Top 20 Funniest Rom-Coms of All Time

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride – in Jane’s case, a whopping 27 times. Then she meets a cynical reporter named Kevin who covers wedding announcements even though he believes marriage is a sham. Sparks fly, and hijinks ensue. The comedic chemistry between Katherine Heigl and James Marsden is undeniable and the banter is practically nonstop. You know how this one is going to end from the beginning, but that doesn’t make the ride any less entertaining. Of course, we’re mainly just jealous that 27 people consider Jane to be such a good friend.

Lara Jean writes love letters to her crushes, though she never intends to actually send them. As per the typical embarrassing chaos of rom-coms, they somehow end up in the mail. This Netflix hit is full of flawed but genuinely lovable characters. Lara Jean’s snarky best friend Christine, for example. Then there’s her younger sister Kitty, who has impeccable comedic timing – especially for a pre-teen. And, of course, Lara Jean herself, whose inner monologue is the perfect blend of wit and heartfelt sincerity. Although we wouldn’t wish this crazy situation on anyone, it does make for some truly laugh-out-loud moments.

When the young bassist of a garage band decides to woo delivery worker Ramona Flowers, he discovers he must first fight her seven wicked exes. Based on a series of graphic novels, “Scott Pilgrim” leans heavily into its comic book origins for unique visuals. Still, the film manages not to take itself too seriously despite starring icons like Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Schwartzman. From the evil ex fights reminiscent of video game boss battles, to the almost constant jokes and snarky comments, it’s truly an out-of-the-box rom-com.

Melvin Udall is a successful novelist with a lot of baggage. Rude, misanthropic, and plagued by OCD, he’s driven away nearly everyone in his life. Melvin’s constant verbal abuse of his artist neighbor Simon – not to mention pretty much everyone else around him – is so over-the-top, it’s absurd, and we can’t help but laugh. Only Carol, a waitress at his daily breakfast spot, can tolerate him but Carol has problems of her own. Jack Nicholson is at his most Jack Nicholson, and it’s an utter delight. When Carol’s patience and a little dog’s love start to rub off on Melvin, he finds himself changing in small but significant ways, and we find ourselves rooting for him.

Based on Shakespeare’s play “The Taming of the Shrew,” this teen rom-com takes place not in Padua, Italy, but in Padua Hills, Washington. High school sisters Kat and Bianca live under the thumb of their paranoid, overprotective father. While Kat has no interest in the immature boys at school, Bianca wants to date and go to parties like a normal teenager. The girls, their romantic pursuers, and their father constantly trade one-liners, and the sarcasm flows magnificently, just as it does in the original play. We think the Bard would approve.

Hugh Grant has charm coming out of his ears. It’s no wonder he was the rom-com king in the ‘90s and 2000s. When humble bookstore owner Will crosses paths with a beautiful American movie star, he doesn’t exactly sweep her off her feet. But his bumbling sweetness combined with his dry English wit make him irresistible. Despite all the complications in their way, the two can’t bear to stay apart. Filled with a quirky cast of unique characters and absurd situations, this movie’s particular brand of humor is both entertaining and heart-warming.

Peter is the bright spot in Lucy’s long, lonely days at the train station fare booth. Despite being virtual strangers, when an attack by muggers puts him in a coma, a series of misunderstandings leads Lucy to pretend to be his fiancée. But it’s Peter’s brother Jack who ends up winning Lucy’s heart. This movie could have been just another generic romantic comedy, if not for Sandra Bullock’s irresistible appeal. As the hapless Lucy, she manages to be both graceful and inept at the same time. As she struggles to keep up her ruse, it’s no surprise that Peter’s entire family falls for her.

Cal is middle-aged, recently divorced, and kind of pathetic. Jacob, on the other hand, is young, stylish, and very successful with the ladies. When Jacob decides to help Cal turn his life around, they both go through some unexpected romantic highs and lows. Although Steve Carell is the better known comedic actor, Ryan Gosling holds his own alongside the veteran and proves that he, too, is no slouch when it comes to humor. And who doesn’t love a classic makeover montage, especially when the jokes come as fast as the outfit changes.

At this point, we’ll watch anything with Steve Carell in it. He stars as the titular virgin, Andy, whose co-workers team up to help him overcome his virgin status. As is the case in many of director Judd Apatow’s films, much of the dialogue in this movie was improvised, giving this cast of brilliant entertainers plenty of opportunities to flex just how truly hilarious and quick-witted they are. Still, there is one scene where Carell isn’t acting. The waxing scene is 100% real and it really makes the whole thing that much better. Alright, everybody hold up heart hands for Steve Carell!

Imagine having an infinite number of chances to change your life and win over the person you love. After a while, you might get pretty creative. The original “Groundhog Day” puts an ingenious spin on the genre, trapping the protagonist in a time loop that repeats every 24 hours. From teaching himself ice sculpture to kidnapping the Punxsutawney groundhog, Phil tries everything to pass the time and eventually to break out of his metaphysical prison. Combine this crazy situation with Bill Murray’s impeccable delivery, and you get a rom-com that turns even the darkest situations into hilarity.

“When Harry Met Sally...” is considered to be one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time, popularizing the genre after it was released in 1989. It is, of course, known for the famous scene that takes place in Katz’s deli where Sally delivers a very....enthusiastic performance to prove a point. While Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are both excellent in their leading roles, Carrie Fisher adds great comic relief as Sally’s best friend Marie. The film is also peppered with interviews of elderly couples telling their love stories, each of which is funnier than the last.

In romantic comedies and teen movies, it’s typically the girls who have the dramatic makeover, but that trope gets gender swapped in “Just Friends.” In this story Ryan Reynolds stars as Chris, a guy who was overweight and nerdy in high school. When he comes back to his hometown as an adult however, he’s become both successful and incredibly good looking. So naturally he sets out to win the girl of his teenage dreams. The movie is full of over the top gags and laugh out loud moments. At its heart it also features a sweet love story between two former besties who finally manage to make it work after years apart.

Today, it’s kind of hard to picture Nicolas Cage as the star of a romantic comedy, and perhaps equally hard to imagine Cher starring opposite him. But that’s exactly the unlikely combination that 1987’s “Moonstruck” gave us. Cher even won an Oscar for the role! The movie is something of a cult favorite because of the way it balances offbeat comedy and an engaging story that takes us into the world of a group of quirky Italian-Americans living in Brooklyn. Rom coms aren’t known for being hits with the critics, but this one holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94 percent.

Technically, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is more of a breakup movie than a traditional rom com, but don’t worry, it totally has a happy ending. In fact, if you’re going through a breakup yourself and need a good laugh, this movie might be the perfect thing to cure your heartbreak. Jason Segel plays a guy who has just been dumped and has to contend with the fact that his ex is now dating a famous rock star. Things only get worse for him when he heads to Hawaii to take a vacation and learns that both his ex and her new beau are at the same resort. While getting over a broken heart is usually more devastating than comedic, this movie is able to poke fun at all of the awful things that happen to Segal’s character, making us able to laugh at our own breakups too.

“My Best Friend's Wedding” is a unique romantic comedy in that (spoiler alert) it doesn’t have a happy ending. The plot revolves around Jules, played by Julia Roberts, a woman who suddenly realizes she’s totally in love with her long-time best friend. Unfortunately this revelation comes just before he’s about to get married. This is a movie that’s much more about the journey that the protagonist goes through than it is about a fairy tale happily ever after. Along the way, she makes plenty of mistakes, and each one creates increasingly funny scenarios as the plot moves along.

The plot of “Coming to America” is funny from the start. Eddie Murphy plays a spoiled prince of the fictional African nation of Zamunda who isn’t super enthusiastic about his family’s attempts to set him up in an arranged marriage. Instead he decides to head to the United States to find an independent wife on his own. It’s a classic fish out of water story that involves Murphy’s character, Akeem Joffer learning a lot of hilarious lessons as he contends with American culture. Fans of the original movie were thrilled when a sequel, “Coming 2 America” was released in March of 2021.

This movie is universally beloved, and it is considered more of a classic comedy than a romance by most viewers, despite the fact that there’s a love story at its core. In a way, “The Wedding Singer” is a traditional Adam Sandler movie, with the actor playing another variation of his signature goofy character. In this iteration, he’s playing Robbie, a wedding singer who’s engaged to the wrong woman and eventually falls for a waitress, played by Drew Barrymore. The film balances a sweet romance with some laugh out loud moments, making it a great date movie. Sandler and Barrymore do it again in “50 First Dates.”

Starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock, “The Proposal” tells the story of Margaret, a woman who basically forces her assistant Andrew to get engaged to her so she can avoid being deported. In order to sell the story to the immigration authorities, she ends up accompanying him on a trip to visit his family in Alaska. This city girl is totally out of place in the more natural setting, and has a hard time letting loose with Andrew’s laid-back relatives. One of the film’s highlights has to be Betty White playing Andrew’s grandmother, a sweet-looking yet foul-mouthed lady who, in one memorably hilarious scene, has Bullock’s character perform a ritualistic dance with her.

This movie features a love story that develops from a series of lies, which makes it amusing to watch even though it’s not the healthiest start to a relationship. Kate Hudson plays a magazine writer who has to produce a piece about all of the terrible mistakes that women make in relationships that drive men away. Matthew McConaughey is a PR chief who sets out to prove that he can make a woman fall in love with him in a matter of days. While he’s trying to attract her, she’s trying to repel him. The dynamic that only gets funnier as the movie progresses and she tries more and more outlandish ways to show the clingy and over-the-top ways some people behave in relationships.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001)
A Hot Mess Makes for a Hilarious Protagonist

“Easy A” (2010)
Rumors Might Kill a Reputation but They’re a Recipe for Comedy Gold

“Isn't It Romantic” (2019)
Reminds Us Why We Love Rom-Coms in the First Place

“Just Go with It” (2011)
Forget Love Triangle - It’s More Like a Love Hexagon!

“Two Weeks Notice” (2002)
Workplace Comedy Plus Romance - Sign Us Up!

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” focuses on Toula, a shy and introverted Greek woman living in Chicago who has always done what’s expected of her—until she falls for a non-Greek guy. This is one of those delightful movies that’s oh so comforting to watch because nothing really bad happens. Sure, Ian has a bit of a tough time getting used to Toula’s zany family, but the conflict is pretty minimal. What carries the movie is the utterly charming cast of characters who make us laugh all the way through, whether they’re curing everything with Windex or getting personal with the in-laws.