Rom-Com Recommendations

Elanor Morrison

Love them or hate them, you can’t ignore how the rom com has had a defining role in cinema as we know it, with countless re-used tropes, meet-cutes and cliches gracing our screens. While there are hundreds of romantic comedies out there presently, only a small amount really find their way to shine amongst the rest, often through narrative or an engaging cast. So, to call attention to Valentine’s Day, I have picked out three of my personal favourite rom coms spanning what could be considered as two of cinema’s greatest decades: the 80s and 90s.

The Princess Bride - 1987

Released in 1987, The Princess Bride covers a range of genres alongside its evident romance and comedy such as adventure and most notably, fantasy. The heart-warming, humorous story follows Westley, a farmhand turned buccaneer who attempts to rescue Buttercup, his one true love, from the villainous Prince Humperdinck. Three outlaws also accompany Westley, all with their own motives for joining him on his mission, including Inigo Montoya who wishes to avenge his father’s death. From the witty remarks and the lengths that Westley goes to to reach her, to the overall fun performances from Cary Elwes and Robin Wright, The Princess Bride undoubtedly has you rooting for Westley and Buttercup’s relationship. Whether it’s due to the fairy-tale romance, unique premise or feel-good atmosphere of the story, The Princess Bride still proves to be one of my favourite romantic comedies and quite possibly one of the most enjoyable movies of all time.

Before Sunrise - 1995

Possibly the lesser-known romcom on this list, Before Sunrise proves how an engaging performance and simple storyline can triumph over a long, over-complicated plot any day. Taking place over one day, Before Sunrise follows Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Delpy), two strangers who meet on a train passing through Europe and quickly develop affection for one another. Jesse convinces her to depart the train with him and to spend the rest of the day together before his flight leaves for America the next morning. The feel-good, calming atmosphere within this film really allows it to be such a comforting watch, with Ethan and Julie providing such realistic and immersive performances that ultimately highlight their undeniable on-screen chemistry. This heartfelt masterpiece will capture your attention, play with your emotions, and leave you stunned at how incredible such a simple story can be, as well as cementing Jesse and Celine’s short-lived romance into your mind for weeks after viewing. Before Sunrise is a movie everyone should experience at some point in their life and therefore inevitably places it in my top 3.

10 Things I Hate About You - 1999

Now unlike The Princess Bride and Before Sunrise, 10 Things I Hate About You entered a familiar area found in rom-coms: a high school teen romance. After hitting cinemas in 1999, 10 Things I Hate About You gained popularity for its amazing ensemble cast, memorable moments and entertaining plot adapted from William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The film follows sisters Kat (Julia Stiles) and Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik), who are wildly different and live under rules created by their dad. Due to an attempt at bargaining with her dad, Bianca is told she can finally date when her rebellious sister does, leading to elaborate plans being created by not only Bianca herself but newkid Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) who falls in love with her at first sight. After hearing of her father’s rule, in an attempt to date Bianca, Cameron devises a plan to pay mysterious, “bad boy” Patrick (Heath Ledger) to date Kat, generating a rivalry between the two as he attempts to woo her. What makes this film stand out is how all the actors accompany each other so well and the energetic performances from Julia and Heath really create such a powerful dynamic between their characters, which makes for a captivating watch. Oh and of course who could forget the famous “Can’t take my eyes off of you” scene? Every aspect of this movie from its characters to its humorous dialogue lands it in my top 3 favourite rom coms of all time, and certainly one you can rewatch time and time again.