Romantic comedies are tricky as hell.

For every genuinely sweet love story, there are ten algorithm-generated Netflix disasters that make you question why people even bother dating. But when the genre gets it right? Pure magic.

I keep a list on my phone of movies I absolutely love, and these five rom-coms somehow earned their spots alongside everything else. They’re proof that the genre can still surprise you when writers remember that chemistry matters more than meet-cute gimmicks.

5 Great Romantic Comedies

5. Holidate (2020)

TMJ Rating: 3.5/5

This movie is a beautiful disaster, and I mean that in the best possible way. Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey agree to be each other’s fake dates for every holiday because they’re both tired of family drama and bad setups. It’s simple, it’s ridiculous, and it works perfectly.

What I love about Holidate is how potty-mouthed and chaotic it gets. These aren’t perfect people finding perfect love - they’re messy adults making questionable decisions and somehow stumbling into something real. Roberts especially shines as someone who’d rather fake-date a stranger than deal with her relatives’ relationship advice.

The holiday montage structure gives them multiple chances to screw things up spectacularly, and they don’t disappoint. It’s funny in all the wrong ways and completely unapologetic about it.

Best Moment: Their disastrous Easter dinner where everything goes to hell. Peak romantic comedy chaos.

4. Just Like Heaven (2005)

TMJ Rating: 4/5

I watched this ages ago after getting obsessed with similar stories on Wattpad, and it’s never left my mind.

Reese Witherspoon plays a workaholic doctor who dies but gets stuck haunting her old apartment, which Mark Ruffalo now occupies. The supernatural angle makes everything more urgent and emotional.

There’s something about the impossibility of their situation that makes every interaction meaningful. She’s literally disappearing, and he’s the only one who can see her. The stakes feel real in a way most rom-coms never achieve.

Witherspoon and Ruffalo have this natural chemistry that makes you believe in their connection despite the completely insane circumstances. It’s Ghost energy but with better dialogue and more heart.

Best Moment: When Witherspoon finally figures out why she’s stuck and what she needs to do. The emotional payoff hits perfectly.

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3. Set It Up (2018)

TMJ Rating: 4/5

This one’s become a classic for me.

I’ve watched it countless times and somehow never get tired of Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell scheming to set up their nightmare bosses. It’s comfort food in rom-com form.

The writing seems smart because these characters feel like real people dealing with actual problems. Crushing work schedules, impossible bosses, dreams they can’t afford to chase. Their friendship develops naturally while they’re plotting, and you can see them falling for each other before they do.

Deutch and Powell have that effortless banter that makes every scene entertaining. Even when their plan inevitably falls apart, you’re still rooting for them to figure their shit out.

Best Moment: The all-nighter sequence where they’re planning the perfect setup. Their chemistry is undeniable.

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2. Anyone But You (2023)

TMJ Rating: 4.5/5

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell absolutely killed this. The acting is splendid, the premise feels fresh and new-age, and don’t even get me started on how “Unwritten” has completely taken over my heart. This movie made that song emotional, which should be illegal.

The enemies-to-fake-lovers setup could have been tired, but both actors commit completely to being flawed, interesting people.

What makes this special is how modern it feels. The way they use social media, their approach to relationships, and even their communication styles feel authentic to how people date now. It’s a rom-com tradition updated for people who grew up online.

Best Moment: Every single scene with “Unwritten” playing. That song will never be the same for me.

1. Your Place or Mine (2023)

TMJ Rating: 5/5

This movie made me feel so much that it earned a spot on the list I keep on my phone of movies I absolutely love.

Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher as lifelong best friends who switch lives for a week created something genuinely special.

The concept is beautiful in its simplicity: what happens when you step into your best friend’s world and see what you’ve been missing? Both characters grow during their week apart, and their phone conversations carry twenty years of unspoken feelings.

Witherspoon and Kutcher have this lived-in chemistry that makes you believe they’ve known each other forever. The way they support each other’s dreams while being too scared to admit their own feelings is heartbreakingly real.

Best Moment: That final phone call where everything finally clicks. 20 years of friendship and fear and love all coming together perfectly.

These five movies prove that romantic comedies can still surprise you when they focus on real characters instead of contrived situations. They’re all different takes on love and friendship, but they share one thing: they made me care whether these people ended up together.

What rom-coms have earned spots on your favorites list? Let me know in the comments!