Opposites attract is the timeless trope that we will never get sick of seeing in the rom-com genre. Through unlikely on-screen bonds, we see how humans can grow beyond differences and learn to be better versions of themselves in pursuit of love.
Moreover, the iconic one-liners and banter we get from these movies are unforgettable. Here are the top 10 opposites-attract romance movies you must watch next.
10. As Good As It Gets (1997)
It is a fascinating example of what happens when you are around the right kind of people, no matter how different they are. The movie follows the unlikely friendship among a misanthropic novelist, his gay neighbor, and a hardworking waitress.
Through their friendship, the trio navigates through their different life problems. Especially the cranky and obsessive-compulsive writer, who finds a way to change his miserable way of life to pursue the only person who seems to tolerate him.
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9. Pretty Woman (1990)
Despite controversial power dynamics, ‘Pretty Woman’ is undeniably a classic opposites-attract romantic comedy. When the wealthy corporate raider Edward Lewis hires Vivian Ward as an escort to attend stuffy business events, her quirky charms capture his heart.
Though they come from different worlds, the two find a way to grow out of their difference to realize that they bring out the best in each other. The movie’s premise might have aged poorly over the years, but Julia Roberts and Richard Gere’s chemistry remains timeless.
8. My Fair Lady (1964)
This 60s classic musical brings together the pompous Professor Higgins and the lovely Eliza Doolittle. Phonetics Professor Higgins is so sure of his abilities that he takes it upon himself to transform a Cockney working-class girl into a high-society lady.
He finds a willing subject in the charming Eliza Doolittle, who agrees to receive speech lessons to improve her job prospects. But as Professor Higgins grows attached to his subject, he has to grow out of his snobbish, cynical nature. Especially when their connection is threatened by another aristocratic suitor.
7. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
The shy daydreamer, Lara Jean Covey, writes letters to all the boys she once had a strong feeling for before locking them away in her closet. But when a mysterious troublemaker leaks these letters, Lara Jean finds herself in a pickle at her high school.
To avoid their problems, Lara Jean strikes a very unusual arrangement with the popular golden boy, Peter Kavinsky. The two start fake-dating, and the only way to make it work is to create a set of strict rules to control their differences. But as they grow closer, the rules start to break one by one.
6. Grease (1978)
Danny, the tough guy with a heart of gold, and Sandy, the shy yet wholesome girl, develop an attraction for each other and a short-lived relationship. Danny, a known greaser at his school, can finally tone down the macho-man behavior he has to put on there.
But when Sandy transferred to his school, both realized that Danny wasn’t the same person she had known from their vacation romance. “Those summer nights” seem very far when all Danny cares about is keeping his cool. Yet they can’t stop themselves from pursuing a relationship and finding their true identities in the process.
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5. Tangled (2010)
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider in ‘Tangled’ are the classic example of finding someone who makes you a better version of yourself. Rapunzel has spent her whole life literally sheltered in a tower and has a very naïve perspective of the world.
When she finally gets a chance to escape the tower and make a dream come true, she meets Flynn Ryder, the infamous thief whose difficult life has left him quite jaded. Over the course of the movie, the two find a way not only to overcome their differences but also to realize that they bring out the best in each other.
4. The Proposal (2009)
In ‘The Proposal’, Margaret Tate, a Canadian editor-in-chief of a major New York book publisher, finds that her visa renewal application has been denied. As she is left to face the fate of deportation and her career being ruined, she convinces her personal assistant to act as her fiancé.
The only problem is that her assistant, Andrew, is nothing like the uptight and career-driven Margaret and has been facing her wrath for a long time. As the two try to navigate through their fake marriage, they come to see how much more different they are. Only to realize that they are willing to rise above these differences for each other.
3. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
The titular duo meet in Chicago and share a drive to New York City through twelve years of chance encounters. They see that when it comes to their stubbornness, they have finally found a match.
Throughout their carpools, they talk about life, love, and relationships, yet they can’t agree on a single topic. Instead, they learn every single way to push each other’s buttons. But soon they realize that they have found a truly grounded connection based on truly knowing and understanding a person.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
This has dominated the top spot on every list of teen coming-of-age romances, and it’s all because of the timeless good-girl-meets-bad-boy dynamic seen through the relationship of Kat and Patrick.
Kat is a hardline feminist who doesn’t care about what her vain and superficial classmates think about. On the other hand, there is Patrick, who seems to live his life with a devil-may-care attitude. The only thing these two probably have in common is how little they care about others’ opinions. Luckily, they put that aside to realize how they really feel about each other.
1. Pride and Prejudice (2005)
There is no doubt that Jane Austen is a pioneer of this trope and has influenced every modern opposites-attract movie we have seen. It all goes back to her classic enemies-to-lovers couple, Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy, and the movie brilliantly captures the tension between them.
When the initially snobbish Mr. Darcy meets Lizzie, he realizes that she doesn’t shy away from facing those considered above her station. On the other hand, Lizzie realizes that Mr. Darcy might not be as snobbish as she once thought. Despite their contrasting personalities, the two can’t help but fall for each other.
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