Nothing tops falling in love, but as any fan of romantic comedies knows, there are always a few detours and roadblocks on the way to happily ever after. That’s the fun of the genre, and it’s the reason why so many of these films, from “When Harry Met Sally” to “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” remain so endlessly rewatch-able. We know the beats they need to hit, but the way they scramble and reassemble the standard plot points is what makes them really sing.
It may be true that rom-coms have fallen on hard times, consigned to streaming services like Netflix. But, with all due respect to “The Kissing Booth” and other binge-able additions to the canon, in its date night heyday, these movies provided the purest form of big-screen escapism. It’s a style of cinema that deserves to be revived in a post-pandemic world where the idea of sharing popcorn doesn’t feel quite so fraught. In honor of Valentine’s Day, here’s a look at 14 romantic comedies that will get your heart beating.