Dear future me,
Maybe at this time, your relationship status just went from two-years strong to suddenly single. You find yourself on your couch with a box of tissues, three bags of Skittles and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Half-Baked ice cream. I know it feels like the end of the world. All heartbreaks do for a hopeless romantic. Nonetheless, you cannot spend one more night with a cloud over your head. Let the comfort food act as the as the perfect binge-eating to complement some binge-watching. Grab the remote and dive into a movie marathon. Nothing helps us remain more hopeful in love than a romantic comedy.
Check out these 14 romantic comedies to restore the faith of a broken-hearted hopeless romantic.
1. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Start with the classic, When Harry Met Sally. Some people like to think men and women can’t build a friendship without having sexual intimacy. Harry (Billy Crystal) agrees, and he and Sally (Meg Ryan) spend their entire car ride from Chicago to New York arguing about this debate. The two of them continue their friendship for years, remaining strictly friends. On a night when Sally reaches out to Harry for comfort, the two of them indeed spend the night together, leaving them to wonder what this means for their friendship. Telling your close friend how you feel about them may seem like a complete nightmare if it all goes wrong, but imagine losing an opportunity at happiness because you let fear hold you back. If you struggle with confessing your love to a long-time friend or you’re torn between staying friends with benefits or becoming more serious, join Harry and Sally to see how they figure it all out.
2. Pretty Women (1990)
A play on the classic Cinderella storyline, Pretty Women follows the unfolding relationship between Edward (Richard Gene), a wealthy business man, and Vivian (Julia Roberts), a prostitute who he hires for the weekend. As expected, things get serious and they must overcome the differences between their two worlds for their love to work. “Pretty Women is my favorite romantic movie. Julia Roberts is stunning and plays her role so well. It shows that the best things in life are the ones you don’t see coming,” Florida State University sophomore Juliette Diaz said. I don’t know if the constant need to begin at “adulting” at this age compels people to feel rushed into finding Mr. or Mrs. Right but we have our whole lives to find the “one.” When you feel hopeless in love, watch Pretty Women to remember that the best kind of love comes unexpectedly.
3. While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Who doesn’t love Sandra Bullock? From behind her train station ticket window, Lucy (Sandra Bullock) dreams of the day her and Peter (Peter Gallagher) fall in love. One day when Peter falls into the railroad tracks, Lucy rushes to save his life. The doctors and nurses at the hospital assume Lucy’s engaged to Peter because she brought him to the hospital. This leads Peter’s family to think the same. Lucy lets this lie live on as Peter’s family subsequently take her in as their own while he remains in a coma. On top of all this, Lucy finds herself falling in love with Peter’s brother Jack (Bill Pullman). “While You Were Sleeping teaches us the importance of family love. We all hope for romantic love, but the love of family proves just as imperative. Lucy needed love in general, not just romantically and that is why I love this movie,” Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University freshman Jonise Jean Pierre said. Although time becomes a precious commodity in college, take the time to call your mom now and then and tell her about your day. Odds are, she misses you just as much as you miss her.
4. A Walk to Remember (2002)
Only true hopeless romantics watch every Nicholas Sparks movie. Landon Carter (Shane West) once on the wrong path, slowly falls in love with Jaime Sullivan (Mandy Moore), and then everything changes. Although Landon and his friends once made fun of Jaime, he not only finds himself falling for her but defending her against his friends. Sometimes in college, we get so caught up trying to fit in that we lose sight of our true selves. A Walk To Remember teaches us the importance of going against the crowd and not caving into peer pressure. The epitome of bittersweet romance, A Walk To Remember depicts a tragic love story that will leave you crying, smiling and most definitely wanting more.
5. 13 Going on 30 (2004)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SApIKVq1iJQ
13 Going on 30 terrified me of “adulting.” Jenna (Jennifer Garner) wants nothing more than a boyfriend. When her 13th birthday gets ruined by the mean girls at school, she wishes to become 30 and skip over the drama of middle school. Her wish soon becomes a reality. She transforms into a 30-year-old woman overnight. Jenna soon learns that being an adult isn’t all fun and games. At the age of 15, we couldn’t wait till our 18th birthday. Once we reached 18, we counted the days until our 21st birthday. Everyone always rushes to grow up but once we reach our “adult” years we all end up wishing we could go back. With adulting comes paying rent, buying groceries and going out on Saturday night without breaking your bank. In addition to budgeting, you physically, mentally and emotionally must stay healthy while also balancing work and school. 13 Going on 30 reminds us to enjoy our youth while we can.
6. 50 First Dates (2004)
Did you know that short-term memory loss could lead to a love story? I didn’t either. The comedy genius, Adam Sandler, plays Henry in this romantic comedy. Lucy (Drew Barrymore) catches Henry’s eye but he soon finds out that she suffers from short-term memory loss. She can’t remember anything that happens the day before. Devoted to proving his love to her and her protective family, he wakes up every day to prove he is worthy of her love. “This is one of the best comedies of all time! Although memory loss is unfortunate, Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore turn this romantic comedy into something worth watching,Broward College sophomore Mirondji Octavien said. Henry’s devotion reminds us of the inseparable bond between friends in college. We fight, laugh, cry, and still carry each other home from the club when we’re too wasted to stand on our own two feet. Just like Lucy’s forgetfulness, we may not remember throwing up in the parking lot that night, but the next morning we remain grateful for the love of friends.
7. The Notebook (2004)
The love story of all love stories, The Notebook, remains my all-time favorite romance. Noah (Ryan Gosling) and Allie (Rachel McAdams) fall deeply in love during one summer in South Carolina. As summer comes to an end, Allie’s parents force the end of their relationship as well. When Noah returns to their small town from serving in the World War II, he and Allie meet unexpectedly for their first time in years. Together they learn that their love remains far from over. If you need a good cry, you’ll need about three tissue boxes for The Notebook. Your boyfriend will deny any tears, hiding his face behind the pillow so you can’t see him crying. Get rid of his fear of looking too “feminine” in front of you. A tear shed here and there proves there’s a heart on the inside, not that he comes across as less of a man.
8. The Proposal (2009)
If gratuitous shots of Ryan Reynolds’ bare frontside interest you, watch The Proposal. Sandra Bullock stars as Margaret, an austere business woman who treats her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds) like dirt. She surprises herself when she asks for his hand in marriage. Initially, she does this only out of fear of deportation back to Canada. Andrew agrees under the condition that they travel to his home in Alaska to prove to his parents that he won’t be “dying alone” like they thought. Through their entire charade, the two of them develop a relationship and indeed fall for one another but must now deal with the consequences of their lies. “Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds are hilarious together,”Palm Beach Community College sophomore Stacey Rodriguez said. The Proposal teaches us that we don’t always choose who we fall in love with. Nonetheless, when we do, we must hold on to them.
9. The Last Song (2010)
The Last Song will take you on an emotional roller coaster. Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) hates the world, and even more so now that her mother forces her to spend the summer with their estranged dad. While the two of them work on patching up their relationship through their love for music, a terrible tragedy happens. Through all of this Ronnie meets Will (Liam Hemsworth). But once tragedy strikes, she must decide whether to fall in love with Will or push him away. Heartbreak in college remains pretty much unavoidable, especially because we constantly meet new people that could turn into our special someone. Nonetheless, do not let your failed freshman romance ruin your chance at finding true love for the next four years. Let The Last Song open your heart.
10. Flipped (2010)
Remember in kindergarten, when boys and girls avoided interacting out of fear of getting “cooties?” Madeline (Juli Baker) falls in love with Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) during their first encounter in second grade, while Bryce avoids Madeline at all cost and does not return the same feelings. After six years Madeline finally realizes her love for Bryce was a mistake while Bryce “flips” and develops feelings for her. This coming of age romance reminds us of the deep emotional everlasting romance of our first love. We all remember our little crushes in middle school, boys who we swore to marry. Go back in time to reminisce on those little butterflies with Madeline and Bryce!
11. Friends with Benefits (2011)
Justin and Mila in the same movie! I’m not crying, you’re crying. Jaime (Mila Kunis) and Dylan (Justin Timberlake) experienced enough relationship complications in the past to decide on keeping their relationship strictly friendly. At first, the two of them focus simply on just having fun but after they add sex into the mix, they realize that “friends with benefits” comes with complications too. “Guys always say romantic movies aren’t their thing, but I feel like most guys can relate to this movie. We all want a laid back easy fling with a girl but after realizing how much we actually like her, we want more,” said Macklin Harper, a sophomore at Broward College.
12. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
If you want a romantic comedy that’ll surprise you more than your Calculus teacher’s pop quizzes, then you came to the right place. Cal Weaver’s (Steve Carell) life falls apart when his wife, Emily (Julianne Moore), admits to cheating and asks for a divorce. Cal decides to return back to the dating world with the help of the smooth and handsome ladies’ man, Jacob (Ryan Gosling). I know what you guys are thinking, “another movie with Ryan Gosling.” Of course. If you love an unforgettable plot twist, Crazy, Stupid, Love will shock you in the best way. Watch this love-filled comedy for a night of laughter and many surprises you did not see coming. “I laughed so hard I cried and the twist at the end… I did not see that coming,”Palm Beach State College sophomore Nicolle Cutolo said.“ Crazy, Stupid, Love, the perfect post-breakup comedy, will get you off your couch and back on the playing field. Break ups suck, especially in college when we manage million other things at once, but don’t be afraid to get back on the market to find Mr. or Mrs. Right.
13. Endless Love (2014)
We all remember the boy or girl our parents told us not to date but we did anyway, don’t we? Jade Butterfield’s (Gabriella Wilde) parents become very controlling after losing their first son, leaving Jade no room to make her own decisions. As Jade and David (Alex Pettyfer) become closer, she begins to feel free for the first time since losing one of her brothers. Jade and David quickly fall in love and her father’s disapproval only makes for an intense love story. A beautiful walk down memory lane, Endless Love takes us back to our youth when our first significant other taught us that love triumphs over all else.
14. The Choice (2016)
Ever heard the saying, “So many choices so little time?” Benjamin Walker plays Travis, a womanizer who always gets his way with women. Gabby (Teresa Palmer), on the other hand, plays a fierce woman who can stand her ground. Though Gabby plans to settle down with her boyfriend, she and Travis become neighbors and a relationship sparks even though they both try to avoid it. As their love grows, their relationship gets put to the test leaving them with a “choice” to make. Whether we realize it not, we make choices every day, especially in college. Should I go out to happy hour on Friday or stay in and finish my research paper? Chick-fil-a or Whataburger? Psychology major or biology major? As scary as it sounds, college involves many life-altering decisions that will affect us forever, so take all the time you need, breath and weigh out all your choices before deciding what’s best. Watch The Choice to find out what choice Gabby and Travis make!
If you watched all fourteen movies, congrats—me too!
However, even if you watched one, I hope the movie made you remember the beauty of love. You can miss someone, but don’t let that person prevent you from feeling happy again. Appreciate the past and make the final step of moving on. One day a special person will walk into your life and make you realize that all those past heartbreaks molded you into a stronger person. But until that person arrives, enjoy one of these romantic comedies!
Love,
Your Hopeless Romantic Self Summer
