Topline
From 1940s classics to a 2021 Norwegian critical favorite, these are the 10 films we calculate, classified as romantic comedies by Rotten Tomatoes, as having the highest critics scores.
The wedding scene in “Crazy Rich Asians.”
Key Facts
The top 10 films are ranked by the highest combined Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic scores.
Also ranked are more recent popular favorites—the top 10 highest-grossing romantic comedies of the past 20 years, according to Box Office Mojo’s domestic figures.
Highest Critics Scores
1940-Movie still publicity handout of Cary Grant kissing Katharine Hepburn’s cheek in “The … [+]
1. The Philadelphia Story (1940): 100% Rotten Tomatoes, 96% Metacritic
Directed by George Cukor, known for his classics including Gaslight (1944) and A Star is Born (1954), The Philadelphia Story follows socialite Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) as her ex-husband and a tabloid journalist disrupt her wedding plans.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda in “The Lady Eve” (1941). (Photo by John Springer … [+]
2. (Tie) The Lady Eve (1941): 99% Rotten Tomatoes, 96% Metacritic
Starring Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, The Lady Eve features Stanwyck’s Jane as a con artist aboard a cruise ship who falls for her target, Fonda’s Charles.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Margaret Sullavan and James Stewart looking at each other across the table in “The Shop Around The … [+]
2. (Tie) The Shop Around The Corner (1940): 99% Rotten Tomatoes, 96% Metacritic
Set in Budapest, Hungary, The Shop Around The Corner stars James Stewart and Margaret Sullivan as employees at a general store who dislike each other, but are falling in love with their respective pen pals—who happen to be each other.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Charlie Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in “City Lights” (1931).
4. City Lights (1931): 95% Rotten Tomatoes, 99% Metacritic
A silent romantic comedy following a man falling in love with and trying to financially support a blind girl, City Lights was written, directed and produced by its star, Charlie Chaplin.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Marilyn Monroe and Tony Curtis filming “Some Like it Hot” (1959). (Photo by Richard Miller/Getty … [+]
5. Some Like It Hot (1959): 94% Rotten Tomatoes, 98% Metacritic
One of Marilyn Monroe’s most famous roles, for which she won her only Golden Globe Award, Some Like It Hot is a crime romantic comedy that would later inspire several stage and Broadway adaptations.
Available to stream on Pluto TV, Tubi and the Roku Channel.
Diane Keaton and Woody Allen in “Annie Hall” (1977).
6. Annie Hall (1977): 97% Rotten Tomatoes, 92% Metacritic
A romantic comedy-drama about the rise and fall of a comedian (Woody Allen) and singer (Diane Keaton)’s relationship, Annie Hall won four Academy Awards, including Best Actress for Keaton and Best Picture.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine in “The Apartment” (1960).
7. The Apartment (1960): 93% Rotten Tomatoes, 94% Metacritic
The Apartment stars Jack Lemmon as an insurance worker who, in an attempt to climb the corporate ladder, lets his senior coworkers use his Upper West Side apartment for their extramarital affairs.
Available to stream on Pluto TV or Tubi.
Renate Reinsve poses with Best Actress award for “The Worst Person in the World” at the 74th annual … [+]
8. (Tie) The Worst Person In The World (2021): 96% Rotten Tomatoes, 90% Metacritic
A Norwegian romantic comedy-drama, The Worst Person In The World follows Renate Reinsve’s Julie as she struggles to navigate her love life and career in Oslo.
Available to stream on Hulu.
Director Michel Hazanavicius and actors Bérénice Bejo and Jean Dujardin attend “The Artist” premiere … [+]
8. (Tie) The Artist (2011): 95% Rotten Tomatoes, 89% Metacritic
Shot like a silent, black-and-white film, Best Picture winner The Artist takes place in early Hollywood and follows the relationship between an older fading star and a young rising actress as the film industry transitions to the “talkies.”
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable in “It Happened One Night” (1934). (Photo by Donaldson … [+]
10. It Happened One Night (1934): 98% Rotten Tomatoes, 87% Metacritic
Starring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable as Ellie Andrews and Peter Warne, a socialite and a reporter who fall in love despite Ellie’s father’s wishes, It Happened One Night became the first of only three films to date to win the “big five” Academy Awards categories: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Highest Domestic Grossing Rom-Coms Of Past 20 Years (2003-2023)
Will Smith and Eva Mendes “Hitch” (2005). (Photo by Ian Wingfield/Getty Images)
1. Hitch (2005): $179,495,555
Hitch stars Will Smith as Alex “Hitch” Hitchens, a dating coach trying to help his client (Kevin James) win over celebrity Allegra Cole (Amber Valletta), who faces his own struggles trying to woo a tabloid reporter (Eva Mendes).
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Ken Jeong, Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Awkwafina and Jing Lusi attend a special … [+]
2. Crazy Rich Asians (2018): $174,532,921
The first film with a majority Asian cast in a modern setting since The Joy Luck Club (1993), Crazy Rich Asians follows Constance Wu’s Rachel Chu as she learns of her boyfriend’s extremely wealthy family and faces his disapproving mother.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock in “The Proposal” (2009).
3. The Proposal (2009): $163,958,031
Starring Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds and Betty White, The Proposal features Bullock as a book editor who marries Reynolds, her assistant, to avoid deportation to Canada.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Mario Cantone, Kristin Davis, Kim Cattrall, Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon on the set of … [+]
4. Sex And The City (2008): $152,647,258
A continuation of the popular TV series, Sex and the City stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattral, Cynthia Nixon, and Kristin Davis as their original characters set several years in the future.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Actor/executive producer Seth Rogen poses at the premiere of Universal Pictures’ “Knocked Up” at the … [+]
5. Knocked Up (2007): $148,768,917
Knocked Up stars Seth Rogen as an irresponsible slacker and Katherine Heigl as a journalist whose one-night stand results in an accidental pregnancy.
Available to stream on HBO Max.
Queen Latifah attends the premiere of “Bringing Down The House” at the El Capitan Theater on March … [+]
6. Bringing Down The House (2003): $132,716,677
Lawyer Peter Sanderson (Steve Martin) thinks he meets a fellow lawyer while trying online dating, but she turns out to be an escaped convict (Queen Latifah).
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence at a “Silver Linings Playbook” screening in Beverly Hills. … [+]
7. Silver Linings Playbook (2012): $132,092,958
Jennifer Lawrence won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Silver Linings Playbook, in which her character offers to help Bradley Cooper’s Pat Solatano, a man struggling with bipolar disorder, reconnect with his wife.
Available to stream with Starz.
Jack Nicholson at the “Something’s Gotta Give” Los Angeles premiere. (Photo by Lee Celano/WireImage)
8. Something’s Gotta Give (2003): $124,728,738
Jack Nicholson’s Harry Sanborn, a man in his 60s with an eye for younger women, begins falling for his young girlfriend’s mother (Diane Keaton) when he has a heart attack and is prescribed bed rest at their home.
Available to stream on Hulu.
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore at the “50 First Dates.” (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage)
9. 50 First Dates (2004): $120,908,074
Drew Barrymore’s Lucy has short-term memory loss, so Adam Sandler’s Henry has to woo her all over again every day.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston on set of “The Break-Up.” (Photo by Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
10. The Break-Up (2006): $118,703,275
The Break-Up stars Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn as a broken-up couple who both refuse to move out of their shared condo.
Available to rent on Amazon Prime.
Key Background
The Rotten Tomatoes critics score, known as the Tomatometer, is the percentage of critics who have given the film a positive review. A movie with at least 60% positive reviews is given a fresh tomato, while those with a score of less than 60% are given a splat. Metacritic calculates a weighted average of critics’ reviews, assigning different weights to each critic and publication depending on importance or quality. Scores are displayed in green, yellow or red—indicating favorable, mixed or unfavorable reviews—and films with a score of at least 81% are designated as “must-see.” Both Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic track user ratings and allow users to write reviews, though these are displayed separately from critics’ scores.
Further Reading
The 200 Best Romantic Comedies Of All Time (Rotten Tomatoes)
These 35 Rom-Coms Have Near Perfect Rotten Tomatoes Scores, Including ‘Set It Up’ (Bustle)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2023/04/05/the-10-best-romantic-comedies-of-all-time/