4 Underrated Rom Coms Starring Meg Ryan

As someone who is a big fan of Meg Ryan, I like to think that most of us who delve into the rom com genre have seen at least one of her movies. Whether it is her most well-known (and arguably the best rom com ever made) When Harry Met Sally or a more obscure one like IQ, I think we can all agree that she has made a huge impact on the genre. With it being February and having Valentine’s Day right around the corner I wanted to take a moment to compile a list of lesser acknowledged Meg Ryan rom coms to add to your watchlist this month.

Joe Versus the Volcano is the first of three team ups that Meg Ryan would do with Tom Hanks, and I would go as far to say that it might be the best. This movie follows Joe Banks (played by Hanks), a man who has just been told he is dying of a rare disease, as he agrees to travel to an island in the South Pacific and jump into a volcano on behalf of the superstitious indigenous locals. Ryan plays three separate characters in this film and does a great job of making each one distinctively its own. If you like your rom coms to feel surreal and that are not exactly what is typical of the genre, this movie is for you.

IQ takes place in the mid-1950s and follows Catherine Boyd (Ryan), a Princeton mathematics doctoral candidate, who by chance meets mechanic Ed Walters (Tim Robbins) when her fiancé’s car breaks down. Through a series of hijinks and with the help of Catherine’s uncle, Albert Einstein (Walter Matthau), will Catherine find true love or settle with what she feels society expects of her? If you like your rom coms to be silly and more lighthearted, I recommend this movie to you.

French Kiss follows Kate (Ryan) as she is flying to France to try to win back her fiancé who has fallen in love with another woman. On the flight, she is seated next to Luc (Kevin Kline) a charming crook who, through a series of events, agrees to help her win back her fiancé if she helps him in return. If you like a rom com where the lead learns to embrace the unexpected, this movie might be for you.

Kate & Leopold recounts the story of how a rip in time causes Leopold (Hugh Jackman), a 19th century bachelor, to be thrust into the 21st century. Here he meets and falls in love with Kate (Ryan), a modern girl boss if you will, as he tries to acclimate to modern life. He soon discovers he cannot remain in the present day and must find a way to return to the past, but does this also mean losing Kate? If you like a classic rom com, this is the one I would recommend to you.

Though this list does not include Meg Ryan’s most well-known rom-coms, I definitely recommend checking those out as well. You cannot go wrong with When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and my personal favorite You’ve Got Mail. I also recommend checking out her most recent film, What Happens Later, which she not only stars in but also directs. Happy Watching!

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McKenzy Roeske
McKenzy Roeskehttp://letterboxd.com/mckenzy_r
Over the years, movies have given me room to express myself and have helped me to find community. Currently I find myself watching primarily horror/thrillers (David Cronenberg and David Lynch have my heart) but I also love Studio Ghibli and have a special place in my heart for Star Wars and the MCU. When I’m not watching movies, I’m either thrifting physical media, adding to my Scarlet Witch collection or working my retail job. My Favorite Movies: The Mummy (1999), Clue, Howl’s Moving Castle, IT (1990), and Mamma Mia
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4 COMMENTS

  1. I’ve see. Her more popular stuff but none of these. I’m really intrigued by Joe vs the Volcano. I’ll have to add it to my watch list! Thanks for the recs!

  2. I have fond memories of watching many rom coms with my mom. She of course was a fan of Meg Ryan ! Kate and Leopold stood out to me, among those that we watched. I’ll definitely have to check out the other movies on this list. Thank you !

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