July 6, 2018

While hanging out at a bar with friends may seem like the perfect TGIF plan, sometimes it’s nice to head home once in a while for an early night in and kick back to watch some feel-good romantic comedies. From Breakfast at Tiffany’s to Clueless and even The 40-year-old Virgin, rom-coms have entertained us for generations with its light-hearted and jovial plotlines that centre around the notions of love. So if you are into sappy movies that tug at your heartstrings, here is a list of the best rom-coms from the last ten years. Don’t worry, no spoilers ahead. 

Bridesmaids

Broke and out of love, Annie’s life is a series of unfortunate events. But when lifelong best friend, Lilian announces her engagement, Annie is determined to organise the perfect wedding party and vies to be the best maid of honour in an attempt to outshine fellow bridesmaid, Helen—Lilian’s other best friend. Starring a stellar cast of Kristen Wig, Maya Rudolf, Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy, this Oscar-nominated box office smash presents a comedic series of love and strong female friendships, filled with many memorable moments, ranging from a drunken plane ride to a food poisoning episode.

Love, Simon

At long last—a coming of age rom-com that expands beyond the heterosexual narrative of modern-day romance. Starring familiar faces like Nick Robinson from The 5th Wave and Katherine Langford from Thirteen Reasons Why, Love, Simon follows high schooler, Simon on his journey of coming out and his quest to uncover the secret identity of his closeted, online pen pal and potential lover, Blue. An idealistic and heart-warming take on Becky Albertalli’s best selling novel, “Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda”, this movie is about the freedom to love and discovering one’s true self.

Crazy, Stupid, Love

A perfectly executed, hilarious tale on multi-generational romances played by likeable characters, with mesmerising on-screen chemistry, Crazy, Stupid, Love ticks all the boxes in terms of a wholesome rom-com. Starring the widely adored, eye candy duo of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, alongside the humorous Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, Crazy Stupid, Love commences with Emily admitting her infidelity to middle-aged husband, Cal and her desire for a divorce. Abruptly left single, Cal is taken under the wing of a suave womaniser, Jacob who helps him reenter the dating scene. This movie teaches us a thing or two about accepting life and as the title suggests, love can sometimes be crazy and stupid. A definite must watch, with a shell-shocking ending that no one saw coming.

Me Before You

Contrary to typical rom-coms with cliché endings and cheesy dialogues, Me Before You offers a refreshing twist that guarantees to leave you in a blubbering mess. After losing her previous job at a café, Louisa Clark, a quirky and cheerful young lady becomes the caregiver of Will Traynor, a pessimistic and cynical banker with quadriplegia. An unexpected bond between these two opposing personalities develops as the pair embark on adventures to experience and unravel the true meaning of a life.

The Kissing Booth

Netflix original movie, The Kissing Booth has been all the buzz since its release in May 2018 with fans spazzing over the incredibly cute plot—and the fact that co-stars Joey King and Jacob Elordi are an actual real-life couple. Adapted from a popular Wattpad novel and written by then 15-year-old, Beth Reekles, protagonist Elle Evans comes face-to-face with her longtime crush, Noah Flynn while running a kissing booth at the spring carnival. There’s just one problem. Noah happens to be the brother of Elle’s childhood best friend, Lee Flynn. A forbidden romance between two teenage star-crossed lovers, will Elle risk her friendship with her Lee for a shot at love? Or play it safe and ignore what her heart desires?

Table 19

If you’re tired of the seemingly lacklustre and overused concept of weddings in rom-coms, Table 19 is just the movie you need for a burst of excitement and originality. After being dumped by the best man, Teddy via text message, ex-maid of honour, Eloise McGarry nonetheless decides to attend the wedding of his sister, Francie Millner. At the reception, Eloise finds out that she has been assigned to table 19, located at the far end of the ballroom, with a bunch of peculiar strangers who have nothing in common. Unlike anything you’ve seen before, Table 19 delves into the lives of the misfits and teaches us why we should never judge a book by its cover.