The 25 best romantic comedies on Max

A Star is Born (2018)

It's a tale as old as time. While this is the fourth iteration of A Star Is Born — previous films were released in 1937, 1954, and 1976, respectively — Bradley Cooper proved why the story of doomed romance is, in fact, timeless. The director/co-writer/producer also stars as Jackson Maine, a washed-up country singer who falls in love with a budding singer-songwriter, Ally (Lady Gaga). Their romance is tested when Ally's meteoric rise to fame eclipses his, while he also struggles with alcohol dependency and substance abuse. With gripping performances, striking cinematography, and one hell of a soundtrack, this Star Is Born is one we love to revisit again and again, even knowing it'll break our hearts once more. —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch A Star Is Born: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Bradley Cooper

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Lady Gaga, Andrew Dice Clay, Dave Chappelle, Sam Elliott

Related content: A Star Is Born: Our intimate conversation with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)

When it comes to turn of the 21st century romantic comedies, you don’t get much more iconic than Bridget Jones’s Diary. Based on the novel by Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones tells the story of its eponymous heroine, Bridget (Renée Zellweger), a British thirtysomething looking for love. Bridget’s romantic life — which she chronicles in her diary along with her other misadventures — takes a turn when she engages in an ill-fated affair with her dashing boss, Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant), leaving the kind Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) in the lurch. Fans of the book were skeptical when production announced the role of Bridget would be played by a Texas-born actress, but Zellweger pulls off the role with aplomb, perfectly channeling Bridget’s lovably messy essence. —Ilana Gordon      

Where to watch Bridget Jones’s Diary: Max

EW grade: N/A (read the review) 

Director: Sharon Maguire 

Cast: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones

Related content: Fourth Bridget Jones's Diary movie in the works, says writer Helen Fielding

Casablanca (1942)

Despite boasting some of the best quotes in all of cinematic history, Casablanca was just one of many films churned out by the studio system in the early years of World War II. But something about the movie's heart-wrenching love triangle, political and social relevance, and lush setting charmed viewers, propelling the project to an unexpected Best Picture win, and a permanent spot on almost every Best Of list. Electricity rations were common at the time of the movie's release, but entirely unnecessary — the sexual currents pulsating between stars Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman had to have been strong enough to generate power for a small city, at the very least. —I.G.

Where to watch Casablanca: Max

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Michael Curtiz

Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains

Related content: What would J. Lo and Ben's Casablanca look like?

Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)

Ending a relationship is easier than falling out of love. In Celeste and Jesse Forever, the titular characters (Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg) are high-school sweethearts who have made the decision to divorce but haven't yet figured out how to move on. Celeste is a high-achieving career woman looking for something more, but when Jesse gets involved with another woman, she's left to sort through her complicated feelings and starts to second guess whether breaking up was the right move after all. A rom-com that is less about escapism and aspirational love than it is about the hard slog of digging through and understanding intimate realities, Celeste and Jesse Forever is smart, funny, grounded, and energized by the couple's incredible chemistry. EW's critic praises the movie, writing, "It's been a while since a romantic comedy mustered this much charm by looking this much like life." —I.G.

Where to watch Celeste and Jesse Forever: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Lee Toland Krieger

Cast: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Chris Messina, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Will McCormack, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts

Related content: Rashida Jones talks Celeste and Jesse Forever

Date Night (2010)

A screwball comedy modernized to highlight the exhausted suburban parent, Date Night follows Claire and Phil Foster (Tina Fey and Steve Carell), a New Jersey couple who decide to break out of their mundane routine by enjoying a trendy dinner in the city — only to find themselves confused for another pair and embroiled in a corruption scandal. Pursued around New York City by cops and mobsters, the two rediscover their connection at gunpoint, but have their years of marriage prepared them enough to survive a night out on the town? Carell and Fey — both operating at the height of their TV comedy careers — are perfectly matched and happy to elevate an already solid script with improvised ad libs. Also benefiting from a supporting cast of reliable comedy favorites, Date Night is the perfect film to watch on a date night, or any time you're craving a zany caper that travels from reality to absurdity and back again. —I.G.

Where to watch Date Night: Max

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Shawn Levy

Cast: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Taraji P. Henson, Common, Mark Wahlberg

Related content: Date Night: Could the comedy's cast get any better?!

Definitely, Maybe (2008)

For those seeking a quicker rom-com fix than binging nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother, this sleeper late-2000s flick offers the same formula with a worthwhile conclusion in just under two hours. Ryan Reynolds is as charming as ever in his role as soon-to-be divorcée Will Hayes, whose inquisitive daughter (Abigail Breslin) prods him to narrate his meet-cute with her anonymous mom. Dipping back into his past relationships not only unveils the complexities of marriage and love but also helps him discover, much like a skilled storyteller, how he'd want his happy ending to play out. While not revolutionary, Definitely, Maybe delivers all the essential ingredients for a top-tier rom-com — an endearing cast, witty banter, and plenty of touchy-feely moments  — making it the perfect recipe for a cozy night in. —James Mercadante

Where to watch Definitely, Maybe: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Adam Brooks

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Isla Fisher, Derek Luke, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz

Related content: Spotlight on Ryan Reynolds

Dinner With Friends (2001)

HBO's cinematic adaptation of Donald Margulies' Pulitzer Prize winning 1998 play, Dinner With Friends maintains the original's simple premise while mining deep for emotional and personal revelations. The story of two New England couples dealing with the fact that one of the pairs is divorcing, the film captures the unexpected moments of vulnerability and honesty that define long-term relationships — even ones that are falling apart. Dennis Quaid and Andie MacDowell are perfectly cast as a pair of foodies who are more comfortable navigating what's on their dinner plates than what's going on in their friends' lives, and Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette toggle between insecurity and self-assurance as the couple whose marriage is broken up by an affair with a younger woman. Haute cuisine served over seven scenes, Dinner With Friends is the rare adaptation that remains faithful to the original while still finding new paths to tread. —I.G.

Where to watch Dinner With Friends: Max

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Norman Jewison

Cast: Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette

Related content: The 21 most awkward dinner scenes in film

Election (1999)

Tracy Flick walked so Gilmore Girls' Paris Geller could run. In the 1999 romantic comedy Election, Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick star as an overachieving high school student and a popular history teacher, whose relationship becomes increasingly combative as Tracy (Witherspoon) attempts to run for president of her school's student body. Determined to prevent Tracy from emerging victorious in an unopposed race, Jim McAllister (Broderick) recruits a sidelined football player (Chris Klein) as an opposition candidate, but finds that his commitment to teaching Tracy a lesson comes at the expense of his personal and professional life, as well as his sanity.

Adapted from a novel by Tom Perrotta and directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways), Election was incredibly well-received by critics, earning an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and the top slot on our list of Reese Witherspoon's best movies. The film may have faltered at the box office, but it remains one of the most enduring and funniest high school films of all time. —I.G.

Where to watch Election: Max

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Alexander Payne

Cast: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein

Related reading: Reese Witherspoon to reprise Election role in sequel Tracy Flick Can't Win

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Jason Segel bares his soul — and his fully nude body — in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a rom-com about a man trying to escape the aftermath of a bad breakup. Segel plays Peter, an aspiring composer who flees to a Hawaiian resort after being dumped by Sarah (Kristen Bell), a Hollywood TV star with bigger ambitions for her career and love life. Peter's island getaway takes a turn for the worse when Sarah and her new boyfriend show up to stay in the same resort, and it's further complicated when Peter starts to develop feelings for Rachel (Mila Kunis), the resort's receptionist. A comedy that allows you to romp through Hawaii's scenic vistas while unpacking a former couple's dirty laundry, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a trip that will make you grateful you checked your own emotional baggage at the door. —I.G.

Where to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Nicholas Stoller

Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Da'Vone McDonald, Jack McBrayer, Maria Thayer, Paul Rudd, Jason Bateman

Related content: Sarah Marshall guys' wild diary

Just Wright (2010)

Combining love and basketball often makes for a romantic comedy slam dunk, and 2010’s Just Wright delivers just the right amount of sports, laughs, and relationship drama to keep the trend alive. Queen Latifah stars as Leslie Wright, a physical therapist who keeps getting friend-zoned by her dates. Her career picks up when she helps NBA star Scott McKnight (Common) work through a potentially career-ending injury, but their bond is complicated by Leslie’s friendship with Morgan (Paula Patton), who is dating Scott. A charming comedy confidently led by a trio of stars, Just Wright gives Latifah room to do what she does best: win over audiences with her likeability and wit. A good rom-com option for basketball fans, EW’s critic writes “The hoops set can enjoy some courtside action with real pro players.” —I.G.      

Where to watch Just Wright: Max

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Sanaa Hamri

Cast: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton

Related content: Queen Latifah's best performances

The Last of the Blonde Bombshells (2000)

A film with a sensibility that can only be described as singularly British, The Last of the Blonde Bombshells is a romantic comedy with some rhythm. Elizabeth (Judi Dench) spent World War II playing saxophone in a swing band called the Blonde Bombshells. After the death of her husband, Elizabeth reconnects with Patrick (Ian Holm) — the band's former drummer and only male member, who avoided conscription during the war by cross-dressing. After the pair start dating, Elizabeth decides to get the band back together, but discovers the Bombshells have scattered with members in jail, suffering from alcoholism, and devoted to the Salvation Army. Described by EW's reviewer as "witty and wistful," The Last of the Blonde Bombshells is another piece of evidence that blondes really do have more fun. —I.G.

Where to watch The Last of the Blonde Bombshells: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Gillies MacKinnon

Cast: Judi Dench, Ian Holm, Romola Garai, Olympia Dukakis

Related content: Judi Dench says acting 'has become impossible' due to worsening eyesight

Legally Blonde (2001)

You can't make a list of Reese Witherspoon's best movies — regardless of genre — without including Legally Blonde. A fish out of water comedy that takes a SoCal sorority girl and drops her into Harvard Law to win back the boyfriend who dumped her, this rom-com is on a mission to prove that blondes have more fun (and more brains) than people give them credit for. Witherspoon plays to the top height of her intelligence, transforming Elle Woods from a sheltered, privileged West Coast princess to a legal shark whose generosity and good attitude outside the courtroom helps her attract a crew of admiring outcasts. White Lotus fans will love seeing Jennifer Coolidge in one of her best roles as a beaten down manicurist in need of a cheerleader, and it's a credit to the strength of the film and the actors' performances that while Legally Blonde has been adapted into a Broadway musical, it hasn't been remade into a new movie — yet. —I.G.

Where to watch Legally Blonde: Max

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Robert Luketic

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Garber, Jennifer Coolidge

Related content: Everything we know so far about Legally Blonde 3

Let Them All Talk (2020)

Joan Didion once said "Writers are always selling someone out," and that is exactly what Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Hughes (Meryl Streep) is accused of doing. In Let Them All Talk, Alice boards the Queen Mary 2 on a transatlantic trip with the intention of writing her new book and spending time with two of her oldest friends (Candice Bergen and Dianne Wiest). But as the voyage proceeds, Alice ends up battling with Roberta (Bergen) over how much of her original book was based on Roberta's life, and watching as her nephew Tyler (Lucas Hedges) falls for her literary agent, Karen (Gemma Chan). Funny, wise, bitter, primarily improvised, and made in barely two weeks, EW's critic describes the film as "a chance to spend two hours watching Streep & Co. make the most of Deborah Eisenberg's deliciously salty script, while Soderbergh — who also serves as cinematographer — shoots it all in ruthless, radiant light." —I.G.

Where to watch Let Them All Talk: Max

EW grade: A- (read the review)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: Meryl Streep, Candice Bergen, Dianne Wiest, Gemma Chan, Lucas Hedges,

Related content: How Candice Bergen prepared for her Oscar-hopeful Let Them All Talk role

The Lobster (2016)

An absurdist black comedy that satirizes our culture's discomfort around uncoupled people, The Lobster asks what would happen if singles were given 45 days to find a mate, or transformed into the animal of their choice. After David's (Colin Farrell) wife leaves him, he is taken to a hotel and instructed to find someone compatible. But when an incident involving a potential life partner forces him to flee into the woods to live with the loners, David discovers that it doesn't matter where you are or who you're with — falling in love is never easy. Also starring Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly, and Olivia Colman, The Lobster is one of the most original romantic comedies of all time, and will live in your brain rent-free for weeks after watching. —I.G.

Where to watch The Lobster: Max

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Cast: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly, Olivia Colman, Léa Seydoux

Related content: The Lobster: Colin Farrell shares his (spoiler-free) thoughts on the film's ending

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Toula Portokalos (Nia Vardalos) embraces her role as the loyal yet overlooked member of her enormous clan until she decides to take control of her life at 30. While her parents tirelessly seek the perfect Greek man for her, Toula knows none of those suitors stand a chance against WASP English teacher Ian Miller (John Corbett), who's head over heels for her and is ready to take on the challenge of getting her family to approve their marriage. (He's really all that and a bottle of Windex!) Adapted from Vardalos' one-woman show based on her real-life family, My Big Fat Greek Wedding delves into the dynamics of growing up in an immigrant household deeply rooted in their culture, navigating a world that centers on conformity. —Angela Andaloro

Where to watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Max

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Joel Zwick

Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Lainie Kazan, Michael Constantine, Gia Carides, Louis Mandylor, Andrea Martin, Joey Fatone

Related content: My Big Fat Greek Wedding cast: Where are they now?

Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

The box office success of 2012's Pitch Perfect mandated a sequel, and Pitch Perfect 2 obliged. After a scandalous mishap during a performance for the President keeps the Barden Bellas from competing in Nationals, the franchise takes a Mighty Ducks 2-esque leap in logic and goes international. Now forced to compete with a German supergroup called Das Sound Machine, the Bellas must pull out their best medleys and moves if they are to secure the win at the world competition and find their way back into the a capella sphere's good graces. Turbocharged with jokes — as one would expect from Kay Cannon, a former 30 Rock writer — and bowing at the altar of the movie's patron saint, Beyonce, Pitch Perfect 2 finds its heart, as EW's critic writes, in giving "big, joyful voice to groups whose members have spent their whole lives being targeted because of who they are, be it black, gay, overweight, female, or just deeply uncool." —I.G.

Where to watch Pitch Perfect 2: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Elizabeth Banks

Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine, Katey Sagal, Anna Camp, Alexis Knapp, Hana Mae Lee, Ester Dean, Chrissie Fit, John Michael Higgins, Elizabeth Banks

Related content: Pitch Perfect 2: The story behind "Flashlight"

Serendipity (2001)

When destiny has a sense of humor, we call it serendipity, which also happens to be the title of one of 2001's most beloved romantic comedies. A whirlwind New York love story, Serendipity stars Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack as two young city dwellers who meet and enjoy a magical night — only to decide to let fate control whether they end up together.

As the years pass and their life paths diverge, it seems destiny has other plans for the would-be lovers, but New York City and a series of fortunate events may end up reuniting the pair after all. A missed connections comedy featuring an excellent supporting cast and a screenplay that is more than willing to lean into all of the best tropes of the genre, Serendipity is fun, funny, and guaranteed to make you yearn for a holiday season spent in the Big Apple. —I.G.

Where to watch Serendipity: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Peter Chelsom

Cast: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Molly Shannon, Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan, Eugene Levy

Related content: Jennifer Aniston passed on Serendipity because Friends felt like doing a rom-com every week

Sex and the City: The Movie (2008)

After spending six seasons either loathing or swooning over Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) will-they-won't-they relationship with Mr. Big (Chris Noth), loyal Sex and the City viewers were gifted a feature film four years post-series finale to meet their curiosity. In this cinematic continuation, the ever-pensive Big ruffles Carrie's feathers by jilting her at the altar, thus prompting the N.Y.C. writer to turn her pre-booked Mexico honeymoon into a healing journey by traveling with her three besties: Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). One of the highest-grossing rom-coms of all time, Sex and the City: The Movie is escapist fiction at its zenith, preserving the irresistible charm of the original series while injecting more melodrama, more luxury, more character development (albeit controversial), bigger and better closets, and — you guessed it — more sex. —J.M.

Where to watch Sex and the City: The Movie: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Michael Patrick King

Cast: Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Hudson, Candice Bergen, Chris Noth, David Eigenberg, Jason Lewis 

Related content: Sex and the City: The Movie turns 10: I'm still mad about Carrie and Big

Shakespeare in Love (1998)

Even Shakespeare suffered from writer's block, or at least that's the premise of the late '90s period romantic comedy, Shakespeare in Love. Joseph Fiennes stars as the Bard, a strapping poet and writer whose newest play Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter is going nowhere fast — much to the dismay of Philip Henslowe (Geoffrey Rush) who owns the playhouse where the show is set to be performed. Inspiration strikes in the form of Lady Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow), a fan of Shakespeare's work and an aspiring actor who auditions for a role in his new work and ends up becoming his muse. Riddled with the love triangles, tragic miscommunications, and comic asides that have distinguished the playwright's work for centuries, Shakespeare in Love is, as EW's critic writes, "really about two great loves at once — the love of life and of art — and the way that Shakespeare, like no writer before him, transformed the one into the other." —I.G.

Where to watch Shakespeare in Love: Max

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: John Madden

Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush, Colin Firth, Ben Affleck, Judi Dench, Simon Callow, Jim Carter, Martin Clunes, Antony Sher, Imelda Staunton, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Williams

Related content: Julia Roberts quit Shakespeare in Love after disastrous chemistry reads, says producer

Shiva Baby (2021)

Released during the pandemic, Shiva Baby is both an indie rom-com and a delightful reminder of the emotional dangers that come with spending time in a room full of acquaintances — especially when that room includes at least two people you've slept with already. Danielle (Rachel Sennott) plays a college student and call girl who, along with her parents (Polly Draper and Fred Melamed), attends a Jewish mourning ritual held at the home of a family member. While there, Danielle finds herself caught between her past (in the form of her more successful best friend and former lover, Maya) and her present (her sugar daddy Max, who thinks she's in law school, and who brought along the wife and baby he never told her about). Based on director Emma Silegman's short by the same name, Shiva Baby is a comedy that requires the emotional fortitude of a horror film, as viewers are forced to withstand an onslaught of cringe moments. —I.G.

Where to watch Shiva Baby: Max

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Emma Silegman

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Polly Draper, Fred Melamed, Molly Gordon, Dianna Agron

Related content: Bottoms up! Shiva Baby duo on reuniting to form their queer teen fight club

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

Rarely is mental health explored on screen in a nuanced, vibrant, joyful way, but that’s exactly the tone director David O. Russell nails in Silver Linings Playbook. Pat and Tiffany (Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence) are both dealing with personal issues and recovering from losing their romantic partners. Unmoored and filterless, they meet and agree to help each other out — Tiffany promises to assist Pat in winning back his ex-wife, and in turn, he agrees to be her partner in a dance competition. As they rehearse together and struggle to sort through their woes, they uncover coping mechanisms that allow them to not only live but find the beauty in their respective challenges. The kind of comedy that cleans up at awards shows while still retaining its rewatchability, EW’s critic at the time writes, “We’re ready for the comedy of craziness, but the depth of compassion is the movie’s silver lining.” —I.G.

Where to watch Silver Linings Playbook: Max

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: David O. Russell

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Anupam Kher, Chris Tucker

Related content: Inside the big gamble (and triumph) of Silver Linings Playbook

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

Widely considered one of the best musicals ever captured on film, Singin' in the Rain has everything from music and dance to comedy and romance. Released 29 years after the entertainment industry premiered its first movie featuring sound-on-film, the story stars Gene Kelly as a celebrated silent film actor struggling to make the jump to the "talkies," and Debbie Reynolds as an up-and-coming actress trying to break into the business. The majority of the film's comedy and over-the-top dance numbers are provided by the charismatic Donald O'Connor, and Jean Hagen makes a delightful (and Oscar-nominated) turn as Lina, a silent movie star with a face for film and a Brooklyn accent strong enough to stop traffic. A beloved treasure and shining representative from Hollywood's Golden Era, Singin' in the Rain continues to endure and inspire. —I.G.

Where to watch Singin' in the Rain: Max

EW grade: A+ (read the review)

Director: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly

Cast: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'Connor, Jean Hagen

Related content: Every Singin' in the Rain reference in Babylon

The Spectacular Now (2013)

In 2014, Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort jumped from playing siblings in Divergent to starring as a star-crossed couple in The Fault in Our Stars. However, the preceding year saw Woodley team up with another Divergent costar, Miles Teller, in The Spectacular Now. A24's coming-of-age romance — based on Tim Tharp's 2008 novel — follows the life of Sutter Keely (Teller), a popular, party-going high school senior whose life changes when he wakes up on a front lawn and meets Manic Pixie Dream Girl Aimee Finecky (Woodley). With graduation on the horizon, the Big Man on Campus finds himself gradually falling for Aimee's quirks, insecurities, and withdrawal from regular adolescent antics. Yet, the film transcends the typical teen flick, as noted by EW's critic: "It's one of the rare truly soulful and authentic teen movies. It's about the experience of being caught on the cusp and not knowing which way you'll land." Woodley and Teller's chemistry operates as a driving force of the film, rendering a raw honesty so exceptional that both actors earned the Special Jury Award for Acting at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. —J.M.

Where to watch The Spectacular Now: Max

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: James Ponsoldt

Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Bob Odenkirk, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler

Related content: The Spectacular Now and other great coming-of-age movies

Trainwreck (2015)

"Monogamy isn't realistic!" — a doctrine drilled into Amy Townsend's (Amy Schumer) young mind by her father (Colin Quinn) becomes the guiding principle of her adult life, where she indulges in no-strings-attached flings and weekly partying. As a columnist at a men's magazine, her indifference to sports changes when she's assigned to profile a renowned orthopedic surgeon for athletes (Bill Hader), which sets off a push-and-pull romance that challenges her deeply ingrained aversion to commitment. Infused with Schumer's trademark dry, self-deprecating humor and guided by Knocked Up director Judd Apatow, Trainwreck is a sleeper hit that will leave you dream-casting Hader as the male lead in 20 more rom-coms and humming Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" on an involuntary loop. —J.M.

Where to watch Trainwreck: Max

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Judd Apatow

Cast: Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Colin Quinn, John Cena, Tilda Swinton, LeBron James

Related content: Nominated for nothing: Trainwreck

Up in the Air (2009)

One of the only industries that thrived during the 2008 recession was the business of firing people. Such is the job of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a consultant who traverses the nation to deliver pink slips on behalf of corporations. Driven by an increasing airline status and distaste for interpersonal relationships, Ryan has distanced himself from his family and maintained only a FWB arrangement with a fellow business traveler (Vera Farmiga). But when he's confronted with Natalie (Anna Kendrick), a recent college grad who pitches ambitious ideas about the art of "downsizing," Ryan is prompted to reassess the life he leads. Helmed by Juno director Jason Reitman, Up in the Air is a charming, heart-wrenching, and thought-provoking exploration of a challenging period in U.S. history — all delivered in the guise of a clever, wry rom-com. —I.G.

Where to watch Up in the Air: Max

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, Jason Bateman, Danny McBride, Melanie Lynskey, Amy Morton, Sam Elliott, J. K. Simmons, Zach Galifianakis

Related content: Up in the Air: Its quality? Sublime. Its super-low budget? Priceless!