My Top Ten Rom-Coms of the Decade: Let me preface this article by saying one thing: this list is not a deep, profound piece of movie analysis to tell everyone what the top ten best movies are from this decade. If you want to see a list of my top ten movies from the decade, you can check out that list here at Screenage Wasteland! But even that list was created from the heart and from my love of each movie, regardless of its Rotten Tomatoes score or what the professional critics thought of it. At the end of the decade, I wanted to look back at the movies that stayed with me for whatever reason, and that’s where that list came from. That’s also how this list was created, although I stayed primarily in the rom-com genre because… well, that’s what this blog has been about!
For 2020, I’m considering adding a weekly review for movies that are of the non-romantic comedy genre, but that’s something I’m still sitting on.
In any case, below you’ll find my top ten rom-coms from 2010-2019 (in no particular order).
The Big Sick (2017)
How many romantic comedies would succeed if the leading lady ended up in a medically induced coma for the majority of the movie? I can’t imagine very many… unless, of course, they had a hilarious cast, a clever script, and a skilled director. Thankfully, The Big Sick checks all these boxes, and then some. Based on the real-life courtship of screenwriters Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, The Big Sick deals with two people falling in love despite the cultural clash that threatens to keep them apart. When Emily (Zoe Kazan) falls ill, Kumail finds himself in an awkwardly funny and vulnerable position with Emily’s parents, played by the immensely talented Holly Hunter and Ray Romano. It’s a charming movie, ridiculously funny and sweet.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Netflix has been extremely inconsistent with its original rom-coms as of late. It feels like, for every one that hits the mark, there are three duds to follow. But I keep coming back for more, hoping that Netflix will give me more movies like To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Adapted from Jenny Han’s excellent book, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a teenage romance that finally has some substance, as well as characters with actual personalities. Lara Jean and Peter’s fake relationship will inevitably blossom into something more, but it’s so much fun to watch it happen. I can remember texting my sisters after watching this movie, gushing over how damn adorable it was. I absolutely cannot wait for the sequel, P.S. I Still Love You, which dropped on Netflix in February 2019.
Plus One (2019)
While I enjoyed the trailer when it debuted, I didn’t have very high expectations for Plus One. I adore the friends-to-lovers trope, and it takes place during a hectic wedding season for the two leads, but what else could it possibly give me that I haven’t already seen? Thankfully, Plus One took me by surprise, as did leads Maya Erskine and Jack Quaid. Erskine’s Alice is not your typical leading lady. She’s raunchy and blunt, flawed and vulnerable. Quaid isn’t merely riding on the coattails of his famous parents. He’s very talented and is a likable leading man, even when his character is being a jerk and making really poor choices. It effortlessly juggles several rom-com tropes and breathes new life into many of them, making this a movie I think even those who despise the genre would enjoy.
Before We Go (2014)
When Chris Evans’s directorial debut was released in 2014, critics were not kind. It was not well received at all, and honestly, I had never heard of it before scrolling through Netflix earlier this year to find something new to watch. However, this is a movie (for me) that illustrates why we shouldn’t always avoid films that professional critics dislike. Chris Evans is so affable and warm in this movie, conveying just the right amount of “nice guy” to avoid being downright boring (and creepy). And Alice Eve, whom I’ve never been a big fan of, really won me over with her conflicted, emotional performance. This movie doesn’t depend on any crazy hijinks or outrageous declarations of love. The blossoming romance is so subtle that the ending surprised me with its emotional impact.
Before Midnight (2013)
Why, or why, did it take me so long to watch the Before Trilogy? I have no answers for you. But I’m so glad that I finally did, and honestly, being able to watch all three of them practically back to back for the first time was such a treat. While Before Midnight is not my favorite in the trilogy (that honor still belongs to Before Sunrise), it’s still a magnificent piece of filmmaking. Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy, and Ethan Hawke reunite to demonstrate how a movie centered on communication can captivate an audience. Jesse and Celeste have moved on from the flutter of new and exciting love, nostalgia, and idealism, diving right into the harsh realities of commitment. They are together now with children, but conflict and suppressed resentments threaten their love story. It’s brutal, but it’s real.
Man Up (2014)
What an underseen gem of a movie. Man Up was yet another film I had never heard of until my weekly scroll through Netflix, and I am a sucker for Simon Pegg in just about anything. The premise sounded cute – a somewhat aimless woman named Nancy is inadvertently mistaken by a man to be his blind date. Rather than correct him, Nancy pretends to be who he thinks she is, and the two embark on a rather eventful evening of lies, honesty, and ex-lovers. Lake Bell and Simon Pegg are perfectly matched, and their on-point chemistry drives the film. Man Up is hilarious and silly but so endearing at the same time.
Long Shot (2019)
If there is one movie this year I wish more people would have seen, it’s Long Shot. Seth Rogan has never been funnier or more charming, and Charlize Theron shows off her comedic side in a clever and biting comedy just right for the current political climate. Rogan and Theron are no doubt a unique pairing, and as Fred and Charlotte, their chemistry is off the charts. Never once did I doubt the believability of their falling in love; that’s how good they were together on screen. Long Shot delivers a strong dose of romance and comedy, taking to task politics, morals, and propaganda with a lot of engaging humor. Oh, and there is also a nice sprinkling of 90’s Pretty Woman nostalgia.
Crazy Stupid Love (2011)
I think we have Crazy, Stupid, Love to thank for a lot of things. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone’s first movie together, giving the world a taste of their insanely hot chemistry. Ryan Gosling’s comedic performance. Ryan Gosling’s abs… okay, seriously though, this movie has just the right balance of laughs and romance, connecting the stories and characters in a way that truly took me by surprise the first time I watched it. One thing I loved and appreciated about Crazy, Stupid, Love is that you don’t get a clean ending with everything tied up in a bow. You get glimpses of what could be, but it stays grounded in realism, which I found to be more satisfying than a straightforward happily ever after.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
More drama than comedy, Silver Linings Playbook certainly has its humorous moments as it deals with mental illness, addiction, depression, and the art of letting go. Bradley Cooper gives his best performance (IMO) as the mentally unstable Pat Solitano, and Jennifer Lawrence more than earned her Oscar for her mesmerizing turn as Tiffany, a widow who agrees to help Pat win back his ex-wife. Lawrence and Cooper have gone on to make a few more movies together, but I don’t think anything has come close to the quality they achieved together in this film. I think the acting in the film is the most memorable part for me, not only with Cooper and Lawrence, but also with Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver as well. All 4 received Oscar nominations, and all were worthy of a win.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
For some, Crazy Rich Asians box office success was a complete surprise. The last box office smash produced by the genre was The Proposal in 2009. It was also the first film in 20+ years to feature an entirely Asian cast, though not before one potential producer pushed for a white actress in the role of Rachel. Director Jon Chu and author Kevin Kwan also turned down Netflix’s ridiculously generous offer to make the movie and rolled the dice in taking the rom-com to theaters with Warner Bros. The risk paid off, and then some. Crazy Rich Asians made a substantial amount of money and is the sixth-highest-grossing rom-com of all time. But what Crazy Rich Asians really has going for it isn’t its impressive box office. It’s just a fabulous movie. It’s glitzy and romantic, with a fantastic soundtrack and an even better cast. The best part? Michelle Yeoh as Nick’s chilly and intimidating mother, Eleanor Young.
Honorable Mentions: Set it Up, Ruby Sparks, Isn’t It Romantic
