7 Romantic Movies to Watch on Valentine’s Day that your Husband will also Love!

My husband and I share a love of a lot of interests (motorcycles, coffee, food, antiques), but when it comes to movies, music, and TV, we are as different as different can be. Picking a film we can both stand is like yanking a tooth from a rabid dog’s mouth. My vote: The Notebook. His vote: The Departed. My vote: Pitch Perfect. His vote: Pulp Fiction. And so on, and so forth (Let me do a quick sidebar to say I actually like a lot of his favorite movies, I just find them kind of gross and hard to re-watch over and over. I have to be in the right mood for them.).

But, in our 13 years of knowing each other, I now and then find a hidden gem—some romantic movie that he loves and we cling to those movies like valuable artifacts that belong in our fire-proof safe. So, with the upcoming romantic holiday, below you’ll find our list of the Top Seven Romantic Movies Your Husband Will Also Love (or in Sean’s words: …That Your Husband Won’t Hate).

1. Crazy, Stupid Love
   This movie really does have a bit of everything for all audiences. It’s got humor (we laughed out loud many times throughout). Love. Sex (hello, shirtless Ryan Gosling!). But at the heart of this movie is the story of an unlikely friendship. The true romance (in my opinion) is between Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling. Yes, it’s also about a woman who captures the heart of a playboy. And about a separated husband and wife entering the dating world once more. But the meat of the story is about two dudes who become friends. And that’s a theme most men can get on board with. Also….Emma Stone.

2. Ten Things I Hate About You
   Men and women alike have one love in common: Heath Ledger. To men, he played an iconic version of the Joker. To women, he’ll always be that rough around the edges Australian who won our hearts in the Shakespeare retelling of Taming of the Shrew, 10 Things I Hate About You.

3. Shaun of the Dead
   I’m not a zombie lover. They scare the bejeezus out of me. BUT, there are a few zom-rom-coms I can get on board with (Zombieland, Warm Bodies). But of all of them, I think Shaun of the Dead is likely the best. Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright can almost do no wrong. Basically, it’s got romance for me (slacker tries to win back his love) set against a zombie apocalypse (for him). For my husband and I? It’s the very definition of compromise.

4. Romancing the Stone
   Sean specifically requested that I put this one in here. And he got zero objections from me. For both of us, it’s one of our favorite movies. Ever. Of all time. And if you haven’t seen it yet? I highly suggest you find your favorite pair of leggings and neon green shirt, tease your hair, and venture back into the 80s for this classic. Basically, Robert Zemeckis took a hokey romance tale and turned it into an action/adventure romance with quite a bit of comedy. If you can get beyond Michael Douglas’s lame dance moves, then this is a movie to watch and re-watch over and over.

5. The Princess Bride
   Look, guys….Peter Faulk specifically tells you to like this movie within the movie. Basically, Columbo is vowing that you will none of your manbits will wilt and fall off by watching this romance. Plus—sword fights, torture, Andre the Giant, revenge, rodents of an unusual size, poison, Robin Wright…with all of that, why is it that we women are even watching? Ohhhhh, that’s right. Cary Elwes (yum).

   So, guys….if your girlfriend or wife asks to watch The Princess Bride? You should have one answer and one answer only: As you wish.

6. Groundhog Day
   For many guys, Bill Murray would be reason enough. But if you need more than that to convince him, in 2006, the United States National Film Registry added it to its ‘best of’ list and cited it as a “culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant” film. It’s philosophical while still being funny (much like Bill Murray) and all about a selfish man who learns to love someone outside himself.

7. Last of the Mohicans
   I mean, come on. Do I really even need to explain this one? If anything, I was the person who needed convincing to watch this one. But after a little nudging, my husband and Daniel Day Lewis won me over. This is a truly beautiful movie. And if you can stomach the sad reality of it and the violent battle scenes, it will surely be a classic in your house as well!

   So that’s it! That should be enough to get you through to Valentine’s Day, right? And just in case you watch a lot of movies, here were the runner’s ups, as well!:
   Love Actually
   Bridges of Madison County
   Ghost
   Casablanca
   While You Were Sleeping
   Up (the first 9 minutes, at least)