Hollywood had a strong hold on romantic comedies in the early-2000s. They created some of the best rom-coms to ever hit the big screen and made some actors a staple in Hollywood like Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson. Romantic comedies can get a little messy with all the different emotions the characters go through, which makes for a comedic moment that viewers can relate to. Some of these moments can hit a little to close to home for some, but the movie gives them a way to make an emotional connection to the characters on the screen.
The early-2000s created some of the best romantic comedies that fans of the genre still talk about to this day. Some movies pushed the genre to its limits, while others stuck to the basic formula of a rom-com, so everyone can have a good time when they sit down to watch them. Any leading woman or man who has starred in these movies has become a household name of this genre and became an icon during the 2000s.
During this period, rom-coms were a turning point for Hollywood that have given the genre its ups and down over the past few decades. Here are the all-time best romantic comedies of the early-2000s.
10 The Proposal
Sandra Bullock threw her girl next door facade out the window, and instead got to play the boss that everyone hates. The Proposal takes on the fake dating trope as Margaret (Bullock) needs help keeping her U.S. visa and thinks her only way to do so is marrying her assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds). The two need to fool the government and Andrew's family into thinking their relationship is legit. It's easy to see that these enemies will be lovers by the end of the film, but the journey along the way is worth the watch.
9 A Cinderella Story
Everyone knows the Cinderella story since it's been told so many times, but A Cinderella Story put a spin on the classic tale that BuzzFeed says became iconic. However, it was hard not lo love Hilary Duff as the girl next door and Chad Michael Murray as the prince. They modernized the fairytale and used technology as their glass shoe. Sam has a pen-pal who happens to be the most popular guy in school, Austin Ames. She decides to attend the masquerade ball to meet him and live out her princess dream, if her stepmother doesn't get in the way first.
8 50 First Dates
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore became the new couple seen in romantic comedies during the early-2000s. In 50 First Dates, he continues to pull out all the romantic stops each day to get his beloved to fall in love with him even though she won't remember tomorrow. Lucy has short-term memory loss and won't remember anything that Henry says to her. Henry has to prove not only to her, but also to her family and friends that he's not trying to take advantage of her situation.
7 13 Going on 30
13 Going on 30 is a rom-com that dips into the fantasy aspect with some magic dust, but at its core the movie revolves around finding yourself. Jenna is sick of junior high and wishes she could just be a grown-up already. Suddenly, her secret wish becomes a reality when she wakes up as a 30-year-old woman. However, being an adult isn't quite as she imagined and comes with its own challenges. Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo are an absolute joy to watch on screen, and it's hard not fall in love with them.
6 She’s the Man
Twelfth Night was remade into the charming adaptation starring Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum. She's the Man quickly became a fan favorite on this modern twist of a Shakespeare classic. Viola decides to attend her brother's school, posing as her brother, so she can make the soccer team and prove she's just as good as any of the boys. She ends up in a confusing love triangle between her brother's roommate and a girl from her science class. She’s the Man is a charming and fun movie to watch whether it's for the humor or the chemistry between Bynes and Tatum.
5 The Princess Diaries
Everyone wants to watch a teenage girl become a princess like Mia Thermopolis. The Princess Diaries was a huge hit since any girl wants this to happen to them. The movie has some romantic elements to it as Mia tries to get the boy she's had a crush on like her back, but the movie proved more than that. In a way, it was about Mia trying to find the right person to love, and the relationship she developed with her long-lost grandmother who seems to have some wisdom on the topic.
4 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, journalist Andi Anderson is on a mission to prove that she can get a guy to break up with her in less than two weeks. However, the guy she picks is also trying to prove that he can get anyone woman to fall in love with him. She gives him love ferns and makes him listen to Celine Dion for hours on end, which Ben Berry will endure if it means he will win.
When the two put away their petty bets, they start getting real and decide to give this relationship a fighting chance. Collider describes the chemistry between Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey as the only thing a rom-com needs to succeed.
3 Maid in Manhattan
Jennifer Lopez is a struggling single mom who falls in love with a high profile guest at the hotel she works at. The guest doesn't realize that she's actually a maid in the hotel. Here, Lopez makes audiences believe that she is risking everything for love in Maid in Manhattan. By the end, everyone is rooting for the two to get together and hope that they live happily ever after. Lopez also solidified herself as a leading lady within the rom-com genre with this movie.
2 My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Windex seems like a cure-all in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but it's a detail in the film that makes it feel real. Everyone in the Portokalos family worries that Toula will never marry since she's 30 years old and still works at the restaurant owned by her family. After taking a job at her aunt's travel agency, she falls in love with Ian Miller who's a teacher, handsome, and not Greek like her family wants her to marry. Toula is afraid that her father won't like him because he's a foreigner and a vegetarian.
1 Bridget Jones's Diary
Bridget Jones's Diary is based on the 1996 novel of the same name that shows life as a single woman. Bridget is afraid that she'll be single forever, and that her best relationship will be with a bottle of wine. When she finds herself in a love triangle with her boss and a snobby divorced man, she quickly realizes that she's worthy of love for who she is. Bridget Jones Diary shows that women should always be true to herself and not let insecurities get in their way.