Romantic comedies do not get a good reputation. 

Why? What is so wrong with something feel-good that has a happy ending? Why does the world pigeon hole rom-coms as “chick flicks” as if only women want to feel love? And even if rom-coms are for women, why is that looked down upon? Love stories don’t always have to be tragic and dramatic to be meaningful. 

My mom, throughout my entire life, has been a constant hater of “chick flicks”. (My dad loves them.) She would always tell me that they are unrealistic – that there is no “knight in shining armor”. But what she describes is not a romantic comedy, but a fairytale. 

Because in all the rom-coms I’ve ever seen, much of it felt very realistic. Sure, you don’t always have your happy ending. (And honestly, I love romances that don’t end up with the expected couple together, but that’s another post about my favorite romantic dramas). But the moments along the way are universal. 

For me, movies aren’t necessarily about the goal, but rather the journey. The same, I think, should be applied to love. 

The meet-cutes. The often unresolved sexual tension. The misunderstandings. The romantic gestures. 

Who doesn’t want to be reminded of the puppy love of their teenage years? Who doesn’t occasionally wonder about the-one-that-got-away? Who doesn’t love the feeling of falling in love? 

My whole life, I’ve been a hopeless romantic. And even through the harsh realities of dating, falling in and out of love, and being utterly heartbroken, I’ve never changed. Because love is translatable in every language and is relatable in any culture. Love is transformational.

Here is a list of my (current) Top 10 favorite romantic-comedies:

10. Love Actually

9. Enchanted

8. How To Be Single

7. It’s Complicated

6. Wimbledon

5. Crazy, Stupid, Love

4. About Time

3. Bend It Like Beckham

2. Notting Hill

And…

1. The Holiday

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

10 Things I Hate About You
My Best Friend’s Wedding
The Princess Diaries
You’ve Got Mail
When Harry Met Sally
Crazy Rich Asians
13 Going on 30
Always Be My Maybe
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Hitch
Long Shot

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