Twelve romance movies to watch over … and over … again

A few weeks ago, I somehow found myself stuck on the couch with nothing in reach but my phone and the TV remote. (Nursing moms will understand this.) Ordinarily at a time like this, I’d wind up losing myself on the web, clicking on news stories I shouldn’t, and filling online carts I’d never actually check out.

But this night, I told myself I deserved a break. I deserved to get lost in a good movie … but not one that required too much attention. What I wanted was something familiar, something that would make me smile, something that would take my worries far away and keep me company like an old friend. So scrolled down to “Leap Year” and spent the next two hours with Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, and a countryside full of jaunty Irish brogues. 

We all could use that sort of mental escape every so often. It’s like visiting a spa that works on your psyche instead of your pores. So this Valentine’s Day, I’m posting a list of the top romantic movies I could watch over and over. (In other words, while I think “An Affair to Remember” is a fantastic movie, it’s a little too heavy for this list.)

Please feel free to leave comments below. I’d love to hear what you think.

Happy Valentine’s Day 🙂

LEAP YEAR

This is one of those typical girl meets boy, boy and girl hate each other, boy and girl fall in love deals. But the humor and the actors make it so much more than that. Seeing the Irish countryside is an added bonus.

LOVE ACTUALLY

I can’t let a single Christmas pass without watching Love Actually. It shows love in almost every situation imaginable. And unlike the vast majority of ensemble movies, you’ll never forget this one.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

I still remember the first time I saw this movie. I was in Cape Cod with my cousin, and the theater somehow managed to stretch the film so that it looked as if John Goodman was playing Sandra Bullock’s body double. But I’ve loved both her and Bill Pullman for decades, and am pretty sure it’s a love that will last a lifetime.

CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE

This is one of those romantic comedies that completely reinvents the genre. It’s poignant, hilarious, sexy … and even my husband likes it!

WHEN IN ROME

There’s something about Kristen Bell that I just adore. She seems like the sort of girl I’d love to hit the town with, which is part of the reason I pegged her to play Desperately Ever After’s version of Cinderella in my “dream cast.” This movie is just nonstop fun, with romance and even a little bit of magic tossed in.

THE NOTEBOOK

I really don’t think there’s anything I can say that will do this movie justice. Best tearjerker, inspirational, romantic, gut-churning romance film ever.

COUPLES RETREAT

If you’re more in the mood for full-on hilarity than sweet romance, this is your best bet. One word: “Boom.”

UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

A newly divorced writer moves to Tuscany on a whim and falls in love with the people, the countryside, and her own inner transformation. This is what the Hollywood version of “Eat Pray Love” should have been. A beautiful movie on all counts.

PRETTY IN PINK

If you’re over thirty and haven’t seen this, you’re doing your generation a disservice. If you’re under thirty, vintage is cool so rent it. I still get goosebumps anytime I hear OMD’s “If You Leave.”

50 FIRST DATES

We all know that love is work. But what if your significant other woke up every single morning with no memory of you or what you’ve shared? This Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore film is so funny, yet so sweet and thought-provoking at the same time.

27 DRESSES

Always, always, always a bridesmaid but never a bride. This pick was heavily influenced by the appearance of James Marsden. But it is cute even without him.

NOTTING HILL

I hesitated adding this because it’s so cliché, but then I remembered: “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” Sigh. Plus, for all of his faults, I still love watching Hugh Grant.