While decades such as the ’70s, ’90s, and 2000s have all been defining chapters in the popularity and relevancy of romantic comedies, the 2010s are one of the most interesting decades for the genre. The genre primarily had a smaller scale and more indie approach in the first half of the decade before a total return and revitalization of the genre following the rise of streaming services.
While there were many great and defining rom-coms from this decade, such asSilver Linings Playbook,Crazy Rich Asians, andTo All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, there were also many overlooked and underrated rom-coms. The 2010s were a decade defined by changes and experimentation within the genre, making for a wide selection of amazing forgotten gems to be found.
10’Safety Not Guaranteed' (2012)
Safety Not Guaranteedfollows a trio of magazine employees who interview a man who placed an ad seeking a companion for traveling back in time. As the employees begin to understand the truth about the man behind the advert, a connection begins as questions are raised about whether he has found a way to travel back in time.
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While time travel is usually reserved for an action/adventure film,Safety Not Guaranteedfocuses less on the act of traveling through time and more on the connection between those wanting to return to the past. The dynamic and connection betweenAubrey PlazaandMark Duplassare the true core of the movie, as their shared regrets throughout life bond them as a perfect pairing.
9’Always Be My Maybe' (2019)
Always Be My Maybeis about childhood friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park): they were once best of friends who grew apart after an awkward fling in their teens. 15 years later, the duo finds themselves reunited, yet living completely different lives as a world-famous chef and a hometown musician. Yet, at the same time, their bond finds itself rekindling.
The classic storyline of childhood friends being reunited is a classic for the rom-com genre, andAlways Be My Maybeis a great modern interpretation of the classic genre archetype. Wong and Park have infectious chemistry and do a great job playing off of each other, and the numerous side characters all add a great deal of comedy to the experience.
8’Obvious Child' (2014)
Obvious Childis about a young, immature stand-up comedian dealing with the mental anguish of a breakup while attempting to navigate through adulthood. Her life is quickly upended after a fling with a graduate student leads to an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy, forcing her to reevaluate her life as a whole.
Jenny Slatehas always been a great comedic actress, and her leading performance inObvious Childmay be her best work, as her character is brimming with charm and likability from start to finish. The premise also leads to many comedic moments not just from Slate but from the entire supporting cast, as well as some powerful emotional moments at its core.
7’Seeking a Friend for the End of the World' (2012)
Seeking a Friend for the End of the Worldsees the world in its final weeks, as news of an approaching asteroid strike puts the entire world on a final countdown to destruction. As all of society is figuring out how to spend their final days, Dodge Petersen (Steve Carell) finds himself estranged from his wife and is soon joined by his neighbor (Keira Knightley) on a search for his high school sweetheart.
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The end of the world sounds like it would be the last place for a rom-com to take place, yet the film’s balance of dark comedy with heartfelt final-days emotion makes for an unexpected perfect match. It helps a great deal that the film centers around the comedic duo of Carell and Knightley, who bring their A-game both comedically and dramatically.
6’Enough Said' (2013)
Enough Saidis about Eva (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a divorced and soon-to-be empty-nester pondering about what the next phase of her life will be like now that she’ll be alone. As she finds a new friendship with Marianne, who embodies the exact lifestyle she would like to live, Eva steps out of her comfort zone and takes a chance on a new love interest, Albert (James Gandolfini). Soon enough, Eva realizes the predicament she finds herself in, as Albert is the dreaded ex-husband that Marianne constantly refers to.
It’s rare for rom-coms to tell stories featuring more sophisticated, middle-aged characters, andEnough Saidrectifies this absence with a more mature and down-to-earth love story between older souls. There is a palpable and honest depiction of finding a second chance at love at the center of this story, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and the late James Gandolfini providing an excellent job as the core duo.
5’Plus One' (2019)
Plus Onefollows the story of Alice (Maya Erskine) and Ben (Jack Quaid), two single friends who are forced to revel in their lack of a relationship in seemingly endless weddings throughout the year. To help ease the pain from the process, the duo agrees to accompany one another to every wedding they will have to attend so that they won’t have to spend all these events alone.
Plus Oneis able to perfectly capture the energy of pathetic and self-loathing singledom that mends itself perfectly to a rom-com setting. The duo of Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine makes for a comedy match made in heaven, as the two are constantly bringing the best out in one another resulting in a multitude of laughs. Aside from being strictly a comedy, the film manages to have a surprising amount of heart and emotion at its core.
4’Drinking Buddies' (2013)
Drinking Buddiesfollows a group of coworkers at a local brewery as they live day to day and find their lives connecting over a nice glass of beer. The lines between friendship and relationship slowly begin to blur during a weekend cabin trip as the connections between coworkers are tested in ways that only a beer could fix.
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Drinking Buddiesmakes for an incredibly unique and singular viewing experience as a romantic comedy, not specifically for its premise or sequence of events but for its approach to telling its story. While major plot points were set in stone, nearly all the actual dialogue present in the film was improvised between the actors, making for on-screen dynamics and chemistry more grounded in realism than ever seen before on film. It’s an approach that does wonders for the film’s themes about emotion and connections in day-to-day life, making for a one-of-a-kind rom-com.
3’Sleeping with Other People' (2015)
Sleeping with Other Peoplefollows the growing friendship between Lainey (Alison Brie) and Jake (Jason Sudeikis), old friends who reconnect over their shared experiences as chronic cheaters in their relationships. The two quickly bond over their shared efforts to attempt to actually maintain a relationship while at the same time being determined to only stay as platonic friends, despite their mutual attraction.
The 2010s were home to various rom-coms that challenged the notions of monogamy and pleasure in friendships, such asNo Strings AttachedandFriends with Benefits.Sleeping with Other Peoplepresents itself as the more mature, grounded alternative to these more glorified depictions of escapades between friends, tackling the subject with much more honesty and realism than others. The film still doles out a great deal of comedy, however, as Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie make for a great comedic duo, especially excelling in a variety of comedic back and forth.
2’Mr. Right' (2015)
Mr. Rightfollows the story of Martha (Anna Kendrick), who, after one bad relationship after another, finally seems to have found the perfect guy. The only problem is that this perfect guy (Sam Rockwell) happens to be an expert hitman, constantly on the run from the crime agencies that he betrays on the regular. Despite the massive danger, their connection can’t be denied, and they fall further in love with one another.
Action is a genre that is often the complete opposite of what is expected from rom-coms, yetMr. Rightcan perfectly blend the two to make for an equally action-packed and hilarious action comedy. A big part of why the unusual combination can work so well is because of the incredibly strong chemistry and charm between Rockwell and Kendrick, who are both a delight to watch on screen from beginning to end.
1’They Came Together' (2014)
They Came Togetheris a rom-com satire that follows Joel (Paul Rudd) and Molly (Amy Poehler), who, on a dinner double date, recounts the story of how they met and fell in love, which just so happens to play out exactly like a rom-com. Their story features all the classic trademarks and tropes of a cheesy romantic comedy, from bitter exes and supporting friends to rivaling occupations and a third-act split.
Rom-coms as a genre have stuck tried and true to a variety of tropes for as long as they’ve been popular, making it relatively easy to parody and satirize the conventions of the genre. What makesThey Came Togetherstand out as a satire is that it only uses the rom-com skeleton as a jumping-off point for ano-holds-barred absurdist comedy that evolves throughout the film. While there are still the classic jokes poking fun at the genre and its tropes, the film’s true colors and comedic highlights shine through when it’s taking its audience completely by surprise in the best way possible.
