Love Actually is the top romcom among Britons, with several Richard Curtis films having won the nation’s hearts
Key takeaways
- Love Actually is the top romcom for 20% of those with a favourite, ahead of The Holiday (7%), the Bridget Jones films (6%), Notting Hill (6%) and Pretty Woman (6%)
- 38% of those with a favourite romcom have their hearts set on a Richard Curtis feature
- 43% of Britons say they love or like romantic comedies
- While 56% of women enjoy romcoms, men are roughly as likely to have a negative view of them than a positive view (27% to 29%)
While there are many ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, for some couples, a simple night will be best of all, perhaps cosying up on the sofa to revisit their favourite romantic comedies. Let’s hope, though, they can all agree on a favourite...
Fresh from being named one of Britain’s favourite Christmas films, YouGov can crown Love Actually as Britain’s most beloved romcom, being the top match-making movie for 20% of those with a favourite, giving it a clear lead over any other individual film.
But Love Actually is not the only way Richard Curtis has won over the nation’s hearts. The Bridget Jones films, Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral are each given the title of best romcom by 5-6% of Britons with a favourite. Overall, nearly four in ten (38%) of those with a number one have their hearts set on one of the king of romantic comedy’s films.
Non-Curtis flicks near the top of the chart include Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday, the top choice of 7% of romcom fans with an A-list, Pretty Woman, a favourite for 6%, and the late Rob Reiner’s classic When Harry Met Sally…, which has stolen the hearts of a further 5%.
Adam Sandler’s 50 First Dates comes up roses for 3% of those with a fondest flirty flick, while 2% each settle for 10 Things I Hate About You, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Sleepless in Seattle as their favourite romcoms.
How do Britons feel about romcoms?
Beyond having a favourite, more than four in ten Britons (43%) say they like or love romantic comedies, roughly double the 21% who dislike or even outright hate the sometimes-maligned genre. A further 35% of the public have no strong feelings on romcoms either way.
Romcoms are much more popular among women, with 56% having a positive view of the genre, compared to only half as many men (29%).
While films like Love Actually might demonstrate cross-seasonal appeal, romcoms don’t appear to have fully cross-generational appeal, with just 30% of over 65s saying they like or love the genre, compared to 40% of 50-64 year olds, 44% of 18-24 year olds and 51% of 25-49 year olds.
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