Have you seen these 5 classic romantic comedies?

Romantic comedies are the young-adult genre of movies. They are bashed and hated, and people who enjoy them are insulted for having supposed bad taste in films. And while it’s true that most romantic comedies are cheap shots at mixing two of the most revered genres of movies together, some of them actually make for great entertainment. Like with any other genre, rom-com has good movies and it has bad movies. Here we have made a list of some of the best romantic comedies made till date for your perusal. The list spans decades and consists only of such films that not only pleases the masses but also contains substance and depth.

The movies mentioned down below aren’t just good romantic comedies but they are quality movies with lots to offer to its viewers.

• Notting Hill (1999)

The life of a simple bookshop owner changes when he meets the most famous film star in the world. – IMDb

What starts off as an average male fantasy quickly takes a surprisingly sad turn in this romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant. Notting Hill has an emotional arc that matures beautifully and tugs at your heartstrings till you’re crossing your fingers for the characters to sort their issues out and get together already. It is as funny as it is romantic – just the perfect combination of the two to make for a great movie.

• 50 First Dates (2004)

Henry Roth is a man afraid of commitment up until he meets the beautiful Lucy. They hit it off and Henry think he’s finally found the girl of his dreams, until he discovers she has short-term memory loss and forgets him the very next day. – IMDb

Before Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore became a veritable rom-com factories who churn out these movies like clockwork every other year with and without one another, they made this heartwarming little film about a veterinarian who falls in love with an amnesia woman whose memory resets every day. The chemistry between the actors does wonders for the movie trying to tell a story that’s both sweet and tragic.

• You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Two business rivals hate each other at the office but fall in love over the internet. – IMDb

The plot of the movie is anchored around events that could only happen in the 90s when people were just beginning to find out the wonders of anonymous instant messaging systems and informal email correspondence in lieu of writing letters. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks play the enemies-to-lovers lead characters and do it perfectly so. The changes in their relationship are palpable through the screen and that what truly makes the movie work so well. This truly entertaining masterpiece will have you rooting for the couple twenty minutes into the movie.

• 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

A new kid must find a guy to date the meanest girl in school, the older sister of the girl he has a crush on, who cannot date until her older sister does. – IMDb

This movie was a modern adaption of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew set in a high school with the very talented Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in the lead roles. It remains, to this day, one of the smartest romantic comedies as well as one of the most credible modern adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays. It is funny, witty and fleshed out characters whose presence renders an amazing flavor to the movie that makes you want to come back again and again. This movie is always leaves lasting impression on the minds of its viewers, whether they are old, young or middle-aged.

• Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Devastated Peter takes a Hawaiian vacation in order to deal with the recent break-up with his TV star girlfriend, Sarah. Little does he know, Sarah’s traveling to the same resort as her ex – and she’s bringing along her new boyfriend. – IMDb

What sets this movie apart from most of the genre is that it’s not scared of experimenting with its characters. None of them make for painfully charming, cookie-cutter characters living in brightly-lit, overly perfect worlds that never bring out their ugly sides. The plot feels raw and real, something that is sadly missing from most romantic comedies; and really gives you a chance to immerse yourself in the world of the film.