Romantic comedies: These 30 you should know

Romantic comedies: We present the top 30 – from “When Harry Met Sally” to “The Big Sick”.

Heartwarming yet amusing: Romantic comedies are extremely popular among film lovers. We take a look at the genre's unique features and introduce its best representatives.

Like most films , romantic comedies , colloquially called romcoms (from "romantic comedy"), stand or fall with their protagonists. However, in the case of a romcom , these protagonists must not only be lovable individually but also make a good couple. To emphasize the attraction and friction between the protagonists, lively dialogue and humorous interactions are an absolute must.

Typically, the main characters have eccentric personalities who complement each other perfectly (even if they often don't want to admit it). And this is perhaps precisely the universal appeal of the genre: Romcoms don't present exceptional heroes, but rather charming, quirky people with quirks that many viewers can identify with.

However, the path to happiness in love is usually marked by numerous misunderstandings and obstacles. Thus, our flawed heroes must first undergo an inner transformation before they can finally commit to each other; their love for one another often helps them grow beyond themselves.

Some might roll their eyes at the predictable plot and story elements of romantic movies ; rom-com fans, on the other hand, appreciate these familiar narrative structures because they give them a sense of security. After all, anyone who watches a romantic comedy knows that love will prevail in the end, despite all obstacles.

Classic RomComs whose premise has often been copied include:

• “While you were sleeping”
• “My best friend’s wedding”
• “Harry & Sally”
• “Notting Hill”

Romantic comedies had their heyday in the 1990s and 2000s . Some Hollywood stars, including Julia Roberts, Reese Witherspoon , Matthew McConaughey, and Hugh Grant, even directed a whole series of romcoms . What one considers funny and romantic is a matter of taste, however, which is why viewers' opinions on romcoms often differ.

Some romantic comedies still manage to captivate a broad audience, even film critics. For the following list, our editorial team relied on Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles film reviews and compiles an overall rating. The following 30 films received predominantly positive reviews, with the top five on the list receiving more than 90 percent.

“Roman Holiday” (1953)

Thanks to this classic romantic comedy, cruising through the city on a Vespa became the dream of many travelers to Rome. The enchanting Audrey Hepburn plays a young princess who escapes her busy schedule to explore the city; Gregory Peck plays a tabloid journalist who picks up the noblewoman by chance on the banks of the Tiber, sensing an exposé—but then love thwarts his plans.

The British Film Institute lists this romantic comedy as one of the "best British films of the 20th century": Bachelor Charles (Hugh Grant) has celebrated several family weddings , but never his own. One day, he meets the American Carrie (Andie MacDowell) and falls in love. But due to unfortunate circumstances, their romance is short-lived.

Driven by heartbreak and the fear of ending up alone forever, he comes up with the idea of simply marrying Henrietta (Anna Chancellor) – and just then he meets his never-forgotten Carrie again…

A call from the hospital turns Kumail's (Kumail Nanjiani) life upside down: His partner, Emily (Zoe Kazan), has contracted a mysterious infection. To save her life, the doctors have to put her into an artificial coma, and Kumail, as her emergency contact, is asked to give his consent. From then on, he waits at Emily's bedside with her parents for her to wake up. Kumail Nanjiani and his wife, Emily Gordon, wrote the Oscar -nominated screenplay for this romantic comedy themselves, as it is based on real events in the couple's lives.

This film from the late eighties shows that rom-coms not only appeal to audiences but can also win important awards: “Moonstruck” won three Oscars – for Best Actress (Cher), Best Supporting Actress (Olympia Dukakis) and Best Original Screenplay.

The romantic comedy follows widowed Loretta (Cher), who wants to remarry. She decides to settle down with the reliable Johnny (Danny Aiello), but when she meets his passionate and capricious brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage), she is plunged into an emotional dilemma: What is more important, finding love or staying safe?

This glamorous romantic comedy became a sensation in 2018 because it was the first Hollywood film to feature an exclusively Asian-American cast. When economics professor Rachel (Constance Wu) accompanies her boyfriend Nick (Henry Golding) to a wedding in his hometown of Singapore, she is shocked: Her beloved has kept secret from her that his family is super-rich. She lets her old college friend Peik Lin ( Awkwafina ) introduce her to the who's who of South Asian high society. But Nick's mother, Eleanor (Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh), considers Rachel unworthy of her family and plots against her...

Good romantic films don't just come from Hollywood, as this enchanting French rom-com proves: Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou) lives in a world all her own. Although she has a good job at a bistro, the detail-oriented romantic spends more time in her dreams than in reality. One day, she decides to intervene in the lives of those around her as a fairy godmother and meets her dream prince. But will he, too, be enchanted?

With this rom-com, Kristen Stewart gives us a Christmas film that was long overdue: one that focuses on a queer couple. Abby (Kristen Stewart) originally planned to propose to her friend Harper (Mackenzie Davis) on Christmas Day; instead, she's horrified to discover that Harper hasn't even told her conservative relatives that she's in love with a woman. But will Abby really want to marry into this family after the holidays?

The premise of this rom-com classic has been copied many times, but never quite as well executed: Can men and women be friends, or do they always end up sleeping together in the long run? This is the question that cynical Harry (Billy Crystal) and idealistic Sally (Meg Ryan) argue about during a ride from Chicago to New York. Years later, the two run into each other again in a bookstore and become best friends – until one fateful evening seems to confirm Harry's original theory...

Even if the single-shaming and portrayal of women in this rom-com no longer seems contemporary , this British film will probably always hold a special place in the hearts of many viewers. Bridget Jones ( Renée Zellweger ) is over 30, single and feels too fat. When her attractive boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) takes an interest in her, she can hardly believe her luck. And it gets even wilder: the snooty lawyer Mark Darcy (Colin Firth), who always makes fun of her, one day confesses his love to her! Which of the two men will she choose? By the way, did you know that the novel by Helen Fielding is a retelling of Jane Austen's classic Pride and Prejudice ?

The story of this lighthearted romantic film is about a young man with synesthesia. Rudy experiences his entire everyday life by transforming sounds into musical rhythms, which sometimes drives him crazy. When he meets Isabela (Camila Mendes), who works at the fish market, he is immediately fascinated by her and seeks her company—even though he is in a relationship. This imaginative musical pays homage to the Brazilian immigrant culture of New York/New Jersey.

Ever since her father convinced her that monogamy wasn't realistic, author Amy (Amy Schumer) has embraced promiscuity. While writing a profile of the charming and successful sports doctor Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), she falls in love for the first time—and what's worse: Aaron seems to like her back.

This Prime Original Movie is a textbook LGBTQ+ fairytale: Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez from "The Kissing Booth 2") is the son of the President of the United States (Uma Thurman), and Henry (Nicholas Galitzine from "Purple Hearts") is the son of the King of England—and the two can't stand each other. When a gaffe at a public event threatens to divide relations between the US and Great Britain at the worst possible time, their families and advisors force the two rivals into a staged "truce." But when Alex and Henry's icy relationship unexpectedly begins to thaw into a tentative friendship, the friction between them ignites something deeper they never expected.

Because it charmingly shows how frightening and humiliating it can be to present someone with your heart on a silver platter, “Notting Hill” is still considered one of the best romantic comedies of all time: In it, an absent-minded bookseller ( Hugh Grant ) and a world-famous Hollywood actress ( Julia Roberts ) fall in love after a chance encounter.

Railway employee Lucy (Sandra Bullock) witnesses her longtime crush, Peter (Peter Gallagher), being pushed onto the tracks and losing consciousness. At the last second, she saves him from an oncoming train. At the hospital, she is mistaken for the comatose Peter's fiancée—a misunderstanding that the lonely Lucy doesn't resolve. Things get even more turbulent, however, when she falls in love with the patient's shy brother, Jack (Bill Pullman). A remake of the rom-com classic, "The Other Zoey," was released on Prime Video in 2023.

This touching rom-com reminds us how difficult it is to let go of a loved one: When her boyfriend dumps her, New York gallery owner Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan) channels her grief through creativity: She opens an interactive exhibition made up of the mementos of broken relationships and starts a romance with the owner of the hotel that donates the space for the exhibition ( Stranger Things star Dacre Montgomery). This, however, terrifies the two love-burned children.

Michael (Dermot Mulroney) and Julianne (Julia Roberts) have been close friends since college. But when Michael gets engaged to the bubbly Kim (Cameron Diaz) and asks Julianne to be his bridesmaid, a question arises: Does Julianne feel more than friendship for Michael? She promptly decides to stop the wedding. One of the best romantic comedies of the 90s .

This independent film is one of the most successful romantic comedies of all time . It follows down-to-earth teacher Ian (Aidan from "Sex and the City": John Corbett), who falls in love with shy travel agent Toula – and must assert himself against her pushy Greek-American extended family.

When Ben (Matthias Schweighöfer) is dumped by his girlfriend Katharina (Nora Tschirner), the otherwise self-confident music editor's world falls apart. Using 10 rules, the Berliner intends to overcome his heartbreak as quickly as possible, but the harder he tries, the more he realizes what he had in his beloved. The German rom-com based on the bestseller by Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre is still a delight 20 years later.

"Harry When Sally Met" sends his regards: At a party hosted by his friend Allan (Adam Driver), Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) meets his cousin Chantry (Zoe Kazan), with whom he immediately hits it off. However, because Chantry has been in a relationship for five years, Wallace convinces himself he just wants to be a good friend. When Chantry's partner goes abroad for six months, however, the dynamic between the two friends changes.

Isabelle Carré and Benoît Poelvoorde, as a charming, reluctant couple, find their own personal recipe for love in this French rom-com . Angélique (Carré) is extremely inventive in making tempting chocolate creations. But she faints whenever she has to speak to someone. Her boss, Jean-René (Poelvoorde), also panics when dealing with people, but for the sake of his new employee, he makes an effort to step out of his comfort zone. A sophisticated and sweet film for the introverts among us.

The school band "Systemfehler" achieved a certain degree of fame with a diss track about their classmate Inge (Paula Kalenberg). When guitarist Joscha injures himself shortly before a big performance, frontman Max (Tim-Oliver Schultz) has to turn to her for help – because Inge is a musical luminary herself. To his surprise, the opinionated girl even agrees, but under one condition: They are not allowed to play the song "Wenn Inge tanzt" anymore. The German romantic comedy shines thanks to a pointed script, incredibly charismatic leading actors, and a lively soundtrack.

"Riverdale" star Camila Mendes plays ambitious intern Ana, who dreams of a career in the art world and tries to impress her demanding boss, Claire (Marisa Tomei). When she's promoted to first class on a business trip, she meets the handsome Will (Archie Renaux from "Shadow and Bone") and allows herself a white lie that sets off a glamorous chain of events, romances, and opportunities until her deception threatens to be exposed.

“Rye Lane” (2023)

In this romantic comedy, the paths of two mid-20s Londoners, both fresh off a nasty breakup, cross. Yas (Vivian Oparah) and Dom (David Jonsson) decide to help each other move on from their nightmare exes, restoring their faith in love over the course of a single day together—an incredibly charming film brimming with personality and a thirst for life.

“The Night Before the Wedding” (1940)

Socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) has separated from her husband, CK Dexter Haven (Cary Grant), because he drinks too much and doesn't live up to her expectations. But the self-confident woman doesn't hesitate and chooses the wealthy George Kittredge (John Howard) as her next husband. When her paths cross not only with the nosy reporter Macaulay Connor (James Stewart) but also with her ex-husband shortly before the wedding, Tracy, amidst the whirlwind of emotions, no longer knows who her heart truly belongs to. A classic among romantic comedies starring a stunning Katherine Hepburn.

“Teen Lover” (1989)

Shortly before their high school graduation, the unambitious Lloyd (John Cusack) and the ambitious Diane (Ione Skye) fall in love. But family conflicts and Diane's future plans put their young relationship to the test. This romantic coming-of-age comedy about first love, dreams, and self-discovery made John Cusack the crush of an entire generation—and the boombox a symbol of deepest emotions.

“Fire Island” (2022)

Inspired by Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," this queer romantic comedy follows a group of gay friends spending their annual summer vacation on Fire Island. Amidst parties, friendship, and class tensions, a tender love story develops between the witty Noah and the reserved Will.

In addition to many licensed Hollywood rom-coms, Netflix also offers some original gems.

Isi (Lisa Vicari from "Dark") is fuming: Her wealthy parents are thwarting her dream of becoming a chef. To get back at them, the Heidelberg native hires boxer Oscar (Dennis Mojen) from the Mannheim ghetto to pose as her lover. But when she realizes that beneath his brash exterior lies a soft core, emotional chaos is inevitable... Netflix's first original romantic comedy from Germany was well received by audiences and critics alike.

High school student Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) is a hopeless romantic and prone to crushes. She records her feelings in letters that she never sends. One day, however, she is horrified to discover that the love letters were actually sent to her former crushes—including her older sister's boyfriend! Lara Jean feels like sinking into the ground when her school crush, Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), suggests pretending to be her boyfriend—the beginning of a sweet romance.

Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell) live a life in constant standby mode because their bosses are workaholics with no social life. When the two overworked assistants meet one night in the lobby of their office building, they hatch a clever plan: to set up their bosses (Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs) so they can have more free time themselves. Soon, however, a spark develops between them, too. This refreshing rom-com is one of the best comedies on Netflix .

This romantic comedy follows two childhood friends (Ali Wong, Randall Park) who reunite after 15 years and rediscover their former feelings for each other. A side highlight: Keanu Reeves plays a rival of the male protagonist in the Netflix film.

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