The romantic comedy genre can be a tricky and difficult thing. It has a reputation for being overly corny and stereotypical, and it can feel like the only end goal is for the two main characters to live happily ever after. Since those storylines can ignore the fact that someone can be just as happy and funfilled if they’re single, some of these films can be tough to get through.
That being said, every once in a while, there’s a romantic comedy that really hits it out of the park and has an original idea or just feels relatable. Here are the 10 most underrated rom-coms from the past five years.
When We First Met (2018)
The Netflix romantic comedy When We First Met, written by John Whittington and directed by Ari Sandel, is a modern take on the classic question, can two people be friends instead of love interests? The two main characters, Avery Martin (Alexandra Daddario) and Noah Ashby (Adam DeVine), seem like they’re meant to be together… but Avery’s in a relationship with someone else, and Noah can’t figure out why they’re not a couple.
This rom-com involves time travel as Noah keeps going back to win the girl, but he learns some lessons along the way. This is a sweet, underrated movie and the ending isn’t predictable at all, which is always a bonus for this genre.
Man Up (2015)
When looking back on the best and most underrated rom-coms from the past five years, Man Up might not come up but it definitely should.
Jack (Simon Pegg) and Nancy (Lake Bell) don’t know each other at all, but Jack thinks that Nancy is the person that he’s supposed to be on a date with, so she plays along. It’s a cute concept but ends up being a deeper movie than you might expect.
Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)
At first glance, this 2016 movie seems pretty silly and ridiculous. The two main characters, Mike (Adam DeVine) and Dave (Zac Efron), write ads so they can get dates for a destination wedding. Those dates are Tatiana (Aubrey Plaza) and Alice (Anna Kendrick).
This cast is amazing, and it’s fun to see the characters get up to some mischief in Hawaii. While it’s a lot goofier than the other movies on this list, it’s still better than you might think that it would be, and it’s got some heart.
Trainwreck (2015)
Fans of Amy Schumer couldn’t wait for her 2015 romantic comedy Trainwreck, but even though people didn’t really love it, it’s actually a pretty decent take on the genre. Written by Schumer and directed by Judd Apatow, it tells the story of Amy (Schumer) who falls in love despite her best intentions.
Even though there are tons of cynical characters in this movie genre, this movie stands above the rest and the scenes of a giddy Amy falling for Aaron (Bill Hader) feel so relatable.
Happy Anniversary (2018)
Marriage can be hard but few films talk about this subject without being gross or playing into stereotypes or insulting all of the characters. The Netflix rom-com Happy Aniversary doesn’t do any of that, and instead, offers up an interesting take on a marriage that might be on its last legs.
Sam (Ben Schwartz) and Mollie (Noél Wells) have been living in happily married bliss for three years… except not really. Mollie shares that she’s been thinking that they should take some time apart. Sure, it might feel clear from the start that they wouldn’t get divorced, but the movie is sweet and feels honest and real.
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
Netflix has made some awesome romantic comedies and this is another one. Jessica Williams and Chris O’Dowd’s characters Jessica and Boone clearly like each other, but their own insecurities and baggage keeps getting in the way. They have a series of awkward encounters, which is where this romantic comedy shines.
Unlike slick Hollywood films of this genre that feature perfect people who don’t have much of a personality beyond being Type A, this movie feels very real. It’s all about how tough it is to open up to a new person and how falling in love can be scary. The acting and dialogue are both wonderful and it’s a must see.
Second Act (2018)
Second Act is the kind of film that you have to really stick with to get to the good stuff. At first, this movie seems fairly typical. The main character, Maya (Jennifer Lopez), has a job that is beneath her professional capabilities and a perfect, sweet boyfriend in Trey (Milo Ventimiglia).
What seems like a new Working Girl as Maya enters the corporate world turns into a completely different story about love, family, and trusting yourself and the future. It’s a much smarter movie than it might seem from the trailer and definitely earned its place on this list.
Home Again (2017)
Even though 2017’s Home Again stars Reese Witherspoon, the movie isn’t praised as one of her best films and it wasn’t talked about all that much. But that should change because this is a winning romantic comedy that is one of the best ones of the past five years.
Directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, who is the daughter of Nancy Meyers (aka The Queen Of Romantic Comedies Featuring Gorgeous Houses), Home Again is about 40-year-old Alice Kinney (Witherspoon) as she has a midlife crisis and finds out what she really wants. She lets three young filmmakers live in her guest house, which sets all of their lives off in a new direction that they never could have guessed. It’s a funny and lighthearted film that is exactly what fans of the genre want.
How To Be Single (2016)
There are countless movies about a main character getting dumped (or doing the dumping) right after the opening credits and feeling like their life is totally over. But there aren’t many that are actually good.
That’s not the case with the 2016 romantic comedy How To Be Single. Based on the Liz Tuccillo book (the author also produced and wrote for Sex and the City), the movie version has Alice (Dakota Johnson) leaves her home and boyfriend behind to start fresh in New York. She and her new friends (and her sister Meg, played by Leslie Mann), go through the ups and downs of both casual and serious dating. It’s an interesting take on a sometimes tired subject, and the movie is all about realizing when you’re ready to settle down and when you want to focus on yourself.
Plus One (2019)
Perhaps the most underrated rom-com of the past five years is 2019’s Plus One. Directed and written by Andrew Rhymer and Jeff Chan, the film stars Jack Quaid (who is Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan’s son) and Maya Erskine as two good friends who are actually meant to be together.
The movie feels like a new take on When Harry Met Sally and it has the added setting of weddings as the two decide to take each other as a plus one to all of the nuptials that they’ve been invited to that year. The movie is well-done, truly funny, and relatable, and it really elevates the rom-com genre.
