The rom-com revival: 7 new romantic comedies that channel '90s and 2000s classics
The fourth and final Bridget Jones movie finds everyone's favourite London gal (Renée Zellweger) dipping her toe back into the dating pool after spending years being a smug married woman. Now a widow and a single mother, she finds herself tentatively navigating Tinder and age-gap relationships.
She does so in true Bridget fashion and with the trademark humour audiences have come to expect. But what might take fans by surprise is the depth with which the movie explores grief and loss, too. Yes, there's plenty of romance and laughs, but there's also plenty of tears and heartbreak.
See also: 'Mad About The Boy': Why Bridget Jones will always be relatable, even when life stops being a rom-com 'Set It Up'
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell star as Harper Moore and Charlie Young, two frazzled assistants to demanding, high-power executives, Kirsten Stevens (Lucy Liu) and Rick Otis (Taye Diggs). Desperate for some relief, they hatch a plan to, as Charlie puts it, ' Parent Trap ' their bosses. The assistants set them up and hope they fall in love to finally get their own time back. But things take an unexpected turn when Charlie and Harper end up falling for each other in the process.
If people are looking for the next generation of rom-com stars, they need look no further than Deutch and Powell. They have the charm to take on romantic roles, the comedic timing to land the laughs and the sensibility needed to sell a romantic comedy to an audience. 'A Family Affair'
In this Netflix age-gap romantic comedy, Zara Ford's (Joey King) life is turned upside-down when her widowed, award-winning author mom, Brooke Harwood (Nicole Kidman), falls for her vapid Hollywood action star boss, Chris Cole (Zac Efron).
The movie is a cross between Nancy Meyers (see: Brooke's swoon-worthy home and that supermarket finale) and the Hallmark Channel (hello, Christmas at the family cabin). And although it captures the charm of both, it asks viewers to suspend disbelief—and then some. However, Kidman and Efron's warm and easy rapport still manages to sell the unlikely romance.
See also: Dolly de Leon joins Nicole Kidman in 'Nine Perfect Strangers' season 2 'The Lost City'
Sandra Bullock, poster child for '90s and 2000s rom-coms, delivers once again in The Lost City . Here, she plays Loretta Sage, a socially awkward romance novelist, opposite Channing Tatum as her hilariously dense cover model, Alan. A run-in with an eccentric billionaire played by Daniel Radcliffe takes them on a wild treasure hunt deep in the jungle, where hijinks ensue and romance blossoms.
The movie works thanks to Bullock's sharp comedic instincts and her chemistry with Tatum. It's brimming with zany wit and charm, and features a scene-stealing cameo from Bullock's pal and Bullet Train co-star Brad Pitt. 'Hit Man'
It's beginning to look like Glen Powell is shaping up to be what Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock were to rom-coms in the '90s and early aughts. In this Richard Linklater-directed romcom-slash-crime caper, he stars as a philosophy professor who moonlights as a fake hitman for police sting operations. He shares the screen with Adria Arjona, who quickly goes from suspect to love interest.
On top of Linklater's witty dialogue and sharp humour, Powell and Arjona bring insane chemistry and deliver strong performances that merge screwball and sexy to create something fresh and unique. 'The Fall Guy'
David Leitch, director of John Wick , Deadpool 2 and Bullet Train , ventures into rom-com territory with The Fall Guy . The film follows retired stuntman Colt Seavers (Ryan Gosling), who returns to work on the set of a big-budget action movie his ex, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), is directing, all in a bid to win her back.
It's double the charisma and star power with Gosling and Blunt, who share exceptional romantic and comedic chemistry. There's a lot of high-octane action, but at the heart of the movie is the love story between Colt and Jody.
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