Single, taken, or somewhere in-between, rom-coms are for everyone. Perhaps constituting the most underrated film genre, romantic comedies are capable of brightening any mood. Searching for the perfect Girl’s Night flick? Something to ease you back to reality post American Horror Story marathon? Rom-coms have your back! Here are some of 2020’s most iconic contributions to the genre.
1. Palm Springs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpBLtXduh_k
Where to watch: Hulu
Starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti, Palm Springs infuses the best friends-to-lovers trope with a creative sci-fi twist. Wedding guests Nyles and Sarah find themselves stuck in an infinite time loop, trapped in the desert and the company of each other.
2. Holidate
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxaaAoI57fk
Where to watch: Netflix
Ever dread unwarranted comments about your love life at family gatherings? In Holidate, independent Sloane (Emma Roberts) meets Jackson (Luke Bracey) and devises a foolproof plan for avoiding familial judgment. The two agree to be each other’s dates on every major and minor holiday of the year. In accordance with official holidate rules, falling for each other is strictly prohibited. But what are rules if not to be broken?
3. The High Note
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLAel-mH3N0
Where to watch: HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime
Channeling her mom, the legendary Diana Ross, Tracee Ellis Ross plays glamorous pop star Grace Davis. She teams up with her assistant, Maggie (Dakota Johnson), to craft a live album of her greatest hits. Complete with a soundtrack you’ll be humming for days, The High Note is an inspiring story of teamwork and the love Grace and Maggie find along the way.
4. Emma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsOwj0PR5Sk
Where to watch: HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime
In Emma., a satirical romantic comedy based on Jane Austen’s novel of the same name, Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Emma Woodhouse. She enjoys playing matchmaker for her friends and family but finds that her clever, yet meddlesome, ways have distracted her from the love that was there all along. Oh, and Clueless was inspired by the same novel. That should be enough, no?
5. Chemical Hearts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuS5BZTUVJs
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Chemical Hearts is a touching teenage melodrama that tackles topics from love and heartbreak to the fundamentals of the central nervous system (no, really). When Grace (Lili Reinhart) and Henry (Austin Abrams) are appointed co-editors of their school newspaper, the two find themselves in a relationship more nuanced and raw than anything you’ve seen in a high school rom-com before.
Looking for more rom-com recommendations? Check out our list of rom-com classics!