To celebrate the release of her debut novel, We Used to be Magic, we invited Bea Ingalls to recommend 5 romantic movies for us. We Used to be Magic follow two Brits who have a fated meet-cute in New York. With a dual POV, this “will they, won’t they” story is deeply irresistible. Bea Ingalls also started a conversation on the darker facets of the fashion industry in the book, making this a fantastic read.
This guest post is written by Bea Ingalls, author of We Used to be Magic.
In hindsight, it’s somewhat surprising that it took me as long as it did to figure out that I wanted to write romance. I’ve been obsessed with the genre since before I could have told you what the word ‘genre’ meant, sitting cross-legged in front of the television and rewinding a battered VHS copy of Sleeping Beauty again and again, totally engrossed by the scene where Phillip serenades Aurora in the woods, hands intertwined as they waltz through the trees. Then came the 00’s rom-com renaissance, my sister and I plundering Blockbuster Video for anything with a pink cover or the word ‘wedding’ in the title, followed by an eventual discovery of the classics – the romances that my parents (and grandparents) had watched and loved before I was even born, still every bit as funny and sweet and charming as they had been decades prior.
I suppose that speaks to the timelessness of a great love story – that you can pick out the same tropes in a movie released in 1938 as you can in one from 2018 (Bringing Up Baby, you will always be famous.) The formula is more or less unchanged, because it’s more or less perfect. Everyone has their favourite facets of a love story, though, and I’m no different. As much as I adore the meet-cute, or a grand romantic declaration, for me, it’s the middle that means the most – the journey that takes two people, be they friends, strangers or enemies, and transforms them into lovers.
I’m also a sucker for a slow-burn, and that was a hugely important part of my process when it came to writing We Used To Be Magic – I really, really wanted Audrey and Ezra’s story to unfurl in a way that felt natural, and organic, and most importantly, romantic. Their story wouldn’t exist without the ones that came before them, though, so without further ado, here are five of my favourite romantic movies where the journey to ‘happily ever after’ is just as memorable as the ending itself.
RYE LANE
As far as meet-cutes go, it’s hard to imagine one more mortifying (or crushingly relatable) than having a loud, post-breakup, public toilet cry, only to be overheard by a total stranger. That’s exactly how Yas and Dom’s funny, frenetic love story begins, though, as an awkward, pity-infused hangout quickly blossoms into an adventure-filled odyssey through South London. It’s impossible not to root for Yas and Dom in all their messy glory, and their palpable chemistry is a vibrant reminder of how special it feels to instantly ‘click’ with someone. That, plus some laugh-out-loud lines and excellent needle-drops make Rye Lane an instant romcom classic, and a total joy to watch.
TO ALL THE BOYS I’VE LOVED BEFORE
Fake dating – it’s a staple of the romcom genre for a reason, and when highschoolers Lara-Jean and Peter decide to embark on a pretend relationship to solve their romantic woes, it isn’t long before the lines between real and make-believe start to blur. Angst ensues, of course, along with a whole lot of flirting, but despite a candy-coated colour palette, the film’s sweetness never teeters towards saccharine. Instead, it feels like a perfect encapsulation of the giddy uncertainty of first love – the singular experience of seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses.
THE APARTMENT
The oldest film on this list by some distance, its somewhat surreal how contemporary The Apartment feels. The hero of the piece is C.C. Baxter, a lonely corporate cog nursing an unrequited crush on charismatic elevator operator Fran – unfortunately, her prior entanglement with a married man complicates matters for them both. Heartbreaking in parts, The Apartment is nonetheless as witty and captivating as you could ever hope a romance to be, and watching Baxter and Fran overcome self-doubt and self-sabotage to choose the happiness they both deserve is so truly, deeply moving.
PLUS ONE
Weddings can be tough at the best of times. Tougher still for self-proclaimed romantic Ben and newly-single Alice, longtime friends who decide to team up instead of facing a summer’s worth of nuptials alone. Plus One is spikier than your average rom-com, but that’s a huge part of its charm – Alice and Ben are deeply flawed, and watching them struggle to overcome their own worst instincts to confront the depth of their connection is almost painfully relatable. The course of true love never did run smooth – in fact, in Plus One, it’s downright bumpy. But it’s also what makes the ending of this beautifully offbeat romcom all the more satisfying.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
Would any list of romance movies be complete without the romcom of all time? Truly, When Harry Met Sally has it all – a gorgeous NYC setting, two blindingly charismatic leads, and over a decade’s worth of slow-burn. Pinballing back and forth between their respective POV’s is so much fun, and no matter how many times you rewatch it, you never stop actively rooting for them to overcome their neuroses and just get together already! It also features maybe the greatest confession-of-love monologues of all time – I cry every time, I always will, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We Used to be Magic by Bea Ingalls is out now.
