Everyone loves a good romantic comedy. While these films may seem predictable or cliché, most people appreciate the effortlessness of the stories and the expected happy ending. Still, finding clean movies that uphold the values of believers can be challenging as a Christian, with the desensitization to crude language and unnecessary sex scenes rising in popularity. In your walk with God, you start to recognize things that don’t align with His ways and can be turned off by what used to be your favorite movies.
The movies on this list aren’t perfect regarding content, but they can open up discussions about sex, love and romance, allowing you to share stories about God’s love and what He has for your daughters in their future marriages. Here are some romantic comedies that you can watch with your daughter.
"Sleepless in Seattle"
This rom-com is a fan favorite, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. After his wife’s death, Tom Hanks’ character, Sam Baldwin, shares his story on a radio show. Annie, played by Meg Ryan, is among the thousands of other women searching for Sam because she believes they’re soulmates. The story progresses, and after many attempts, the couple meets on top of the Empire State Building on Valentine’s Day. It’s not the most believable story, but you’ll find it sweet and heartwarming.
"You've Got Mail"
This classic rom-com, released in 1998, highlights Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks’ undeniable chemistry. They’re both unhappy in their current relationships, so they chat online with each other, not knowing the other person’s true identity. Joe, Tom Hanks’ character, is a bookstore owner who wants to push out the local bookstore owners like Kathleen, Meg Ryan’s character. She’s disgusted by him because he wants to run her way of life, but she falls for him anyway. Eventually, they learned each other’s true identities; the rest was history. The sense of mystery in this film will leave you with all the feels, and it is a must-watch.
"Runaway Bride"
Julia Roberts stuns the audience as Maggie Carpenter, a young small-town Maryland woman accused of being a runaway bride as she failed at three wedding attempts. Ike Graham, played by Richard Gere, is an arrogant New York reporter who hopes to create a best-selling story for his newspaper, trailing Maggie down her next walk down the aisle and the wedding’s expected failure. However, the two develop feelings for each other as they spend time together. Their relationship and the drama in the small town start to blossom, but there’s a surprise twist at the end. This sweet and innocent story about finding love will warm your heart.
"Serendipity"
This 2001 movie stars John Cusack as Johnathan and Kate Beckinsale as Sara. In a twist of coincidental events, the couple accidentally meets while Christmas shopping for their significant others. They quickly fall for each other on a lovely New York evening. To not play with fate, Sara jots down her name and number in a book, selling it to a used book shop. She tells Johnathan if they’re meant to be together, fate will bring them back together. Five years later, they’re living different lives. Johnathan is about to get married, but he keeps thinking about Sara. He gains clarity in a deep search for her, and through a hilarious turn of events, they’re led back to each other. It’s a genuinely believable story but still endearing and sweet.
"Letters to Juliet"
This 2010 romantic comedy stars Amanda Seyfried as a fact-checker and writer for New York Times. When she visits Verona, Italy, with her fiancé, she finds a collection of letters that women have written for years asking questions about romance and love. The Secretaries of Juliet are the women in charge of answering these letters. As she finds out more about their mission, she finds an unanswered letter from 1957 and makes it her quest to find this woman and answer her letter. She finds new love, friends, and a new perspective on life while uncovering this mystery of lost love. The story is innocent and sweet, leaving you feeling love-struck and hopeful.
Now that you have some innocent and appropriate movies to watch with your daughter, grab the snacks and popcorn, hop on the couch or in the bed and make lasting memories with your mini-me.
