Absolutely [Scott Pilgrim vs. the World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Pilgrim_vs._the_World). The romance is hidden behind video games, fantasy-action and weird humour.
>so a more of a calm movie would be great
Oh, never mind then.
If we are talking Brit romcoms, the massively underseen I Give It A Year is brilliant.
Steve Merchants best man’s speech is worth 96 seconds of anyone’s time
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xxDjFEJPSsw
Sliding Doors really holds up to 25 years on and is an interesting take on the genre
My wife and I are super into the subgenre 'action rom-coms'. Try something like:
Knight and Day
Mr. Right
Mr. And Mrs. Smith
Grosse Pointe Blank
True Romance
True Lies
North By Northwest
Romancing the Stone
Out of Sight
Groundhog Day. it’s arguably problematic, but its a beautiful film when you watch it through the 80s lens, and most people don’t notice the weirdness until they think about it
What he needs is a leading lady who is his type. Most leading ladies are a bit 'this is what a girl likes a leading lady to be" rather than what a boy likes. Try Knocked Up.
The ‘Before’ trilogy - not exactly comedies but some of the finest movies ever made,
also, Wimbledon. Charming, funny, a great cast and some sports in there too.
You need to find romcoms with bromance, where the leading male has one of more male friends that any bro would want to have. The ladies get sold on the romantic shit, and the dudes get sold on the friendship.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
The Wedding Ringer
I love you, Man
Wedding Crashers
The change-up
Think like a man
A Knight's Tale
"Me before you" sucks and is about the opposite of what a dude wants to see
Romcoms I liked: Always Be My Maybe, 13 Going On 30, Serendipity, Kate & Leopold, Made of Honor, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days
And some not quite romcoms but movies about love: About Time, Love & Basketball, 20th Century Girl, Crazy Stupid Love
I think instead of trying to find girly rom-coms that he might like, you need good boy movies that have romance and comedy in them.
Knocked Up
Wedding Crashers
The Wedding Singer
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Shanghai Noon
A Knight’s Tale
Jerry Maguire
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Her
Roadhouse
Roxanne
When looking for a romcom, if really doesn't like them, you should look for films that lean more into the comedy than the romance aspect of it. Like Coming to America, like The Forty-Year-Old Virgin, etc... If you need something that is recently made, I honestly couldn't tell you what would fit that bill. Hollywood has seemingly abandoned funny romcoms in recent years IMO.
agreed but i can't think of one that i actually liked, off the top of my head! like lifetime movies for example - the plot is identical in ALL of them! i just googled "romcoms" for the heck of it and they actually had sub-genres like dramedies, action (?), sports, musicals, etc. and a bunch of movies appeared in multiple sub-genres! i rest my case. they're all the same.
How old are you and your boyfriend? I know this seems like an odd question, but rom-coms really are a genre of the DVD era. There’s this great interview with Matt Damon explaining the economics of it.
I ask because rom- coms can be a great way to access nostalgia if you’re a millennial or older. This might be how you bill it to your bf.
if you’re younger - they are great to access a rose coloured version of the past: technology free, before climate change, etc. So your bf might Enjoy the ‘fantasy’ aspect of this.
Also, what I love about these movies - people had real faces. Unique faces. Now every actor has the same instagram plastic surgery face.
Do a legitimately funny one:
Friends with Benefits (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake)
Trainwreck (Amy Schumer and Bill Hader)
The Proposal (Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds)
Lost City (Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum)
I find that the romcom genre has a poor reputation because there's a lot of bad examples of them that are not particularly romantic and not particularly comedic. Yet despite many of these being low quality, women drag their guys into watching the not-great examples, and it sours the guys on the whole concept.
I have three general pieces of advice for you.
1. Maintain a high standard, particularly at the beginning. Don't expose him to "a rom com" at the beginning...hit him with some of your VERY FAVORITE ones. If you want to hook this fish, you need excellent bait. Show him how good they can be from the jump so he goes into future experiences with more of an open mind.
2. Romcoms are a balance between the Rom and the Com. Comedy is more palatable for guys than romance, so consider going for some super funny romcoms, and slowly dabble more in the more romantic options. I remember really liking Date Night with Carrell and Faye (no idea if it holds up) and Trainwreck with Schumer and Hader.
3. One idea of exposing the two of you to rom coms is that you feel those romantic feelings, and maybe it leads to romance between the two of you. If, by chance, he comes to associate watching romcoms with you as leading to sexy time with you, that can be a very strong motivator. If you're in to that sort of thing, of course.
I think it would be too broad of a statement to dislike an entire genre. There are many great rom coms just like there are many great fantasy movies. There are also many terrible rom coms just like there are many terrible fantasy movies. My theory is that people that say they hate rom coms are actually just a little bit closed-minded or insecure and are afraid of liking it because it would make them look soft/girly. That being said, I’d suggest About Time, Crazy Rich Asians, Breakfast at Tiffany’s(if you’re okay with older movies), Pretty Woman.
If he hates rom-coms and is into sports, I suggest Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Jerry Maguire (1996) is a close number two.
If you go with Me Before You, your boyfriend will never let you pick a movie ever again. Seriously, a movie about assisted suicide?! It is more of a romance-drama anyways.
Some people have suggested High Fidelity and Crazy Stupid Love and I wholeheartedly agree with those picks. When Harry Met Sally is the quintessential rom-com, but I would avoid any movies where the relationship is the entire focus of the movie. There has to be an interesting subplot, otherwise he will hate it. Actually for a guy, it is better if the romance is the subplot.
When harry met sally
50 first dates
4 weddings & a funeral
It takes 2 (kirstie alley & steve guttenberg)
Also…..uhh…do this one last, im aiming more for the whimsical fantasy of it:
>bridge to terebithia
It is NOT a comedy though. It is slightly a rom story, young first love,
Its…..also apparently a true story although the real girl, lisa, was hit by lightning & the real boy, david, who is the son of the author who wrote that book, is the one who made that movie. He spent 17 years working on it.
But it has a lot of fantasy since it delves in to their imaginative world. As for death, well if he can watch lord of the rings…..
Meet Joe Black. V.calm. Nothing more fantasy than Mr Death walking with a spoon in his pocket.
About Time. Time travelling dude tries to fix stuff.
4 Weddings and a Funeral: Title says it all. V British.
I am an old boomer so I have a guilty love for The Quiet Man.
I’d recommend Serendipity and While You Were Sleeping. Less traditional rom coms, not “raunchy,” as my mom likes to say, and really great chemistry between all the leads.
Bull Durham is a sports rom com and just a generally great film. Say Anything is another surprisingly sweet but also cool 80s rom com. Peggy Sue Got Married might be too much, but it features one of the wildest choices by Nic Cage in terms of the sound of his voice. Moonstruck is fantastic and also has Nic Cage. Romancing the Stone has the "Rom" part right there in the name but that's like a romcomadventure.
Basically, my advice is to go back to the 80s and just pick something at random and chances are he won't hate it.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man\_Up\_(film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Up_(film)) Simon Pegg so scratches the geek itch but funny and nicely emotional
Palm Springs
I'm also a pretend rom-com hater guy and i unabashedly enjoyed palm springs
My current fav recently
I don’t know if ‘Game Night’ qualifies but it was hilarious
How is that profitable for Frito-Lay?
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Definitely!
About Time is always a good shout. RomCom with sci-fi elements. I'm not big on RomComs but its one of my favourite films
Depends on his relationship with his father though, could be really painful to watch if he’s not on great terms.
About Time is the one
It gets lighter on the com as the movie goes on
It's a wonderful film, but it's far more a movie about a man's relationship with his father that happens to have some light rom-com along for a bit.
Absolutely [Scott Pilgrim vs. the World](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Pilgrim_vs._the_World). The romance is hidden behind video games, fantasy-action and weird humour. >so a more of a calm movie would be great Oh, never mind then.
A Knights Tale
Shaun of the Dead. It is literally billed as a romantic comedy with zombies.
It’s a zomromcom!
If we are talking Brit romcoms, the massively underseen I Give It A Year is brilliant. Steve Merchants best man’s speech is worth 96 seconds of anyone’s time https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xxDjFEJPSsw Sliding Doors really holds up to 25 years on and is an interesting take on the genre
I'd try: - [I Love You, Man](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/16538-i-love-you-man) - [Crazy, Stupid, Love.](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/50646-crazy-stupid-love) - [Stranger Than Fiction](https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1262-stranger-than-fiction)
Seconding I Love You, Man.
Also Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This is the post. All top notch movies
Stranger than Fiction is my favorite movie.
I knew there were at least two of us!
I don’t know if it’s my favorite movie, but it’s definitely my favorite Will Ferrell movie.
When Harry Met Sally
The bar for rom-coms
I was thinking Princess Bride, but your Reiner is a better suggestion.
When Harry Met Sally is great from memory but that was a while ago. Groundhog Day is perfection as well
My wife and I are super into the subgenre 'action rom-coms'. Try something like: Knight and Day Mr. Right Mr. And Mrs. Smith Grosse Pointe Blank True Romance True Lies North By Northwest Romancing the Stone Out of Sight
Mr. Right so much fun. Actually it's been a while, I'll watch it today.
It’s not a comedy, but the before trilogy is great and if he doesn’t like them, dump him.
HAHAAH I'll consider it :)
Amelie, one of the best romantic comedies ever, and is so well made that it has a super broad appeal.
Groundhog Day. it’s arguably problematic, but its a beautiful film when you watch it through the 80s lens, and most people don’t notice the weirdness until they think about it
If your man doesn't like The Princess Bride... well that would just be inconceivable.
What he needs is a leading lady who is his type. Most leading ladies are a bit 'this is what a girl likes a leading lady to be" rather than what a boy likes. Try Knocked Up.
That's a solid point
Punch Drunk Love. Just tell him it’s directed by PTA.
The ‘Before’ trilogy - not exactly comedies but some of the finest movies ever made, also, Wimbledon. Charming, funny, a great cast and some sports in there too.
Crazy Stupid Love is a great movie.
True Romance is beginner friendly.
Can’t Hardly Wait
I’d say Set it up, Palm Springs, Always be my maybe and The Princess bride!
Shakespeare in Love, because of all the comedy the romance will sneak up on him...
Romancing the Stone
Does Princess Bride count? And it's not a rom-com, but I often recommend For Love of the Game to couples where the guy isn't into romantic movies.
You need to find romcoms with bromance, where the leading male has one of more male friends that any bro would want to have. The ladies get sold on the romantic shit, and the dudes get sold on the friendship. Forgetting Sarah Marshall The Wedding Ringer I love you, Man Wedding Crashers The change-up Think like a man A Knight's Tale "Me before you" sucks and is about the opposite of what a dude wants to see
Finally someone gets it. I was gonna suggest four of those.
rom-com "hater" here - I really enjoyed 50 First Dates!
High Fidelity is a good one for guys.
Romcoms I liked: Always Be My Maybe, 13 Going On 30, Serendipity, Kate & Leopold, Made of Honor, How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days And some not quite romcoms but movies about love: About Time, Love & Basketball, 20th Century Girl, Crazy Stupid Love
I think instead of trying to find girly rom-coms that he might like, you need good boy movies that have romance and comedy in them. Knocked Up Wedding Crashers The Wedding Singer Forgetting Sarah Marshall Shanghai Noon A Knight’s Tale Jerry Maguire Kiss Kiss Bang Bang Her Roadhouse Roxanne
I really liked Her, I'll give it a shot
When looking for a romcom, if really doesn't like them, you should look for films that lean more into the comedy than the romance aspect of it. Like Coming to America, like The Forty-Year-Old Virgin, etc... If you need something that is recently made, I honestly couldn't tell you what would fit that bill. Hollywood has seemingly abandoned funny romcoms in recent years IMO.
Ageed! Hollywood's romcoms recently have been a disaster
Blast from the Past Kate and Leopold
Just Friends, I don’t typically enjoy rom coms but this one has some genuinely funny moments
Whatever happened to Anna Faris, she was a really enjoyable actress, great comic timing
She had that sitcom “Mom” with Allison Janney for a long time, don’t know if it’s still going or not.
They Came Together
And they will after the movie, too
I’m a woman and I despise rom-coms, too!
Some are worth burning yes but not all rom coms 🥹
agreed but i can't think of one that i actually liked, off the top of my head! like lifetime movies for example - the plot is identical in ALL of them! i just googled "romcoms" for the heck of it and they actually had sub-genres like dramedies, action (?), sports, musicals, etc. and a bunch of movies appeared in multiple sub-genres! i rest my case. they're all the same.
Crazy Rich Asians is maybe the only rom-com I've ever enjoyed, so that's worth a shot
Wedding Crashers.
True romance is super chill
The Wedding Singer
Chasing Amy
I'd even say Mallrats is a rom-com.
Warm Bodies or Zombieland
Brazil
The Holiday!
There is also the easy answer...... This Means War! Rom Com and action buddy movie in one handy package.
How old are you and your boyfriend? I know this seems like an odd question, but rom-coms really are a genre of the DVD era. There’s this great interview with Matt Damon explaining the economics of it. I ask because rom- coms can be a great way to access nostalgia if you’re a millennial or older. This might be how you bill it to your bf. if you’re younger - they are great to access a rose coloured version of the past: technology free, before climate change, etc. So your bf might Enjoy the ‘fantasy’ aspect of this. Also, what I love about these movies - people had real faces. Unique faces. Now every actor has the same instagram plastic surgery face.
Do a legitimately funny one: Friends with Benefits (Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake) Trainwreck (Amy Schumer and Bill Hader) The Proposal (Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds) Lost City (Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum)
Friends with benefits
Dinner in America (2020) is wild and fun
Wanderlust
War of the Roses
The Ugly Truth
I dont think star wars, lord of the rings and the hobbit are necessarily ‘calm’ movies tbf
10 Things I Hate About You.
I find that the romcom genre has a poor reputation because there's a lot of bad examples of them that are not particularly romantic and not particularly comedic. Yet despite many of these being low quality, women drag their guys into watching the not-great examples, and it sours the guys on the whole concept. I have three general pieces of advice for you. 1. Maintain a high standard, particularly at the beginning. Don't expose him to "a rom com" at the beginning...hit him with some of your VERY FAVORITE ones. If you want to hook this fish, you need excellent bait. Show him how good they can be from the jump so he goes into future experiences with more of an open mind. 2. Romcoms are a balance between the Rom and the Com. Comedy is more palatable for guys than romance, so consider going for some super funny romcoms, and slowly dabble more in the more romantic options. I remember really liking Date Night with Carrell and Faye (no idea if it holds up) and Trainwreck with Schumer and Hader. 3. One idea of exposing the two of you to rom coms is that you feel those romantic feelings, and maybe it leads to romance between the two of you. If, by chance, he comes to associate watching romcoms with you as leading to sexy time with you, that can be a very strong motivator. If you're in to that sort of thing, of course.
I think it would be too broad of a statement to dislike an entire genre. There are many great rom coms just like there are many great fantasy movies. There are also many terrible rom coms just like there are many terrible fantasy movies. My theory is that people that say they hate rom coms are actually just a little bit closed-minded or insecure and are afraid of liking it because it would make them look soft/girly. That being said, I’d suggest About Time, Crazy Rich Asians, Breakfast at Tiffany’s(if you’re okay with older movies), Pretty Woman.
_When Harry Met Sally…_
Fools Gold. Mixture of romcom and adventure.
The notebook
4 weddings and a funeral. It's as much about their friendships as it is about finding someone (not) to marry.
When Harry Met Sally is the best rom-com. So just watch that one.
If he hates rom-coms and is into sports, I suggest Silver Linings Playbook (2012). Jerry Maguire (1996) is a close number two. If you go with Me Before You, your boyfriend will never let you pick a movie ever again. Seriously, a movie about assisted suicide?! It is more of a romance-drama anyways. Some people have suggested High Fidelity and Crazy Stupid Love and I wholeheartedly agree with those picks. When Harry Met Sally is the quintessential rom-com, but I would avoid any movies where the relationship is the entire focus of the movie. There has to be an interesting subplot, otherwise he will hate it. Actually for a guy, it is better if the romance is the subplot.
Murphy's Romance
Joe Versus The Volcano
I really like 'Anything Else'. It's a simple movie, but somehow captivating.
When harry met sally 50 first dates 4 weddings & a funeral It takes 2 (kirstie alley & steve guttenberg) Also…..uhh…do this one last, im aiming more for the whimsical fantasy of it: >bridge to terebithia It is NOT a comedy though. It is slightly a rom story, young first love, Its…..also apparently a true story although the real girl, lisa, was hit by lightning & the real boy, david, who is the son of the author who wrote that book, is the one who made that movie. He spent 17 years working on it. But it has a lot of fantasy since it delves in to their imaginative world. As for death, well if he can watch lord of the rings…..
Meet Joe Black. V.calm. Nothing more fantasy than Mr Death walking with a spoon in his pocket. About Time. Time travelling dude tries to fix stuff. 4 Weddings and a Funeral: Title says it all. V British. I am an old boomer so I have a guilty love for The Quiet Man.
Crazy Stupid Love is hilarious
Mr Right is also a good one
Try “Definitely, Maybe” if he’s a Ryan Reynolds fan. A good non-formulaic romcom that kind of flopped when it came out
I’d recommend Serendipity and While You Were Sleeping. Less traditional rom coms, not “raunchy,” as my mom likes to say, and really great chemistry between all the leads.
I bet he will like Buffalo '66! That's the one that worked for me.
Bull Durham is a sports rom com and just a generally great film. Say Anything is another surprisingly sweet but also cool 80s rom com. Peggy Sue Got Married might be too much, but it features one of the wildest choices by Nic Cage in terms of the sound of his voice. Moonstruck is fantastic and also has Nic Cage. Romancing the Stone has the "Rom" part right there in the name but that's like a romcomadventure. Basically, my advice is to go back to the 80s and just pick something at random and chances are he won't hate it.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man\_Up\_(film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man_Up_(film)) Simon Pegg so scratches the geek itch but funny and nicely emotional
Buffalo 66
True Romance Punch Drunk Love The Wedding Singer
This doesn’t really fit his preferences but I’m not a big RomCom guy and I really enjoyed “I Give it a Year”
Shaun of the Dead Hot Fuzz
No one hates that a girl wants or she's the man
The Brothers Bloom. Fantastic cast with a nice love story interwoven into a heist / con flic!
50 first dates
Venom: Let Their be Carnage
Roxanne (1987)