I submit Crazy Rich Asians and Always Be My Maybe as my perfect rom-coms.
Set It Up was good but it was hard for me to get past how Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu were on the poster and the movie was marketed as "diverse," yet it was actually about the white assistants. More a problem with the branding than the actual movie.
I did not enjoy Set It Up. It took me several goes to finish it. When Zoey Deutch gives that speech about how impressive Lucy Liu is and how Taye Diggs is just some guy... it resonated too closely for me. Glen Powell is the epitome of Just Some Guy. Knowing that you love it, Margaret, I may give it another go in the future, but... I don't expect to be wowed. Not my local pizza place indeed.
Best romcoms of past ten years: I have a lot of love in my heart for Man Up. I thoroughly enjoyed Rye Lane. I'm not sure what we would classify The Lost City as but I had a blast watching that. Fire Island, maaaaybe the best movie adaptation of Austen after Love and Friendship?
I haven't watched it in forever, and I'm sure it may not have aged well, but The Sure Thing was the first rom com I can remember saying "oh, I like this type of movie". Before, I was like "that John Cusack guy from Sixteen Candles is the lead in a movie?" but after I was like "HE IS SOOOOO CHARMING!!!" (I was 20 when it was released).
Romantic comedies, just like all comedies, are so hard to get right. Thank you for this truth. But also, don't most "regular" comedies include a romantic storyline? I lovingly question the terms rom-com and chick-lit.
This is a thing! A romance storyline does not a rom-com make, if it’s secondary or tertiary. I was scrolling “romance” movies last night and came across Legally Blonde, which is very not a rom-com to me, despite the charming Luke Wilson bit.
This is the first I've heard of Anyone But You! I'm not a rom-con connoisseur, but I submit 10 Things I Hate About You as platonic ideal. I might have to watch this new movie simply because I can appreciate a Shakespearean origin.
I'm not a rom-com person but I'm someone that doesn't like Moonstruck. I tried to watch it a few years ago and I couldn't get past how they were acting that a 37 year old Cher was some pathetic old pitiable crone... the suspension of disbelief was too much to bear and I switched it off.
I think Bull Durham is a perfect movie, but so good I would place it in the "objective excellence" realm rather than the "categorically excellent" realm.
I submit Crazy Rich Asians and Always Be My Maybe as my perfect rom-coms.
Set It Up was good but it was hard for me to get past how Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu were on the poster and the movie was marketed as "diverse," yet it was actually about the white assistants. More a problem with the branding than the actual movie.
Love the pizza slice metaphor as much as I love greek crust and rom-coms, which is to say i was raised on both and I love them dearly.
My neighborhood slice of rom-com is Joe versus the Volcano, which I watched with my mom and siblings every April vacation. So odd, so funny.
More recent ones I've loved - Love Wedding Repeat, To All the Boys I've Loved Before, Yesterday
Less recent: Obvious Child, The Big Sick, The Giant Mechanical Man, About Time
27 Dresses is a perfect rom-com and I am glad we are aligned in this.
I did not enjoy Set It Up. It took me several goes to finish it. When Zoey Deutch gives that speech about how impressive Lucy Liu is and how Taye Diggs is just some guy... it resonated too closely for me. Glen Powell is the epitome of Just Some Guy. Knowing that you love it, Margaret, I may give it another go in the future, but... I don't expect to be wowed. Not my local pizza place indeed.
Best romcoms of past ten years: I have a lot of love in my heart for Man Up. I thoroughly enjoyed Rye Lane. I'm not sure what we would classify The Lost City as but I had a blast watching that. Fire Island, maaaaybe the best movie adaptation of Austen after Love and Friendship?
I haven't watched it in forever, and I'm sure it may not have aged well, but The Sure Thing was the first rom com I can remember saying "oh, I like this type of movie". Before, I was like "that John Cusack guy from Sixteen Candles is the lead in a movie?" but after I was like "HE IS SOOOOO CHARMING!!!" (I was 20 when it was released).
Romantic comedies, just like all comedies, are so hard to get right. Thank you for this truth. But also, don't most "regular" comedies include a romantic storyline? I lovingly question the terms rom-com and chick-lit.
This is a thing! A romance storyline does not a rom-com make, if it’s secondary or tertiary. I was scrolling “romance” movies last night and came across Legally Blonde, which is very not a rom-com to me, despite the charming Luke Wilson bit.
This is the first I've heard of Anyone But You! I'm not a rom-con connoisseur, but I submit 10 Things I Hate About You as platonic ideal. I might have to watch this new movie simply because I can appreciate a Shakespearean origin.
I'm not a rom-com person but I'm someone that doesn't like Moonstruck. I tried to watch it a few years ago and I couldn't get past how they were acting that a 37 year old Cher was some pathetic old pitiable crone... the suspension of disbelief was too much to bear and I switched it off.
I loved Rye Lane so much! And might I suggest Bull Durham?
I think Bull Durham is a perfect movie, but so good I would place it in the "objective excellence" realm rather than the "categorically excellent" realm.