5 Rom-Coms On Demand for Valentine's Day
14 February doesn't have to mean an expensive night out. Using our pick of five romantic comedies you can watch on demand, grab your significant other (or a tub of ice cream) and enjoy a night in
For the ultimate romantic comedy fan: When Harry Met Sally
It’s the movie that ushered in the age of modern romantic comedies as we know them. Written by the late Nora Ephron, When Harry Met Sally uses great dialogue, wit and a famous deli scene to explore the problem of whether a man and a woman can be friends without letting sex get in the way. While Billy Crystal doesn’t seem like your typical dreamboat rom com male lead, his charm and frankness leave you falling in love with him after each scene. As for Meg Ryan? Her overanalysing freak-outs and neurotic tendencies only make you like her even more. Plus, if you don’t shed a tear at the final New Year’s Eve scene, you might not be human. Well, at least not a romantic human.
Watch on Netflix
For the classic film lover: The Seven Year Itch
When Harry Met Sally might be the epitome of a modern rom com, but it’s this classic 1955 Marilyn Monroe film that mastered the art of adding romance to comedy. Containing the iconic scene of Monroe standing on a subway grate as a train blows her white dress up, the Seven Year Itch tells the story of a faithful husband (Tom Ewell) who is tempted by his gorgeous neighbour (Monroe) while his family is away for the summer. It’s got the typical slapstick humour of black-and-white films, and the overall nostalgic feeling of the movie will keep you gripped until the very end.
Watch on Blinkbox
For the couple with a big family: My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Windex, moussaka, and Bundt cakes: the perfect ingredients for a hilarious romantic comedy, right? My Big Fat Greek Wedding takes an unconventional turn in the romantic comedy arena and instead explores the little cultural quirks that make you appreciate and fall in love with your family. The most hilarious moments come when main character Toula (Nia Vardalos) introduces her new, non-Greek, vegetarian fiancée (John Corbett) to her massive, very Greek, meat-loving family during a dinner party. “You don’t eat meat?!” Toula’s aunt yells in disgust. “That’s okay. I make lamb.”
Watch on NowTv
For those who believe in love after 60: Something’s Gotta Give
Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton prove that with age comes laugh-out-loud comedic genius. Harry (Nicholson) is a serial dater who takes a liking to younger women despite his senior citizen status. When he suffers a heart attack at the home of his latest trophy girlfriend’s mother (Keaton), his thoughts start to change on whether it’s possible to find love with someone closer to his age. Fair warning for the squeamish: You do see Jack Nicholson’s bare bottom. Proceed with caution.
Watch on iTunes
For the romantic comedy skeptics: Friends with Benefits
Find yourself fresh off a break-up? Don’t really believe in the whole “love” thing right now? Friends with Benefits is the romantic comedy for you. The 2011 film follows Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis), who are sick of all the Hollywood romantic comedy clichés. So, they decide to start up a casual relationship strictly involving just the physical stuff. But it’s supporting actor Woody Harrelson that delivers some of the best advice in recent romantic comedy memory: “My guidebook is very simple: you want to lose weight? Stop eating, fatty! You want to make money? Work your ass off, lazy! You want to be happy? Find someone you like and never let them go.”
