It is that time of year again, when each Instagram story reveals a new and unexpected individual who is now off the market. Whether of celebration or commiseration, Feb. 14 has long been the source of creative inspiration, in everything from ad campaigns to candy aisles to, of course, cinema.
The concept of the romantic comedy has existed since the early days of literature. Many would cite prolific poet and playwright William Shakespeare as the pioneer of the style for theatrical performance. Consider the story plots of “Much Ado About Nothing” or “A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream” –– two people meet, experience a conflict in their own sort of way and ultimately reunite to live happily ever after. This is the core of the romantic comedy.
In an era increasingly defined by dull and uninspiring scripts, however, the romantic comedy that is actually clever and charming has grown harder to come by. Yet there was a time, specifically from 2017 to 2020, when this subgenre was not only present, but prominent within the industry.
Even so, some of these films were and still are criminally underseen and underappreciated –– here is a list of such hidden gems from the late 2010s to enjoy this Valentine’s Day.
“The Big Sick” (2017)
Love is hard — Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan make that very clear in this 2017 film, a sincere and intelligent exploration of what it means to care for someone. Whereas many of the other entries on this list are ideological descendants of traditional tropes, “The Big Sick” is incredibly unique, based on the true story of Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon. The two leads meet and begin to spend time together, until quite suddenly she falls sick and must be put in a medically-induced coma. Here, where the film could have very easily gone off the rails, “The Big Sick” holds it together, navigating the highs and lows of life with grace and humor.
“Set It Up” (2018)
2024 may have been the year of Glen Powell, but true fans know his star power and megawatt charisma from his work in this 2018 office romance. He and Zoey Deutch star as two overworked and underappreciated assistants who, in a desperate effort to take some of the pressure off their backs, attempt to set their bosses up with each other. What ensues is a charming and clever game of cat and mouse that leads to, among other things, one of the most romantic meals of all time –– a five dollar pizza thrown up a fire escape. Nothing like a late night meal to bring two lonely hearts together.
“Long Shot” (2019)
The political romance is a lost art, but one that Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen revitalized in 2019 with a film that is equal parts heartwarming underdog story and razor-sharp comedy. Theron plays a straight-laced Secretary of State and aspiring presidential candidate who also used to babysit Rogen’s character, a talented but unconventional journalist who manages to swing a position as her speechwriter. “Long Shot” is incredibly comfortable with unrealistic cliches –– Theron’s character negotiates a hostage crisis while on ecstasy –– and embraces them wholeheartedly, while also maintaining its offbeat charm and energetic joy.
“Plus One” (2019)
Wedding season –– maybe the second most conducive time for romance after Valentine’s Day, at least according to “Plus One.” Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine play two college friends who, both lacking romantic partners or prospects, agree to be each other’s plus ones to ten weddings in the same summer. Excluding this initial improbability, the film is highly believable in the best-friends-to-lovers arc it relates –– as the child of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, Quaid has rom-com in his blood, and Erskine plays off of him well. Both are aided by a script that is shrewd in its subtle commentary on the strange intimacy of being a wedding guest.
“Always Be My Maybe” (2019)
This lighthearted rom-com is mostly low-stakes in its plotting, but that is what makes it charming. Yes, “Always Be My Maybe” is reliant primarily on its good writing and great chemistry to distinguish itself from every other version of this a classic trope, but Ali Wong and Randall Park breathe new life into the childhood friends-to-lovers arc. The former a famous chef and the latter a down-to-earth musician, their characters reunite after 15 years and struggle to find a place for each other in their new lives. The cast packs some heavy comedic weight, and the script manages to deliver, while also keeping things frivolous and feel-good. It does not hurt that this movie also features a cameo from Keanu Reeves –– as Keanu Reeves.
“Palm Springs” (2020)
“Palm Springs” is not the first riff on the time loop premise of “Groundhog Day,” nor will it be the last, but Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti make living the same day over and over again seem delightful. It is a classic story, really –– boy and girl attend a wedding, boy and girl meet, boy and girl get stuck in a time loop with an angry J.K. Simmons –– but one that is told with such heart and subtle joy that it flips the trope in a whole new direction. Samberg and Milioti are magnetizing as the film’s primary players, bringing a refreshing levity and humor to a production that could have just as easily been lost amidst a sea of pandemic direct-to-streaming releases.
Of course the romantic comedy has evolved since Shakespeare’s day, reshaped and refined by everyone from Jane Austen to Colleen Hoover. But the ethos of the genre remains the same, in the desire for mutual connection, the joy in another’s presence, the reason for the season of love. After all, they are just movies, standing in front of an audience, asking it to love them.
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