Netflix has essentially been trying to usurp Hallmark as a producer of cheesy, low budget romantic comedies that make most people groan. Titles like Romance on the Menu and Holidate do not inspire confidence in audience members and they seem like they were haphazardly put together over a long weekend. This general blandness has caused people to overlook the fact that Netflix is also home to some zany, offbeat and occasionally moving entries in the genre. Personally, it seems like they hide away their best content and promote dreck like 365 Days over projects that deserve more recognition. Here are five romantic comedies available on Netflix that are more deserving of your attention.
Juliet, Naked (2018)
Rose Byrne, Chris O’Dowd and Ethan Hawke are all beloved actors and they do some of their best work in this understated little gem. Hawke seems at home as a washed up rock star who is trying to slowly rebuild his life after acting irresponsibly during his twenties. That youthful charm is still present but Hawke plays him as somebody who is embarrassed by his devoted fanboys and he doesn’t try to hide the fact that he’s in his late forties. All of this adds pathos to his portrayal and we are thoroughly enamoured of him even as we realise that he is flawed. Byrne and O’Dowd are also on fine form and O’Dowd weaponises his nice guy persona to reveal the perniciousness of fanboy culture. The script is sharp and fully admits that people often end up with a person who isn’t perfect for them. It doesn’t end with our protagonists getting married but we are still allowed to believe that they are attracted to one another and something might develop out of this, in the future. More romantic comedies should allow for some ambiguity rather than telling us that every couple eventually needs to get married, have a child together or break up and never speak to one another again. It goes down easy and you end up wondering why more people don’t treat this like a comfort film.
Todas As Razões Para Esquecer (All the Reasons to Forget) (2017)
This is a Brazilian production so the fact that most people reading this don’t speak Portuguese so this might make this film a tougher sell. You could simply just turn on the dubbing and listen to the characters speak with bizarre, incongruous American accents but dubbing usually comes off as slightly disturbing. Personally, hearing the voices of the actors who are playing the roles are better as voice actors who are brought in to re-deliver the lines in a different language just don’t capture the right tonal inflections. Beyond the dubbing issue, this is a wonderful romantic comedy that is willing to mostly deal with the feelings of rejection and loneliness that one faces after being dumped. Johnny Massaro is sure to make many burst out into laughter with just a raise of one of his bushy eyebrows. The fact that this story is firmly embedded within the world of the bourgeoisie and we come to understand that our lead is essentially a spoiled brat was a nice touch. He doesn’t appear to do much at work, is able to casually move in with his sister and never worries about his financial situation. All of this might make him sound obnoxious but the screenwriter dissects the problems with the sort of middle class lifestyle that he leads. It is never weighed down by the social commentary that it makes and it would be wrong to not mention at least one foreign production.
Bachelorette (2012)
It is rare to see such a mean spirited, cynical, angry film within any genre. Bachelorette is unique because it features characters who are unrelenting in their cruelty and selfishness but it is also wickedly funny. You’ll almost feel bad for laughing at poor Rebel Wilson, who plays one of the few likeable characters in the film, and yet you can’t help but do so. You’re not rooting for anybody but you can’t look away as Isla Fisher eagerly snorts cocaine and a predatory James Marsden flirts with Kirsten Dunst by referencing the Potsdam Conference. It’s very short and time passes quickly as all of the characters get tangled up in various subplots. It’s more about the dynamics between the different friends than it is about the wedding taking place but these characters are fascinating enough to hold our interest. Fans of Dunst will be happy to see her working with a script that lets her tap into deep reservoirs of insecurity and duplicitousness. Leslye Headland deserves more opportunities to work within this genre and she should have been given much bigger budgets for her future projects. Watch this when you’re in a bad mood because it might just cheer you up.
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012)
What to Expect When You’re Expecting is frequently bashed online and dismissed as an excuse to assemble a large group of movie stars and put them in front of the camera. The fact that the producers probably saw this film that way is undeniable but all of the stars actually give performances that delicately balance light, fluffy comedy and searing melodrama. Even when Jennifer Lopez is wearing her fake eyelashes and three layers of makeup, some genuine emotion shines through. That being said, this may not be some misunderstood masterpiece but people shouldn’t just dismiss it offhand. It deserves some reconsideration and it features one of the better uses of an ensemble cast. It does feel like the roles have been written to suit the characters and that is refreshing. Sometimes we all want to decompress by seeing glamorous, ridiculously attractive people strut their stuff. You might feel a bit of guilt for enjoying something like this but you can’t say that it’s entirely without worth.
About Last Night (2014)
Regina Hall is enough of a selling point for almost anything and she has the magic spark that helps you get through some rough patches in About Last Night. To be honest, this is a wildly uneven picture that takes a dip in quality every time that Hall and Kevin Hart are off screen. Joy Bryant and Michael Ealy are both awfully pretty but they don’t have that much to offer when it comes to screen presence. Hart and Hall are just electrifying together and they bounce off of one another with ease and almost all of their lines are delivered with a wink and a nudge. They make the drudgery of everything around them worth watching. She’s sensual and relaxed in almost every scene and can make the most hackneyed dialogue sound fresh and original. That’s the real measure of star power and if you’re a Hall fan, you really have to see this. Of course, you should watch Support the Girls first but this is still an important entry in her filmography.
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I am passionate about screwball comedies from the 1930s and certain actresses from the Golden Age of Hollywood. I’ll aim to review new Netflix releases and write features, so expect a lot of romantic comedies and cult favourites.