Let’s be honest, there hasn’t been a decent romantic comedy since Hugh Grant was falling in love actually after reading Bridget Jones’ diary in Notting Hill. We haven’t seen any serious on-screen chemistry since Kate Hudson tried to lose Matthew McConaughey in 10 days while chasing fool’s gold. And leading ladies? Not since Julia Roberts was a pretty woman who crashed her best friend’s wedding.
The rom-com died in 2008 – I blame Katherine Heigl – but after a decade of duds, the genre is making a comeback. This year we’ve been treated to the Netflix gems The Kissing Booth (about a never-been-kissed teenage girl who falls for her best friend’s brother), Set It Up (about two colleagues who set up their high-powered bosses), and To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (about a teenager whose secret love letters get mailed to her crushes).
Not to mention the opulent goodness of Crazy Rich Asians, which made $49 million across the globe in its opening weekend at the box office and has been crowned the romantic comedy of the decade.
This month, J-Lo returns to her Maid in Manhattan roots, playing a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who uses her street smarts to take on the elitists of Madison Avenue, in the feel-good flick Second Act. Even better, Milo Ventimiglia (yes, the hot dad from This Is Us) plays Lopez’s husband, telling his wife, “You were always good enough. You’re the only one that ever doubted it.” That’s some 2003 rom-com gold right there.
Second Act hits cinemas on November 29.
This article originally appeared in the December issue of marie claire.
