Relationship Therapist Ranks 2000s Romcoms

Why are many romcoms built on disrespect and cruelty? What’s your favorite 2000s romcoms?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are ranking more romcoms! This time, they’re taking a look at five romcoms from the 2000s and ranking from least to most healthy relationship. The movies are How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Return to Me, Sweet Home Alabama, and The Proposal. Jonathan talks about the stark contrast between contriving drama and modeling kindness and decency in romcom relationships. And while they dislike some of the scripts and plots, they have a ton of fun watching these movies.

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Cinema Therapy is:
Written by: Megan Seawright, Jonathan Decker, and Alan Seawright
Produced by: Jonathan Decker, Megan Seawright, Alan Seawright, and Corinne Demyanovich
Edited by: David Sant
Director of Photography: Bradley Olsen
English Transcription by: Anna Preis

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[guinntessence]

"Can we model kindness and decency more?" YES PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS ASDFGHJKL

[godithdadrag]

Whenever my wife isn't feeling loved she quotes how to lose a guy by yelling "YOU LET OUR LOVE FERN DIE" and it resets us

[pauli]

My big fat Greek wedding is MY SHIT!!!! It’s so great. Also the best use of the makeover trope. As a curly haired girl is is SO REFRESHING to see her learn how to care for her curls and embrace them rather than just straighten them away! Also she chooses to change to make her own life better for herself not just for a man! Ian is also so dreamy lol 10/10 movie!

[NataliaCCS]

I would love to see a video about "he's just not that into you" and "the holiday" talking about the different perspectives of love and the different types of relationships they portray.

[kamrenholmes]

Has anyone else noticed the hilarious Twilight poster behind Alan? It says, "My magic sex will fix Broken Boy." 😂😂😂

[LittleFerretBoi]

My girlfriend introduced me to The Proposal a few months ago telling me she loved it, so we watched it and something that really caught my eye and made the movie so much sweeter for me was the line "Mary me, because i'ld like to date you." Because to me it showed he was aware that to just marry her was a far stretch since they hadn't been connected for that long, so he clarifies that he wants to marry her specifically so she can stay, and then they can date. He wasn't like "Lets get married because you're the love of my life despite only being in love with you for about a week." but instead he was like "I wanna get to know you more and properly date you, but for that I need you to marry me so you can stay." (I hope this makes at least some sense)

[tigerlily]

“Falling in love is a beautiful thing. Staying in love is a difficult thing.” Brilliant and so true.

[Ingmastershadow]

I feel like you guys missed the BIG but very well hidden bomb in Sweet Home Alabama about "do you think things would have been different if we didn't get pregnant?". I think there is an avenue of how grief effects even long established relationships here

[debbiepfisterertrusophisticate]

The reason I love “The Proposal” is there is finally a woman who admits that she is comfortable being alone and is scared to be in a relationship. That hugely resonated with me! ❤

[trinaq]

"I don't remember Frump Girl, but I remember you." I love Toula and Ian's relationship so much, and how they manage to stay down to earth, despite the antics of Toula's wacky family.

[babs]

One thing I did enjoy in "The Proposal" was both of them admitting that they were scared to death. That was a moment of actual honesty that really hit for me.

[roguered]

I ADORE Return To Me and rewatch it regularly. Both the leads are so lovely and Bonnie Hunt is a gem. I cry every time I watch the dog waiting at the door. Such an underrated movie!

[victoriaparnell]

Please discuss The LAST Holiday starring Queen Latifah. I rewatch it every year. It is so beautiful. To this day I want to grow up to be her. And no one ever talks about it! Make that movie go viral because it deserves it. Arguably, it's a film about a woman falling in love with herself and seeing her own worth that was always there, realizing she is enough of a reason to eat the good food, wear the good clothes, etc. But she still finds someone great in LL Cool J's character, because of what a considerate and charming person he is! I would love to see this movie enter the zeitgeist today.

[deedreamerify]

I'm autistic and movies have always been a way to help me to figure people out, I appreciate these videos so much, I'm glad I came across your channel 🥰
Edit to be that person: I had no idea so many people would connect with this comment! And such a lovely bunch of people at that 🥰 Going to shoot my shot of suggesting a video talking about the movie He's Just Not That Into You ❤️

[stepgamerdad]

The Baptism scene in MBFGW is one of my favorites scenes in all romcomdom.

Toula: "Any minute now he's going to look at me and go 'right, you're so not worth this'..."
Nick: "Yes, you are."

[joykinser]

Return to Me!! I never see people talk about this movie, it made me so happy to see it in your list. It’s underrated and really, really special.

[inkypan]

Gotta appreciate the my magic sex will fix broken boy poster

[MichaelSiegel]

The thing I like most about My Big Fat Greek Wedding is that it eschews the required "they break up for stupid reasons/misunderstanding and then get back together" idiot plot that is SO common in romcoms. The main source of narrative tension is what many of us encounter in real life -- finding a way to merge two families. Everyone wants what is best for the people they care about and is reasonable and kind about it. It's refreshing.

[Saffetree]

Interesting note about how the movie "Return to Me" is so strong on the issue of consent. The script makes clear that these are two grown adults who basically have ZERO experience in dating. They're not socially awkward, it's just that she had always been too ill, and his late wife was the first and only girl he ever went with as a teenager. So they are very hesitant about going out with someone now, but also they never learned bad habits or took in bad advice about meanness or treating dating as some kind of competition. They just want to find a kind person who they can be equally kind with.

[HRHDMKYT]

I loved ‘While You Were Sleeping’, ‘Moonstruck’, and ‘Just Like Heaven’, and rewatch them frequently. I’d love your analysis, and all the comments of course.