Flair Magazine By Menna Saad El Din
For some people, Valentine’s Day is all about going on a romantic date, being gifted flowers, or chocolates, and celebrating the day of love, with your special someone. But for the singletons, Valentine’s Day is either spent alone, or with friends – the perfect opportunity to grab some popcorn, treat yourself to a box of chocolates, and watch a sweet rom-com, that’ll make you laugh and possibly cry – all in one sitting. Here are Flair’s top romantic comedies to enjoy during the month of love.
Never Been Kissed
Starring Drew Barrymore as Josie Geller, a junior copywriter at the Chicago Sun-Times, who goes undercover as a high school student for a story about modern teens. Awkward and unpopular in her own high school days, Josie gets a second chance to experience the “perfect” high school life. She struggles to fit in, navigates the social scene, and develops a crush on her teacher, Sam.
While trying to maintain her cover and write her story, Josie also confronts her past insecurities and learns to embrace her true self. Of course, things get complicated, and her real identity is eventually revealed, leading to some humorous and heartfelt moments as she tries to win Sam’s affection and salvage her reputation.
How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days
In what can only be described as some of the best on-screen chemistry we’ve ever seen, the plot revolves around two characters, Andie Anderson, played by Kate Hudson, and Benjamin “Ben” Barry, played by Matthew McConaughey, who are both trying to achieve their own goals in a new relationship. Andie is a writer for a women’s magazine who is tasked with writing an article about how to drive a man away in 10 days, while Ben is an advertising executive who makes a bet that he can make any woman fall in love with him in the same amount of time.
Unbeknownst to them, they choose each other as the subjects of their experiments. As Andie tries to drive Ben away with classic relationship mistakes, Ben tries to win her heart with romantic gestures. As they get to know each other, they start to fall in love, but their secrets threaten to ruin everything.
Sleepless in Seattle
Meg Ryan plays Annie Reed, a Baltimore journalist who hears a young boy, Jonah, on a radio show talking about how much he misses his widowed father, Sam Baldwin – played by Tom Hanks – in Seattle. Charmed by Jonah and touched by Sam’s story, Annie becomes inexplicably drawn to this stranger. Despite being engaged to another man, she can’t shake the feeling that Sam is her destiny. Meanwhile, Sam is reluctant to move on after his wife’s death, though he’s starting to consider dating again. As Annie’s feelings grow, she decides to take a leap of faith and travel to Seattle to meet Sam, leading to a classic, heartwarming, and ultimately satisfying romantic conclusion at the top of the Empire State Building.
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Julia Roberts plays Julianne Potter, a food critic, who realizes she’s in love with her best friend, Michael O’Neal, played by Dermot Mulroney, just as he announces his engagement to Kimberly Wallace (Cameron Diaz). Panicked, Julianne flies to Chicago determined to sabotage the wedding and win Michael back. Over the course of a chaotic week, she employs various schemes to break them up, from manipulating events to confessing her love. However, her efforts often backfire, and she ultimately realizes that Michael is genuinely happy with Kimberly. In the end, Julianne learns to let go and accepts their relationship, finding a measure of self-respect and friendship along the way.
While You Were Sleeping
This 1995 romantic comedy stars Sandra Bullock as Lucy, a lonely Chicago Transit Authority worker who has a crush on a commuter named Peter, and saves his life when he falls onto the train tracks. At the hospital, a misunderstanding leads his family to believe she’s his fiancée.
As Peter lies in a coma, Lucy gets swept up in his family’s warmth and affection, enjoying the feeling of belonging. She even starts to fall for Peter’s brother, Jack. When Peter wakes up, things get complicated as Lucy must decide whether to continue the charade or reveal the truth.
It’s a heartwarming story about finding love, family, and the courage to be true to yourself.
When Harry Met Sally
This 1989 romantic comedy explores the complex relationship between Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan), two friends who debate whether men and women can truly be friends without romantic feelings getting in the way. The film follows their interactions over several years, from their initial awkward meeting to their evolving friendship, through career changes, other relationships, and personal growth. As they navigate life’s ups and downs, their connection deepens, blurring the lines between friendship and romance. The film cleverly uses interviews with older couples to illustrate the challenges and joys of long-term relationships, ultimately asking the question: can a man and a woman really just be friends?
Pretty Woman
Starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere, “Pretty Woman” is a modern Cinderella story about Vivian Ward, a Hollywood prostitute, and Edward Lewis, a wealthy businessman.
Edward hires Vivian for a week to be his companion at social events, and as they spend time together, they develop an unlikely connection. Vivian’s charm and genuine nature start to affect Edward, and he finds himself falling for her. Meanwhile, Vivian experiences a taste of a different life and starts to see her own potential. The film explores themes of class, love, and personal growth, with a touch of humor and romance. It’s a classic feel-good movie with memorable moments and a happy ending.
Something’s Gotta Give
Starring the legendary Jack Nicholson as Harry Sanborn, an aging playboy who only dates women under 30, who takes his much younger girlfriend, Marin, to her family’s beach house in the Hamptons. Things get complicated when Harry suffers a heart attack and is forced to stay with Marin’s mother, Erica Barry – played by Diane Keaton – a successful playwright. Initially, they clash, but as they spend more time together, a surprising and passionate romance blossoms between them. This unexpected connection forces Harry to confront his age and his shallow dating habits, while Erica rediscovers her own sensuality and the possibility of love later in life. It’s a story about second chances, finding love in unexpected places, and the realization that age is just a number.
The Holiday
This 2006 romantic comedy is about two women, Amanda (Cameron Diaz), a successful movie trailer producer in Los Angeles, and Iris (Kate Winslet), a sweet and somewhat insecure columnist for a London newspaper, who are both heartbroken and looking for a change. They impulsively decide to swap homes for the Christmas holidays.
Amanda goes to a cozy cottage in the English countryside, while Iris enjoys the California sunshine and a luxurious LA mansion. Each woman expects a quiet, solitary getaway, but their plans are quickly disrupted. Amanda meets Graham (Jude Law), Iris’s charming and handsome brother, and a spark ignites. Meanwhile, Iris encounters Miles (Jack Black), a film composer, and their friendship blossoms into something more. The film follows their intertwined stories as they navigate new relationships, rediscover themselves, and learn the true meaning of the holidays.
Love Actually
This heart-warming British, Christmas-themed romantic comedy follows the intertwined lives of several Londoners in the weeks leading up to Christmas. With a star-studded cast including Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, and Keira Knightly, the film explores various facets of love through ten different but connected stories, ranging from the Prime Minister falling for his caterer to a writer finding love in France, a friend who’s in love with his best friend’s wife, and a shy young man trying to get the courage to talk to his crush. Each story deals with the joys, sorrows, and complexities of love in its many forms, all set against the backdrop of the festive holiday season. The characters’ lives intersect in surprising and heartwarming ways, culminating in a feel-good, albeit sometimes bittersweet, celebration of love and connection.
