Rom-coms: an opportunity to vicariously live through the leading lady while she navigates through the ebbs and flows of her love life. The portrayal of everlasting love in the realm of cinema is pure bliss. The thrill that rushes inside my soul as I view the opening credits of an idealized love story is unlike any other. I see another world: a dreamy world, full of perfect things and happy endings. Is it so bad to love something so implausible? I think not and I hope to justify why romantic comedies are simply the best genre to exist. 

In real life, trying to find love often feels daunting, like a puzzle of problems you have to decide either to solve or get used to. It is an ongoing cycle of curiosity, anxiety, hope, vulnerability, and celebration. It’s never easy and it often has us wondering, does love get any easier? 

A quick fix to this frustration is to enjoy the art of rom-coms. They liberate us from regular concerns and transport us straight into that beautiful space, a fantasy featuring no real responsibility or risk. The drama is predictable, yet completely rewarding. We can only imagine love in its most eager, anticipating, tumultuous state. It is the best-case scenario we fantasize about and rarely experience for ourselves. 

It’s worth noting that in addition to exploring the ambiguity of love, romantic comedies inspire us to change for the better and become the greatest versions of ourselves. In my opinion, rom-coms are within the coming-of-age category because each film addresses the importance of personal growth and self-discovery. This is probably why after the end credits roll through, I feel like a totally different person with a renewed desire to accomplish something else with my life.

Rom-coms are the epitome of escaping real life to experience love in its most magical and wholesome form. It’s a pity that this genre has died out in the film industry. This ostensibly “dead” genre, however, will continue to live on in my heart and spirit. And I hope that one day, I, like everyone else reading this article, will find true love.

Here Are 30 Rom-Coms You Must Watch! (in no particular order)

1. 13 Going on 30
2. Never Been Kissed
3. Love, Rosie
4. Bridget Jone’s Diary
5. Confessions of a Shopaholic
6. 500 Days of Summer
7. How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days
8. Flipped
9. When Harry Met Sally
10. The Edge of Seventeen
11. Pretty Woman
12. You’ve Got Mail
13. A Walk to Remember
14. A Cinderella Story 
15. 10 Things I Hate About You
16. 27 Dresses
17. Enchanted
18. Me Before You
19. Two Weeks Notice
20. Sixteen Candles
21. About Time
22. 50 First Dates
23. She’s All That
24. John Tucker Must Die
25. The Princess Diaries (1 & 2)
26. Bride Wars
27. Sydney White
28. The DUFF
29. Chasing Liberty
30. The Hating Game