9 Charming Romantic Comedies That You Can Watch On Netflix Right Now
By Johanna Mort
1. Amélie (2001)
This movie is absolutely required viewing for every single introverted or shy human being in existence. The film follows Amélie, a young woman living on her own in Paris. She’s incredibly shy, leaving most of her dialogue to a third person narrator. She goes on a quest to help the people around her find love and reunite with estranged family members, while somewhere along the way finding love herself. Audrey Tautou embodies the character perfectly, and it will be impossible for you not to fall head over heels in love with Amélie and all her quirks.
2. Annie Hall (1977)
There’s a reason this movie is constantly listed as one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. The film depicts all the highs and lows that naturally occur in any relationship, while also leaving you sore from laughing by the end. It doesn’t fall into the common tropes that so often appear in rom coms, but very honestly delves into the neurosis of the protagonist, and explores the ways in which we all sometimes self-sabotage our love life.
3. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
I love this movie so. much. Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence are absolutely perfect, proving that romantic comedies can be a vehicle for serious powerhouse acting as much as any drama. It’s about mental illness, grief, and finding love in the midst of it all.
4. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
I might be a little biased because I grew up on this movie, but I love it. For years I thought it was one of Nora Ephron’s works, because it has the same charm that I fell in love with during You’ve Got Mail. Sandra Bullock’s character saves a man’s life, and is accidentally mistaken for the man’s fiancée while he’s in a coma. While that sounds a little strange, the story’s really about a lonely woman who finally feels like she’s a part of a large and loving family. It’s awkward, it’s hilarious, and ridiculously heartwarming.
5. In Your Eyes (2014)
It’s written by Joss Whedon! My inner Buffy-Firefly-Avengers fangirl automatically loved this before it even began. It has elements of sci fi, in that it follows two characters who live on opposite sides of the US but somehow share a telepathic connection. However, this is pretty much where the sci fi ends, and the movie is really about two people trying to get their lives together (with the help of the person in their mind).
6. 50 First Dates (2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1SVxJZTgI4
Why is Adam Sandler only great when he’s in movies with Drew Barrymore? Oh well. Either way, this movie is great. Sandler plays a man who falls in love with a woman who suffers from short-term memory loss, and he basically has to make her fall in love with him all over again every day. It’s set in Hawaii, so it’s super pretty to watch as well.
7. 13 Going On 30 (2004)
A thirteen year old girl makes a wish and wakes up the next morning thirty years old with her own apartment, dream job, and boyfriend. The only problem? She’s lost touch with her best friend from when she was thirteen and has no idea why. She goes on a mission to rekindle their friendship, while having many awkward and hilarious adventures in the process. Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo absolutely make this movie into the classic it is.
8. Elizabethtown (2005)
I go back and forth on this film all the time. The acting sometimes leaves something to be desired, but the scene where Kirsten Dunst makes a collection of mix CDs that are perfectly synchronized with Orlando Bloom’s upcoming road trip is a thing of my dreams. If only that sort of thing were actually plausible in real life.
9. Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
I LOVE THIS MOVIE SO MUCH I COULDN’T POSSIBLY MAKE A LIST WITHOUT IT. It’s absolutely hilarious, perfectly romantic, and surprisingly relatable (which at times is a little concerning). Everyone’s dated a Daniel Cleaver, and everyone hopes to find a Mark Darcy. Colin Firth is perfect. I love him. You’ll love him. Watch this even if you’ve already watched it a million times like I have.