Romance isn't dead in the 21st century. Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at the movies that have defined the romance genre in the 21st century thus far.
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00:00I just heard you play, and I wanted to-
00:06Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're looking at the movies that have defined the romance
00:09genre in the 21st century thus far.
00:12Watch out for spoilers ahead.
00:14Baby, you are gonna miss that plane.
00:19I know.
00:22Number 30.
00:23Love Actually
00:24For many rom-com fans, it just isn't Christmas without rewatching this film.
00:29Now regarded as a genre staple, Love Actually follows an ensemble cast with intertwining
00:34stories.
00:35A roster of incredible talent allows the film to hit its high points like few other rom-coms
00:40can.
00:41Memorable moments like professing love with cue cards and adorably awkward proposals brim
00:45with feel-good sentiments.
00:48And while the film is generally light with its material, certain relationship dramas
01:04still carry an emotional impact.
01:07Its influence was felt for years to come, as evidenced by similar ensemble efforts like
01:11Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve, among many others.
01:15But even over two decades after its release, the feeling you get watching Love Actually
01:20remains entirely unique.
01:33Number 29.
01:34Five Feet Apart
01:35The teen drama landscape seemed pretty played out by the late 2010s.
01:39However, Five Feet Apart proved that strong chemistry goes a long way.
01:44Bella and Will have cystic fibrosis, a disease that prevents them from getting close.
01:49As fate would have it, they fall for each other anyway.
01:52The two embark on a romance while remaining five feet apart.
02:06Although there are plenty of sweet moments, the film builds towards a heavy ending.
02:11After all, the reality of their situation just cannot be ignored.
02:15But at its heart, Five Feet Apart is about the power of love, as being around Will gives
02:20Stella the strength to live to the fullest.
02:22It's a guaranteed tearjerker, but it's more than worth the watch.
02:36Number 28.
02:37In the Mood for Love
02:38Sometimes the greatest romances happen in less-than-perfect situations, and it doesn't
02:44get more complex than two people whose spouses are having an affair.
02:48Su and Chow bond through their broken hearts, leaning on each other for support.
03:01The longer they're together, the more their desire for a relationship grows.
03:06Torn between salvaging their marriages or pursuing a complicated love, Su and Chow find
03:10their lives at a crossroads.
03:12The film is noted for its eye-catching cinematography and soundtrack, helping viewers understand
03:17the sense of longing the characters experience.
03:33In the Mood for Love goes for a more contemplative form of storytelling.
03:37It leaves us wondering what might have been had Su and Chow met under different circumstances
03:41to soul-stirring effect.
03:44Number 27.
03:45P.S.
03:46I Love You
03:47Not all marriages end at Till Death Do Us Part.
03:49In P.S.
03:50I Love You, Hilary Swank's character sees her love kept alive by her late husband.
03:54While deep in mourning, she receives messages from him that encourage her to accept his
03:59passing.
04:00The protagonist regains her lost spirit with each new message, as she's sent on an adventure
04:04across the world.
04:17The film handles the topic of grief with care, showing that everyone moves on at their own
04:22pace.
04:23Yes, there are some cliché tropes, but the charming cast and gorgeous backdrop make it
04:28easy to overlook.
04:29P.S.
04:30I Love You may not be revolutionary, but it delivers the kind of warmth and tenderness
04:34that makes fans return every time.
04:51Number 26.
04:52About Time
04:53Who doesn't like a movie that makes you happy and makes you think?
04:57While time travel is generally associated with pure science fiction, About Time sets
05:02it up in a heartwarming fashion.
05:04After learning about his ability, protagonist Tim uses it to find the love of his life.
05:18While fixing his past mistakes, he learns to value his present.
05:22We watch the characters go through normal phases of life, and in the process, big truths
05:27are explored through Tim's relationships with his love Mary and his father.
05:31Watching him realize that the right place to be is where he is now is gripping.
05:36About Time solidifies that life is beautiful because it's fleeting.
05:41The best way to appreciate it is by being in the moment.
05:57Number 25.
05:58Carol
05:59In the 50s, photographer Therese encounters upper-class lady Carol.
06:03This interaction lays the seeds for a forbidden romance, as their connection clashes with
06:08the times they live in.
06:22But even with the world against them, Therese and Carol cannot deny their bond.
06:27The attempt to make their relationship work is the primary hook of the story, but the
06:31lead actresses' performances are Carol's biggest winning quality.
06:35Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara portray the characters with all their flaws and complexity.
06:50And although the heroines make a lot of mistakes and break many hearts, their dynamic displays
06:55exactly why love is such a human experience.
06:58Number 24.
07:00Silver Linings Playbook
07:01On paper, romance between people dealing with intense personal problems sounds like a recipe
07:06for disaster.
07:07However, when mixed with genuine care and devotion, we have the makings of a wholesome
07:12love story.
07:13Protagonist Pat and grieving widow Tiffany have both had ups and downs with mental illness.
07:18After meeting, they partner up for a dance competition.
07:28Pat's goal is to get his ex-wife to take him back.
07:31Of course, as they connect over their pasts, Pat and Tiffany develop their own connection.
07:36Silver Linings Playbook balances its romantic beats with a touching, nuanced depiction of
07:40mental health.
07:41Ultimately, we just want Pat and Tiffany to get the happy ending they deserve.
07:57To the film's credit, its uplifting finale provides the perfect payoff.
08:01Number 23.
08:03Me Before You
08:04Finding love can happen in the most unusual ways.
08:08A caregiver falling for her employer is certainly unexpected.
08:12Although Lou's initial interaction with Will is anything but romantic, they're ultimately
08:16drawn to each other.
08:17Genre enthusiasts will love the many cute moments between them.
08:29But while the film dedicates time to their romance, it culminates in a difficult finale.
08:34Even though Lou is devoted to being with him, Will does not want to go on.
08:38Though Me Before You isn't perfect, especially with regards to its representation of disabilities,
08:44That leaves us on a hopeful note in the romance department.
08:47Despite everything, Lou and Will experience what true love is supposed to feel like in
08:51the time they do have together.
09:00Number 22.
09:01Her
09:02We all crave company at some point in our lives.
09:05Her takes an introspective look at loneliness.
09:08Reeling from a difficult separation, Theodore seeks comfort from an A.I. named Samantha.
09:14But what starts as an unconventional friendship turns into something much deeper.
09:27Naturally the fact that she isn't human complicates matters, impacting the protagonist's already
09:32fragile self-worth.
09:34Through it all, the film expertly grapples with the dynamics of a bond that exists solely
09:39on an emotional level.
09:40While we can sympathize with Theodore, it's also clear that his relationship with Samantha
09:45isn't entirely healthy.
09:55In the end, Her shows that there are no shortcuts to love.
09:58But for a certain amount of time, we hope, just like Theodore, that this just might be
10:03possible.
10:05Number 21.
10:06Love Rosie
10:07Sometimes you know how the film ends the moment it begins.
10:10Sure, Love Rosie plays into the tried and tested rom-com template, but it leaves fans
10:15with that warm, snuggly feeling they want.
10:18Alex and Rosie have been friends since they were kids.
10:21Miscommunication ends chances of a romance in their youths, and they secretly pine for
10:25each other for years afterward.
10:32Their friendship is tested amid the twists and turns in their lives.
10:44But whether it's relationship issues, parenthood, distance, or other circumstances taking center
10:49stage, the pair remains each other's support.
10:52Love Rosie heavily relies on its lead's chemistry, and Sam Claflin and Lily Collins deliver.
11:02Sparks, between them, fly throughout the film, with the big romantic finale leaving
11:11viewers swooning all the way.
11:14Number 20.
11:15Definitely Maybe
11:16We are a sucker for a love story with a fun framing device, and Definitely Maybe certainly
11:21fits the bill.
11:33Will, Ryan Reynolds, is the father to precocious Maya, played by Abigail Breslin, obviously,
11:39and is going through a divorce from her mother.
11:52He starts to share stories with her about his romantic past, interweaving tales of all
11:56the women who've been important in his life.
11:59Maya tries to figure out which one is her mother, and the audience tries to figure out
12:03who Will truly belongs with in this heartwarming film.
12:19Number 19.
12:20The Proposal
12:21Oh, you want more Ryan Reynolds?
12:31Well, we can deliver.
12:33The year after Definitely Maybe, Reynolds starred in The Proposal alongside Sandra Bullock.
12:38He plays Andrew Paxton, a guy trying to make it in the publishing industry who works for
12:43an extremely demanding boss.
12:55So demanding, in fact, that when she finds out she's about to be deported, she crafts
12:59a lie about being engaged to Andrew to be able to stay in the country.
13:03What follows is a hilarious slapstick-style comedy that takes an emotional turn just when
13:08you think all hope is lost.
13:14Number 18.
13:15The Holiday
13:16There are plenty of great Christmas romance stories, but this 2006 film has to be one
13:20of our favorites.
13:22Starring Kate Winslet as Iris and Cameron Diaz as Amanda, The Holiday is about two women
13:26who switch houses when they're both at low points in their lives.
13:43We get to see Diaz settle into a cozy English cottage, and Winslet sprawl out in an LA mansion,
13:49and of course, both of them find love along the way.
14:04Alongside the romance stories, there's also an inspiring subplot about Iris' friendship
14:08with an elderly screenwriter, played by the late, great Eli Wallach.
14:26Number 17.
14:27Serendipity
14:28Another holiday love story is told in Serendipity, a movie that asks questions about whether
14:41fate can really bring two people together.
14:43Jonathan and Sarah have a chance encounter and end up spending an evening together, but
14:48decide to let chance decide if they'll ever see each other again.
14:59As years pass, they each become equally enamored with the idea of finding one another, but
15:03it's a task they've made difficult for themselves.
15:06This movie will have you yelling at your TV screen during their near-misses, and desperately
15:10crossing your fingers, hoping that destiny is real.
15:25Number 16.
15:27A Star Is Born
15:28Here's a pick that crushed audiences when they saw it, despite the fact that they probably
15:42knew what was coming given how many times this film has been remade.
15:46But Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga had a magnetic connection that made this version of the well-worn
15:50tale come alive for modern viewers, and convinced many that they must be together in real life
15:55as well.
16:06The main track from the film, Shallow, was everywhere at the end of 2018, and no one
16:12was surprised when it took home the Oscar for Best Original Song.
16:31Number 15.
16:32The F Word, also known as What If?
16:35Known as both The F Word and What If, depending on where it was released, this quirky modern
16:39romance starring Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan took a standard romantic comedy formula
16:44and updated it for 2013.
16:54Radcliffe may have had a difficult time breaking out from his role in the Harry Potter franchise,
16:58but this established him as a believable romantic lead.
17:11If you're looking for a realistic portrayal of dating in the 21st century, this is a movie
17:15that doesn't sugarcoat or create a fantasy about what love most often looks like today.
17:32Number 14.
17:33Brooklyn.
17:35Many films that focus on romance don't receive critical acclaim, but 2015's Brooklyn was
17:39a major exception.
17:52Telling the story of a young Irish girl who tries to make it in America, this movie stars
17:55Saoirse Ronan, who has proven to be one of the most prominent actresses of the century
17:59so far.
18:11She's forced to choose between the love she finds in New York and a more stable life back
18:15home.
18:16It was nominated for three Oscars, Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay,
18:21and a slew of other awards.
18:33Number 13.
18:34Amélie.
18:35It's not often that an international film achieves such high popularity in North America,
18:40and Amélie, the French film starring Audrey Tautou, is a notable exception.
18:53And how could people not love it?
18:55This story about a whimsical woman in Montmartre, Paris, trying to make the lives of those around
18:59her slightly better in small ways, is about as charming as they come.
19:07Amélie herself is an unforgettable character who reminded us to take a moment to enjoy
19:11life's small pleasures.
19:14Don't let the subtitle scare you off.
19:26This one is totally worth it.
19:29Number 12.
19:30Call Me By Your Name.
19:43Based on the novel by André Aciman, Call Me By Your Name was an award-season darling
19:47that told the quiet love story between a teenage boy and the older and more mature object of
19:52his affection.
20:04We may be used to gay love stories focusing primarily on things that set them apart, but
20:08this is a classic tale of first love and the loss that comes along with it.
20:13The lush Italian setting in the 1980s will make you want to jump through your screen
20:17and be part of it yourself.
20:26Number 11.
20:27Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
20:42If you're skeptical that Jim Carrey could carry a romantic movie, you probably haven't
20:46seen Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
20:49This is one of the most emotionally tumultuous films on our list, entering into darker places
20:54than your average romance movie does.
20:56The story exists in a world where technology can erase memories, which Joel and Clementine
21:00take advantage of after going through a heart-wrenching breakup.
21:14This unique concept won it the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and while it
21:18may not have been a huge box office hit, it has amassed a cult following over the years.
21:36One of the biggest surprises of 2018 had to be this over-the-top romantic comedy.
21:50In a way, Crazy Rich Asians helped revive a genre that's been languishing for years,
21:55bringing back the unapologetically bright and colorful love story for the modern day.
22:08Set in Singapore, and based on a novel by Kevin Kwan, it was the first modern Hollywood
22:13movie to feature a majority Asian cast.
22:16As touching as it was hilarious, Crazy Rich Asians took the classic formula of the rom-com
22:20and made it feel new again.
22:48We wish we knew how to quit them.
22:51Brokeback Mountain is a beautiful love story as well as a major tearjerker.
22:55Ennis and Jack are herding sheep in Wyoming together when their acquaintance turns into
22:59something much more that changes their lives forever.
23:07However, because it's the 1960s, they risk violent repercussions if anyone finds out.
23:16While it may have controversially lost out on Best Picture at the Oscars in favor of
23:20Crash, it's become a modern classic, in no small part thanks to stellar performances
23:25from Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal.
23:40Nicholas Sparks sure knows how to write a movie that'll have you reaching for tissues
23:52throughout.
23:53Jamie and Landon are teens who couldn't be more different, considering she's the
23:57good girl minister's daughter and he's been mixed up with the bad kids at school.
24:01They find themselves spending more and more time together, and falling in love despite
24:05Landon's promise that they wouldn't.
24:07Of course, what sets this story apart is the reveal that Jamie's days are limited
24:11because she has leukemia.
24:25Seeing Landon help Jamie work through her bucket list still brings tears to our eyes.
24:38Baz Luhrmann sure knows how to create something spectacular.
24:49The auteur co-wrote and directed this musical extravaganza, starring Nicole Kidman as a
24:54cabaret dancer and courtesan, and Ewan McGregor as a penniless writer living in a fantastical
24:59version of Paris in 1900.
25:17Moulin Rouge! is a dazzling production that features much-loved love songs from many different
25:22genres, as well as jaw-dropping set pieces that will make you unable to look away.
25:29It became one of the few modern musicals to get a nod for Best Picture at the Oscars,
25:39also pulling in seven other nominations.
25:56Bridget Jones's Diary
26:09Despite all her flaws, we can't help but love Bridget Jones just as she is.
26:22Whether she's making blue soup or putting her foot in her mouth for the millionth time,
26:26Renee Zellweger plays this role perfectly, in an imperfect way of course.
26:30While Bridget may not have a ton of self-confidence, she finds herself torn between two men, the
26:35charming but womanizing Daniel Cleaver and the annoyingly perfect Mark Darcy.
26:40While it may be obvious to the audience who she should choose, we have to watch her make
26:44many bad decisions before she finally gets there.
27:11You knew we couldn't possibly leave this movie off the list.
27:14The Notebook is probably the most ubiquitous romance film of the century so far, with a
27:18seemingly equal amount of fans and detractors.
27:21The format is undeniably appealing, with an elderly man reading to his sweetheart who
27:26has Alzheimer's about how they fell in love.
27:39While some of Noah's antics, like threatening to throw himself off a Ferris wheel, are decidedly
27:43less charming upon current re-watchings, we still have a soft spot in our hearts for this one.
28:07From the very beginning, the narrator makes it clear that 500 Days of Summer is not your
28:11typical love story, and the audience knows from early on that it doesn't have a happily
28:16ever after to look forward to.
28:30But that doesn't make us any less invested in the romance between Tom and Summer, with
28:34the achronological narrative only adding to the appeal.
28:37It's rare to have a story like this told from a male point of view, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
28:41is the perfect actor to pull it off.
28:44Does it over-utilize the manic pixie dream girl trope?
28:47Yes.
28:48Do we still love this movie?
28:50Also yes.
29:00Does it get any more romantic than Jane Austen?
29:11There have been several on-screen adaptations of her most popular work, Pride and Prejudice,
29:15but in our humble opinions, none stands up to the 2005 version starring Keira Knightley
29:20and Matthew McFadyen.
29:22Despite the fact that it's set in the 18th century, there's something refreshingly modern
29:26about this take on Austen's much-loved tale about the romance between Elizabeth Bennet
29:29and Mr. Darcy.
29:40Even though everyone knows how this story ends, it never seems to get old, and is still
29:45worth a re-watch today.
29:58Number 2 – La La Land
30:07There is perhaps no more appealing modern movie couple than Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
30:12We loved them in 2011's Crazy Stupid Love, but there's no competing with their musical
30:17turn in 2016's La La Land.
30:20This movie brought some color and brightness to an otherwise dour year when audiences needed
30:24it most.
30:32It follows some of the tropes and formatting of an old-school Hollywood musical, showing
30:36an idealized version of Los Angeles.
30:39But it isn't all sunny dance numbers, and this movie has a surprising amount of heart
30:43behind it.
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31:06Number 1 – Before Sunset
31:08There's really nothing comparable to Richard Linklater's Before trilogy, which has seen
31:12actors Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy return to the same story approximately every nine
31:17years.
31:18Starting in the mid-90s with Before Sunrise, fans finally got to see whether Céline and
31:22Jesse reunited in Vienna in 2004.
31:42The second movie takes place in Paris, and shows us a snapshot of what our characters'
31:46lives have become.
31:57Before Sunset ends on an ambiguous note, and viewers had to wait a decade to find out what
32:02happened between Céline and Jesse when Before Midnight was released in 2013 and caught us
32:06up with the pair.
32:16Which romance movie do you find yourself watching over and over?
32:19Let us know in the comments.