It’s the season of love, which means that it’s also the season for romantic comedies. From “13 Going on 30” to “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”, there are a lot of rom-coms to choose from, and a lot of debate about the “best” rom-com of all time. Everyone has their favorite. For me, my top three romantic comedies are “While You Were Sleeping,” “Hitch” and “The Princess Diaries.”
“While You Were Sleeping” is my favorite rom-com of all time. It follows Sandra Bullock’s character Lucy, a fare token collector who is head-over-heels for a man who comes by to pay his fare every day, though the two have never said a word to each other. After an accident leaves this man, Peter, in a coma, Lucy is believed to be his fiancée, due to many miscommunications. While Peter is still unconscious, Lucy becomes closer and closer to his family as they invite her over to celebrate Christmas and New Years.
As the movie progresses, Lucy ends up falling in love with his brother. What will happen when Peter finally wakes up from his coma? Well, I won’t spoil the movie for you; you just have to see it for yourself.
This movie manages to be incredibly funny while still having a lot of heart. Lucy’s interactions with the family are always so entertaining. All of this, mixed in with how ridiculous the plot actually is, makes “While You Were Sleeping” my favorite rom-com.
Coming in at a close second: “Hitch.” “Hitch” is about Alex Hitchens, played by a young Will Smith, who calls himself a professional “date doctor.” Mostly, he helps men who want long-term relationships. Alex himself avoids relationships, but is slowly falling in love with Sara Melas, a local journalist.
Throughout the movie, we follow his growing relationship with Sara, which involves some of the worst dates you can imagine, not to mention the fact that she is trying to uncover who the elusive “date doctor” is. We also follow one of Alex’s clients, Albert Brennaman, a clumsy accountant who has fallen in love with the celebrity Allegra Cole.
Every relationship in this film is incredibly charming, and every character is memorable. The movie also asks the question of what love really is and what it takes to make long-term relationships work.
“The Princess Diaries” is in third place for the best romantic comedies. Like most of us, I grew up watching this movie, and it still holds up for me. In this movie, Mia Thermopolis, a shy 15-year-old, finds out that she is royalty. Her recently deceased father was actually the king of a small country called Genovia. Now, Mia is the heir to the throne and must learn how to act as such. It’s one of those movies that is easy to enjoy both as a kid and an adult. Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews play the main roles, and they made these characters iconic. Though the romance is light in this movie, I highly recommend it as the rom-com or chick flick for the next movie night.
Obviously, there are so many rom-coms to choose from; these are just some of my favorites that I wanted to recommend to Samford during February. Whether you are having date night with your significant other or movie night with your friends, romantic comedies are always a charming and light-hearted choice.
Honorable Mentions (because I couldn’t just pick three): “Love, Rosie,” “The Proposal,” “The Princess Bride,” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”
Arts & Life Editor
