On… some forgotten romcoms

So. The things make me happier more than anything in the world are love, and laughing. (And feminism, a bit, because hey, that’s just my bag.) So, obviously, I really like romantic comedies.

I love stories about real, funny, flawed, interesting people, like you and me, figuring out what they’re going to do with the rest of their lives – and who with. (With whom.) (Whatever.)

I crave the giddy high they give me. You know, that feeling that you get when you watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall, When Harry Met Sally, Notting Hill, Amelie, Four Weddings And A Funeral, Roxanne, The Holiday, Sleepless In Seattle, The Proposal, Something’s Gotta Give, 27 Dresses, Dirty Dancing, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Shakespeare In Love, Bull Durham, Jerry Maguire, Clueless, Easy-A…

Nothing else compares to that feeling of optimism and joy and excitement and complete emotional satisfaction. It’s a soul-gasm.

The thing is, there are a LOT of bad romcoms out there, too. The ones where, one assumes, the leads despised each other. Or there was like, 14 writers on it, each with a different movie in their heads, and at least three of them hated women. Or the script sat in a vault for ten years and then got greenlit before anyone had a chance to take out the references to Blockbuster video and Ally McBeal. You need to avoid those bad romcoms at all costs, because they will SUCK OUT YOUR SOUL.

(Actually, sometimes I deliberately watch a bad romcom, just so I can make fun of it. My sister and I watched [name deleted because I don't want to make anyone feel bad], turned the sound off, and just made the dialogue up as we went along. Pretty sure we improved it significantly.)

Anyway, in case you’re in the mood for a good romcom this weekend, here are some that you may have missed:

Heartbreaker

We might have discussed this movie in a previous session, but you know me, I’m too lazy to Google my own blog and find out. (Plus, I never Google myself. What if I accidentally read a review where some little twink was missing the point but I couldn’t do anything about it? I would be a furious mess for days and my writing confidence would plummet. Far better to just sit here, oblivious to it all, making shit up. Where was I? Right. Heartbreaker.) This is a French movie about a guy who breaks people up for a living. It also has a Dirty Dancing homage that will make you super-happy.

Heartbreakers

For realsies, it’s good. Hell of an eclectic cast: Sigourney “get away from her you BITCH*” Weaver. And Jennifer Love Hewitt and her boobs. It also has Jason Lee (fun fact: Scientologist!) and Gene Hackman (fun fact: not a Scientologist!).

One Fine Day

Come for the Clooney-Pfieffer pairing. Stay for the brick-size cellphones. This movie is so great! Why are there not more rom coms about people with kids? Seriously. We are HILARIOUS.

Going The Distance

So funny. So so so funny. Why does this movie not get more love? COME ON PEOPLE.

Morning Glory

Patrick Wilson is hot. I always thought he’d be the new Harrison Ford type, but it doesn’t seem to have happened… Maybe we need to rough him up a little bit. Volunteers?

*From Aliens… never mind. Watch it.

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4 thoughts on “On… some forgotten romcoms

  1. Beth Ackerman

    Was home today and watched Heartbreaker! Was great and now have a crush on Vanessa Paradis- how could Johhny Depp ever let her go???? Also loved the movie Wild Child you recc a few posts back despite being super skeptical. Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Lucy Turner

    Ah, these all sound brilliant! I love a good rom com but hate being disappointed when they turn out to be pretty lame, so thanks for the recommendations. Thanks for the blog heads up also on the new book – in a nod to how these things work, I came across you and your books online several years ago and just pre-ordered the new one on Kindle because I know I’ll love it. Simple!

    Reply
  3. Ley

    I am obsessed with rom-coms, as much as I am obsessed with chick-lit! Thanks for all the recommendations! ;) I did love Morning Glory!

    Reply

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