'Girly-movies' is a tough categorization. The loose genre, alongside "Chick Flick" and "rom-com," establishes a set of expectations, films designed for young women, full of romance and emotional turmoil. Film and culture critics see the terms as derogatory, sothis list is an assembly of 20 films featuring friendships, strong female leads, and women from all walks of life.
Teen comedies. Complicated love stories. Fraught father-daughter relationships. Beauty Pageants. There are some standout performances from the likes of Jim Sturgess, Ryans Reynolds and Gosling,Jude Law and Domhnall Gleeson. The list of girly movies has it all. Fun features. Heavy heart breakers. All are must-sees if you need a laugh or to feel your feelings! Each is a meditation on the female experience in all its glorious forms.
20 To All The Boys I've Ever Loved BeforeIs The PerfectHit Of High School Nostalgia
When Netflix releasedTo All The Boys I've Loved Before in 2018, the film received widespread praiseand was regarded asa great contribution to the teen-romance genre. Based on a book series by Jenny Hahn, the series follows high school junior Lara Jean Covey after her sister decides to send five letters she'd written to boys at different times.
19 Tired Of Movies Enforcing The Perfect Mom Stereotype?Bad Moms Is A Breath Of Fresh Air
Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, and KristenBell are a perfect comedic trifecta. The actresses deliver in the raunchy comedy that simultaneously taps into formidable social and culturalexpectationsofwomen, especially mothers. It's entertaining to watch Kunis and Bell start to swear and stand up to their husbands, learning from Hahn's divorcee character, Carla, and all her debauchery.
18 Like FatherLooks AtThe Effects Of Estrangement On A Father And Daughter
Lauren Miller's feature-length directorial debut,Like Father, premiered on Netflix, tapping into a complicated relationship between a father and daughter, both workaholics, trying to get to know each other.Every scene of Kristen Bell crying will break your heart in two. The pair experienced a few wonderfully awkward moments stuck on a cruise ship.
17 Miss CongenialityStars Sandra BullockAs An Undercover FBI Agent Out Of Depth
Miss Congeniality was a box office hit in 2000. Sandra Bullock is hilarious as an agent, undercover on the pageant circuit as Gracie-Lou Freebush. Every April 25th, the internet fills with memes from the film because "it's not too hot and not too cold. All you need is a light jacket."
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16 Dumplin' Takes A Swing At The Pageant Circuit In This Twist OnA Coming-Of-Age Story
Like many films on this list, Dumplin' is a female-written and directed film that debuted on Netflix. Starring Danielle MacDonald as Dolly Parton-obsessed-teen Willowdean "Dumplin" and Jennifer Aniston as a former pageant queen, Rosie, there is a significant disconnect between the pair intensified after Wil's beloved Aunt Lucy's death.
15 Angus, Thongs And Perfect Snogging Is A Peek Into The Life Of British Teens
The film features an early-career Aaron Taylor-Johnson (nee Johnson) as the dreamy teen heartthrob, Robbie, the subject of Georgia's obsession. FromBend It Like Beckhamdirector Gurinder Chadha, Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snoggingis adapted from Louise Rennison's young adult series, TheConfessionsof GeorgiaNicolson. The soundtrack is iconic.
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14 Everyone Can Learn Something About Justice From Elle Woods In Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde is a film about a woman finding purpose and worth beyond male attention. Reese Witherspoon shines bright as a perky sorority girl, Elle Woods. It is one of the only romantic-comedies that doesn't feature the lead female kissing her romantic interest, with the final sceneprioritizingher professional and academic accomplishments.
13 It'sAbout TimeThis Film Got Some Recognition For Its Sweet Love Story
There are quite a few movies where Rachel McAdams marries a time traveller. What a weird sentence to write. If you're only going to watch one, make it About Time. Domhnall Gleeson isdelightful and charming as Tim Lake. The film leaves you with a warm, hopefulness about love.
RELATED: 15 Things We're So Tired Of Seeing In Every Romantic Comedy
12 Definitely, Maybe Is A Perfect Mix Of All Genres
Anyone who has gone through health classes and sex education as a middle schooler can appreciateDefinitely, Maybe.It stars Abigail Breslin as Maya, daughter to Ryan Reynolds' character, Will, during a divorce from her mom. She returnshome from her first sex-ed class with a lot of questions.
11 Shakespeare Fan? Enjoy Letters To Juliet, AnOde To The Bard Set In Verona, Italy
Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, a fact-checker atThe New Yorker who travels with her fiance to Verona, Italy; he works all day, and she wanders the city alone. She finds a long lost letter in Juliet's Wall and sets out to discover the epic, unfinished love story.
10 Been So Long Is ASoul-Funk Love Story Set InCamden
If you want a low-key musical sans camp,Been So Longis the solution! The film is based on lyrics and music by Arthur Darvill and a book by Che Walker, who also wrote the screenplay. Single-mother Simone never goes out with friends but is dragged out one time,where she falls in love with Raymond.
9 The Spectacular Now Is A Quintessential End Of High School Tale
The Spectacular Now is a coming of age story with a dark side. It debuted at Sundance Film Festival in 2013, praised for its realistic portrayal of teens. Starring Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, the film follows two high school seniors who strike up an unlikely romance. Aimee (Woodley) is shy and falls for Sutton (Teller), who is struggling with alcoholism.
8 He's Just Not That Into You Nails The Ensemble CastingTo CarryNine Interweaving Plots
2009 was a very different time. Before Ben Affleck was an Academy Award-winning director and before Bradley Cooper made A Star Is Born, they were two of the male leads in the romantic dramedyHe's Just Not That Into You.The film features four interlocking storylines with an all-star cast looking at different romantic problems.
7 Chris O'Dowd Once Again Proves His Leading Man Status InThe Incredible Jessica Jones
The Incredible Jessica Jamessees Jessica Williams and Chris O'Dowd set up on a blind date amid disastrous love lives. Jessica faces all the complications of dating a man going through a divorce; it's a thoughtful meditation on modern romance. Netflix acquired the rights after its screening at the 2017 Sundance Festival.
6 Watch A Relationship Over Years InOne Day
One Day is devastating. The film, by Danish director Lone Scherfig,shows the dayEmma Morley (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess) meet, July 15th, 1988 and that date every year for the next eighteen as the two go from friends to lovers in a tragic tale of love and loss.
5 Blue Valentine Is The Ultimate Passion Project
Another tear-jerker on the list,Blue Valentinejumps through time, shifting between a couple's courtship and their relationship's disintegration seven years later.Michelle Williams (Cindy) got the rights in 2002, and Gosling joined the cast in 2006, four years before the film premiered. The pair co-executive produced the film.
4 Pitch Perfect Lives Up To Its Name In Every Way
Many people are surprised to find out the 2012 mega-hitis based on a non-fiction book,Pitch Perfect: The Questfor Collegiate a Cappella Glory.The film followed the Barden Bella, a fictional all-female acapella group competing for glory and introduced the world to Anna Kendrick's angelic voice.
3 Sisterhood Of The Travelling Pants Is Friendship At Its Finest
Alexis Bledel, America Ferrera, Blake Lively, and Amber Tamblyn are a real-life sisterhood. The foursome frequent each other's social media pages and continue to show up for each other a decade and a half after they met as teenagers on the set of 2005'sThe Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants.
2 Emma Stone Deserves An A+ For Her Starring Role In Easy A
There are as many references toNathaniel Hawthorne'sThe Scarlet LetterinEasy Aas there are to 1980s John Hughes movies. Emma Stone is delightful as protagonist Olive Pendergast ranting on her vlog about the 'A-ttention' she gets from teachers and peers for all the wrong reasons.
1 Save The End Of The List For The End Of The Year With Seasonal Film,The Holiday
It felt essential for this list to conclude with a Nancy Meyers film.The Holidaystars Cameron Diaz as Amanda and Kate Winslet as Iris, two women fed up with love who decide to swap houses for the Christmas season. Winslet and Diaz appear opposite Jack Black and Jude Law as their respective love interests.
NEXT: 15 Movies To Watch If You're A Hopeless Romantic (And Where To Find Them)
