%20%20--%3E%0A%3Csvg%20version%3D%221.1%22%20id%3D%22Layer_1%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20xmlns%3Axlink%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F1999%2Fxlink%22%20x%3D%220px%22%20y%3D%220px%22%0A%09%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20684.6%2068.1%22%20style%3D%22enable-background%3Anew%200%200%20684.6%2068.1%3B%22%20xml%3Aspace%3D%22preserve%22%3E%0A%3Cg%3E%0A%09%3Cpath%20d%3D%22M444.1%2C29.3h-17.4v14.5h17.4V29.3z%20M36.4%2C68.1l29.3-50.8V0H50.4L32.9%2C36.8L15.5%2C0H0v68.1h16.7V45.8l12.4%2C22.3H36.4z%0A%09%09%20M49.1%2C68.1h16.6V23.4L49.1%2C52.1V68.1z%20M76.6%2C68.1h45V53.8H93.3V41.6h21V27.1h-21V14.8h28.3V0.1h-45V68.1z%20M175.6%2C68.1h17.3v-68%0A%09%09h-16.5v40.3L150%2C0.1h-17.6v68h16.7V27.7L175.6%2C68.1z%20M235.8%2C14.8h15.4V0.1h-47.4v14.7H219v53.2h16.8V14.8z%20M290.3%2C45.9h-17.1%0A%09%09l7.5-15.6h2L290.3%2C45.9z%20M298.7%2C68.1h18l-32.2-68h-5.7l-32%2C68h18l3.3-7.1h27.1L298.7%2C68.1z%20M325.2%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1h-16.7%0A%09%09V68.1z%20M423.7%2C14.8h27.2V0.1H407v68h16.7V14.8z%20M462%2C68.1h46.2V53.8h-29.6V0.1H462V68.1z%20M564.8%2C34.1c0%2C10.7-7.2%2C19.2-18.5%2C19.2%0A%09%09c-11.4%2C0-18.5-8.5-18.5-19.2s7.1-19.2%2C18.5-19.2C557.6%2C14.9%2C564.8%2C23.4%2C564.8%2C34.1%20M580.6%2C34.1c0-19-14.2-34-34.3-34%0A%09%09c-20.2%2C0-34.3%2C15-34.3%2C34c0%2C19%2C14.1%2C34%2C34.3%2C34C566.4%2C68.1%2C580.6%2C53.1%2C580.6%2C34.1%20M604.8%2C20.5c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2%0A%09%09c4.4%2C0%2C6.6%2C3%2C6.6%2C6.6h14.7C631.8%2C9.1%2C625.1%2C0.1%2C611%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8%0A%09%09c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6%0A%09%09c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8C610.6%2C26.1%2C604.8%2C25.3%2C604.8%2C20.5%20M670%2C20.9h14.7C683.8%2C9.1%2C677.1%2C0.1%2C663%2C0.1c-12%2C0-21.7%2C9.3-21.7%2C20.6%0A%09%09c0%2C10.9%2C5.9%2C15.9%2C16.7%2C19.8c5.2%2C1.8%2C11.5%2C3.2%2C11.5%2C8c0%2C3.3-2.4%2C5.5-6.4%2C5.5c-3.6%2C0-6.6-3-6.6-6.7h-15.2c0%2C11.5%2C7.9%2C20.8%2C21.8%2C20.8%0A%09%09c12%2C0%2C21.6-9.3%2C21.6-20.6c0-10-5.3-16.4-16.7-19.8c-5.4-1.6-11.3-2.4-11.3-7.2c0-4.1%2C3.3-6.2%2C6.7-6.2C667.7%2C14.4%2C670%2C17.3%2C670%2C20.9%0A%09%09%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fg%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A)
Romantic comedies follow a lighthearted and predictable script: two people meet, they face a few obstacles, eventually address their feelings, and hopefully, experience a happy ending. While the 2010s opened with familiar tropes, films soon began to explore new directions that reflected the shifting dynamics of the decade.
This shift was most apparent with the rise of online dating profiles and the realities of modern romance.
As dating apps, social media, and texting became the norm in the 2010s, romantic comedies showcased love that unfolded through technology as well as those serendipitous encounters that linger in our minds long after the credits fade.
At the same time, directors put their own spin on the genre, mixing romance with R-rated humor and sincere storytelling. Some movies prioritized laughs and drew attention to chaotic misunderstandings, while others focused on moments that felt closely aligned with reality. Whether blockbuster hits or streaming favorites, these films kept the rom-com spirit alive, showing viewers that love manifests in countless ways and happily-ever-afters are achieved in many forms.
Here are some of the best romantic comedies from every year in the 2010s.
- LETTERS TO JULIET (2010)
- ONE DAY (2011)
- THIS MEANS WAR (2012)
- ABOUT TIME (2013)
- THE OTHER WOMAN (2014)
- THE LONGEST RIDE (2015)
- ME BEFORE YOU (2016)
- HOME AGAIN (2017)
- CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018)
- WHAT MEN WANT (2019)
LETTERS TO JULIET (2010)
Set in the idyllic Italian village of Verona, the backdrop for Romeo and Juliet's forbidden romance centuries ago, Letters to Juliet follows Sophie (Amanda Seyfried), an aspiring writer from New York, who stumbles upon an old love letter in Juliet's courtyard. Her decision to answer it sets off an unexpected adventure across Italy with the woman who wrote the letter, and her grandson, Charlie. With her fiancé off at a wine auction in Livorno, Sophie's search for lost love turns into a romantic journey that she never saw coming.
ONE DAY (2011)
One Day, based on the book of the same name, follows Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess), who meet the night of their university graduation and form a complicated friendship that spans decades. The story revisits them on the same day each year, St. Swithun's Day, and offers a glimpse into their lives, careers, and ever-evolving relationship. The plot thickens and comes to an eventual halt when they finally address their feelings towards each other after years of estrangement.
THIS MEANS WAR (2012)
Part romantic comedy and part spy film, This Means War centers on two CIA agents (Chris Pine and Tom Hardy) and longtime friends who realize they're both dating the same woman, Lauren, played by rom-com queen Reese Witherspoon. Instead of removing Lauren from their lives, they turn their rivalry into a life-threatening competition, using surveillance and spy gadgets to outmaneuver each other and win her heart.
ABOUT TIME (2013)
Blending romance with a hint of science fiction, About Time shines a spotlight on Tim, a young man who becomes privy to an unbelievable family secret. He discovers that the men in his family can travel through time. Hoping to improve his life (specifically his love life), he uses his newfound ability to redo awkward moments, pursue Mary (Rachel McAdams), and alter small decisions, eventually learning that time travel can’t fix everything.
THE OTHER WOMAN (2014)
When successful city lawyer Carly (Cameron Diaz) finds out her boyfriend is secretly married, things get very real very fast. But the true plot twist occurs when she accidentally meets and befriends his unsuspecting wife, Kate (Leslie Mann). Together, they discover he's dating yet another woman, Amber (Kate Upton). The three of them team up to turn heartbreak into revenge in The Other Woman, devising a plan that gives Mark a taste of his own medicine.
THE LONGEST RIDE (2015)
In The Longest Ride, a college student (Britt Robertson) and a determined bull rider (Scott Eastwood) spark a romance that bridges generations. After rescuing an elderly man from a car crash, they salvage his letters that outline his own love story. As the past unfolds, the young couple realizes that, regardless of era or circumstance, relationships are defined by sacrifice, timing, and genuine love.
ME BEFORE YOU (2016)
Me Before You follows small-town ray of sunshine, Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke), as she makes an unexpected career change as a caregiver for Will Traynor (Sam Claflin), a former thrill-seeking banker left paralyzed after a motorcycle accident. As their friendship blossoms into romance, Lou’s bright outlook challenges Will's negative worldview, and the pair form a deep connection that pushes both of them to rethink what it means to be alive. Their relationship, though brief, changes the course of Lou's entire existence.
HOME AGAIN (2017)
In Home Again, a recently separated 40-year-old single mom in Los Angeles (Reese Witherspoon) gets a much-needed (yet extremely surprising) life reset when three young, aspiring filmmakers end up living in her guest house. As she juggles family, romance with a younger man, and the chaos of living with creatives, the film transitions into a heartfelt tale of starting over and finding love in unconventional places.
CRAZY RICH ASIANS (2018)
When New York professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) flies to Singapore to meet her boyfriend Nick Young's (Henry Golding) family, she learns he's essentially royalty in the affluent, glamorous world of Singaporean high society, as depicted in Crazy Rich Asians. Between extravagant parties, nosy relatives, and couture-level drama, Rachel has to figure out if their love can outlast wealth and tradition.
WHAT MEN WANT (2019)
What Men Want focuses on motivated advertising executive Ali Davis (Taraji P. Henson), who is passed up for a promotion because her boss claims she doesn't know how to "connect" with men. After a wild night out with her friends (and some hallucinogenic tea), Ali is suddenly able to hear everything men think. The film uses humor to highlight the unspoken truths that go unspoken in relationships and the workplace.