Out of all the genres of films, the one that is near and dear to my heart is the romantic comedy. You get the laugh out loud moments along with the tearjerker scenes that make you wish you were the object of the lead actor’s affection.
It seems like a new romantic comedy comes out in theaters every Friday, but amongst most of the flops are five films that have made it into my romantic comedy hall of fame. They’re the movies that are perfect for a girl’s night in, or snuggling on the couch with the special someone in your life. The films are fun and light-hearted, fully equipped with equal doses humor and romance.
The first film on the list is “You’ve Got Mail,” starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, one of the most famous duos in romantic comedies. Hanks plays entrepreneur Joe Fox whose company, Fox Books, puts Kathleen Kelly’s (Ryan) small bookstore out of business.
The twist of the story is before the two meet as archrivals in the book business, they already had an online relationship of exchanging innocent flirtatious emails without knowing each other’s names. Directed by Nora Ephron, “You’ve Got Mail” illustrates the magic of the online world and the happy turn of events that life throws at the characters.
Now I don’t believe in having a tie for first place, so as a result this film landed in the number two slot. “Runaway Bride” stars another famous romantic comedy duo, Richard Gere and Julia Roberts.
In the film directed by Garry Marshall, reporter Ike Graham (Gere) writes a “not so flattering article” about Maggie Carpenter (Roberts), who’s been engaged four times, but never been married. The chemistry between Gere and Roberts spills off the screen and leaves you laughing during their scenes of flirtatious banter and clutching your heart when they realize they somehow fell for one another.
Filling my number three spot is the film “One Fine Day,” with the excruciatingly handsome George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer. The film, directed by Michael Hoffman, spans a 24-hour period where Jack Taylor (Clooney) and Melanie Parker’s (Pfeiffer) lives collide thanks to their children, jobs and emotional insecurities.
The other crucial character in the film is the city of New York, which serves as a backdrop for the adventures Jack, Melanie and the kids get into on their “One Fine Day.” The beauty of an unforeseen love is celebrated in this film and you are reminded of the butterflies you get when you first meet that special someone.
The film taking the number four spot sends its viewers on a throwback to the 1980s where women wished they were “Jesse’s girl” and everyone knew the steps to “Thriller.” “13 Going on 30,” directed by Gary Winick, tells the story of 13-year-old Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner) who wants to be “30, flirting and thriving.”
The teenage Jenna is transported into the body of her 30-year-old self and sees life isn’t as thriving as she thought it would be. As Jenna tries to put the pieces of her life in order, she finds herself falling for her former childhood best friend Matt (Mark Ruffalo). The film leaves you thinking about your own good old days and whether or not your life has turned out the way you expected it to.
“Father of the Bride Part II” is the last of my favorite romantic comedies, landing at number five. A sequel to “Father of the Bride,” the film directed by Charles Shyer picks up where George Banks, played by Steve Martin, is recovering from his daughter’s wedding and has life throw him two fast balls in the form of a grandson and daughter. Martin delivers a hilarious comedic performance of an average Joe reaching his breaking point when his reality takes a hard turn.
The film shows how George’s relationships with his wife, daughter and wacky event planner blossom and adapt with the new additions to their lives. From the opening song to the last joke Martin makes, each scene gives you a nostalgic feeling for the simple things in life, all the while making you laugh till you cry.
All the films I’ve chosen here have one thing in common: they make you feel good. When the last scene fades out and the credits start rolling, you’re left with a smile and a seemingly happy outlook on the concept of love.
