When Harry Met Sally, Clueless, Bridget Jones’s Diary—these movies are all well loved romcoms (aka romantic comedies). But how about the movies that are just as good and never got the spotlight they deserved? Also, what are the romcoms that are popular but aren’t worth your time? That’s what I’m here to tell you! As a romcom connoisseur, here are my picks for the most underrated (and overrated) romcoms.
Underrated: Penelope (2006)
Now, before I explain the concept, keep an open mind. The story follows Penelope, the only daughter of two wealthy aristocrats, but she has one secret no one else can know: she has the nose of a pig! Living cooped up in her palace of a home, the only way she believes that she can break the curse is to find true love. On a journey of trying to find a “true love”, she might find a suitor, or will she find love within? With the best James McAvoy has ever looked (argue with the wall) and various recognizable actors like Catherine O’Hara, Reese Witherspoon, and Peter Dinklage, this magical realism romance is one that deserves more love.
Overrated: Two Weeks Notice (2002)
On paper, this movie should be my bread and butter. It follows Hugh Grant playing a New York billionaire and Sandra Bullock as his lawyer. When Bullock’s character submits her notice to quit, Grant can’t seem to function without her, and the rest of the movie follows him trying to get her back. Yet there’s something missing. That missing “something” is the connection between the leads. For most of the movie, Bullock babies Grant—who can’t seem to do anything by himself. I value the build up of the main leads, but this movie has little to no development. The film also lacks charm. All of the settings look like a stage and sterile as opposed to a lived-in and realistic depiction of New York apartments and offices. Because this movie didn’t meet my expectations of a good romcom, just skip it.
Underrated: Austenland (2013)
Now this one is a bit meta, but hear me out. The movie Austenland focuses on Jane Haynes—a hopeless romantic obsessed with the works of Jane Austen (a romcom-lovers go-to classic author) who is famous for classic romance novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, etc. So when Jane gets the opportunity to stay at a Jane Austen themed resort named Austenland where guests are put in an immersive romantic fantasy inspired by Austen’s novels, it’s like her dreams have come true. Following this bizarre concept, we also get iconic performances from Jennifer Coolidge (queen), Georgia King, and the wonderful JJ Feild playing Mr. Nobley. For a fresh take on the romcom genre, check out Austenland.
Overrated: 50 First Dates (2004)
Okay, don’t get too mad at me but . . . I was bored. 50 First Dates is about a man named Henry (Adam Sandler) who falls head over heels in love with Lucy (Drew Barrymore). Little does Henry know that Lucy actually has short-term memory loss and forgets everything the next day. Even though I do love a good Adam Sandler movie, this one’s use of plain racism (like painting Rob Schneider’s face to make him look Hawaiian) just left a sour taste in my mouth. Also, the fact that Sandler’s character can ultimately take advantage of Barrymore’s memory loss and lie to her with no questions asked is a bit disturbing. Honestly, if you’re looking for a better Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore romcom, watch The Wedding Singer or Blended instead and save your time.
Underrated: Wimbledon (2004)
Now this one has to be “lost media” or something because it seems like I’m the only one that loves this movie. As you can tell from the title, the movie Wimbledon follows Peter Colt, a failed and disillusioned tennis player who is making his final appearance in the Wimbledon tournament. While he is there, he meets Lizzie Bradburry, a beautiful and talented tennis player; while the two mingle and go through their hardships together, Peter tries to find a balance between his new love and new abilities in tennis. Even though this movie is super cheesy, it’s absolutely comforting. From the warm color grading to the beautiful setting of Wimbledon, London, this movie deserves more love (and not the tennis kind).
Overrated: Never Been Kissed (1999)
This one is actually the worst on this list. It's horrid. The movie follows Josie Geller (Drew Barrymore), a reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times. For a story, she must pose as a high school student to “research contemporary teenage culture.” As Josie works her way into the high school’s most popular clique, she also falls in love with her English teacher. First of all, this is super creepy because she idolizes (and is physically attracted to) these minors while she is a fully grown adult (ew). Secondly, her romance with the English teacher is also super creepy because he falls in love with her without knowing she is an adult. Despite the movie’s efforts to make these problematic age gaps seem harmless and romantic, I wanted to crawl into my own skin. Absolutely do not watch this movie. I beg you!