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.
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.
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.)
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.
I’ve always liked Steve Martin’s retelling of Cyrano: Roxanne. And for the classics, I love Preston Sturges’ Unfaithfully Yours (which shades into slapstick), The Palm Beach Story, and of course The Lady Eve. I also like Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy and James L. Brooks’ Broadcast News, which don’t have particularly happy endings (making them more realistic, if ya ask me . . . )
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.