When Harry Met Sally.
Pretty Woman.
My Best Friend's Wedding.
The classics.
The rom coms you’ve seen a million times, and probably will at least 217 more.
But what are the hidden gems out there?
Get your TV ready, grab some popcorn, and check out some of the best romantic comedy
movies you've never seen.
Penelope
The overlooked 2006 gem Penelope tells the story of a girl of that very same name from
a high society family who is looking for a suitor for her happily ever after.
Only problem is, Penelope is cursed with a pig snout and pig ears.
Have we lost you yet?
A strange premise, but Penelope is a whimsical romantic comedy that sweeps you up into the
magic of the story.
The cast includes Christina Ricci, who plays the lead role of Penelope, along with James
McAvoy and Peter Dinklage.
This was, of course, before Dinklage's now well-known role of Tyrion Lannister on Game
of Thrones.
Oh, and let’s not forget Reese Witherspoon, who not only had a supporting role, but produced
the movie with her company, Type A.
The film is feel-good and good for you.
Not only does it have romance, but it offers a great message of self-love, too.
"I like myself the way I am!"
In a 2008 interview with Seventeen magazine, Witherspoon said,
"There's all sorts of different definitions of beauty and that it's about finding what
makes you unique.
It's important to really know yourself."
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day
A tangled tale about a famous singer who needs a social secretary and ends up with a nanny,
Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day stars Frances McDormand as Miss Pettigrew and Amy Adams
as the singer, Delysia.
Juggling three men, Delysia depends on Miss Pettigrew's help to sort out her crazy, high
society-filled life.
The film has the same screwball comedy humor found in movies from the 1930s and 1940s,
and Adams and McDormand are pros that fit perfectly together.
Time Out London reviewed the two actresses, saying,
"Adams is adorable as the wide-eyed would-be starlet, with McDormand spot-on as the sensible
half of the odd couple."
Mr. Right
Martha just broke up with her boyfriend after finding out he’s been cheating on her.
Low and behold, the next day she runs into Francis, a guy she has an immediate connection
with and starts to fall for.
Typical romantic comedy, right?
But did we mention that Francis is a hitman?
Oh, and that he is having trouble with a mob family?
Not quite your classic rom-com, but that is what makes Mr. Right so great.
The plot and writing are quirky, and the two leads, Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell, are
phenomenal.
The New York Times described the film as having "Fred Astaire flavor" and had only good things
to say about leading lady Kendrick:
"Now, with the slick, frenetic confection Mr. Right, she dips into that tricky genre,
the hybrid action thriller and romantic comedy — and scores again."
It shouldn't shock us that Kendrick is fantastic in this movie, as she has been in pretty much
every other film she's done.
We don’t know how it slipped by us.
Celeste & Jesse Forever
Not your typical romantic comedy, Celeste & Jesse Forever is unique because it feels
real.
This film tells the story of a married couple who decide to separate, but want to continue
being friends throughout the process.
They blur the lines of still living together for some time while also trying to date and
see other people.
Their relationship is complicated, as any real relationship is.
The New York Times' review of the film is spot on when it says that the writers of this
film, Rashida Jones and Will McCormack,
"have righted the sex imbalance of the bromance with a story about two people who, together
and alone, express an ideal rarely seen in American movies: a man and woman whose equality
is burnished in friendship, not just in bed and marriage."
The casting choices were on point, with Rashida Jones playing the practical Celeste and Andy
Samberg playing the relaxed artist, Jesse.
Though it had a quiet release, it's a movie worth seeing when you want a laugh with a
taste of reality.
The Spectacular Now
Let's go from a married couple going through a separation, to two teens, who are experiencing
love for the first time.
The casting of The Spectacular Now is absolutely perfect, with Shailene Woodley playing book-smart
Aimee, and Miles Teller playing the more street-smart, partying Sutter.
Though very different, they have a connection that draws them together.
Teller's character brings humor to many scenes, making it easy to see why Woodley's character
falls for him.
Although not the most well-known film, it became a favorite among critics and its audience.
As The Washington Post commented,
"The movie captures the raw excitement and heartbreak of adolescence so completely that
it manages to replace a seen-it-all jaded heart with the butterflies that accompany
fresh experiences."
Be sure to also check out the book of the same name that this movie is based on, written
by Tim Tharp.
Friends With Kids
Just like many others on this list, Friends With Kids is an unconventional romantic comedy.
The film was written, produced, and directed by Jennifer Westfeldt ,who also starred in
it.
The story follows two friends, Julie (played by Westfeldt) and Jason (played by Adam Scott)
who start to notice that once their friends have kids, their marriages suffer.
The two friends decide to have a child together and then decide to find who they want to marry.
As you can imagine, the plot thickens and we see how that decision not only affects
Julie and Jason, but their couple friends as well.
The film has an impressive list of stars, including Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph,
Chris O'Dowd, and Megan Fox.
But as Rolling Stone says, Westfeldt is the one who steals the show:
"In front of the camera and behind it, she's the live current that pulls us in and makes
us care."
America's Sweethearts
John Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, and Billy Crystal star in America's Sweethearts,
which is reason enough to give it a shot.
Seriously, could it get any better?
The film follows Crystal's character, Lee Phillips, who is a film publicist and is given
the task to promote a film starring two actors who were together and are now going through
a split.
"America's favorite on screen couple… has broken up"
Roberts comes in as Zeta Jones' sister and assistant.
The film reminds us of some real Hollywood love stories and breakups we've seen in the
tabloids, which have clearly inspired the movie.
With Crystal's ever-present humor and Zeta-Jones, Cusack and Roberts' usual fantastic acting
chops, it's a movie you can't help but sit back and enjoy.
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