Netflix has now become guilty of producing serviceable rom-coms almost every week. They have become so notorious that they have now traveled all the way to Kuwait to bring us the first Netflix Original from the country. “Honeymoonish,” which is directed by Lebanese director Elie El-Seemaan and features Nour AlGhandour and Mahmoud Boushahri, feels like a lot of movies you might have already seen. it centers on a newlywed couple, Noor and Hamad, who discover their stark differences during their honeymoon. As they grapple with whether these disparities will drive them apart or strengthen their bond, the story moves them through humorous misinterpretations that challenge their perceptions of one another.
Right now, the film has risen up on streaming charts, hinting that Netflix is not going to stop making them anytime soon. In the following list, we will look at 5 movies that you might like if you enjoy “Honeymoonish.”
1. Fools Rush In (1997)
“Fools Rush In” tells the story of Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry), a straight-laced New Yorker, and Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek), a free-spirited Mexican-American, who have a spontaneous one-night stand in Las Vegas. Several months later, Isabel shows up at Alex’s doorstep to reveal that she is pregnant with his child.
Despite their vastly different backgrounds and personalities, Alex and Isabel decide to give their relationship a chance for the sake of their unborn child. They quickly marry and attempt to navigate the challenges of blending their cultures and lifestyles. As they face cultural differences, family expectations, and personal insecurities, they must learn to compromise and find common ground to make their marriage work.
Much like “Honeymoonish,” “Fools Rush In” is one of those movies that feature two people who have to work through their differences once they realize that there is more to life than just being with people who you feel are like you. While the cultural differences in “Fools Rush In” are an important key to its narrative and not in the Netflix original, the two key themes that bring them together still stand.
2. Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd. (2007)
Let’s not go far when we talk about rom-coms that deal with what married couples have to deal with when they have not known each other or have very little to no information on how to navigate the new change in their life. Much like “Honeymoonish,” Reema Kagti’s 2007 debut film consists of not one but six different newly married couples. The conflicts and issues in both “Honeymoonish” and “Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.” are the same.
Two different people realize that they are now bound to one another as they try to understand if their differences can be submerged. Both movies feature a couple who do not find the other interesting at first. In fact, a lot of the issue arises from how they see the world through their own myopic lens. However, through a series of mishaps and adventures, they try to understand what still brings them together.
3. What Happens in Vegas (2008)
“What Happens in Vegas,” directed by Tom Vaughan and starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, follows the story of Joy McNally and Jack Fuller, two strangers who meet in Las Vegas and impulsively get married after a night of partying. However, their hasty decision leads to a conflict when they win a huge jackpot together and subsequently fight over the money. As part of the divorce proceedings, a judge orders them to live together as a married couple for six months to try and make their marriage work.
Now, pretty much like “Honeymoonish.” the comedic situations that Joy and Jack find themselves in are there to sabotage each other’s efforts to enjoy the jackpot money alone. Along the way, they both learn valuable lessons about love, relationships, and the importance of compromise. Both movies combine humor and slapstick comedy to understand what makes two people click in spite of their differences.
4. Just Go with It (2011)
“Just Go with It” revolves around the story of Danny Maccabee (Adam Sandler), a successful plastic surgeon who pretends to be married to attract women. However, his elaborate ruse becomes complicated when he meets the woman of his dreams, Palmer (played by Brooklyn Decker), who mistakenly believes he’s in the process of divorcing his non-existent wife.
To maintain his facade, Danny enlists the help of his loyal assistant, Katherine Murphy (Jennifer Aniston), to pose as his soon-to-be ex-wife. Together, they embark on a trip to Hawaii with Palmer and her friends, leading to a series of hilarious misunderstandings and comedic mishaps. Along the way, Danny and Katherine find themselves growing closer, complicating their fake relationship and stirring up feelings they never expected.
Much like “Honeymoonish,” the chemistry between the lead pairs feels palpable and well-developed, going from a sort of loathsome feeling to a complete understanding of how they both are with each other when needed.
5. Anyone But You (2023)
From the latest of release that feels like it is truly digging into the rom-com genre of late is “Anyone But You.” The Will Gluck-directed film is a perfect after-watch for someone who is looking for movies like “Honeymoonish.” The two movies feature charismatic leads who are both well and good in their own accord, but feel like pole apart for each other.
Sydney Sweeney’s Bea and Glen Powell’s Ben have a chance encounter in “Anyone But You,” leading the pair to have an amazing first date. However, soon after, their affection for each other turns to hate because of misunderstandings. So, when the two of them meet again, they don’t just have to pretend but also try to see each other eye to eye. Like “Honeymoonish,” the unlikely pair here feels like they could slip away from each other at any moment. However, the odd, comedic scenarios only bring them closer and closer.
