right? Sarah (Cristin Milioti) attends her sister’s wedding and drunkenly makes out with another guest named Nyles (Andy Samberg). One thing leads to another… and Sarah ends up experiencing Nyles’s bizarre time loop where he relives the wedding day repeatedly. This rom-com was such a blast and a pleasant surprise in 2020 (the year we hope to never speak about again).
09. Midnight in Paris (2011)
Full Disclosure: I do not like Woody Allen. At all. But… Midnight in Paris is really a gem of a movie with a fantastic cast. Visiting Paris with his fiancee, Gil (Owen Wilson) goes for a walk one evening and finds himself in the past, talking to the likes of Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Gil also finds himself drawn to Adriana (Marion Cotillard), a lover of Pablo Picasso.
10. Wimbledon (2004)
What would summer be without a romantic sports comedy? And in the summer, you’ve got baseball, basketball, even hockey. There’s also tennis and every June/July; there’s Wimbledon. So if you want some sports with your romance, check out Wimbledon, starring Paul Bettany as Peter, an aging tennis pro about to retire. As he begins to shock the world (and himself) at the tournament, he also falls for Lizzie (Kirsten Dunst), a younger, talented tennis star.
