By: Santiago Brion | February 14, 2022
Photo Credit: Creative Commons
It is February once again and that means Valentine’s Day is upon us. When there’s love, there’s romance movies to watch with your partner. However, there are ways to celebrate it by being in the comfort of your home or dorm room and watching a romantic comedy. Here are movies to watch on Valentine’s Day if you’re single that can bring a smile to your face.
7. Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates
Yes, I am calling Mike & Dave a Valentine’s Day movie because there is a wedding and hilarity ensues. Zac Efron and Adam Devine play two brothers who love getting rowdy at family weddings. When his parents are fed up with their behavior, they let them go to their sister’s wedding solely on the condition that they bring dates. Naturally, the dates they bring are disasters. Not only do you have a great comedic duo, but you also have Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza who also work great together. I can’t stop laughing about Kumail Nanjiana giving that “massage.” If you need a good laugh, Mike & Dave will give you that in spades.
6. 10 Things I Hate About You
This Shakespeare-inspired teen romance comedy stars Julia Stiles as Kat Stratford, a high school outcast who falls for Heath Ledger’s character, Patrick Verona. Meanwhile Joseph Gordon-Levitt has a crush and is clearly the kid that was out of his league. I picked 10 Things because Kat was the kind of gal who’s been isolated for her whole life, she’s got a feud with her sister, her dad’s a piece of shit, and she always has that attitude face that has ticked her classmates and her English teacher off. It also can have many people longing for a Patrick figure in their lives.
5. Crazy, Stupid, Love
If you've been dumped by someone who slept with a guy like David Lindhagen, then this movie is the cure. Steve Carell plays Cal Weaver, a man who’s going through a divorce, Ryan Gosling then walks into his life and helps him be a hit with the ladies. The scenes between Carrell and Gosling became one of the best comedic moments of the 2010s. Maria Tomei gives a scene-stealing, hilarious, over-the-top performance and one of the funniest climaxes ever put on film. This is more so a movie for divorced people or those who partake in hook-up culture. If you’re either of the two, Crazy, Stupid, Love can be your choice.
4. When Harry Met Sally
It is a known fact that When Harry Met Sally is one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. In the movie, Harry Burns and Sally Albright, played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, meet during college and have a discussion on whether or not men and women could be friends. Years later, they are the best of friends. Why did I pick this for single people, you ask? Well… Harry and Sally are both single because if they were to fall in love with each other, their friendship would be ruined. If you’re reading this article and you have feelings for a friend but want more than what you have, then this classic movie will give you the motivation to express those feelings.
3. Always Be My Maybe
Always Be My Maybe is my favorite romantic comedy movie to watch, and it’s not just because of Keanu Reeves’s amazing cameo appearance. The chemistry between Randall Park and Ali Wong, as Marcus Kim and Sasha Tran, is awesome. I also think that the songs are very underrated, like “I Punched Keanu Reeves.” Similar to When Henry Met Sally, both Marcus and Sasha are best friends but they’ve known each other since they were kids. If you’re like Marcus or Sasha and had feelings for your friend since grade school, then I encourage you to let all of those go out of your chest.
2. (500) Days of Summer
If you’re a hopeless romantic like Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and you’re reeling from a broken relationship, then (500) Days of Summer is the movie for you. Tom Hansen is a man who works as a greeting card writer and is caught completely off-guard after his girlfriend, Summer, breaks up with him. He reflects on their 500 Days together to try to figure out why the relationship went sour and rediscovers his passions in life. While this celebrated rom-com isn’t exactly the perfect choice for a date night, it can be a good movie for lonely people out there. That scene with Tom happily strutting in Central Park while Halls & Oates’s “You Make My Dreams Come True” plays gives me a lot of serotonin. If you’re like Tom, you should try rediscovering what you liked to do before you had a romantic partner, like drawing, making music, skateboarding, etc.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
This is the break-up movie to watch if you’ve asked someone to be your valentine and they unfortunately said “no.” Peter Bretter is just an ordinary man who seems to have the perfect life. I mean after all, he has a celebrity girlfriend, until he doesn’t. It leads to the funniest and gut-wrenching moment in the history of rom-coms, with Peter in the stages of heartbreak, like trying to seduce another woman, seeing a doctor, and struggling to throw out everything Sarah owns. If you’re looking to forget your relationship ever happened, Forgetting Sarah Marshall is the go-to guide for getting through heartbreak. This is what I think to be the number one romantic comedy for singles, not just for Valentine’s Day but for every day.
There you have it folks. Those are my picks for romantic comedies to watch when you’re single on Valentine’s Day. There’s nothing better than to watch a funny romance movie on a holiday that celebrates love.