I have to be honest, romantic comedies are not usually my jam. I’m not exactly sure what it says about me, but I prefer my entertainment to be dark and cynical. However, there are times when even I need to feel the warm, comforting embrace of a romantic comedy — the familiar beats, the romance, and (preferably) the happy ending. Plus, there's just something about this time of year, when the temperatures are rising, that makes me start to feel a little more open-hearted. Sound familiar? Then these summer rom-coms to watch based on your relationship status are the perfect fit for a movie night.
The reason I break them down by your relationship status is because, depending on what you're experiencing in life right now, different movies are probably going to ring differently. Maybe you're newly in love and want a movie that reflects the excitement and thrill of that new relationship energy. Or if you've just ended a relationship, you need a reminder that life will go on and you will get through this. Or maybe you're just living your best single life and want to see that reflected on screen. Whatever your situation, here's the rom-com you need to check out this summer. So, pop the popcorn and maybe grab a box of tissues, because things are about to get emotional up in here.
Looking for a rom-com that you and the partner can watch together? Long Shot is just the love story for you, with enough laughs that everyone — even folks that usually give romantic comedies a pass — will enjoy. Seth Rogen plays a journalist named Fred Flarksy who runs into his former crush (and babysitter) Charlotte (Charlize Theron), who just so happens to now be the Secretary of State and running for president. When she hires him as her speech writer, much to her staff's chagrin, sparks begin to fly for this unlikely couple.
Being single is underrated. You have a ton of freedom to just do you. Singledom is also full of possibilities, because you never know what waits around the corner — whether you’ll meet someone new, or the person you're meant to be with is someone from your past. Always Be My Maybe is the perfect “what if” rom-com movie to capture that feeling. The film stars Ali Wong and Randall Park as childhood sweethearts who everyone thought were meant to be, but who had a falling out. 15 years later, the two randomly reconnect and old feelings start to resurface. Always Be My Maybe premieres on Netflix May 31.
If watching romantic comedies helps you heal from a breakup, I’ve got a great one for you: Something Great. What makes this one the perfect salve for a broken heart is that, at its core, this movie is all about cherishing female friendship and how it helps in the aftermath of a breakup. In Someone Great, Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) is a music journalist living in NYC, but when she is offered her dream gig at Rolling Stone in San Francisco, her boyfriend Nate (Lakeith Stanfield) ends their relationship after nearly a decade. As Jenny is set to leave for San Francisco, she and her friends decide to have one last night of adventure together. Someone Great is available on Netflix.
If your current relationship is currently more of situationship than anything more clearly defined, then you know just how complicated this type of romance can be. So, the messy, complicated romance in The Perfect Date is totally going to resonate with you. Plus, Noah Centineo… (swoon). In this film, Centineo plays Brooks, a high school senior who dreams of having it all — the perfect girl (Camila Mendes), the perfect car, and, of course, the perfect college: Yale. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the funds for any of those. That is, until he comes up with perfect plan: An app that allows women to customize the perfect date for him to transform into. Just one problem: When he starts getting everything he thinks he wants, he realizes maybe his heart belongs to someone else. Complicated. The Perfect Date is available on Netflix.
Are you in place where the only kind of relationship you’re interested in is, well, no relationship? Do you just want to hook up and throw caution to the wind? Then Booksmart has just the rebellious energy you’re feeling. The film focuses on BFFs Molly and Amy, who spent their entire high school years focused on being at the top of their class and getting into college. They succeed, only to realize that they missed out on all the wild high school experiences that their classmates — many of whom also got into good colleges — took advantage of. They decide to make up for lost time on the last night of school, which includes one of them finally working up the nerve to flirt with the girl they've been crushing on. Booksmart hits theaters May 24.
Honestly, I kind of just want to watch them all.
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