Top 10 Rom-Coms That Are So Bad They're Good

Take one former Doctor Who, a future Disney Pixar princess, and a convoluted fake-dating plot. Throw them all together on a fictional Scottish island and what do you get? The bad rom-com that you never knew you needed. From the awkward meet-cute, it’s clear that no-one is taking this movie seriously – perhaps not even the actors. They’re having fun though and the cast have so much charm that you can almost forgive the script. Alice Eve is notably delightfully eccentric in a supporting role, and some of David Tennant's outfits are not to be missed.

Keeping with the Scottish theme, we’d like to put in a bad word for “Made of Honor” – also dubbed the “gender-swapped version of ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’” by some. Without the star power of Julia Roberts and co, this movie falls into the category of shameless rip-off. Nevertheless, there’s something very watchable about this kind of car-crash rom-com. Cringe-worthy scenes and clunky jokes are par for the course, but we also get some stunning Scottish scenery and Patrick Dempsey in his prime. All the characters are pretty unlikeable, but their exploits are more amusing than they deserve to be.

The make-over scene in “She’s All That” is one of cinema’s most talked about. Laney Boggs basically takes off her glasses, and what a transformation! She’s beautiful now. In 2021, this classic teen movie got a gender-flipped remake. Instead of a glasses-wearing girl, we got a hat-wearing boy. And the key to his newfound popularity? A haircut, a shave and taking off the hat. Because it’s just that simple. Sure, there are a million and one things wrong with “He’s All That” and we won’t begin to list them here. It’s also pretty fun though. With plenty of nods to the original and lots to laugh at (affectionately, of course) we reckon it’s worth a watch.

Starring Julia Stiles fresh off the success of “10 Things I Hate About You” and Freddie Prinze Jr. – who’d recently had a hit with “She’s All That” – this teen movie should have been a success. It’s a shame about the bad script, uneven story, and lack of chemistry between the leads. Ignore all that, however, and “Down to You” has plenty to keep you hooked. Enjoy the romance, the quirky side characters and the lip syncing. Plus, there aren’t many teen movies that cover both the college and post-college stages of life. It may be one of the worst rom-coms of its era, but at least it’s trying to be different.

There are more cooking-related rom-coms out there than you might expect, and the strangest might just be “Simply Irresistible.” Sarah Michelle Gellar plays a young woman who is anything but a chef. Despite this, she inherits a restaurant. A stranger sells her some crabs at the market and thanks to some crustacean-related hocus pocus, she turns into a gifted cook. The movie is an unusual mix of old-school romance and magical realism and the tone is definitely weird, but in a kind of pleasant way. A crab is kind of integral to the plot, yet the story also feels oddly serious in places. Nevertheless, it’s a diverting watch.

Just where did “The Ugly Truth” go wrong? It’s a classic opposites attract, hate-to-love story, with great chemistry between the leads. Two of the writers brought us some of the most memorable hits of the rom-com genre, such as “She’s the Man” and “10 Things I Hate About You.” But somehow this movie missed the mark. There’s lots to cringe at and some scenes feel clichéd and derivative. Then there’s Gerard Butler’s misogynistic main character, who doesn’t do quite enough to win us over in the end. But don’t let us put you off! There are also some genuine laughs and fun romantic moments. We especially love the dancing scene and that memorable kiss in the elevator.

If we say “eighties rom-coms” you’ll probably think Molly Ringwald in “Pretty in Pink” or John Cusack with his boombox. But spare a thought for this comic masterpiece, about a guy who falls in love with a shop window dummy. “Mannequin” has to be seen to be believed, but once you have seen it, it’ll live in your head rent free forever. Kim Cattrall plays the eponymous mannequin, who is actually the reincarnation of an Ancient Egyptian escaping an arranged marriage. When she comes to life, it sets off a string of zany events. The premise is bizarre, but the soundtrack is banging and it’s actually surprisingly funny and sweet.

What is it about Hallmark movies that makes them so watchable? In spite of the formulaic plots and clichéd romances, they have their own unique charm. Sometimes you just need to switch off your brain and indulge in something cozy and feel-good. Is it even the holidays if you haven’t grown invested in a love-story between a big-city career girl and a nice guy from a small town? Whether you’re watching a seasonal movie or an ordinary rom-com, you know what you’re getting with a hallmark film. They’re a blast whether we want to admit it or not – and yes, some are more awful than others. But that’s the point – it’s all about the escapism.

Just one step up from your basic Hallmark rom-com is your basic Netflix rom-com. If there’s a pun in the name and a 2000s celeb in a starring role, then you know you’ve struck gold. “Falling Inn Love” - that’s Inn with two ns - is as cheesy as its name suggests. The predictable plot sees Christina Milian travel to New Zealand after winning an Inn. There she meets a sexy and mysterious local guy who helps her get the Inn ready. The movie knows what it is and it plays up to the cliches. New Zealand is beautiful, while the leads have charisma and plenty of chemistry. It’s not fancy, but it’s a lot of fun.

If “The Kissing Booth” feels like an adaptation of a Wattpad novel written by a teenager, that’s because it is. It’s a movie full of tropes, underdeveloped characters and bizarre scenarios. The problematic love interest also has serious anger issues, but we probably should’ve seen that coming since he’s attractive and rides a motorcycle. There’s no denying this is a terrible film, but there’s a reason people loved “The Kissing Booth”, its sequels, and the thousands of fanfictions just like it. It may be totally unbelievable, but it’s also super entertaining. We love the drama and when it all gets too much, it’s fun to jokingly mock too too. Did we mention Molly Ringwald is there too? What more could you ask for?!

What’s your favorite so-bad-it’s-good movie? Let us know in the comments!