Falon Ballard on her essential rom-com viewing
"As an elder millennial, I was blessed with the good fortune of growing up in the golden era of rom-coms"
This post was written by Falon Ballard, author of Right on Cue.
I’m sure it will come as no surprise to anyone that I am a lover of the cinematic rom-com. As an elder millennial, I was blessed with the good fortune of growing up in the golden era of rom-coms, and of course, these classic films ended up having a huge impact on my writing. So, when I sat down to write Right on Cue, I was well equipped to write a rom-com about filming a rom-com, and I think this makes me something of a self-proclaimed expert! And because I am now a certified professor of RomComology, I have a put together a list of the films I consider to be essential viewing. When in doubt, go back to the text! In no particular order, here are the top five!
When Harry Met Sally: An absolute classic. A friends-to-lovers, banter-filled extravaganza set in one of the most romantic cities in the world, WHMS set the standard for rom-coms and left us with some of the most memorable lines and scenes in all of film history. The movie is over thirty years old, and it still holds up!
While You Were Sleeping: Look, if you ever come to a holiday meal with my family, someone will undoubtedly claim that “these mashed potatoes are so creamy.” That’s the kind of staying power you don’t get with every movie. Of course, the love story in WYWS is impeccable, but what really makes this film is the side characters. You can’t help but fall in love with all of them!
10 Things I Hate About You: Can you think of a more perfect ensemble cast? I don’t think so. The original grumpy/grumpy power duo of Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles simply cannot be topped. His singing?!?! Her poetry?!?! It’s rom-com perfection. Plus, you get a twofer with this one, and we stan a nerdy guy/popular girl pairing in this house. (Fun fact: my husband’s and my first dance was to “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”.)
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days: All right, I might be heavily biased here because this one influenced Just My Type, but there’s no denying the potent combo of humour, heart, and star power that combine to make this one (maybe one of the last?!?!?) great rom coms. It’s flawless from beginning to end!
Ibiza: Okay, I had to throw in a wild card here, but hear me out! While this one might be stretching the bounds of the rom-com rules, I would argue that it is one of the funniest and most romantic movies in recent years. It’s my go-to comfort movie because it exemplifies so many things I love: strong female friendships, a woman doing her own thing, and a really, really hot guy in a hot tub. Seriously, if nothing else, watch for Richard Madden and thank me later.
Get your copy of Right on Cue by Falon Ballard here.