With the joyful presence of Valentine’s Day, the world is filled with love and treats. To celebrate this delightful holiday, many watch classic romantic movies. Movies are a great way to connect with people, especially when they match the occasion. Romantic movies range from a large variety of themes: from a tragic but sweet movie such as “The Notebook” to more lighthearted romantic comedies like “13 Going on 30.” However, while these popular movies grasp the attention of most movie-watchers, many underground and overlooked romantic comedies should get more attention during this season of love.
To start, “About Time,” a film from 2013, sits at the top of my list of favorite romantic movies. While most people have seen Rachel McAdams as Allie in “The Notebook” and Regina in “Mean Girls,” “About Time” doesn’t receive nearly as much attention as her other movies. The film follows Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson), who discovers he can time travel and vows to use his new abilities to get a girlfriend. He travels back in time and meets Mary (Rachel McAdams), and the two fall in love. However, there is the ever-present challenge of Tim’s ordinary life, and he struggles protecting his loved ones from it. As always, McAdams puts on a stunning performance in this movie, and it shouldn’t be missed if you want to feel an emotional rollercoaster of happiness, heartbreak and resolution.
“Crazy, Stupid Love,” next on my list, features familiar faces from all over television. The film stars Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and many other well-known actors and actresses. While you might remember Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling from the movie “La La Land,” the two join up here for the first time to create an extremely unappreciated romantic comedy. The film follows Cal Weaver (Carell), who has a great life with a beautiful house, his dream job and a wonderful family with his lovely wife, Emily (Julianne Moore). However, when Cal learns that Emily has been cheating on him and wants a divorce, his life falls apart. Suddenly, when Cal is left all alone at 40, Jacob Palmer (Gosling) enters Cal’s life and reintroduces him to dating. If you are looking for a funny movie with a great cast, “Crazy, Stupid Love” is the one for you.
Finally, “Love, Rosie,” is a film based on a best-selling novel called “Where Rainbows End” by Cecilia Ahern. The film follows best friends Rosie (Lily Collins) and Alex (Sam Claflin), and after Alex and his family move to America from Dublin, the two of them must find a way to stay connected for years while hiding the underground feelings that they have for each other. The movie features many emotional twists and heartfelt performances by both Collins and Claflin. If you want a film with a storybook-style happy ending and a match made in heaven, this one’s for you.
So, if you want to embrace the spirit of this love season, why not watch one of these lesser-known romantic movies? There’s nothing wrong with turning to one of the more popular films or sticking to the namesakes, but these three movies are just as enjoyable for February, especially if you need an extra laugh or cry to get you through the love-filled month. There are so many incredible movies out there, but I recommend giving one of these films a chance.
