20 Best Enemies to Lovers Rom-Com Movies

The enemies-to-lovers trope is extremely popular among fans of romantic comedies, but some films do it better than others. Romantic comedies have been around in Hollywood almost as long as movies, with the first two – Sherlock Jr. and shy girl – released as silent films in 1924. The films are popular among audiences due to their balanced combination of romance, drama and comedy. However, the wide variation in tropes also makes the films compelling.

One of the most popular tropes in romantic comedy films is enemies to lovers. Enemies-to-lovers romantic comedies are the perfect choice to watch after a long week. Films with this trope include faster dialogue, sexual tension, and relatable conflicts. These stories work in the premise that there is a fine line between love and hate. Additionally, scripts typically feature compelling character development before the couple reunites, making it easier to emotionally invest in them. Ultimately, some of the best romantic comedies of all time take advantage of this trope, adding their own unique spin.

20

Out of Sight (1998)

Directed by Steven Soderbergh

While many of the enemies-to-lovers films find interesting ways to pit the central couple against each other, Out of sight is one of the few films that achieves this by placing characters on opposite sides of the law. Based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, Out of sight stars George Clooney as a bank robber who escapes from prison and ends up taking a US Marshal (Jennifer Lopez) hostage. As they become separated in the chaos of their escape, a connection forms that deepens as she continues to hunt him down.

While the crime aspects are gripping, the sparks that fly between Clooney and Lopez are the film's highlight.

Out of sight is one of the coolest films of all time, with an effortlessly elegant style and confident tone delivered by Steven Soderbergh. While the crime aspects are gripping, the sparks that fly between Clooney and Lopez are the film's highlight. The scene with the two trapped together in a trunk solidifies the film's wonderful ability to pull off this dynamic between natural enemies and strangers who are attracted to each other.

19

Anyone But You (2023)

Directed by Will Gluck

While there are some who have suggested that the theatrical romantic comedy has disappeared and the genre can only survive on streaming, Anyone but you served as proof that audiences will turn out for a compelling entry into the genre. Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney have solidified their status as Hollywood's next generation of stars. They play two people who hate each other after a romantic misunderstanding and end up at the same wedding party. In order not to ruin the weekend, they decide to pose as a couple.

Powell and Sweeney share wonderful chemistry, bringing out the laughs at their resentment for each other while also making the audience root for them as they begin to embrace their obvious attraction to each other. The film aims to be a throwback to the romantic comedies of the '90s and '00s, and in the end, it does the genre proud.

18

Clueless (1995)

Directed by Amy Heckerling

One of the most iconic teen films of all time also features a truly charming and unexpected romance between enemies and lovers. Uninformed is a modern update of Jane Austen's book Emma with Alicia Silverstone playing Cher, a high school student who discovers she has a talent for preparing people to find their true love. However, she soon feels she must explore her own love life, which takes her somewhere unexpected.

The fact that Cher's love interest turns out to be her older half-brother (Paul Rudd) seems odd in retrospect, but the relationship works in the context of the film. Cher and Josh are very opposite personalities, with Josh involved in politics and trying to prove he's an adult, while Cher focuses exclusively on the world of high school. However, seeing them turn their annoyance with each other into romance is part of what made them Uninformed into a true classic.

17

Palm Springs (2020)

Directed by Max Barbakow

Enemies-to-lovers movies often look for a particularly stressful situation to put two people in, which causes them to butt heads. Getting stuck in an endless time loop is a good example. Palm Springs stars Cristin Milioti as a woman having a difficult time at her sister's wedding, only to hit it off with a mysterious guest (Andy Samberg). After spending the night together, she wakes up to find that the day is repeating itself and she has been sucked into the same time loop he has been in for a long time.

It's an awkward situation that immediately pits them against each other.with Milioti especially reveling in the sheer frustration and hatred he feels over this horrible situation. However, it's also incredible to see these two accepting to be together for eternity and reveling in the infinite possibilities.

16

Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

Directed by Kenneth Branagh

William Shakespeare's work continues to influence romantic comedies to this day, so it makes sense that an adaptation of one of his best comedies would make a great romantic comedy film. Much Ado About Nothing is one of Kenneth Branagh's best Shakespeare adaptations, in which he stars opposite Emma Thompson as two people who have a long and heated history together. With their friends irritated by the constant fights, they develop a trick to convince each of them that they are in love with each other.

The film is star-studded with names like Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton and Keanu Reeves. However, the central romance between Branagh and Thompson is the real treat, with both excelling in Shakespearean dialogue and having fun with the endless misunderstandings that set these two on the path to romance.

15

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

Directed by Donald Petrie

One of the most entertaining enemies-to-lovers romantic comedies is How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. This film pits Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson), a journalist who writes an article about how to turn a man away, against Benjamin Berry (Matthew McConaughey), a writer who bets he can make any woman fall in love with him. Both have a 10-day deadline, raising the stakes. Andie and Ben go to great lengths to achieve their goals, creating the tension and repartee typical of these films.

This is a common dynamic in enemies-to-lovers stories with the couple initially seeing each other as a means to an end only to fall in love despite their initial plans. Hudson and McConaughey have incredible chemistry that makes them an ideal duo. Plus, Kathryn Hahn gives the film's best performance despite playing a supporting role.

14

The Hate Game (2021)

Directed by Peter Hutchings

The hate game is a fantastic modern addition to the enemies-to-lovers trope. In this film, Lucy Hutton (Lucy Hale) and Josh Templeman (Austin Stowell)'s publishing companies merge, meaning the pair must compete for the same promotion. Their working relationship becomes even more complicated after the two develop an attraction for each other.

Lucy and Josh's excellent chemistry makes them easy to root for. Furthermore, The hate gameThe script perfectly adapts Sally Thorne's book of the same name, capturing all the witty banter. THE the working environment for these types of stories is another common element as it creates a different kind of tension that also allows for some competition between the would-be lovers. Once the romance develops, it introduces another element as they will have to make a decision about whether their career or relationship is more important.

13

Red, White and Royal Blue (2023)

Directed by Matthew Lopez

Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by Casey McQuiston, Red, White and Royal Blue brings to life an LGBTQ+ enemies-to-lovers story. It also brings in another audience with its story taking place in the world of royalty and politicians. After the US President's son, Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), gets into a fight with British royalty, Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine), the two must pretend to be friends to repair their public image.

Furthermore, writing in Red, White and Royal Blue does an excellent job of capturing queer experiences without leaning too much into stereotypes. It's also good to see how, even though these two hate each other to begin with, they soon discover that they have a lot in common and understand each other's struggles better than anyone else.

12

The Proposal (2009)

Directed by Anne Fletcher

Although Ryan Reynolds' films tend to be more action comedies these days, there was a time when he was better known for his career in romantic comedies. The proposal follows a New York editor named Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), who forces her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her to get a green card, but their lie quickly spirals out of control.

This phenomenal enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy is fast-paced and packed with punchy dialogue. Like many takes on the genre, there's an implausible sitcom scenario to set things up, but it paves the way for a great mix of comedy and humor. The characters in this story walk the line between unpleasant and lovable due to incredible performances by renowned actors. Ultimately, the cast, script, and direction make The proposal one of the best romantic comedies of all time.

11

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

Directed by Rob Reiner

Meg Ryan is a romantic comedy superstar, but her best film will always be When Harry met Sally. The film spans 12 years, exploring the eponymous combatants as they develop a friendship filled with sexual chemistry. When Harry met Sally builds tension so well that it's a relief when the pair finally express their feelings.

It's a lot of fun to see this relationship develop over a long period, initially starting with the pair as two strangers who almost immediately can't stand each other, only to find a bond grows over time. In fact, it is not just a story of enemies to lovers, but also a story of friends to lovers. Furthermore, the film incorporates one of the the funniest and most iconic romantic comedy scenes in which Sally (Meg Ryan) fakes an orgasm in a deli to prove something to Harry (Billy Crystal).

10

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Directed by Gil Junger

William Shakespeare is famous for his enemy-lover pairingsSo it's not surprising that one of the best romantic comedies with this trope is a modern adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew. In 10 things I hate about youPatrick (Heath Ledger) – the bad boy at Padua High School – is paid to date Kat (Julia Stiles) – the combative ice queen. Although their relationship begins to be controversial, the two begin to develop real feelings for each other.

In addition to incorporating the enemies-to-lovers trope, 10 things I hate about you includes relatable themes, a strong female protagonist, and a fun, young cast that also includes Joseph Gordon Levitt and David Krumholtz. However, it's Stiles and Ledger who steal the show and become breakout stars as two characters who don't fit the stereotypical archetypes of teen romantic comedies and feel like fresh, relatable personalities.

9

It Happened One Night (1934)

Directed by Frank Capra

There is a tendency to look at the trend of telling enemies-to-lovers stories in romantic comedies as a more modern development in Hollywood, but there are many examples of this in older films as well, including It happened one night. In this film, an unemployed reporter named Peter Warne (Clark Gable) forces an heiress, Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert), to tell him an exclusive story in exchange for help getting to her husband. Peter and Ellie fight and can't stop fighting, but they have an undeniable chemistry that brings them together.

Those Classic Hollywood romance movies have stood the test of time for a reason and It happened one night It is still considered one of the best films of all time. With its charming plot and lovable characters, It happened one night is a must-see for romantic comedy fans.

8

Hallucinated (1987)

Directed byNorman Jewison

The classic romantic comedy Hallucinated is very underrated and it shows the kind of level to which the genre can be elevated with great songwriting and performances. In this film, Loretta (Cher) faces trouble when she tries to convince her fiancé's grumpy brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage), to attend the wedding. Loretta and Ronny couldn't be less alike, which makes it interesting when they develop feelings for each other.

One of the best Cher films of all time

This film is a classic enemies-to-lovers story, but it deserves more credit for its screenplay and cinematography. The moment Ronny confesses that he's in love with Loretta, she just hilariously tells him.Snap out of it!“it's the kind of incredible unexpected vibe of the film. Plus, HallucinatedIt's biggest claim to fame should be that it's one of the best Cher films of all time, with the superstar winning the Oscar for Best Actress for her funny, heartfelt and authentic portrayal.

7

Your Girl Friday (1940)

Directed by Howard Hawks

One of Cary Grant's best comedies is a wacky enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy called Your girl Friday. From legendary director Howard Hawks, the film follows a newspaper editor named Walter Burns (Cary Grant) who tries to stop his ex-wife and investigative reporter, Hildy (Rosalind Russell), from remarrying by distracting her with a significant story. .

Contentious exes provide the lifeblood of the enemies-to-lovers trope, and Walter and Hildy in Your girl Friday are the best pair. They bounce off each other with banter and witonly strengthened by their intense chemistry. The film has been praised for having some of the best dialogue ever, with the conversations between the two characters doing a great job of highlighting the ways in which they can't stand each other as well as how it's inevitable that they will fall in love. other.

6

27 Dresses (2008)

Directed by Anne Fletcher

The classic romantic comedy 27 dresses centers on Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl), a chronic bridesmaid who must step into the role again with her sister and her boss, when a journalist named Kevin “Malcolm” Doyle (James Marsden) decides to exploit her for a story. Although Kevin and Jane are never completely enemies in 27 dresses, they still align with the trope due to their constant fighting and pushing each other's buttons. They go through a compelling arc, developing a romantic connection over time.

Heigl was known for her many romantic comedies early in her film career, but 27 dresses remains the most popular of all. Although it doesn't break new ground, Jane and Kevin form a fun duo that audiences will really want to see together, no matter how obvious it may be. Furthermore, the scene in which the duo drunkenly sings “Bennie & The Jets” by Elton John is unforgettable.

5

The Ugly Truth (2009)

Directed by Robert Luketic

Another example of Katherine Heigl's brief reign over the rom-com genre, The ugly truth is a hilarious and raunchy enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy that is equal parts funny and sexual. In this film, an incurably romantic TV producer named Abby Richter (Heigl) teams up with a TV celebrity named Mike Chadway (Gerard Butler), who believes he knows everything women and men want from each other.

Although Heigl has appeared in several worthy leads in the rom-com genre, The ugly truth features one of its best with the undeniable chemistry between her and Butler, who is also a surprisingly successful actor in the genre despite his reputation in action films. Plus, the sexual chemistry and explicit scenes add a steamy touch that appeals to many adults, while also the R rating helps separate it from other, simpler films in the genreoffering some big laughs.

4

What Happens in Vegas (2008)

Directed by Tom Vaughan

What happens in Las Vegas is a classic enemies-to-lovers movie, with A+ actors and a stellar soundtrack. After accidentally getting married during a wild trip to Las Vegas, Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) and Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) win the jackpot at a Las Vegas casino, a judge forces them to live together as a married couple for six months to get a divorce and keep the money. In addition to the main duo, the cast includes Rob Corddry, Lake Bell, Jason Sudeikis and Dennis Farina.

What happens in Las Vegas is another romantic comedy that requires a lot of suspension of disbelief in its premise, feeling more like a '90s sitcom idea than something that would actually happen in real life. However, it provides a solid reason for these two to actively work against each other. Gives a nice touch to the characters, with them taking their enemies status to funny extremes and making their eventual romance even more rewarding.

3

America's Sweethearts (2001)

Directed by Joe Roth

A star-studded cast leads this low-key romantic comedy that has the added twist of being set in the world of movie stars. Unlike other romantic comedy films that include a clear enemies-to-lovers plot, America's sweethearts is an exciting twist on this trope. After their messy divorce, actors Eddie (John Cusack) and Gwen (Catherine Zeta-Jones) must go through one last press conference pretending to be together, aided by Gwen's sister, Kiki (Julia Roberts), and a publicist named Lee (Billy Cristal).

This Movie Misleads Viewers by Promoting Enemies to Lovers trope, but changing at the last second. As such, it's an excellent way to achieve this trope while also seeing the underdog win in the end. It's a fun Hollywood satire that features plenty of colorful characters in its large cast, while also offering a solid romance between some of the biggest names in the business.

2

You Got Mail (1998)

Directed by Nora Ephron

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are often considered one of the best romantic comedy duos of all time, and while this may not be considered by everyone to be their best film together, it's a great demonstration of their incredible chemistry. The enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy You've got mail includes dramatic irony, which sets the film apart from other additions to the subgenre. You've got mail tells the story of a bookstore owner named Joe Fox (Tom Hanks) who develops an internet romance with a small bookstore owner named Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), without knowing that they are rivals.

Why Joe and Kathleen spend most of their time Unaware of their situation from enemies to loversviewers get an extra layer of intrigue. This dramatic irony lets viewers know what's coming before the characters do. You've got mail.

1

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Directed by Émile Ardolino

The classic enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy Dirty Dancing It exceeds all expectations due to phenomenal acting, a quotable script and an unforgettable ending. This film follows Johnny (Patrick Swayze), a dance instructor, who recruits Baby (Jennifer Gray), a young woman spending the summer with her family in the Catskills, as a dance partner. Do it for one of the best dance films of all time while also portraying a romance that remains a fan favorite among many audiences.

Baby and Johnny's dance at the end of Dirty Dancing It's also so iconic that it's been recreated in numerous films and TV shows

Gray strikes the right balance between naïve and capable, while Swayze goes from brusque to sensitive in one of his most iconic roles. Lines like “No one puts the baby in a corner” have become part of the pop culture zeitgeist. Baby and Johnny's dance at the end of Dirty Dancing It's also so iconic that it's been recreated in numerous films and TV shows.