Ever since premiering on October 28, 2020, Netflix's Christmastime rom-com Holidate has remained among the Top 5 trending titles on the streaming platform (currently ranked #4). Directed by John Whitesell from a script by Tiffany Paulsen, the film revolves around Sloan (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey), two attractive strangers who are sick of spending the holidays alone.
As a result, they agree to accompany each other to various family gatherings and holiday parties as platonic friends. Along the way, they fall head over heels for one another. As the yuletide season approaches, these similarly-themed holiday romantic comedies just may pique your interest. Unwrap them below.
10 Just Friends (2005)
Roger Kumble's indie holiday rom-com Just Friends stars Ryan Reynolds as a cruel and dismissive Hollywood hotshot who returns to his hometown for Christmas, where he is quickly reminded of the lovable loser he once was.
Chris Brander (Reynolds) used to be an overweight goof and the butt of high-school jokes. Now slimmed down and extremely handsome, Chris returns home and reunites with his friends and family. One such friend is Jamie Palamino (Amy Smart), Chris' ex-bestie and longtime crush who quickly reminds him of where he came from en route to rekindling old feelings for each other.
9 Serendipity (2001)
John Cusack made a cottage industry out of heartfelt romantic comedies throughout the '80s and '90s. One of his last great examples came via the 2001 Christmas rom-com Serendipity, in which he costars opposite Kate Beckinsale.
As Jonathan's (Cusack) wedding day approaches, he meets a stranger named Sara (Beckinsale) in a chance encounter inside a department store while Christmas shopping. The two enjoy a night for the ages but agree to go their separate ways under one condition. If Jonathan stumbles on the dollar bill Sara writes her address on, they know they're fated to be together. Jonathan spends the next several years tracking Sara throughout New York City until the two are romantically reunited.
8 The Holiday (2005)
Nancy Meyers' The Holiday boasts a wildly unique holiday rom-com premise. The funny four-hander stars Jack Black, Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, and Jude Law as a pair of couples who decide to swap places when their respective relationships hit the rocks.
Dealing with romantic troubles, Iris (Winslet) and Amanda (Diaz) agree to trade domestic places. The British Iris moves to Los Angeles while American Amanda relocates to Surrey, England. Upon their home exchange, Iris falls for Amanda's colleague, Miles (Black) while Amanda falls for Iris' brother, Graham (Law).
7 The Best Man Holiday (2013)
Set 15 years after the uproarious rom-com The Best Man, The Best Man Holiday reunites the group of friends for a Christmastime gathering. Now well into marriage, Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Mia Sullivan (Monica Calhoun) catch up, reminisce, and celebrate old times with their estranged loved ones.
Taye Diggs, Regina King, Terence Howard, Sanaa Lathan, Harold Perrineau, and Nia Long headline a stellar ensemble as the gang picks old scabs and rekindles old flames while spreading the yuletide cheer.
6 The Family Stone (2005)
Tempers flare, personalities clash, and loves comes hard to find in The Family Stone, Thomas Bezucha's well-received holiday rom-com starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Dermot Mulroney.
When successful businessman Everett Stone (Mulroney) brings his ultra-conservative girlfriend Meredith (Parker) to meet his liberally-spirited family for the holidays, she quickly becomes a fish out of water. Everett's eclectic family includes Sybil (Diane Keaton), Kelly (Craig T. Nelson), Amy (Rachel McAdams), and Ben (Luke Wilson), most of whom give Meredith a hard time. When Meredith begins falling for Ben, she invites her sister Julie (Claire Danes) over, who in turn begins to fall for Everett.
5 Scrooged (1988)
Scrooged is everything The Ghosts of Christmas Past should have been. Rather than a schmaltzy, formulaic rom-com based on Dicken's A Christmas Story, Scrooged is a more subtle and roundabout holiday comedy that culminates in rekindled romance.
Frank Cross (Bill Murray) is a jaded TV exec without an ounce of sympathy or holiday cheer. As Christmas approaches, Frank is visited by ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. Through his journey, he learns to reconnect with the human spirit, remember the importance of giving to others, and most importantly, Frank reunites with his one true love, Claire (Karen Allen).
4 Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is easily one of the most beloved holiday romantic comedies ever assembled. Written and directed by Richard Curtis, the sweeping ensemble piece follows an octet of interwoven strangers whose romantic dalliances revolve around the new Christmas jingle "Love is All Around."
The UK cast includes Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Emma Thompson, Kiera Knightley, Sienna Guillory, Bill Nighy, Martin Freeman, Andrew Lincoln, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and more. The intertangled vignettes offer a little something for everyone.
3 While You Were Sleeping (1995)
In Jon Turtletaub's While You Were Sleeping, Sandra Bullock plays a hopeless romantic who secretly admires a handsome man she watches pass through her ticket booth en route to work every morning. Through sheer serendipity, she meets the man and makes a heroically romantic impression.
Lucy (Bullock) longs for love and harbors a secret crush on Jack (Bill Pullman), a handsome commuter who she spots daily. Near Christmastime, Lucy saves Jack from sudden death when he falls from the train platform. When Jack reemerges from a coma, the entire hospital mistakes Lucy for Jack's fiancee, a ruse she's happy to keep going as long as she can.
2 Roman Holiday (1953)
William Wyler's three-time Oscar-winning Roman Holiday is considered one of the all-time greatest examples of this cinematic subgenre. While the film isn't centered on an official holiday, the title refers to a vacation in the world's most amorous locale.
Audrey Hepburn stars as Princess Ann, a bored and lonely royal who is on a publicity tour throughout Europe. In Rome, she meets American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who thinks the Princess is tricking the public by feigning an illness. In his pursuit of the scoop, Joe and Princess Ann strike up a worldly romantic affair for the ages.
1 When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Although When Harry Met Sally only culminates with a breathtaking holiday romance, the universally beloved romantic comedy ranks among the all-time greatest examples of the subgenre.
Directed by Rob Reiner from a Nora Ephron script, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) are two platonic friends who meet in college in remain in touch as they mature into adulthood. Terrified that sex will ruin their relationship, Harry and Sally slowly realize they're the perfect match they've been searching for the entire lives. The film ends in a heartwarming New Year's Eve confessional.
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