For those of you in love (friends to lovers edition)
13 Going on 30 (Netflix)
Are you looking to be “thirty, flirty and thriving?” Look no further than 13 Going on 30. Arguably the best romantic-comedy from the early 2000s, this movie follows young teenager Jenna Rink (Jennifer Garner), who desperately yearns to be popular.
The answer to her insecurities? Time. After all, wouldn’t everything be better if she were just older, mature and successful?
During Jenna’s 13th birthday, her nerdy best friend Matt Flamhoff (Mark Ruffalo) gifts her wishing dust, which she uses to inadvertently jump 17 years forward. To the newly-transformed adult Jenna’s elation, she finds out she got everything she wanted: a top position at a renowned fashion magazine, an attractive boyfriend and a luxurious lifestyle of swanky parties and influential acquaintances. Her adult life turned out to be the textbook definition of thirty, flirty and thriving, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t come with its own set of challenges.
13 Going on 30 is the classic, perfect romantic-comedy: the perfect blend of early 2000s nostalgia, heartwarming charm and natural chemistry between Garner and Ruffalo.
For those of you who love your gals!
Thelma & Louise (Roku), Little Women (Hulu)
Valentine’s Day is as a good time as any to recognize the value of, you guessed it, the girls. The girls in your life who uplift you and champion you. The girls who will be in your life forever. The first film that comes to my mind is, of course, Thelma & Louise starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.
These are two women who truly know each other and find their identity through a shared female perspective. It’s truly amazing to see their friendship progress from a seemingly harmless road trip to an all-out police chase down. You won’t be able to forget the final scene, a perfect picture of a triumphant, us-versus-the-world friendship.
Greta Gerwig’s Little Women also might hit the spot, especially if you’re a dreamer. It follows the well-known novel by Louisa May Alcott, featuring the March sisters: Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth, who all have vastly different aspirations in life. This movie does a fantastic job of portraying the powerful intimacy of the March sisters’ connection that exceeds mere blood, through their celebrations and grievances.
The sisters’ journey takes them to see the value in their individuality. One of my favorite quotes comes from Meg March (Emma Watson), who tenderly reminds her sister, “Just because my dreams are different than yours doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.”
Note: While these two movies might not be classified as classic romantic-comedies, they both contain elements of the genre.
For those of you who love your job (work over jerks edition)
Legally Blonde (Max)
Intelligence comes in all forms, including knowing that it’s impossible to use half-loop top stitching on low-viscosity rayon (it would snag the fabric). Sorority house leader Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) proves her fashion-savviness and quick thinking in the first few opening scenes of this iconic movie.
Elle leads a perfect life with a perfect boyfriend whom she intends to marry — until he dumps her in anticipation of him starting law school, saying he needs to “marry a Jackie, not a Monroe.” To win him back, she gains admission to Harvard Law (what, like it’s hard?) and after facing his rejection, quickly falls in love with the subject of law.
Elle Woods never sacrifices who she is or diminishes her perspective, even though it starkly contrasts her serious, high-brow classmates. Her successes demonstrate you can be smart and fashion-minded, well-spoken and girly, analytical and romantic.
(Plus, some of the scenes were filmed on USC’s campus! During law school orientation, you could catch glimpses of Bovard Auditorium.)
For those of you who love classic adaptations
She’s the Man (Netflix), 10 Things I Hate About You (Hulu), Clueless (Paramount+)
The only thing better than Shakespeare is Shakespeare set in high school with the kings and queens of the cafeteria. Modern adaptations of the playwright’s work have almost cemented itself as its own genre within the realm of romantic-comedy. Let’s talk about some of the best ones out there.
She’s the Man is probably the lesser-known Shakespeare adaptation, yet it might be my favorite one. Based on Twelfth Night, this film is pure hilarity. Amanda Bynes portrays Viola Hastings, a talented soccer player who dreams of playing for UNC-Chapel Hill. When she discovers the girls team has been cut, she goes to a new boarding school while pretending to be her twin brother, Sebastian, who went to London with his band, so she could play on the boys soccer team. Things get a little complicated when she falls for the team captain (young Channing Tatum), who’s crushing on the popular girl, who’s crushing on who she thinks Sebastian is, while the real Sebastian’s girlfriend keeps turning up. . . you think you know a love triangle? You haven’t seen anything yet.
I can’t mention “classic adaptation” without bringing up 10 Things I Hate About You, a retelling of The Taming of the Shrew. The movie features a ploy for rebel Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger) to date the reserved Kat Stratford (Julia Stiles) so new student Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) could pursue her younger, bubbly sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). The dynamic between Ledger and Stiles could only be described as electric. While I’m not sure the ethics of the original premise are the best, there’s no denying we didn’t all want to be Kat Stratford when Patrick Verona performed “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” on the school bleachers.
(Ugh,) as if Shakespeare is the only writer worth adapting! If you think Jane Austen deserves some love, too, check out Clueless if you haven’t already. This modernization of Emma features high school “it girl” Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) who takes on the role of fashion guide and love matchmaker. She seemingly knows everything about other people’s love lives, but when it comes to her, well, she’s certainly clueless!
For those of you who love your pals
Sex Education (Netflix)
It’s not a film, but the 2019 Netflix show, Sex Education, has one of the most beautiful and healthy displays of male friendship I have ever seen represented in the media. While much of the show follows the romantic relationship between high school protagonists Otis Milburn (Asa Butterfield) and Maeve Wiley (Emma Mackey), I think the real star of the show is the friendship between Otis and Eric Effiong (Ncuti Gatwa). Their friendship, based on mutual support and loyalty, has its ups and downs, but overall, their love for each other shines through in the way they know each other, like when Otis buys tickets to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch for Eric’s 17th birthday.
For those of you in love (enemies to lovers edition)
Princess Diaries 2 (Disney+), Candy Jar (Netflix)
A sequel can rarely meet the quality of its predecessor, yet that’s exactly what Princess Diaries 2 accomplishes. This movie is so underrated in the enemies-to-lovers department. Anne Hathaway shines in her follow-up performance of a shy, unpopular Mia Thermopolis who discovers she’s the heir to the throne of Genovia (a European country). She experiences a mutual attraction to Lord Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine) until she realizes a plot to make him the next heir of Genovia. It’s easy for them to hate each other, but it’s harder for them to stay away from each other.
Candy Jar is perhaps one of my favorite romantic comedies of all time. This 2018 film covers the senior year of two overachieving high school debaters, Lona Skinner and Bennet Russell (Sami Gayle and Jacob Latimore) who are fixated on attending Harvard and Yale, respectively. As the only two members of the debate club, Lona and Bennet have to compromise in their debating styles in order to compete at a regional and later, state level. The realistic portrayal of ambitious students coupled with the subtle romance makes for a heartwarming movie worth every minute.
However you spend your Valentine’s Day, there’s a rom-com for you, so grab your popcorn and snuggle up with your loved ones! These stories are guaranteed to leave you with a warm heart.