When you think aboutromantic comedies, two things often come to mind: the lead characters falling in love and the overall storyline being relatively predictable. Now, even though most fans can usually anticipate the ending just minutes into these movies, there is still a sense of excitement that comes with the process of watching two people awkwardly fumble through interactions before eventually accepting and admitting their love for one another.
Netflixsure knows the charming genre is a big hitter, and on Valentine’s Day, the streaming service released a cheeky new rom-com entitledPlayers, with theJane the Virginstar, Gina Rodriguez, andNew Girl’s very own Damon Wayans Jr.as the lead actors. Itoriginally premiered in February 2024.
The story follows Mack (Rodriguez) and Adam (Wayans) along with their friends as they navigate the dating world by running “plays” with one another. Some of these elaborate plans call for a fake break-up in public in front of an attractive individual, a heroic moment where all eyes are on the person saving the fabricated scenario, and even a fake kidnapping. When Mack wants to run a play that gets her into a relationship rather than a simple one-night stand, the crew comes together to construct a complex scheme that eventually gets Mack her desired guy. However, after months of seeing Mack’s personality change, Adam makes Mack realize that she was chasing her target for all the wrong reasons.
This use of elaborate plans and group work to help people get together is not a new concept within romantic comedies. In fact, there are a few nods to three specific films throughout Netflix’s fun, fresh, and millennial-driven rom-com. Check out which three movies helped pave the way for Netflix’sPlayers.
1Hitch Turns Match Making and Dating Into a Mission
Will Smith and Eva Mendes reallykick up the chemistryin the iconic 2005 romantic comedy,Hitch. Smith plays a professional “date doctor” named Hitch who is hired by men to help them build up their confidence to ask out women and successfully date them, with the intent of being in a long-term relationship. Hitch himself sees love more as a formulaic business, but when he meets Sara (Mendes), all of his tricks fall short. Hitch learns that a lot of emotion, communication, and trust go into a successful relationship, and just about all the men he has helped over the years never needed more than a confidence boost from him to get with their ladies.
HowHitchIs LikePlayers
Both romantic comedies focus on individuals who see dating and love as something to conquer. While Hitch believes in only helping guys who are serious about pursuing a committed relationship with a woman, the crazy crew ofPlayersstill see the one-night stand as the ultimate goal each and every night. All of that changes when Mack (Rodriguez) wants something more than a single night with a prestigious Pulitzer Prize finalist. The gang then practically take a page from Hitch’s playbook and decide to really hone in on Mack’s target, get to know him on a more intimate (and slightly stalker-ish) level, and make it to where their relationship seemed to happen naturally.StreamHitchon Hulu
Related:The All-Time Best Romantic Comedies of the Early-2000s
2Crazy, Stupid, Love Utilizes the “No Play” Play
Crazy, Stupid, Loveis filled withseveral intertwining relationships, and it seems like no matter a person’s age or relationship experience, love will always make people do really crazy and stupid things. The story starts off with Cal and Emily Weaver (Steve Carell and Julianne Moore) separating due to Emily not being satisfied with their relationship and having an affair. Cal seeks out comfort at a local bar where Jacob (Ryan Gosling) takes pity on him and decides to make Cal his own personal project. While Cal learns how to be suave and seductive, Jacob actually finds himself falling in love with a young woman named Hannah (Emma Stone) who originally turned him down. The big surprise is that Hannah turns out to be Cal and Emily’s eldest daughter.
HowCrazy, Stupid, LoveIs LikePlayers
InPlayers, when Mack (Rodriguez) finally realizesher love for her best friendAdam (Wayans), she creates what is hopefully the last play she will ever use, the “no play” play. Instead of some elaborate scheme, she is honest and genuine about her feelings and simply asks him out. Now, both Jacob and Cal realize how important the “no play” play is when they are trying to be with the women they love. Jacob, who has been a womanizer practically his whole life, has an incredible night with Hannah where they talked, laughed, and got emotionally vulnerable with one another. Cal also realizes that just being himself with a little confidence boost is what really helped reconnect him with his wife.Buy/RentCrazy, Stupid, Loveon Prime Video
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Related:10 Quirky Romantic Comedies From the Last Five Years
3The Ugly Truth Explores the Importance of Being True to Yourself
Theenemies-to-lovers storylineis not new within the realm of romantic comedies, so when Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler were cast to show just how hatred can turn into a burning passion for one another inThe Ugly Truth, audiences were excited. The story primarily follows a hopeless romantic named Abby (Heigl) and her new crass co-host Mike (Butler) as they are forced to work together to save Abby’s TV show. While the pair do not initially get along due to how they view love and relationships, they make a deal with one another to attempt to get Abby’s dream guy to fall in love with her. In the end, Mike falls for the real Abby, while Colin (Eric Winter) only falls in love with the woman she’s been pretending to be.
HowThe Ugly TruthIs LikePlayers
By the end of bothPlayersandThe Ugly Truth, the lead women realize that they have been pursuing the wrong guys for all the wrong reasons. Mack (Rodriguez) had never been in a committed relationship with a smart and attractive guy, so her need to prove to herself that she could get with Nick (Tom Ellis) overshadowed the fact that she did not even like him as a partner. Then, inThe Ugly Truth, Abby’s determination to get with her neighbor diminished her very own personality, something Mike actually fell in love with. Happily, the right men stuck around through all the chaos and ploys, and when the women realized they did not need to be anyone else or act like they liked certain things, everything just perfectly fell into place.StreamThe Ugly Truthon DIRECTV and Fubo
The Ugly Truth
The Ugly Truth explores the dynamic between a romantically challenged morning show producer and a brash television host who offers unfiltered relationship advice. As their professional and personal lives intertwine, they confront their preconceived notions about love and attraction. This film delves into themes of modern romance, gender dynamics, and the complexities of human connections through humor and candid dialogue.
Playerscan be streamed exclusively on Netflix. If you’re in the mood to see even more fantastic romance movies, be sure to check out our picks for romance movies with perfect endings below:
