Best Romantic Comedies
February is the month of love. And with Valentine’s Day just passed us, so the CommRadio Arts & Entertainment department decided to write about some of the best romantic comedies of all time to keep people in the spirit of love.
“Crazy, Stupid, Love”
Any movie with a cast as star-studded as this one is bound to be great, especially when it includes the pairing of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
This movie follows the ups and downs of love in several stages of life all at once while they’re happening to different members of the same family. The main character, played by Steve Carell, is learning from a younger man, Ryan Gosling, how to pick up women after his wife asked for a divorce.
This younger man is only willing to help because of a recent rejection, which the audience later finds out was actually by the older man’s daughter, played by Emma Stone.
The youngest member of the family, a 13-year-old boy, is having some love troubles of his own while he grapples with a crush on his 17-year-old babysitter.
Written by Dan Fogelman, this movie seems to be a forgotten gem of the early 2010s. With its reviews being mostly mixed, it’s not one of the highest-rated romantic comedies of its time, but looking back, it’s one of the best. – Izzy Charboneau
“When Harry Met Sally…”
There is no love story greater than Harry and Sally’s.
“When Harry Met Sally…” stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the titular characters who spend 12 years falling in and out of love with each other.
They start out by hating each other and dating other people, but when they both find themselves in New York, they start hanging out and eventually make a group of friends.
Harry and Sally remain friends throughout the film, but they have to answer the lingering question: can men and women ever be just friends?
This movie is one of the most iconic rom-coms, especially with the restaurant, autumn in New York and the New Year’s party scenes.
The film was selected for the National Film Registry in 2022 for its aesthetic and cultural impact.
This is part of the Meg Ryan Renaissance that continued with “Sleepless in Seattle” and “You’ve Got Mail”. It’s easily one of her best performances, and she and Crystal have natural chemistry.
This movie makes everyone believe in love again. - Adrianna Gallucci
“10 Things I Hate About You”
“10 Things I Hate About You” isn’t just the greatest rom-com of all time, but it’s one of the wittiest and most charming teen movies ever made.
Loosely based on Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew,” the film follows teen sisters Kat (Julia Stiles) and Biana Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) who are polar opposites of each other– Kat could care less what anyone thinks of her and Bianca craves validation from upperclassmen.
In order for Bianca to be allowed to date the school hotshot Joey Donner (Andrew Keegan), her father says Kat has to date, too.
A wild plan is set in motion for Kat to be won over by Australian bad boy Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger), who didn’t have feelings for her at first, but of course, they developed over time.
“10 Things I Hate About You” delivers an incredible soundtrack, 90s nostalgia, a beautiful and talented cast and checks every rom-com box. There are even two separate love stories, with the second being Bianca and Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).
This rom-com is absolutely timeless and will undoubtedly be enjoyed by generations to come. - Kaitlyn Murphy
“Palm Springs”
People keep saying that the rom-com is making a comeback, but the genre returned with excellence in 2020 with the release of “Palm Springs”.
The current record holder for the most expensive film to be bought at the Sundance film festival (by 69 cents, duh) is an absolute masterclass at subverting the rom-com tropes, utilizing the genre's strengths and being a feel-good movie.
Very few movies pull off the rom-com with a twist well. “Palm Springs” is a rom-com with an existential and supernatural surprise that allows viewers to enjoy the traditional genre tropes with a story that has genuine stakes.
The leads, Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti have unbelievable chemistry that not only makes the audience want them to get together and root for what should be two unlikeable characters.
Samberg and the film picked up Golden Globe nominations for best lead actor in a comedy and best comedy movies, respectively.
“Palm Springs” is an indie movie, and those aesthetics apply beautifully to the rom-com genre.
It’s a perfect movie that is fun, suspenseful upon a first watch and equally captivating for every rewatch of the film. -Sophia D’Ovidio
Izzy Charboneau is a second-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email ijc5186@psu.edu.
Adrianna Gallucci is a first-year student majoring in journalism. To contact her, please email amg7989@psu.edu.
Kaitlyn Murphy is a first-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email kvm6255@psu.edu.
Sophia D’Ovidio is a second-year majoring in digital and print journalism. To contact her, email sgd5184@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Sophia D'Ovidio
First-Year /
Sophia D’Ovidio is a first-year from Allentown, New Jersey. She is now a communications (undecided) major at Penn State University. Sophia intends on pursuing a career in journalism. Sophia writes for the CommRadio Arts department.
Isabelle Charboneau
/ Journalism
Izzy Charboneau is a second-year student majoring in digital and print journalism. She is from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Izzy is in the news department and the arts and entertainment department of CommRadio. In the arts and entertainment department, she contributes to many listicles, writes reviews, participates in talk shows, and co-hosts a podcast. In the news department, she is on a weekly newscast and writes news stories. To contact her, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Adrianna Gallucci
Sophomore /
Adrianna Gallucci is a sophomore majoring in broadcast journalism and is one of CommRadio’s New Member Coordinators. She is also a broadcaster, journalist, podcaster and talk show guest. In addition, Adrianna is also a part of PSSN, TDAY Sports and AWSM. She hosts her own independent podcast, She’s All Bat: A New York Mets podcast. She is a huge Mets and Rangers fan and will always talk about pro wrestling. Adrianna wants to work in MLB, NHL or WWE as a journalist or an anchor. You can find her on Twitter at @agallucci17 or email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Kaitlyn Murphy
Freshman /
Kaitlyn Murphy is a first-year student at Penn State majoring in digital and print journalism. She is a member of the Arts and Entertainment Department of CommRadio and is passionate about reviewing films, television shows, and music. Follow her on twitter at @kaitlynmurph and email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) with any inquiries.
