Top 10 Rom-Com Besties Who Deserve a Spin-Off
#10: Penny Nicholson “The Wedding Planner” (2001)
“The Wedding Planner”, starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey was definitely a favorite for anyone who came of age in the early aughts. J. Lo plays a wedding planner who ends up unwittingly falling for one of her grooms, and her best friend Penny is there to help move the action along. Penny, played by perpetual bestie Judy Greer, is the one who helps kick off the relationship between Mary and Steve, but she’s also the voice of reason when she realizes what’s actually going on. Penny is quirky, funny, a solid confidante, and the textbook definition of a perfect rom com sidekick. But more than that, she’s star material in her own right.
#9: Leah Burke, Abby Suso & Nick Eisner “Love, Simon” (2018)
One of the best romantic comedies to be released in recent years has to be “Love, Simon”, which was based on a beloved YA book before being successfully adapted as a hit movie as well. It tells the story of a closeted teen who is trying to figure out how to come out to everyone in his life. Obviously this a challenging and emotional experience, but one of the things that makes it easier for Simon is the stellar group of friends he has to support him. His oldest buddies are Leah and Nick, and more recently Abby has become part of their group. Even though Simon got his happily ever after, we’d love to see more of this trio.
#8: Delilah Abraham “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” (1998)
Whoopi Goldberg can basically do no wrong, and her role as best friend Dee in “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” is just one such example. She’s the more devil-may-care one in the friendship, and encourages Stella to take a much-needed vacation, which kicks off the action of the story. She is always ready with wise words, which all pack an even bigger punch when the audiences realizes that she’s actually dying. Whether she’s being wise or wise-cracking, Dee often steals the show, making us both laugh and cry every time we watch the film.
#7: Patti “Under the Tuscan Sun” (2003)
If you’re looking for a feel good movie where female empowerment comes first and finding a man comes second, you can’t do much better than “Under the Tuscan Sun” starring Diane Lane. But Lane’s character, Frances, never would have made it to Tuscany if it weren’t for her friend Patti, played by Sandra Oh, who gives her a ticket because she is pregnant and can no longer use it. Patti is gay, and this is a great earlier portrayal of a lesbian character in a major film. Unfortunately, Patti eventually finds herself single as well, but she thankfully winds up joining Frances in Italy for a seriously happy ending.
#6: LeBron James “Trainwreck” (2015)
It’s always a treat when celebrities play fictionalized versions of themselves in movies, and one of the best examples in the mid 2010s is LeBron James playing himself in Amy Schumer’s comedy, “Trainwreck”. James plays a friend to Amy’s love interest, Aaron, who takes a heightened interest in his love life. After Amy and Aaron’s first date, LeBron is thrilled because it has been so long since Aaron dated anyone. Also, you know your friend is a good one when they’re willing to stage an intervention for you because you haven’t been opening up enough! LeBron’s performance was a real slam dunk.
#5: Lilly Moscovitz “The Princess Diaries” (2001)
One of the best-loved teen rom coms from the turn of the millenium has to be “The Princess Diaries”, starring a young Anne Hathaway as a dorky girl who discovers she’s a princess. Her best friend, Lilly, is an equally uncool but hilarious counterpart to our heroine. Rather than just being a blindly supportive character, Lilly challenges Mia throughout the film, putting her in her place when she feels like Mia is changing because of her new status. She’s tough and tells it like it is, and that’s why we’d love to have her around as our bestie. Suffice it to say, we’d love to see more of her.
#4: Jude, Sharon & Tom “Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001)
Played by Shirley Henderson, Sally Phillips, and James Callis respectively, this comedic trio is Bridget’s support system and “urban family” throughout the action of the film. They’re pretty much always seen together, and they remind us of our own dysfunctional group of buddies. The three of them are there for Bridget in good times and bad - and you know they’re always down to have a good time. Whether she’s making blue soup or wearing giant underpants, they love her just the way she is. A spin-off starring these three would inevitably be a blast.
#3: Goh Peik Lin “Crazy Rich Asians” (2018)
Top 3 Reasons You Need to See Crazy Rich Asians
These days, it seems like the major studios aren’t focusing on producing fun and frothy rom coms like they used to, but one major exception in the late 2010s has been the extremely successful “Crazy Rich Asians”. The story focuses on an American woman who is travelling to Singapore and has to meet her incredibly rich boyfriend’s intimidating family. There, she meets up with an old college friend, Peik Lin, played by the inimitable Awkwafina. She’s zany, she’s outspoken, she has incredible outfits, and she inevitably grabs our attention every time she appears on-screen! Can we get a sequel that focuses on her? Thanks!
#2: Spike “Notting Hill” (1999)
Top 10 Spike Lee Joints
As far as classic ‘90s rom coms go, there’s almost none that can beat “Notting Hill”. It has Julia Roberts, it has Hugh Grant, it has some truly iconic monologues, and of course it has Rhys Ifans playing Spike. William "Will" Thacker (Grant) lives with an uncouth and uninhibited roommate, who provides most of the comedic relief in the movie. He’s not exactly the best friend you want at your side, since he unintentionally sabotages pretty much everything Will is trying to do, but he’s endlessly entertaining and we’d watch hours more content starring him. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Vivian & Jane “I Feel Pretty” (2018) Dr. Patrice & Dr. Shira “No Strings Attached” (2011) Liz “Crazy, Stupid, Love” (2011) Robin “How to Be Single” (2016) Dionne Davenport “Clueless” (1995)
#1: George Downes “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997)
Top 10 Most Iconic Regina George Quotes
People often have mixed feelings about “My Best Friend’s Wedding” because it’s difficult to watch a rom com where the lead behaves so...well...badly. But the one saving grace is her best friend and editor, George, who makes it all okay by putting her in her place and just being so darn charming. Though he’s initially supportive of her exploits, he quickly turns to trying to get Julianne to do the right thing. Audiences couldn’t have handled seeing her get a true happy ending, but the scene where she and George dance at the wedding strikes the perfect balance.
