Looking to score some brownie points (along with other things) from your lady love this Valentine’s Day but can’t afford the fancy restaurant and certainly can’t bear the thought of seeing The Vow?
Well, fellas I think its time we put the victory back in V-Day with three true-to-form romantic comedies that will not only satisfy or just be tolerable, but also be actually pretty damn enjoyable.
Hitch
Shockingly, sometimes all it takes for a rom-com to work is to actually add some damn “com” to the mix, and 2005’s Hitch has the formula but features enough chuckles that it actually goes off without one ... a hitch that is. Charisma in the form of Will Smith, pure physical comedy from Kevin James and plenty of sex appeal from Eva Mendes create the trifecta of tolerable schmaltz. And on the bright side, though you may not hold a candle to Smith, at least you’ll look like Hercules compared to James. Hitch is always a safe bet when you’re in the mood for love. They had me at Will Smith.
Definitely, Maybe
A romance with a twist: on the eve of his divorce, a young father cryptically tells his daughter about the three loves of his youth. One is her mother, one could be his true love and one will just turn out to be a flame of his past. In addition to great leads in Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Elizabeth Banka and Rachel Weisz, we get a mystery tossed into the mix and the identity of each of these women is slowly revealed. Truly charming, well acted and easily weepy enough to satisfy your significant other’s Kleenex quota, Definitely, Maybe is a romantic comedy that will definitely, not maybe, get you some lovin’ this Valentine’s Day.
Crazy, Stupid, Love.
As truthfully titled – and grammatically odd – as it is a nuanced, mature romance, Crazy, Stupid, Love. was one of the big surprises from 2011, constructing the standard rom-com plot around two people who are already married (but maybe not for long). Ryan Gosling’s hot streak (take “hot” in whatever context you like, but your lady should know he is naked and shirtless during) continued as Jacob Palmer, the ladies man who gets Steve Carell’s life back on track. Like in Hitch, he and Carell added laughs amidst the melodrama, not to mention a little twist towards the end that dashes in just a little more charm to the mix. Still on DVD shelves, this is an easy find for the evening.
