7 Seriously Underrated Romantic Comedies
It's a simple fact that most romantic comedies are pretty forgettable. Some of them can feel like a giant waste of time, but others are actually kind of entertaining, and when they go unnoticed or underappreciated, it's a huge letdown. I've seen more rom-coms than I can count, and though many of them feel predictable and unoriginal, these seven stood out to me, even with their flaws and poor reviews. Here are some rom-coms that didn't get the kind of positive feedback or attention they deserved.
1. The Wedding Date
The chemistry between Dermot Mulroney and Debra Messing is amazing in this 2005 treasure, which depicts the redhead actress as a woman who is very nervous about attending her younger sister's wedding. To cope with the fact that her ex-fiance will be there, Messing's character hires a male escort who pretends to be her new boyfriend. You can probably guess how this ends, but I promise you their banter is worth the lack of mystery and cliche rom-com plot line.
2. How Do You Know?
Softball legend Lisa faces a major crisis after being cut from her team, so the romantic dilemma between two vastly different men, one who is a womanizer and the other who just can't get his life together, further complicates things. This film presents us with the age-old question with which we're all familiar: Do you go for the fellow with a heart or the fellow with a six pack? Once again, you can probably guess how the story plays out, but it's awesome to see Reese Witherspoon in a somewhat vulnerable role, especially having been through a similar situation as the character myself.
3. It's Complicated
Because who wouldn't want to be:
A. Meryl Streep
B. A bakery owner in Santa Barbara
C. The owner of a gorgeous house near the water
D. Better than one's cheating ex-husband
4. 13 Going On 30
I actually watched this at age 15, when I was certain I'd be an ugly duckling forever. I aspired to be an NYC editor/writer back then, so after seeing this movie, I felt I could actually make it happen, as its main character becomes, in her own words, a "big time magazine editor" despite her dorky past. We don't exactly like the choices her adult self makes, but a little glamour never hurt anyone.
There's also something magical about the connection she has with her childhood friend Matt, with whom she reconnects at age 30. After all those years apart, they can still relate to each other, even though she broke his heart a long time ago.
5. She's the Man
Well, it gets a bad wrap now thanks to Amanda Bynes' general state of weirdness, but don't let that mess stop you from appreciating this truly incredible movie, which, in my opinion, should have landed her an Oscar nomination or something. Maybe that's why she's not herself these days!
6. The Holiday
Almost nothing is more powerful than Kate Winslet's character telling off the man who has been torturing her for several years and doesn't deserve her in the least. It's truly inspiring and makes me ask myself, "When the HELL am I going to give this speech?!"
7. Bad Teacher
Cameron Diaz's character was slammed for being unlikable, but she really does redeem herself in the end, and she has some hilarious one-liners in this film. It's also nice to see her choose between Justin Timberlake and Jason Segel, two hysterical characters themselves. Everyone shines in the comedy, and it's a shame it was so poorly received.
