10 Rom-Coms to Cozy Up with This Fall 🍂
If you’re looking to manifest your own Meg Ryan Fall, these 10 romantic comedies will not only inspire you, but make you feel like the plaid-clad main character you are, all season long.
It’s finally fall, Meet Cuties! Billy-Crystal-in-a-cableknit-sweater season is upon us, so we’re acting accordingly: embracing our inner coastal-grandmother, and snuggling up with our pumpkin spice lattes. If you’re looking to manifest your own Meg Ryan Fall, these 10 romantic comedies will not only inspire you, but make you feel like the plaid-clad main character you are, all season long.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
There’s nothing more quintessentially autumn in New York than When Harry Met Sally. The OG friends-to-lovers classic is replete with big hair, big sweaters, and big love declarations. Of course we’d be remiss if we didn’t issue a warning: this movie will leave you wondering if you’re in love with your BFF.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Picture this: the leaves are changing, fall decor is decking the brownstones, and you head into your charming local bookstore for the perfect fireplace novel. You, my friend, are living the You’ve Got Mail dream: our second favorite Meg-Ryan-Fall rom-com, where rival bookstore owners (Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks) go on an enemies-to-lovers journey that rivals Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. Plus, there’s something romantic and heartwarming about an online romance blossoming as the weather gets colder. Cuffing season is here, y’all.
The Proposal (2009)
Okay, fine: it may not be specifically set during the fall. Nevertheless, The Proposal is a super cozy watch, with its stunning Alaskan backdrop, forest foliage featuring Betty White, and lots of chic layering. Sandra Bullock is pushy book editor Margaret Tate who faces deportation to Canada, and Ryan Reynolds is her industrious assistant strong-armed into a fake engagement with the promise of advancing his career. Their chemistry makes us kind of want to fake our way into our own relationships. Careful watching this with a blanket: it could be the Baby-Maker.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
After losing his wife, his job, and – we hate to say it – his mind, Pat Salerno (Bradley Cooper) meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who promises to help him in exchange for a favor: winning her dance competition. An unlikely romance ensues. The best part about this love story is that it’s entrenched in all the delicious drama the fall season brings: chaotic family dynamics and screaming at the TV over football games. And did we mention Bradley Cooper?!
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Disclaimer: while the plot of this movie hasn’t aged gracefully, the fall vibes hold up. Rife with southern charm and hospitality, Sweet Home Alabama follows Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) as she’s forced to rediscover her roots and face her past, when her redneck husband she married in high school refuses to divorce her. This movie is all about homecoming, which is perfect for the season where we retreat to our childhood bedrooms for Thanksgiving. So cuddle up in your high school hoodie to watch this second-chance romance. And hey, if you’re feeling wild: text your high school sweetheart.
Little Women (2019)
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation is as as aesthetically autumnal as they come. Set in Civil War Era New England, the film spans years of The March sisters’ lives but something about the fall scenes have us feeling extra in love with pale little Timothée (someone get that man a big flannel and a cup of cocoa). With a stacked cast and all the perfectly golden autumn colors, it’s a timeless classic of family, friendship, girlhood, and togetherness. Yes, watching it will make you feel bad that you’ve never once spoken to your neighbors but it’ll at least make you respond to your sister’s text with more than a two word answer.
The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
This coming-of-age flick follows Nadine (Hailee Steinfeld) as she copes with the particular angst that only high school can provide. To add insult to injury, her best friend (Haley Lu Richardson) is dating her brother. The Edge of Seventeen catapults us into that small-town, back-to-school feeling, with the honesty, awkwardness, and realism that is perfectly reminiscent of 80s Hughes films.
Autumn in New York (2000)
We’ll be real with you: this movie is a little bit more rom-dram than it is rom-com, but that’s why we love it! Picture this: Richard Gere works in the restaurant biz and is a total fuckboy. In walks a perfectly-pixie-cut Winona Ryder, and he’s hooked. The bad news? She’s terminally ill. This film’s overarching theme is that—just like fall—love can sometimes be fleeting and bittersweet. And, as the title not-so-subtly suggests, it IS the perfect movie for Autumn in [insert-your-city-here]. Have at it, you love-sick masochists!
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Lara Jean Covey and Peter Kavinsky were a cultural reset. After love letters she never intended to send are exposed, Lara Jean finds herself fake-dating her crush to make his ex-girlfriend jealous. A classic mix-up! It’s a back-to-school teen rom-com with an oh-so-autumnal atmosphere that culminates in a sexy ski trip in the mountains. Plus, Lana Condor and Noah Centineo’s first-dance-kinda chemistry is unbeatable.
Legally Blonde (2001)
You know it, you love it, and this is why it’s the perfect fall rewatch: Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) trades sunny Los Angeles, CA for leafy Cambridge, MA as she tries to win back her ex by becoming a Harvard law student. Legally Blonde has truly stood the test of time, and the scenes set during the fall are simply iconic: Elle’s interpretation of collegiate “totally look the part” apparel for her first day of school, Elle’s jaw-dropping bunny costume amidst her snobby classmates, and Elle’s legal jargon that helps her get Paulette’s dog back. Get your chicest blazer and queue it up. What, like it’s hard?!
Which cozy rom-com will you be snuggling up with this fall? ☕️