“True Love Prevails”: Top 10 Movie Couples I Actually Rooted For.
On the day before Valentines Day I decided to give some love to some of my all time favorite rom com couples. Let’s face it, the day of love isn’t complete without all of our favorite rom coms, but with so many classic movie couples I find myself not believing a good portion of them. This year, however, I wanted to count down the ones that I actually rooted for to get together and stay together because the chemistry and the build up of their coupling felt both genuine and winning.
10. Joe Fox and Kathleen Kelly. You’ve Got Mail.
In the classic Tom Hanks\Meg Ryan film You’ve Got Mail we get the story of two business rivals unbeknownst to themselves emailing each other and falling in love. The chemistry between Hanks and Ryan is a true joy to watch and I find myself getting a little misty when Joe tries to convince Kathleen to forgive him for his underhanded tricks asking her “What if?”
9. Issac Davis and Mary Wilkie. Manhattan.
This classic romantic comedy was the first Woody Allen film I had ever seen and I was impressed enough to become a fan. The story is simple. A neurotic writer has a young girlfriend and is desperate to get out of the situation when he meets the even more neurotic and beautiful Mary whom seems his perfect match. Now he’s caught between two loves. I personally rooted for Issac and Mary to end up together and was pissed that they didn’t. Woody and Diane Keaton did three great films together (Annie Hall, Manhattan and Manhattan Murder Mystery) and their pitch perfect chemistry charms me every time. In fact the iconic romantic montage scene has been borrowed from and paid homage to in many films since, including another favorite on this list… Love Jones.
8. Harry Burns and Sally Albright. When Harry Met Sally.
We all know this iconic love story and it’s still as charming now as it was when it came out in 1989. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are simply magic together. Their characters are night and day in personality and worldviews but their being opposites in almost every way is exactly why they should be together.
7. Quincy Watson and Nikkia Callas. Breakin’ All The Rules.
Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle Union play Quincy and Nikki. Two people who in the midst of a crazy sitcom like mess of mistaken identity and misunderstanding fall for each other hard as they each play the game. Gabrielle Union has had her share of leading men but in my humble opinion Jamie Foxx may just be her true match. I enjoyed the chemistry they had as characters, as actors and as good friends offscreen that clearly helped strengthen their chemistry onscreen.
6. Robbie Hart and Julia Sullivan. The Wedding Singer.
The first of three romantic comedies pairing Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. This was the beginning of a beautiful onscreen romance for the ages. These two kids were meant to be together… at least in the movies. I always find myself smiling and laughing whenever I see a Sandler\Barrymore movie because their chemistry is just so much fun to watch and you always root for them.
5. Darius Lovehall and Nina Moseley. Love Jones.
Not since Mahogany has a love story between two young, beautiful black people been as smooth, sexy, smart and downright poetic. The love story between Darius Lovehall and Nina Moseley is one for the ages. Love Jones is a Woody Allen film with an Ebony twist. Neuroses and commitment fears keep these two romantically challenged individuals from getting it together and staying together. And when they do get together they realize that it ain’t always easy to stay together but in the end these knuckleheads can’t resist each other anymore and finally get a clue.
4. Phil Conners and Rita Hanson. Groundhog Day.
The film performed a miracle by making us as an audience, and I know myself, root for the arrogant and self absorbed Phil Conners to get the lovely, smart and sweet natured Rita Hanson. For most of the film as Phil is in a unending time loop he goes through the motions, but his focus becomes trying to win the heart of Rita and eventually, when he finally gets his head out of his butt he does. It’s a testament to the wonderful script and the true chemistry between Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell that they make this relationship that started off frosty turn into something so beautiful and heartwarming. Groundhog Day is in my humble opinion Bill Murray’s greatest performance in his whole career and a big part of that is because of the sincere love and admiration that his character develops for Rita as he becomes a better person as a whole.
3. Henry Roth and Lucy Whitmore. 50 First Dates.
Sandler and Barrymore reunite in this iconic rom com. A truly tragic incident leaves Lucy Whitmore with severe short term memory loss and Adam Sandler’s Henry Roth takes it upon himself to make her fall in love with him again and again every day. You know it’s a true, deep and powerful love when a guy dedicates his life to winning your heart over and over again, as well as committing to a very tough and draining life with a woman with such a condition. True love conquers all and Sandler and Barrymore are each at their best.
2. Scott Roper and Ronnie Tate. Metro.
This super underrated and overlooked couple are just the best. Eddie Murphy has had some great romantic partners onscreen from Halle Berry to Robin Givens, but in my humble opinion Eddie’s never had a better paramour than Carmen Ejongo’s Ronnie Tate. Scott and Ronnie are a classic type of couple that start the movie off as friendly exes who are still in love and up in “naked in Tahiti.” The easy chemistry between the two was so believable that I wouldn’t be surprised if they had actually been a couple in real life.
- Leslie Wright and Scott McKnight. Just Wright.
Who knew that Queen Latifah and Common would be a match made in heaven, but they certainly were. I find myself wanting to actually be friends with Leslie and Scott and go on double dates. The two had such a real chemistry between them that made me fall in love with their pairing. They were both “just right” for each other.
Happy Valentines Day!