Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, Dakota Fanning KC Bailey/Netflix;Peacock;YouTube
Much like there are plenty of fish in the sea, there are also plenty of rom-coms to stream — and these forgotten gems are worth revisiting whether on Valentine’s Day or any of the other 364 days of the year.
Throughout these underrated romantic comedies, you’ll spot several familiar faces. Long before he was appearing in Taylor Swift videos or acclaimed indie flicks, Dylan O’Brien starred opposite Britt Robertson in the 2012 film, The First Time, following two high schoolers who want to lose their virginity.
Anthony Mackie is the new Captain America, but between Marvel outings, he made the cutest sci-fi rom-com called If You Were the Last about two astronauts who believe they’re stuck in space.
And then, of course, there’s Glen Powell. No, you haven’t forgotten Twisters or Anyone But You — but some may have missed Set It Up. The 2018 movie was the first time Powell made Us swoon, and also features Zoey Deutch, Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu in the workplace comedy that left Us wanting more.
While no one’s blaming you for watching Miss Congeniality or When Harry Met Sally over and over again, scroll down for a list of criminally underrated rom-coms worth watching:
‘If You Were the Last’
Adam (Anthony Mackie) and Jane (Zoë Chao) are astronauts who are three years into a mission gone wrong. They’re stuck in space with no way of knowing if they’ll ever get home to their respective spouses, and they’re getting desperate. Jane even made a vibrator out of a power drill. “I’m sure being adrift in space gets you a hall pass,” Adam quips.
These two are more than a star-crossed hookup, though. They’ve come to be best friends and rely on each other for everything. It’s when they discover they can get home that things get really interesting.
This movie is set in dire circumstances, but it’s more of a screwball comedy with lots of laughs. Plus, Mackie and Chao have infinite amounts of chemistry, making them endlessly watchable.
‘The First Time’
In a Before Sunrise-like weekend, high school senior Dave (Dylan O’Brien) meets Aubrey (Britt Robertson) and forms an instant connection. He confesses he’s been pining after his pal Jane (Victoria Justice) while Aubrey, a junior, has her own big plans with her hot but boring boyfriend Ronnie (James Frecheville). Dave soon realizes he wants Aubrey’s first time to be special while Aubrey realizes she doesn’t want Dave to lose his virginity to Jane.
This 2012 coming-of-age flick has the two ingredients that we need in every rom-com: chemistry and banter. (It’s easy to see how the onscreen chemistry sparked a six-year offscreen relationship between O’Brien and Robertson.)
‘Set It Up’
One could argue that Glen Powell’s role as Charlie in the Netflix original rom-com earned him his heartthrob status. In the 2018 movie, he and Zoey Deutch portray a pair of overworked assistants. In order to get their bosses (played by Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu) off their backs, Charlie and Harper work together to – as the film’s title suggests – set the two up.
The duo go to hilarious lengths to get their bosses together – from trapping them in an elevator to getting them on the kiss-cam at a New York Yankees game – all while forming a romantic connection of their own along the way.
It wouldn’t be a true rom-com if the film didn’t end with a good ole confessional of one another’s feelings, but Powell and Deutch make it their own with their characters’ lovable witty banter. Not to mention, the movie is set in New York City, which is quite possibly the most iconic rom-com location there is. — Paige Strout
‘Always Be My Maybe’
The problem with the streaming era is that once it’s no longer on the new releases list, viewers tend to forget about it. That’s exactly why you might be saying, “Oh yeah, that movie,” when you see this 2019 Netflix title.
Overachiever Sasha (Ali Wong) and underachiever Marcus (Randall Park) were childhood sweethearts and they lost touch after a single awkward sexual encounter. They reconnect 15 years later after Sasha gets dumped and find that they’re living wildly different lives, but the spark is still there. Is it finally time to admit their feelings?
Park and Wong’s real-life friendship helps make their characters’ connection instantly believable, and the script keeps the story moving quickly. While the premise is familiar to rom-com fans, the execution is what makes it feel different. For example, when a seemingly perfect man makes Marcus feel jealous, it turns out to be Keanu Reeves, playing the most obnoxious version of himself. And the obligatory grand gesture revealed at the end is truly heartwarming.
‘Get Over It’
The late ‘90s and early ‘00s had a knack for adapting Shakespeare’s works into teen comedies. While 10 Things I Hate About You and She’s the Man, among others, are often referenced as some of the era’s best rom-coms inspired by The Bard, Get Over It exists as an underrated gem with an all star cast that is passed over all too often.
Loosely based on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the film follows high school student Berke (Ben Foster), who, after getting dumped, quits his beloved basketball team and joins the school play in order to be closer to his ex, Allison (Melissa Sagemiller). In typical Shakespearean fashion, things quickly go awry — and Berke discovers the quest for “true love” is never really that easy.
The film is fun — with a killer soundtrack that includes a cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” by Sisqó and Vitamin C — but the real highlight is the cast. Kirsten Dunst, Mila Kunis, Shane West, Sisqó, Colin Hanks, Zoe Saldaña, Carmen Electra and Martin Short all make appearances, delivering a true mishmash of early aughts royalty. — Kat Pettibone
‘Plus One’
Longtime friends Ben (a pre-The Boys Jack Quaid) and Alice (a pre-Mr. and Mrs. Smith Maya Erskine) face the problem of every late 20-something: a summer full of weddings. Since both are single, they agree to be each other’s plus one at all 10 of their upcoming weddings.
Quaid and Erskine are both very capable of bringing dramatic vulnerability as well as making a joke land perfectly. Add in their sizzling chemistry and a script full of sharp dialogue and you’ve got a delightful rom-com.
‘The High Note’
Maggie (Dakota Johnson) is the assistant to legendary singer Grace Davis (Tracy Ellis Ross) but she really wants to produce music. She starts producing for David (Kelvin Harris Jr.) and quickly starts to fall for him. However, she doesn’t want to screw up her first real chance at making her dreams come true. She tries to use Grace to help David launch his career, but there’s a big reason why he doesn’t want to be associated with the icon.
This movie — which is, admittedly, more of a romantic dramedy — came out when theaters were closed in spring 2020, so it was pretty overlooked. The optimistic and cheerful tones didn’t really jive with what was happening in the world at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, but it’s worth revisiting. The relationships are believable and charming and it’s a delightful way to escape for 112 minutes — and isn’t that what we want most out of a rom-com?
’40 Days and 40 Nights’
There’s no denying Josh Hartnett was a major heartthrob of the ‘90s and early ‘00s, but while Pearl Harbor and Halloween H20 continue to thrive in the pop culture zeitgeist, 40 Days and 40 Nights has been all but forgotten, often left off the list of most memorable romantic comedies of the time despite it being both charming and, well, starring Josh Hartnett.
Hartnett plays Matt Sullivan in the 2002 film, a heartbroken singleton who, after his last relationship ended in disaster, now finds himself unable to commit to one woman. To help quell his “issue,” Matt decides that he’s giving up sex for Lent. No problem, right? Big problem, actually, when the girl of his dreams (Shannyn Sossamon) walks into his life right as the dry spell begins.
It’s crass at times — and certainly a product of its era — but despite some scenes not aging well, it’s surprisingly sex positive (for the women, too) and gives Hartnett a chance to stretch his comedic chops, something he hasn’t done a whole lot throughout his career. — Kat Pettibone
