Agreeing on a movie to watch can be difficult sometimes, but date night movies don’t have to be overly sappy romances or glib romantic comedies. Here are five entertaining suggestions everyone can enjoy.
Almost Famous
The perfect movie for music lovers (especially those who enjoy 60s and 70s rock), Almost Famous is a coming-of-age story set in 1973. It follows the misadventures of aspiring 15-year-old journalist William when he goes on tour with the up-and-coming band Stillwater to write an article about them for Rolling Stone. The film is deeply enthralling, with a great soundtrack, compelling characters, and talented actors. Despite being set in the 70s, the story is timeless and perfectly captures the love of music and personal growth of the characters as they make their way across the country together on tour.
50 First Dates
When Drew Barrymore read the script for 50 First Dates, she loved the romance, whereas Adam Sandler wanted to make sure it was a comedy. While discussing the movie’s script, she says that Sandler said “I know what guys want," and she responded with, “I know what girls want." This might explain why their film collaborations work; this film perfectly blends funny and romantic episodes. Barrymore and Sandler are an endearing on-screen couple and the story is surprisingly unique: Barrymore’s character Lucy suffers from short-term memory loss and cannot remember anything that happened the day before, so every day Sandler’s character tries to make her fall in love with him all over again. It’s an entertaining romantic comedy that is cute without being too serious or sentimental.
(500) Days of Summer
This is not the typical romantic comedy, because the audience knows that the lead couple break up. The film follows a nonlinear narrative that jumps between various points in the couple’s relationship as Tom (played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt) tries to figure out what went wrong with his relationship with Summer (Zooey Deschanel). While this may sound sad, the heartfelt and amusing moments--and the likeable lead actors--ensure that it does not become somber or depressing. (500) Days of Summer is a more realistic take on a romantic comedy, but it’s consistently entertaining and has a reassuring conclusion that leaves you feeling that everything will work out in the end.
Baby Driver
For fans of heist movies, Baby Driver is a unique and enjoyable film with a talented cast and a slightly different take on common action movie tropes. Ansel Elgort’s character--who goes by Baby--is a getaway driver who plans to leave his life of crime behind. While this may sound like a cliche plot, the film manages to differentiate itself from other heist movies. One way this is accomplished is by Baby constantly listening to music. The soundtrack is a major part of the movie, particularly when the scenes are choreographed to Baby’s songs. Baby Driver has action scenes, a romantic subplot, and some tastefully hilarious moments. Unlike many other crime dramas, not all the characters are depicted as sympathetic, and there are some unexpected plot turns that keep the story more realistic, rather than providing an idealistic conclusion for each character.
Avengers: Endgame
If you want to see a movie currently in theaters, the latest installment from the Marvel Cinematic Universe is a great idea. It’s the ultimate movie for anyone who enjoys superhero movies. There’s action, wry banter between the characters, and dramatic resolutions. With an all-star cast of heroes, Avengers: Endgame was over ten years in the making (Marvel’s first movie, Iron Man, premiered in 2008), and is already one of the highest-grossing films ever.