But 50 years ago, audiences and critics weren’t quite ready for such a quirky story: Harold and Maude bombed at the box office, and the reviews looked worse than the receipts. Viewed today, you can see its status as the foundation for movies like Rushmore and Licorice Pizza. Along the way, Harold also learns to love life thanks to her.
The 1971 film follows the exploits of Harold Chasen-a morbid 19-year-old prone to faking his own death and subverting his mother’s wishes-who falls for Maude Chardin, a sunny 79-year-old concentration camp survivor who loves a good joyride. And perhaps no couple in movie history seemed as unlikely on the surface as the titular pairing of Harold and Maude. Harold and MaudeĪt the center of any good romantic comedy is an unlikely couple that makes sense as you peel back the layers. Maybe they would’ve gotten there anyway, but looking back on the diner scene and the dance competition, it’s hard to deny that Silver Linings Playbook catapulted them to new levels of success. After the movie landed Oscar nominations in all four acting categories, with Lawrence winning for Best Actress, Lawrence and Cooper became Academy Award mainstays. Their performances as a young widow with a bad reputation and a garbage bag–wearing Eagles fan determined to win his ex-wife back after a stint in a mental health facility were touching, funny, and critically lauded. Russell’s 2012 sleeper hit came out, but Silver Linings Playbook is what established them as capital-S Serious Actors. Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were already stars by the time David O. What Really Makes a Rom-Com a Rom-Com? A History of the Kings and Queens of the Rom-Com 47. But it’s also delightful, in a way that only ridiculous rom-coms can be. Is it completely ridiculous that this movie hinges on a man’s years-long refusal to sign divorce papers? Or that the not-quite-ex-husband (Josh Lucas) is a “lightning glass” mogul? Or that Reese Witherspoon’s Melanie allegedly blew up a cat as a teenager and definitely outed one of her friends as an adult? Or that Patrick Dempsey’s character is being groomed by his mom (Candice Bergen), the mayor of New York City, to be the president of the United States? Yes- obviously all of that is ridiculous.
Sweet Home Alabama belongs to the glorious era between You’ve Got Mail and Knocked Up, when rom-com premises were stretching the limits of credulity to stay within the boundaries of the genre before a movie came along and made realism de rigueur. More refreshing than Centineo’s on-screen charisma, however, is the way TATBILB celebrates Laura Jean’s cautious individuality, leading her to her very first real-life romantic connection at exactly the pace she chooses. In this case, that would be Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), a charming lacrosse player who establishes a fake relationship with shy outcast Laura Jean (Lana Condor) to make his ex jealous before promptly falling for her. There may be no better endorsement for a rom-com than when the entire internet falls in love with your lead overnight. Reality” scene, a bitter climax that most of us would admit to experiencing in some form. Look no further than the “Expectations vs. But to 500 Days’ credit, the film was upfront from the beginning that it was “not a love story.” In fact, honesty may be the best trait about this nuanced dramedy: The characters may not deserve sympathy, but for a lot of viewers, the story is relatable-whether they’re the Tom or Summer of a relationship. “If you took out the gimmick and watched these scenes in order, you’d see it’s about a codependent stalker and the empty vessel he latches onto,” a classic Honest Trailer hilariously concludes. These days though, that response might elicit mockery: the stylish edits and vintage clothing go only so far in obscuring some highly questionable character development. Ask someone how they felt about the movie in 2009 and they might call it the most original rom-com in decades.
Much like its main plot device, the reception of 500 Days of Summer feels dependent on time. Head to the top of the Empire State Building, order what she’s having, and join us as we dig into everything the rom-com has had to offer over the years-beginning with, of course, this ranking of the 50 best romantic comedies in movie history. Thankfully, The Ringer hereby dubs this week Rom-Com Week, a celebration of one of the most delightful, captivating genres in film. When you find a theme week you want to spend the rest of your life with, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.