Top 20 Rom-Coms You've Never Heard Of

Shakespeare may have invented many tropes of the genre, but the modern rom com owes a lot to Jane Austen. In this 2013 movie, Keri Russell stars as Jane, an American who goes LARPing at a Regency-era themed-resort. In typical Jane Austen fashion, this meta story finds the protagonist falling for a man above her station. Of course, that’s after they meet and instantly loathe each other. Asking interesting questions about the realism of romance stories, “Austenland” has its fair share of fun. It also boasts a great cast. Seeing Jennifer Coolidge bumble her way through traditional English custom is worth the price of admission alone.

Family heirlooms usually come in the form of jewelry. But the men in Tim Lake’s family have the ability to time travel. When this gift rewrites his entire meet-cute with Mary, Tim realizes he’ll have to use his power again to find her. But each new time he uses the power, the more skewed his life becomes. As most of these time travel rom coms go, it ends up being about the importance of living in the moment. It’s a sentimental, but gorgeous movie. The chemistry between its two leads, Rachel McAdams and Domhnall Gleeson, is well worth the watch.

It’s a love story for the 21st Century, courtesy of the 19th Century. Hugh Jackman was still a fresh face when he starred alongside rom com queen Meg Ryan in “Kate & Leopold.” In this fish out of water romance, Jackman is a duke who gets pulled into a time portal by his great-great grandson. Between staring in wonder at modern-day New York City and figuring out how to flush a toilet, he meets and falls for a modern-day woman. If you want to see how they reconcile a nearly 200 year age difference, you’ll have to see it for yourself.

Nia Long stars as Nina Mosley, a young woman just getting over a breakup. She’s not exactly ready to date again. But when she meets a Chicago poet played by Larenz Tate, she’s instantly charmed and starts to change her mind. The movie takes a pretty interesting approach, realistically portraying how sometimes, when it comes to love, the timing just isn’t right. With its rhythm & bluesy soundtrack and atmospheric settings, it’s a romance set to poetry, jazz, and blues songs. Many contemporary critics noted it was a breath of fresh air, but it’s slipped under the radar since its 1997 release.

Standup comedian and Gen X icon Janeane Garofalo stars in this modernized and gender-flipped take on the classic “Cyrano de Bergerac” story. Instead of a poet with a prominent nose, she plays a radio host who decides to use a proxy, played by Uma Thurman, when a handsome man expresses interest in her. Although Garofalo would later criticize the film, critics picked up on the movie’s humor, depth, and cultural commentary. “The Truth About Cats & Dogs” is not exactly timeless. It’s one of those movies that social media would reduce to a 10 minute short film. But it’s got enough humor and genuine humanity to make it worth seeking out.

In this nostalgic throwback to the zany screwball comedies of the 1930s, Barbra Streisand stars as Judy Maxwell, an eccentric woman who can’t help but be a menace to society. When she sets her sights on the handsome, nerdy and engaged musicologist, Howard Bannister, it spells trouble for everyone involved. Subplots involving jewel theft, government secrets, and an overnight bag filled with very important rocks complicate everything. Come for the sparks between Streisand and Ryan O’Neal, stay for a dazzling comic turn from Madeline Kahn and a cartoonish car chase across the sloped streets of San Francisco.

This British indie hit runs a brisk 82 minutes, and every one of them is packed with charm. In her stunning debut, director Raine Allen-Miller crafts a story of two South Londoners who spend a life-changing day together. Reminiscent of movies like “Before Sunset,” “Rye Lane” is a story informed by its location. It scored an incredible 16 nominations at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards, the most of any film that year. Although it didn’t find mainstream appeal right away, it’s only a matter of time before this hidden gem finds the popularity it deserves.

Jenny Slate received raves in this rom com that sought to tell an absorbing and comical story about a serious subject. Standup comic Donna Stern’s boyfriend leaves her, and soon after, she finds out she is pregnant from a one night stand with Max. Her decision to terminate the pregnancy makes it difficult for a relationship to blossom. That the movie can convincingly and compassionately find humor in the topic immediately made it a critical darling. However, it also remained an indie success, not earning much in the way of box office or larger pop culture impact despite its obvious quality.

When his grandfather becomes ill, Henry, a gay man living in the big city, must return home to the rural Montana town where he grew up. While there, his crush on an old friend is reignited and he unexpectedly falls for a local shopkeeper. Though it’s a well-worn trope, the idea of a big city protagonist in a small town setting gets a facelift here. “Big Eden”’s most incredible stroke of genius is that it doesn’t go where you think it’s going. As far as small towns go, Big Eden is surprisingly accepting. Instead, the movie’s a good-natured human story about not seeing what is right in front of us. It’s a familiar story told through a new lens.

Director Ang Lee made a splash with this boundary-pushing 1993 comedy. In it, Wai-Tung, a Taiwanese immigrant living in New York, hides his sexuality from his family. With his partner’s go-ahead, he enters a sham marriage to a woman in need of a Green Card. This, of course, leads to some funny, fascinating, and profound results. Beloved by film lovers, “The Wedding Banquet” is not always included among the best of the genre by mainstream rom com enthusiasts. Hopefully that changes soon. In April 2024, a remake starring Lily Gladstone and Kelly Marie Tran was announced for a 2025 release.

Queen Latifah makes a loveable leading lady in “Just Wright,” a sports rom-com about a physical therapist and an NBA player. Latifah plays Leslie, who is down-to-earth and unlucky in love. But she still finds herself falling for her celebrity client, despite the fact that he’s already enamored with her friend. The movie is standard romantic comedy fare, but it hits all the right notes. Queen Latifah’s star quality lifts the material and brings some added spark. The leads are a winning combo and the romance is a bit of a slow burn, allowing the chemistry to build.

In recent years, competition movies have almost become a genre of their own. We’ve had sports movies, dance movies, and even chess movies. This one is about competitive typing - with a side order of romance. Set in 1950’s France, “Populaire” follows a small-town girl who discovers she is a gifted typist. Her skills catch the eye of her charismatic boss. He enters her for an international speed typing competition in Paris and declares himself her trainer. Hijinks and romance ensue. The movie puts a French spin on the Hollywood rom-coms of the 1950s. The candy-colored color palette is a feast for the eyes and the costumes are to die for.

It’s always good value seeing stars in early roles and “Overnight Delivery” gives us two for the price of one. Paul Rudd and Reese Witherspoon are sparky together as Wyatt and Ivy, a college student and a stripper, who meet while he drowns his sorrows at her place of work. Wyatt believes his girlfriend is cheating on him and Ivy persuades him to send her some revenge photos of the two of them together. But once the package has driven away, he immediately regrets his decision. The result is an adventure across the country to retrieve the mis-sent parcel. It may have gone straight to video back in 1998, but there are plenty of laughs to be had in this madcap road trip movie.

There aren’t a lot of LGBTQ+ rom-coms out there and this one deserves more love. Piper Perabo stars as Matthew Goode’s bride-to-be. He seems like the perfect guy, but on her wedding day, she meets Lena Headey’s Luce. Suddenly, things don’t seem so simple anymore. The movie handles the central love triangle sensitively and treats its characters with respect. The critics found it unoriginal, but they kind of missed the point. It’s just a little romantic movie that finds a place for sapphic love in a genre where lesbians have been excluded for too long.

A year before Hugh Jackman made his name as Wolverine in “X-Men,” he cut his teeth in an Aussie rom-com called “Paperback Hero.” Jackman plays Jack Willis, a truck driver who writes romance novels on the side. His alter ego - Ruby Vale - is a closely kept secret. But when his books start to take off, he enlists his best friend to play the role of author for the cameras. It’s part road movie, part friends-to-lovers romance, and all a lot of fun. The outback setting and quirky cast of side characters make for an enjoyable ride.

“Sleeping with Other People” follows Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie, as two ex-lovers who reunite years after a one-night stand. Like “What If” and “When Harry Met Sally…,” it explores the idea of a man and woman attempting to be ‘just friends’ without sex getting in the way. Although the movie does its best to subvert the romantic comedy form, it often falls back into old patterns. But the two leads have great chemistry and it’s easy to get invested in their ‘will they/won’t they’ relationship. There’s a lot of fun back and forth dialogue and some great set pieces too.

The title of this culture-clash holiday movie refers to the day following Christmas in the U.K. It focuses on a British author living in the U.S., who brings his American fiancee home for the Christmas period. There, she meets his eccentric British-Caribbean family for the first time. She also has to contend with his ex, who just happens to be an international pop star, portrayed by Leigh-Anne Pinnock. The U.K. loves a Christmas rom-com, but “Boxing Day” is more than just a “Love, Actually” ripoff. Inspired by the real-life of leading man and writer/director Aml Ameen, the movie is a loving celebration of Black-British culture, with a charismatic cast and a catchy soundtrack.

In this fun French flick, “Amélie”’s Audrey Tautou plays Irène - a gold digger living it up on the Riviera. But just when she’s about to bag the rich man she’s been waiting for, a drunken liaison with a waiter puts her back to square one. Gad Elmaleh portrays the hapless Jean, whose attempts to win Irene for himself lead him down some unexpected paths. In essence, “Priceless” is a modern-day screwball comedy with a touch of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The two leads are messy but likable, with great onscreen chemistry. The twists and turns will keep you laughing right up until the satisfying denouement.

Since “Mamma Mia!” burst onto our screens back in 2008, the juke-box musical has flourished. One of our favorites is “Sunshine on Leith,” a modern-day Scottish love story set to the songs of “The Proclaimers.” You may not be familiar with the folk-rock duo’s whole back catalog, but you’ll be singing along by the end of the movie. The story follows two soldiers recently returned from war. Ally is dating Davy’s sister, Liz, and sets him up on a date with her English work colleague. The narrative touches on the struggles faced by young people trying to find their place in the world. It’s also great to see a rom-com starring blue-collar characters. But mostly, it’s about the romance and those feel-good songs.

From “About A Boy” and “Fever Pitch” to “High Fidelity,” Nick Hornby novels are proven rom-com fodder. This overlooked 2018 movie has that same classic feel. But instead of casting the flawed but loveable man-child as the protagonist, “Juliet, Naked” instead focuses on the long-suffering girlfriend. Rose Byrne brings her usual charm to the role of Annie, while Ethan Hawke co-stars as Tucker, a washed-up musician who Annie’s boyfriend is obsessed with. When she writes a snarky online review about Tucker’s latest album, the man himself gets in touch to tell her she was right. They embark on a friendship with the potential for something more, but are there too many obstacles in their way? Funny and sweet, it’s the perfect rom-com combo.

Which of these underrated rom coms have you seen? Let us know in the comments.