# Recommend a romantic comedy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2007, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895 "2007-01-29T00:20:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/41 "2007-01-29T13:48:11Z")
_In Her Shoes_ almost fits. I thought this was one of the best few movies of 2005. Besides, it takes place in Philly. Ostensibly about the relationship between two sisters, but still a lot of the stock rom-com elements. I also thought _Clueless_ was one of the funniest movies of the 90’s. Also, I think that _When Harry Met Sally_ was really the movie that set the groundwork for almost every rom-com that has come since. If you haven’t seen it, see it. I think the best one from the last few years was _The Break Up_. For more of a straight-up comedy, _Along Came Polly_ was underrated. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is in it, and every one of his scenes (from his prat-fall entrance to his proxy role) is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/42 "2007-01-29T13:51:56Z")
[QUOTE=Ranchoth] As for myself, I’d like to reccomend [_Addicted to Love_](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addicted_to_Love_%28film%29). It could be considered “dark,” as romantic comedies go. [/QUOTE] I’ll second this one. It’s hilarious. Another good one is _Chocolat_ with Johnny Depp. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/43 "2007-01-29T14:01:56Z")
[QUOTE=Walloon] Perhaps you read the line immediately following that? 😃 [/QUOTE] :smack: I did – but didn’t process it. Shouldn’t post before I’m awake. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/44 "2007-01-29T14:08:56Z")
I’ll second **Amelie** and add **Princess Caraboo**. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/45 "2007-01-29T15:49:19Z")
Just a little romance, but plenty of friendship and loads of comedy 😃 : One Man’s Struggle To Take It Easy - Ferris Bueller’s Day Off > **[Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) ⭐ 7.8 | Comedy](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091042/)** > > 1h 43m | PG-13 ---
**Author:** ![spifflog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@spifflog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spifflog)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/46 "2007-01-29T17:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=Big Bad Voodoo Lou] I’m not usually a big fan of romantic comedies, but I really love an unofficial trilogy of John Cusack movies: _Say Anything_, _Grosse Pointe Blank_, and _High Fidelity_. They are romantic comedies that men can enjoy as much, if not even more, than women. And due to a bit of creative fan-wankery, I have connected them to each other, so they’re in the same continuity and Cusack is the same character in all three at different points in his life (never mind the different character names). Another good one is _Keeping the Faith_, with Ben Stiller, Edward Norton, and Jenna Elfman. Forgive Elfman for her crazy Scientology viewpoints; it’s a very entertaining movie that Norton (one of the best actors of our time) actually directed, and he and Stiller are great as a priest and a rabbi who are lifelong best buddies. [/QUOTE] I’d add a fourth to the Cusack trilogy. I thought the older “The Sure Thing” was great too. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/47 "2007-01-29T18:46:19Z")
I put While You Were Sleeping, When Harry Met Sally and Notting Hill into the DVD player with regularity. The BBC version of Pride and Prejudice (was Jane Austen the originator of the romantic comedy as a popular genre?) The teen movies - What a Girl Wants, Saved, Chasing Liberty (the older teen movies - like Pretty in Pink, Say Anything). (Saved is hilarious). ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/48 "2007-01-29T18:47:26Z")
For artsy - Amelie, Lost in Translation (which is only strangely romantic), Under the Tuscan Sun. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/49 "2007-01-29T19:18:47Z")
**Dangerosa** - _Lost in Translation_ is a romantic comedy??? I’m willing to allow that my tastes differ from others and people will like this movie which I hated, but I can’t imagine anyone considering it a comedy. I anti-suggest **silenus** suggestion of _Something’s Gotta Give_. It’s a movie that I recommend running from as fast as possible. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/50 "2007-01-29T19:24:49Z")
[QUOTE=Ranchoth] I’ll second it. (As a film, it rates about 6 decapuppies on the “cute/sweet” meter. That’s the Imperial-style measurment, mind you.) And **PastAllReason** ’s suggestions, whch are basically the Old Testament of romantic comedies, I think. [/QUOTE] **Ranchoth and TastesLikeBurning** beat me to it, but _Return to Me_ is quite good. I’ll add _Spanglish_ and _Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants_ ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/51 "2007-01-29T20:05:23Z")
[QUOTE=cmkeller] **Dangerosa** - _Lost in Translation_ is a romantic comedy??? I’m willing to allow that my tastes differ from others and people will like this movie which I hated, but I can’t imagine anyone considering it a comedy. I anti-suggest **silenus** suggestion of _Something’s Gotta Give_. It’s a movie that I recommend running from as fast as possible. [/QUOTE] I thought it was funny - but its the awkwardness of two strangers in a foreign country that is funny. (The DVD box uses the word “hilarious” so apparently the marketers think its funny.) ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/52 "2007-01-29T21:15:32Z")
I think making a good romcom is extremely difficult. There are certain conventions that must work, the lovers must get each other at the end and we in the audience know it, so it’s hard to create tension. Many times there are only the two protagonists, and no antagonist to create dramatic tension, and we enter the theatre expecting to get som laughs out of it too. I’ll throw in another couple of titles: Blast from the past, mostly because Brendan Fraser is superb as the dofus raised with 50’s values showing up in 90’s L.A. And (what’s the title, I’m too lazy to search IMDb): Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick stalking that French guy, mostly because it’s much darker and the voyeuristic twist makes it somewhat disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/53 "2007-01-29T21:41:53Z")
[QUOTE=Charlie Tan] I think making a good romcom is extremely difficult. There are certain conventions that must work, the lovers must get each other at the end and we in the audience know it, so it’s hard to create tension. Many times there are only the two protagonists, and no antagonist to create dramatic tension, and we enter the theatre expecting to get som laughs out of it too. [/QUOTE] Agree. I think that’s one reason I liked _My Best Friend’s Wedding_ so much – it successfully played with some of our expectations. Also agree on _Blast from the Past_, which I thought was a charming movie. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/54 "2007-01-29T21:48:46Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Also agree on _Blast from the Past_, which I thought was a charming movie. [/QUOTE] I love Brendan Fraser. I think he is a very talented comedic actor. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/55 "2007-01-29T21:56:43Z")
Since you love Peter O’Toole (hands off! he’s mine!), you’ve probably seen this one, but just in case: _How To Steal A Million_, with Peter O’Toole and Audrey Hepburn. It’s overlaps onto “caper” territory, but it’s still a good romantic comedy as well. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/56 "2007-01-29T21:58:30Z")
[QUOTE=teela brown] _How To Steal A Million_, with Peter O’Toole and Audrey Hepburn. It’s overlaps onto “caper” territory, but it’s still a good romantic comedy as well. [/QUOTE] And if you like Hepburn, try “Charade” which is one of my very favorite movies ever. It’s a romantic thriller. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/57 "2007-01-29T22:26:21Z")
Another good one with Peter O’Toole is [My Favorite Year](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084370/). I enjoyed this as well. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/58 "2007-01-30T00:00:24Z")
I’ve always liked Steve Martin’s retelling of _Cyrano_: _[Roxanne](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093886/)_. And for the classics, I love Preston Sturges’ [_Unfaithfully Yours_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040919/) (which shades into slapstick), [_The Palm Beach Story_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035169/), and of course [_The Lady Eve_](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033804/). I also like Kevin Smith’s [_Chasing Amy_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0118842/) and James L. Brooks’ [_Broadcast News_](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0092699/), which don’t have particularly happy endings (making them more realistic, if ya ask me . . . ) ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/59 "2007-01-30T01:47:18Z")
Dangerosa: > [@](#): > > I thought it was funny - but its the awkwardness of two strangers in a foreign country that is funny. (The DVD box uses the word “hilarious” so apparently the marketers think its funny.) Wow, my mind boggles. I don’t think I could possibly imagine a movie in which the overall mood is loneliness and depression as LiT. Even when Bill Murray and Scarlett Johanssen are having fun together, and the mood is therefore a little lighter, it never struck me as a comedic atmosphere. I guess this is just one movie with which my mind has a total disconnect. ---
**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895/60 "2007-01-30T02:20:19Z")
Here’s a few I can highly recommend and you probably have not seen. Numbers in ( ) are IMDb ratings. [My Sassy Girl](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293715/) (8.0) [My Little Bride](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0395140/) (7.0) [Art Museum by the Zoo](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0288621/) (7.2) (more romance than comedy) And if you don’t mind a few tears: [The Classic](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0348568/) (7.6) (This is an amazingly good movie) [Lover’s Concerto](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0328675/) (7.5) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-a-romantic-comedy/389895.md?page=4)