Top 30 Most Rewatched Scenes in Romance Movies

The final scene of “Sweet Home Alabama” pulls out all the stops with a kiss in the rain, a runaway bride, and two childhood sweethearts, together forever at last. Yes, it’s corny, but we love it. What makes the finale extra swoon-worthy is the callback to the opening sequence, where young Jake and Melanie share their first kiss on the beach. Back then, it was Jake making the moves, but this time it’s Melanie who wants to kiss him any time she wants. The repeated line reveals that Melanie remembers and treasures their shared history and brings the couple’s romance full circle.

This Christmas-y rom-com is not just about finding your true love — it’s also about found family. It’s fitting, then, that the family play their part in the movie’s heart-warming finale. Lucy is a lonely token collector who first meets the Callaghans when she saves the life of the eldest son, Peter. Despite being mistaken for Peter’s fiancee, Lucy falls instead for the younger brother, Jack. Of course, in true rom-com fashion, everything comes right in the end. When Jack appears at Lucy’s booth, ready to pop the question, he has the whole clan behind him — literally, as well as in spirit. It’s not the most traditional of proposals, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

When it comes to serenading your true love, it’s not about the quality of the singing or even the song itself. It’s all about the intention, and the courage it takes to stand up and sing your feelings. That’s what makes this scene from “The Wedding Singer” so emotionally satisfying. Robbie has written his song especially for Julia. It may not be perfect, but it reveals so much. The lyrics are simple, sometimes silly, but totally heartfelt. Adam Sandler has a good voice and fantastic chemistry with Drew Barrymore — and it helps when Billy Idol is on your side.

When you marry a person, most times you’re also marrying their family. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” explores the chaos and the culture-shock that can ensue when tying the knot with someone from a different background. Toula Portokalos breaks free from the rut she’s been stuck in, making a new life for herself and finding true love almost by accident. Those early scenes of the heroine changing her own fate are some of the movie’s most inspirational. But, the comedic magic really happens in the ‘meet the family’ moments. Screenwriter Nia Vardalos based the movie on her own life experiences and she depicts Toula’s loving and eccentric family with warmth and humor.

This iconic comedy is full of rewatchable moments. We especially love the “bend and snap” scene, but you can’t beat our heroine’s big day in court. After helping to discredit the chief witnesses in the case, Elle gets the defense off to a good start. For the big finale she embraces her identity and her signature color, sashaying into the courtroom with confidence. Solving the case itself takes a combination of intuition and specialist hair-care knowledge. Elle’s cross-examination of Chutney is a masterpiece in comedic writing. Plus, now we all know what happens if you wet your hair less than 24 hours after a perm.

We all love a happy ending and the finale of “You’ve Got Mail” doesn’t disappoint. Meg Ryan’s Kathleen Kelly has been falling in love both on and off the internet. Online there’s the long-term email crush who understands her on a deeper level. In the real world there’s Joe Fox, the guy who put her out of business but makes her laugh and wants to be her friend. In a different kind of movie, Joe might make Kathleen choose. But in a park full of flowers, Kathleen discovers that her two loves are one and the same — and it’s just what she hoped for.

She may have won her Oscar for “Les Misérables,” but that wasn’t Anne Hathaway’s first memorable musical performance. “Ella Enchanted” is an adventurous romp set in a magical land where elves are forced to sing for their supper and giants love a good wedding party. Hathaway’s Ella finds herself at just such a soiree while traveling across the country with the dashing Prince Char. Thanks to a feckless fairy godmother, Ella has been cursed with the gift of obedience, so when the giants call on her for a song, she’s unable to say no. We’re glad they did though, because Hathaway’s performance is both musical and comedy gold.

“Bridesmaids” has so many iconic scenes, from the bridal shower to the bit on the plane. However, nothing keeps us coming back quite like the food poisoning incident. Gross-out humor might not be for everyone. However, it’s impossible not to laugh at the brilliant comic acting and perfectly pitched horror of that moment in the bridal shop when the characters all realize what’s about to happen next. Melissa McCarthy often gets the credit for making “Bridesmaids” so funny, but Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph’s blushing bride should definitely share some too.

Apologies to the Carrie and Charles fans, but we don’t find their love story all that compelling — although they do have an iconic line or two. In a movie featuring four weddings, it’s strange that it’s the funeral scene that really made us believe in love. Gareth and Matthew are the only long-term couple in the central friendship group, but back in 1994, gay marriage still wasn’t legal in the UK. At Gareth’s funeral, Matthew is introduced as his ‘closest friend’ then proceeds to give a speech that probably leaves nobody in any doubt of the love between them. John Hannah’s moving recitation of the W.H. Auden poem "Funeral Blues" never fails to bring us to tears.

This modern fairytale is full of wish fulfillment moments. There’s the Cinderella transformation and the final scene on the fire escape, where the unconventional princess is rescued from her tower. However, our favorite has to be the famous shopping scene. After Vivian is shamed out of a fancy store by some condescending salespeople, she returns to the hotel defeated. In steps her fairy godmother — otherwise known as the hotel manager — who gets her smartened up and sends her out for round two. This time she returns dressed to the nines, and lets the workers know just what they missed out on. Vivian revels in her triumph and so do we.

Set in Paris, “Amélie” is a unique romantic comedy that strays from the standard Hollywood formula. The protagonist is Amélie Poulain, a young Frenchwoman who devotes her life to bringing happiness to others after a particular discovery. One day, in her apartment, she finds a box of childhood memorabilia from one of the flat’s former residents. She manages to track down the boy, now a grown man, and anonymously returns his possessions to him. His emotional response is evocative and it prompts Amélie to continue spreading joy throughout the rest of the film.

“500 Days of Summer” is an unconventional romantic comedy in that the viewer knows from the very beginning that the relationship it depicts is not going to work out. Regardless, it’s fun to be along for the ride. One of the sweetest moments comes when Tom and Summer have a dreamy date at an IKEA store, making furniture shopping look like the most romantic thing in the world. The way they play-act living in the display rooms is charming and has doubtless inspired many couples to do the same. Whenever we go to IKEA, we seem to be surrounded by pushy shoppers and screaming children...

In “The Big Sick”, which is based on the real-life love story between writer Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon, the main couple has one hell of a meet cute. Protagonist Kumail is an aspiring stand-up comedian, and he approaches a woman after one of his sets who “heckled” him while he was performing. His definition of heckling may not match up with hers, but the two hit it off anyway. While this scene is adorable, it all comes full circle by the end of the movie when Emily turns up at one of his shows and heckles him all over again.

It’s interesting to have a rom-com protagonist who you may or may not root for. But that’s the case in “My Best Friend's Wedding”, where Julia Roberts’s character, Jules, is trying to win the affections of her longtime bestie, Michael - despite the fact that he’s about to be married. On what was supposed to be their wedding day, Jules makes one last desperate attempt to make Michael choose her, giving an impassioned speech and kissing him. She may not get the guy, but everyone got the ending they needed and this scene has gone down in movie history as one of the best in the genre.

Pretty much every moment of “13 Going on 30” is a delight, but there’s none more iconic than the “Thriller” dance scene. Jenna Rink is a 13 year old in a grown woman’s body, who finds herself trying to revive a failing work party. She puts on Michael Jackson’s mega-hit, and hits the dance floor, nailing all the moves. At first, it seems like she’s about to be ridiculed, but eventually everyone joins in. It’s a fun and uplifting scene that never fails to pump us up no matter how many times we watch it.

In “The Princess Bride”, lovers Westley and Buttercup are separated after Westley leaves to make a fortune so that he can be a worthy husband to her. Buttercup believes that her love has been killed by the Dread Pirate Roberts when he does not return. The two eventually meet again, but she believes him to be the Dread Pirate Roberts. Westley plays up his assumed role, but when Buttercup pushes him down a hill he utters his iconic catchphrase “as you wish” and she realizes who he really is. She tumbles down after him in a moment that is simultaneously sweet and hilarious.

There are plenty of cute moments in this holiday-themed rom com, but our hearts always swell when we watch this one. Jamie and Aurélia meet when he hires her to be his housekeeper, and the two struggle to communicate because they don’t speak the same language. They slowly develop feelings for one another, however. After he goes back home, Jamie ends up learning Portugese. Then, he goes back to track Aurélia down in her hometown in France to profess his love - and propose marriage to her. It turns out she’s been practicing her English, and the two get engaged with seemingly the entire town bearing witness.

“Crazy Rich Asians” is one of the most popular romantic comedies to be released in recent years, taking the genre’s traditional formula and giving viewers a unique new setting to experience. Much of the plot revolves around Rachel’s issues with Nick’s family, particularly his controlling mother. By the film’s climax, Rachel has decided to head back to America without Nick after deciding to prioritize letting Nick have a positive relationship with his family. But Nick manages to catch her on the plane and proposes with his mother’s ring, showing that she has finally decided to approve of their union.

“The Holiday” may be a Christmas movie, but it can be enjoyed year round. Hands down the highlight of the film comes at the beginning when Iris and Amanda make the decision to swap houses for the holiday season. Seeing both of their enthusiasm build gets the audience amped up for what’s to come and witnessing the two women’s growing rapport is entertaining. We also can’t get enough of watching Iris’s reaction when she first explores Amanda’s LA mansion, running around to each room like an excited little kid.

In “Grease”, Sandy and Danny have a tumultuous relationship after meeting at the beach and finding themselves at the same school come fall. After going through plenty of ups and downs, they’re finally ready to come together by the film’s conclusion. Seeing Sandy and Danny transform to be together is pretty iconic, and while the focus is usually put on Sandy’s shocking makeover, it’s important to remember that Danny put on a preppy outfit to impress her too! This is the happy ending that we had been waiting for.

This is one of the most iconic moments in rom com history for a reason. The classic ‘80s movie is about a slacker - Lloyd Dobler - who falls for the class valedictorian - Diane Court. There are plenty of things that come between them, but Lloyd makes an attempt at a grand romantic gesture.: he shows up at the break of dawn outside Diane’s bedroom window blasting Peter Gabriel’s "In Your Eyes" on his boombox. Lloyd standing there with a plaintive look in his eyes has become one of the most memorable images in all of film history.

After his wife passes away, Sam’s young son Jonah calls into a radio station to make his story public. Women from all over the nation become enamored with Sam, including Baltimore reporter Annie. Inspired by “An Affair to Remember”, Annie suggests that they meet at the top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. A series of mishaps and near-meetings occur but finally the two end up at the top of the emblematic building on the night in question. It’s certainly unconventional to have a romance movie where the two leads essentially don’t meet until the very end, but that’s what makes this moment all the more special.

“Clueless” is a favorite for many in the teen movie genre, and it features one of the most memorable and rewatchable openings of all time. The introductory montage introduces us to Cher and her lavish life in Los Angeles. Though she presents herself as an average teenager in her voiceover, it’s clear that she’s anything but. Any fashionista will love the glimpse into Cher’s closet and the computer technology that somehow puts together outfits for her. 25 years later and we STILL don’t have one of these in our rooms!

In “Notting Hill”, Julia Roberts plays a celebrity superstar named Anna Scott and Hugh Grant plays a modest bookstore owner living in London named Will. While Will spends most of the movie feeling intimidated by Anna, by the end it’s her who is pleading for him to accept her and consider them being together. She attempts to humanize celebrities, explaining that at her core, she’s just like everyone else. Her speech has gone down in rom com history as one of the best and is still evocative (and relevant) today.

“To All the Boys I've Loved Before” is one of the most beloved teen movies to be released in recent years, and the chemistry between shy and quiet Lara Jean and popular jock Peter is one of the reasons it was so well received. Despite the fact that their relationship is fake for much of the movie, their hot tub kiss on the school ski trip is the moment it gets very real. This is the scene in which they finally admit their feelings for one another, and we could watch it again and again.

In “Bridget Jones’s Diary”, it seems like Bridget and Mark Darcy couldn’t be more different. He’s an uptight lawyer and she’s a somewhat crass and bumbling singleton who doesn’t seem to have her life together. She feels judged by him, but their dynamic shifts part-way through the film when Mark confronts Bridget and tells her that - despite all of her flaws - he likes her just as she is. It’s a simple speech, but one that is relatable for many who wish that they could be accepted without someone wanting them to change.

“Love, Simon” broke down barriers by becoming the first film from a major studio to focus on a gay teen romance. In many ways, this movie feels just like a traditional romantic comedy, showing that queer love stories aren’t all that different from the ones we’re used to seeing in mainstream films. The ending of the story has Simon finally meeting the guy he’s been chatting with anonymously online for so long. While waiting on the Ferris wheel for his secret “pen pal” to reveal himself, it seems like he’s never going to show up. But when Bram sits beside him and they eventually kiss, it’s a moment that feels both familiar and revolutionary.

“10 Things I Hate About You” tops many lists of the best teen movies of all time, and Heath Ledger’s performance as bad boy Patrick is one of the reasons it’s so beloved. In this scene, he serenades Kat with a rendition of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" on their school’s bleachers. Kat isn’t exactly the type of girl who you’d think would appreciate a showy gesture like this, but she can’t help but be charmed by him. The fact that Ledger is no longer with us makes watching this scene bittersweet, but seeing the joyful performance is a reminder of his infectious energy.

How does one scene feature not one, but two iconic rom com lines? “Jerry Maguire” is an interesting film in that romance isn’t the only focus, but Jerry’s relationship with Dorothy is the thing that keeps us coming back for more. Though their relationship takes a turn for the worse, by the film’s end they find their way back together - with Jerry telling Dorothy that she completes him and Dorothy uttering this much-quoted line [you had me at hello]. It’s a romantic scene that shows that a love story is never really over when both people still love each other.

One of the most hilarious rom com moments of all time has to be Sally’s explosive “faking it” scene in Katz’s Delicatessen. While we could watch that over and over again, we also love the heartwarming romantic conclusion of “When Harry Met Sally...”. This love story tells of a couple whose timing never seems to be quite right throughout decades of friendship. In the end though, they realize that the person for them was right in front of them all along. Harry makes an impassioned speech on New Year’s Eve telling Sally that he loves her partly because of her unique quirks and we are here for it.

Which romantic movie scenes do you always wait for? Share your favorites in the comments!