As girly-girls go, I’m not very. My favorite movie of all time is Alien. I haven’t worn a dress since my wedding (too many years ago now to mention), I can’t walk in heels and if you want to see a movie with me, you’d better be up on what’s going on in the Marvel, Star Wars, The Conjuring and Insidious universes.
That said, though, some things are just written into a woman’s DNA. I love shoe shopping (just not for heels). I can still waste an awful lot of time online drooling over haute couture bridal gowns. And sometimes I even get sucked into chick flicks. If this sounds anything like you and you’re looking for a flick to cuddle up with tonight while you eat an entire bag of spicy Cheetos (and/or a pint of ice cream), you might give these a try.
5. THE WEDDING PLANNER
I’m actually a fan of Jennifer Lopez as an actor – and this one is my favorite flick of hers by far. You can pretty much guess by the title how the story goes – professional woman who plans gorgeous, high-profile weddings has a complete lack of a love life. Then she gets a major client whose fiancé just happens to be a guy she meets by accident and totally falls for. It’s not the story that works so well, as it’s a typical rom-com where everything depends on outrageous coincidences and misinterpretations. It’s JLo’s natural ease with comedy and some terrific chemistry with Matthew McConaughey that makes it work. They make an at once unlikely and adorable couple, and despite yourself you keep watching, wanting to see them overcome all the silly obstacles and get together. Add to that some decent writing (when a concussion-stricken JLo tells McConaughey he smells like ‘sweet red plums and grilled cheese sandwiches’ is awesome) and stellar supporting work by Judy Greer as JLo’s assistant and Justin Chambers as a loveable Sicilian goofball her father tries to marry her off to – and presto, you have a rom-com that a non-girly-girl can actually enjoy.
4. THE WEDDING SINGER
Most people only think of this one as an Adam Sandler vehicle, which is obviously true – but at its core, it’s a chick flick. It’s just a chick flick that guys can watch too without embarrassing themselves. I would even go so far as to say it’s Sandler’s best work, playing the struggling singer/songwriter Robbie Hart, a decent guy who thinks he’s marrying the girl of his totally 80’s dreams in rocker-chick Linda, a groupie from his time singing lead in a hair-band. But when she stands him up at the altar Robbie realizes just how aimless his life has become – living in his sister’s basement, singing at weddings and giving voice lessons to old ladies who pay him in meatballs. Then he meets Drew Barrymore’s Julia, who also works the local wedding scene as a server – and they hit it off immediately. Drew does a fantastic job holding her own with Sandler, playing Julia sweet and slightly ditzy – but never dumb. Turns out she’s getting married too and wants Robbie to sing for her and her alpha-male fiancé (who’s a complete jerk, of course). Robbie turns it down but agrees to help her with the arrangements, during which they fall hard for each other (of course). From there it follows the rom-com formula, eventually leading to Julia eloping with her jerk-face fiancé and Robbie having to decide if he’s going to follow his heart and chase after her. And it works beautifully because of Sandler and Barrymore’s chemistry and the unique, over-the-top 80’s spin on everything. By the end of it you’ll be crying happy tears, digging around for your Aqua Net, neon clothes and fingerless lace gloves – and thinking Billy Idol is the greatest guy who ever lived.
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3. SAY ANYTHING
Now most classify this one as one of the last of the legendary 80’s high school rom-coms. Everyone’s familiar with the image of John Cusack’s Lloyd Dobler holding a boombox over his head, blasting Peter Gabriel’s ‘In Your Eyes’ to win back his true love, Ione Skye’s Diane Court. Total chick flick stuff – but the fact is that both characters have graduated by twenty minutes in – and once the secondary storyline kicks in, an IRS fraud investigation into Diane’s father (John Mahoney), a good half of the flick isn’t even comedy. But it is still a coming-of-age drama – just one that happens to be totally hysterical in a lot of places. I’m sure Cusack probably rolls his eyes when it’s brought up to him nowadays, but this is still one of his best performances. It’s also still some of Cameron Crowe’s best directing work. Under his skillful watch, Lloyd and Diane make an unlikely, sweet and smart couple – and the star-studded supporting cast provides not only guidance for Lloyd but most of the hilarity. You’ll find yourself going, ‘hey, that’s Joan Cusack!’ and ‘hey, that’s Lili Taylor!’ and ‘hey, that’s Jeremy Piven (and if you’re watching closely, ‘hey, that’s Eric Stoltz)!’ Long after the flick is over, you’ll be asking your friends if you can ‘buy a copy of their Hey Soul Classics’ – and only the ones who respond correctly will be cool enough to remain friends with.
2. ALL ABOUT EVE
Technically, this one counts as a chick flick – a story centered around life in the theater and an evil genius of an actress named Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter), insinuating herself into the life of her idol, grande dame Margo Channing (Bette Davis), in order to eventually gain all that she has, including her boyfriend. I don’t know a lot of guys who’d line up to watch that, so, yeah – chick flick. But to call it that is actually pretty insulting, considering it’s on AFI’s prestigious 100 Greatest Movies of All Time list. And there’s good reason for that – considering when it was made, to have the male characters take a backseat to the female leads and have them get all the best lines was a huge deal. Huge. It just didn’t happen that way in the late 40’s/early 50’s. The other major reason is that Joseph Mankiewicz’s script is still – and will always be – an instance of absolute perfection. The performances all around are timeless, and the dialogue is some of the best ever written, so razor-sharp even now you’ll feel the cuts. They just don’t make ‘em like this anymore.
1. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
Without a doubt, one of the greatest chick flicks of all time, so romantic with New York City’s changing seasonal beauty as the backdrop. But it’s also just one of the most hilarious movies of all time, so much so that I think that non-girly girls and guys love it too. And it’s so much more than the fake-orgasm at Katz’s Deli. The legendary chemistry between Billy Crystal’s Harry Burns and Meg Ryan’s Sally Albright hooks you from their very first awkward handshake all the way to New Year’s Eve twelve years later. Nora Ephron’s flawlessly crafted dialogue and Rob Reiner’s skillful direction make you forget about their use of some formulaic coincidences and just keep you rolling with the ups and downs of Harry and Sally’s relationship and laughing most of the way through. Years later, you might not remember important stuff like who your local Congressman is or when the Magna Carta was signed, but you’ll always remember how Sally orders pie à la mode or Bruno Kirby shouting out ‘baby fishmouth!’ during Pictionary. That, my friends, is how you judge how good a movie is.
I hope this little list has either given you non-girly-girls some ideas of what to watch (or maybe re-watch) tonight, instead of popping DIE HARD in for the millionth time. (Not that re-watching DIE HARD is ever a bad idea, but you know what I mean.) Let me know if there are other flicks you know of that would qualify as chick flicks for non-girly chicks.
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A few more:
“Waitress” with Kerri Russell as a down-but-not-out pie auteur, stuck in a horrible marriage, pregnant, and developing an awkward but beautiful crush with her extremely hot gynecologist (Nathan Fillion).
“Earth Girls Are Easy” – Gena Davis in the titular role, Jeff Goldblum as a hot blue kitty from space, and fun cameos from Julie Brown and Jim Carrey (that tongue, though!) The ultimate science-fiction makeover movie. 😀
“Tank Girl” Lori Petty is a post-apocalyptic ass-kicker, and Ice T. is possibly a mutant kangaroo. What more could you want?
“Cold Comfort Farm” – take Jane Austen and P.G. Wodehouse, blend until frothy and pour over Kate Beckinsale, Rufus Sewell, Ian McKellan, Stephen Frye, and Joanna Lumley. Allow to set in a cool area of the kitchen, and allow to ripen – even if you see something nasty in the woodshed.
Those are good ones! I especially enjoyed Waitress. Keri Russell is so good and of course Nathan Fillion is a delight.
Ooh, all good ones there too, especially Tank Girl — definitely not your typical chick flick!