Non-Cringy Romcoms That Will Make Any Romance-Hater Swoon

Don’t you hate when you discover just how problematic your favorite comfort 2000s romcom really is? Or how about finding them very predictable, your brain begging you to do any other activity more stimulating than watching the same events with the same types of characters repeat from one film to another? Oh, and it all just gets worse during the holidays, when the people around you and their love stories are far more entertaining than the romcom films being released. But worry not, instead of spending the coming holiday season or just a random Wednesday searching for romcoms, finding none, and settling for a horror or action film, here are some non-cringy recommendations that’ll definitely warm your heart. Fair warning; get ready to become jealous of some fictional characters!

About Time (2013)

You know a film can never go wrong if Rachel McAdam plays one of the lead roles. However, besides the great casting, there are several other reasons why this film needs to be the one you watch today. But perhaps the main reason is that this movie is about so much more than romance. Turning 21 is never easy; you’re not a child, but you’re not technically an adult either. Now imagine turning 21 and finding out that you, like all the men in your family, possess the power to travel through time. That’s the recipe for a very complicated life. However, Tim tries to make the best use of his new ability, using it to pursue who he believes might be the love of his life. But just as there are some days we all wish to relive, there are those we don’t wish to experience at all. Can going back really fix everything? And if so, at what cost? A great movie that not only dives into romantic relationships but one that also focuses on family.

Before Sunrise Trilogy (1995-2013)

What if on your way to Paris you meet a handsome stranger? And what if he convinces you to hop off the train in Vienna and explore the city with him? While all parents would probably lose their minds if they found out that their daughters agreed, Celine (Julie Delpy) decided to take a chance on Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and spend less than 24 hours with him in a foreign city. 

In the sequel, Before Sunset, the pair meet nine years later, finally making it to Celine’s destination, Paris. Why didn’t they exchange phone numbers last time? Is their love really meant to be? Those are the questions they try to answer in the short afternoon they have together as they realize how far they’ve come from those naïve, twentysomething youngsters they were. In the final installment of this series, the pair reminisce about the memories they shared, from the moment they met 18 years ago to where they are now and the life they’ve created. The Before Sunrise series beautifully explores a real relationship, discovering how love changes, evolves, and grows over the years.

Someone Great (2019)

The first and perhaps most important thing I’d like to say about this film is that it inspired Taylor Swift’s song Death by a Thousand Cuts. Now I honestly don’t know what else someone would need to be persuaded into watching this film. When Jenny, played by Gina Rodriguez, feels like an era is coming to an end, she decides that her last week in New York must be epic. But how can she focus on giving the city the goodbye it deserves when she just got out of a relationship that lasted almost a decade? And she doesn’t even want to think about the fact that she’s turning 30 soon or that she has to leave her two best friends and venture alone to the other side of the country. 

While this movie does tell a tale about love, it’s also a story about loss, showing how painful yet sometimes necessary it might be. Someone Great might be perfect for those at a point in life where they need to let go, whether that be of the version of themselves they are holding on to or of the relationships they cling to.

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

One can only expect a great, lighthearted film if Meg Ryan is involved, also known as the queen of 90s romcoms. Now add in Tom Hanks as the lead male, and you’ve got a timeless movie. Except You’ve Got Mail tells a story that might not be as relatable today as it was when the movie was released. You see, just after the internet becomes a thing, two strangers, Kathleen and Joe, make a connection online by email, something that was considered completely new at the time. They don’t know each other’s names and have never met, and Kathleen’s friends are convinced Joe might be a serial killer. But what if the stranger they’re messaging is someone they know in real life? What happens when they fall more in love online and share a great rivalry in person? Well, I guess you just have to watch to find out!

How to Be Single (2016)

Last but not least comes a film completely different from your typical romcom. Instead of trying to paint this picture of how romantic love should look like, How to be Single takes another direction. However, don’t be fooled by the title, as this movie is still about love. After spending the entirety of her university life in a relationship, Alice (Dakota Johnson) leaves the guy and the small town behind and moves to New York City. There she meets Robin (Rebel Wilson) who takes her under her wing and teaches her all about the dating scene in the big city. As they meet more people, the two become exposed to all the different ideas there are about love. But the real challenge comes when they try to understand and figure out what their own ideas about love are, whether romantic or platonic. 

Photo: Merla/Shutterstock

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