3 classic romantic comedies on Netflix that deserve a rewatch

Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You — (Image credit: Netflix)

We could all use a little humor and romance these days, no? That's where the best romantic comedies come in, those sweet, swoon-worthy watches with destined meet-cutes, hilarious hijinks and feel-good endings that leave you feeling like you're floating out of the cinema.

And while there are always plenty of great new rom-coms floating around the various streaming services out there, there's cinematic comfort to be found in your old favorites — those '80s and '90s charmers that you've watched a million times and could watch a million times more.

'She's Gotta Have It'

It might seem funny now that a rom-com launched Spike Lee's directing career, but 1986's "She's Gotta Have It" saw the visionary filmmaker put his signature spin on the genre, sending up a black-and-white, New Wave-influenced social commentary on sex, gender and relationships.

Tracy Camilla Johns stars as Nola Darling, a young graphic artist living in Brooklyn who is juggling the romantic attention of three suitors (played by Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canda Terrell and Lee himself), all the while refusing to settle down with any of the men. (Darling's story was expanded even further by Lee in a Netflix original series of the same name, which ran for two seasons from 2017 to 2019 and starred DeWanda Wise.)

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, "She's Gotta Have It" boasts an impressive 94% approval rating, with the critical consensus praising: "With 'She's Gotta Have It,' Spike Lee delivered his bracing first shot across Hollywood's bow — and set the template for the groundbreaking act to follow."

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'10 Things I Hate About You'

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Trailer | Heath Ledger | Julia Stiles - YouTube

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The late 90s and early aughts saw a litany of teen-focused Shakespearean adaptations hit the big screen, from 1996's "Romeo + Juliet" to 2001's "O" and "Get Over It", but "10 Things I Hate About You" is arguably more beloved than its brethren thanks to its heart, humor and iconic cast, led with deliciously prickly chemistry by Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger.

The 1998 rom-com is a modern-day but now-nostalgic reworking of the Bard's "The Taming of the Shrew," centered on a pair of polar-opposite sisters: the pretty and popular Bianca Stratford (Larisa Oleynik) and her bright but ill-tempered older sis, Kat (Stiles). It's common knowledge in the high-school hallways that Bianca isn't allowed to date until Kat does, which leads her secret admirer, Cameron James (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), to pay the school bad boy Patrick Verona (a never-dreamier Ledger) to try and win the older girl's heart.

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'Kicking and Screaming'

Kicking and Screaming (1995) Official Trailer #1 - Noah Baumbach Movie - YouTube

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Most of director Noah Baumbach's later work revolves around the dissolution of romantic relationships: "The Squid and the Whale," "Margot at the Wedding" and, most notably, 2019 Best Picture nominee "Marriage Story." But his directorial debut, 1995's indie comedy "Kicking and Screaming" — not to be confused with that Will Ferrell soccer movie of the same name — is slightly more optimistic about love, especially when it's wrapped up in the uncertainty of youth.

The "witty and watchable" story — which marked Baumbach as "an emerging talent with intriguing potential," per Rotten Tomatoes — focuses on a group of recent college graduates (Josh Hamilton, Chris Eigeman, Parker Posey, Carlos Jacott) as they try to untangle the personal and professional mess of the dreaded quarter-life crisis.

All of their sharp banter and angsty attitudes certainly give the comedy an overall cynical tone, but underneath it all is an unabashedly beating heart, best showcased in the bittersweet moment when Hamilton's Grover desperately tries to convince an airport employee to let him on a plane to Prague so he can reunite with his lost love.

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Christina Izzo is a writer-editor covering culture, food and drink, travel and general lifestyle in New York City. She was previously the Deputy Editor at My Imperfect Life, the Features Editor at Rachael Ray In Season and Reveal, as well as the Food & Drink Editor and chief restaurant critic at Time Out New York.

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