10 Best College Rom-Com Movies Ever Made

One’s college years have the potential to be equally awkward and enriching, making it an ideal time for many great romantic comedies to be set. These years provide students with a newfound independence, requiring them to take full control of their educational, social, and romantic lives. As seen in the best college rom-coms, these formative years take some time getting used to.

Characters in these films are often navigating significant romantic relationships while simultaneously sorting out who they truly want to be in life. The pressure of it all lends itself well to some humorous narratives. From classics like The Graduate to newer releases such as Pitch Perfect and The Other Zoey, there’s a diverse mix of love stories for everyone to enjoy in the best college rom-coms.

10

The Other Zoey (2023)

Directed by Sara Zandieh

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The Other Zoey

PG-13

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Release Date

October 20, 2023

Runtime

91 Minutes

Director

Sara Zandieh

Writers

Matthew Tabak

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Josephine Langford

  • Headshot Of Drew Starkey

    Drew Starkey

  • headshot Of Archie Renaux

    Archie Renaux

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Mallori Johnson

The Other Zoey is a romantic dramedy film directed by Sara Zandieh. The film follows computer science major Zoey Miller, who finds herself caught in a love triangle between a college athlete with amnesia named Zach and his cousin, Miles, after Zach belives that Zoey is his current girlfriend.

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One of the newest films mentioned, The Other Zoey is an incredibly refreshing rom-com released during a time when many believed the genre was dead. The film is centered around Zoey Miller (Josephine Langford), a young college student with a particularly strict view of romance. When her classmate Zach (Drew Starkey) suffers from amnesia after being knocked unconscious on his bike, Zoey is mistaken by him for his girlfriend who shares the same name.

Langford, who’s no stranger to romance movies, leads the cast of The Other Zoey well.

Zoey then finds herself wrapped up in a complicated love triangle with Zach and his cousin Miles (Archie Renaux), and soon enough, romantic antics and the fun miscommunication trope begin to unfold. Langford, who’s no stranger to romance movies, leads the cast of The Other Zoey well and helps create an enjoyable and familiar rom-com in an era where such movies are few and far between.

9

The To Do List (2013)

Directed by Maggie Carey

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The To Do List

R

Comedy

Romance

ScreenRant logo

6/10

9/10

Release Date

July 24, 2013

Runtime

104 Minutes

Director

Maggie Carey

Writers

Maggie Carey

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Aubrey Plaza In The 77th Cannes Film Festival

    Aubrey Plaza

  • Headshot Of Johnny Simmons

    Johnny Simmons

The To Do List is a coming-of-age comedy directed by Maggie Carey, featuring Aubrey Plaza as the academically driven Brandy Klark. Set in the early ’90s, the film follows Brandy as she attempts to gain more life experience before starting college by creating a list of activities to complete. The ensemble cast includes Johnny Simmons, Bill Hader, and Alia Shawkat, contributing to a humorous exploration of teenage curiosity and self-discovery.

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Taking place over the summer before Aubrey Plaza’s Brandy heads off to college, The To Do List sees the socially awkward teenager branching out. Throughout high school, Brandy was an accomplished student but wasn’t as romantically experienced as her peers. Intent on gaining more sexual experience before college, Brandy creates a list of various intimate acts she hopes to learn about and begins checking them off one by one.

Though the film has its weaker spots, there is some appreciated depth to the character of Brandy, as her escapades allow her to stumble and explore her sexuality on her own time. The To Do List may not be one of Plaza’s best movies, but she does receive some well-earned laughter from audiences, often outshining others in the film’s ensemble cast of comedic actors, including Bill Hader, Alia Shawkat, and Donald Glover.

8

Starter For 10 (2006)

Directed by Tom Vaughan

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Starter for 10

PG-13

Drama

Comedy

Romance

Release Date

October 15, 2006

Runtime

92 minutes

Director

David Nicholls

Writers

David Nicholls, Tom Vaughan

Cast

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  • Headshot Of James McAvoy

    James McAvoy

    Brian Jackson

  • Headshot Of Alice Eve In The US-Ireland Alliance's 17th annual Oscar Wilde Awards

    Alice Eve

    Alice Harbinson

  • Headshot Of Rebecca Hall In The 2024 Met Gala

    Rebecca Hall

    Rebecca Epstein

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Catherine Tate

    Julie Jackson

Starter for 10 is a British romantic comedy-drama directed by Tom Vaughan and based on David Nicholls’ novel. Set in the 1980s, it follows Brian Jackson (James McAvoy), a working-class student navigating his first year at the University of Bristol. He joins the university quiz team and competes on a popular television quiz show while dealing with the challenges of academic life and romantic entanglements.

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An adaptation of David Nicholls’ novel of the same name, Starter for 10 is, at its core, a romantic comedy. The film follows college first-year student Brian Jackson (James McAvoy), who’s obsessed with University Challenge, a TV quiz show, becoming an extremely knowledgeable person as a result. As Brian attempts to get on the show throughout his first year, he also has some unsuccessful attempts at finding love.

Starter for 10 is witty and largely held up by McAvoy’s performance.

McAvoy’s Brian is a charming and ambitious protagonist that audiences can easily root for and empathize with during the film’s darker moments. The film doesn’t necessarily reinvent the rom-com formula, but its quiz-show setting sets it apart from others and provides a unique conflict within the British comedy.

7

Damsels In Distress (2011)

Directed by Whit Stillman

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Damsels in Distress

PG-13

Drama

Comedy

Romance

Release Date

April 6, 2012

Runtime

99 minutes

Director

Whit Stillman

Writers

Whit Stillman

Cast

  • Headshot Of Greta Gerwig

    Greta Gerwig

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Carrie MacLemore

  • Headshot Of Megalyn Echikunwoke

    Megalyn Echikunwoke

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Analeigh Tipton

Main Genre

Drama

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13 years after The Last Days of Disco, Whit Stillman returned with the clever and delightfully absurd Damsels in Distress. Starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Brody, and Lio Tipton, the film sees Tipton’s Lily as a new transfer student at Seven Oaks University, where her roommates are a group of students who run a suicide prevention center. Led by Gerwig’s Violet, the center aims to improve the quality of life on campus.

The center’s unconventional methods of counseling involve the handing out of donuts and tap dancing sessions. Other measures taken to help Seven Oaks’ students include dating timid men to give them a confidence boost, which is where the film’s element of romance shines. The oddball qualities in Damsels in Distress may not be for everyone, but there’s still plenty to love about the film, including Gerwig’s attention-grabbing performance.

6

Drumline (2002)

Directed by Charles Stone III

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Drumline

PG-13

Comedy

Drama

Music

Romance

Release Date

December 13, 2002

Runtime

108 Minutes

Director

Charles Stone III

Writers

Tina Gordon Chism, Shawn Schepps

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Nick Cannon In The 2019 MTV Movie and TV Awards

    Nick Cannon

    Devon Miles

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    Zoe Saldana

    Laila

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Orlando Jones

    Dr. Lee

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Leonard Roberts

    Sean Taylor

Drumline is a musical drama directed by Charles Stone III, starring Nick Cannon as Devon Miles, a talented street drummer from Harlem who joins a Southern university’s marching band. As he grapples with the rigid expectations and traditions of the band’s culture, Devon faces personal and professional challenges that test his commitment and passion for music. The film explores themes of teamwork, discipline, and personal growth.

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Following the familiar formula of an underdog sports movie, Drumline depicts the cutthroat competition between college marching bands. As a first-year student at Atlanta A&T University, Devon (Nick Cannon) discovers just how serious his school is about its marching band, requiring its members to read music of various styles and attend a rigorous band camp before the season begins. As Devon becomes familiar with the band’s procedures, he finds himself falling for an upperclassman, Laila (Zoe Saldaña).

Cannon is a charismatic lead whose confidence and commitment to drumming get him in all sorts of trouble.

Though the film is fairly predictable, it still has a lot going for it. Comedically intense and with stakes comparable to that of a traditional sports movie, Drumline is immensely entertaining. Cannon is a charismatic lead whose confidence and commitment to drumming get him in all sorts of trouble, and the film has a memorable soundtrack that’s supported well by its inclusion of early 2000s music in its drumming sections.

5

Dear White People (2014)

Directed by Justin Simien

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Dear White People

NR

Drama

Romance

ScreenRant logo

8/10

Release Date

October 17, 2014

Runtime

108 minutes

Director

Justin Simien

Writers

Justin Simien

Producers

Effie Brown, Leonid Lebedev, Stephanie Allain, Lena Waithe, Angel Lopez, Ann Le

Cast

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  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Peter Syvertsen

    President Hutchinson

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Brittany Curran

    Sophie Fletcher

Dear White People, released in 2014, is a satirical comedy-drama exploring racial identity at a predominantly white Ivy League college. The film centers on four African American students and the ensuing campus upheaval following a racially themed party, offering commentary on the concept of a “post-racial” society.

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Being both a critical and commercial success, Dear White People earned praise for its performances and ability to address the topic of race with a great amount of honesty and wit. The film is set within a fictional Ivy League school where radio host Samantha White (Tessa Thompson) boldly criticizes her white classmates for their acts of cultural appropriation. Admittedly, the movie is best categorized as a satirical comedy and isn’t as full of romance as the other films mentioned.

Dear White People is concerned most with depicting the racial tension impacting Samantha and her fellow Black classmates. However, these characters’ romantic relationships undoubtedly play a part in the larger conversation about identity and racial politics within a college setting. The movie is as humorous as it is eye-opening, creating a well-rounded and satisfying viewing experience.

4

S#!%house (2020)

Directed by Cooper Raiff

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Shithouse

R

Comedy

Drama

Romance

Release Date

October 16, 2020

Runtime

102 minutes

Director

Cooper Raiff

Producers

Divi Crockett

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Dylan Gelula

    Dylan Gelula

    Maggie Hill

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Cooper Raiff

    Alex Malmquist

  • Headshot Of Amy Landecker

    Amy Landecker

    Mom

  • Headshot Of Logan Miller In The Los Angeles premiere of Paramount+ film 'Beavis and Butt

    Logan Miller

    Sam

Shithouse follows Alex, a lonely college freshman struggling to connect with his peers. His experience changes when he attends a party at Shithouse, a renowned fraternity, and forms a meaningful bond with fellow student Maggie. Released in 2020, the film explores themes of social isolation and personal growth.

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College is an ideal setting to branch out and make new connections, but it’s not always easy. This is where audiences find Cooper Raiff’s Alex in Shithouse, marketed as S#!%house. As a college freshman, Alex struggles to make friends or explore any romantic connections, despite reassuring his mother he’s doing just that. When attending a party at the titular fraternity, Alex meets sophomore Maggie (Dylan Gelula), who’s in a similar dilemma.

Winning the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at SXSW, Raiff’s film earned praise for its thoughtful exploration of social dynamics in college and the struggle many have to adapt to this new chapter in life. Alex and Maggie’s connection, both platonic and romantic throughout the film, is refreshingly realistic. There’s a heavy amount of miscommunication between the two that not only adds depth to their individual arcs but prompts audiences to be invested in their reconciliation.

3

Legally Blonde (2001)

Directed by Robert Luketic

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Legally Blonde

Release Date

July 13, 2001

Runtime

1h 36m

Director

Robert Luketic

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Reese Witherspoon In The 49th AFI Life Achievement Award

    Reese Witherspoon

  • Headshot Of Victor Garber

    Victor Garber

  • Headshot of Jennifer Coolidge In The 96th Academy Awards Vanity Fair Party

    Jennifer Coolidge

  • instar53630746Headshot Of Selma Blair

    Selma Blair

Elle Woods, a fashionable sorority queen, is devastated when her boyfriend breaks up with her to attend Harvard Law School. Determined to win him back, she enrolls at Harvard and soon realizes her true potential as she tackles a high-profile murder case, ultimately proving her intelligence and capability in the legal world​.

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A quintessential film from the Golden Age of Rom-Coms, Legally Blonde introduced the comedic talents of Reese Witherspoon on a larger scale. Following an unexpected breakup with her aspiring senator boyfriend, UCLA sorority girl Elle Woods (Witherspoon) decides that getting into Harvard Law School is the best way to get him back. Elle’s initial goal at Harvard Law is to prove to her ex-boyfriend that she’s capable of having similar career aspirations.

Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods wearing pink in a courtroom in Legally Blonde

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However, in doing so, Elle gains attention for being multifaceted and subverting the expectations others have of her due to her stereotypical interests and appearance. Witherspoon’s comedic performance and her natural charm helped create an iconic pop culture figure in Elle Woods. In the decades since the film’s release, audiences have continued to connect with the character and the Legally Blonde franchise, which includes a 2003 sequel film, a direct-to-video spin-off, a Broadway musical, and an upcoming prequel series.

2

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Directed by Jason Moore

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Pitch Perfect

PG-13

Comedy

Romance

Music

8/10

Release Date

September 28, 2012

Runtime

112 minutes

Director

Jason Moore

Writers

Kay Cannon, Mickey Rapkin

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Anna Kendrick

    Anna Kendrick

  • Headshot Of Skylar Astin

    Skylar Astin

Pitch Perfect is a musical comedy film directed by Jason Moore, starring Anna Kendrick as Beca, a college freshman who reluctantly joins her school’s all-female a cappella group, the Barden Bellas. The Bellas strive to win the national competition in the male-dominated world of collegiate a cappella by reinventing their dated repertoire with new, dynamic arrangements. The cast also includes Rebel Wilson and Brittany Snow.

Main Genre

Comedy

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Set against the backdrop of a fierce collegiate a cappella competition is Pitch Perfect‘s forbidden romance between Beca (Anna Kendrick) and Jesse (Skylar Astin). The two are members of rival a cappella groups —the all-female Bellas and all-male Treblemakers— at Barden University. Following an incident that was detrimental to their reputation, the Bellas hope to make a comeback, with Beca proving to play an essential part in doing so.

Throughout the film, Beca grapples with her career aspirations and the significance of her role in the Bellas, which leads to tension between her fellow members and her growing relationship with Jesse. Pitch Perfect‘s memorable performances contain a mashup of catchy songs guaranteed to get stuck in the audience’s heads. The comedy film also tackles themes of belonging and teamwork, which are neatly built upon in the following sequel films.

1

The Graduate (1967)

Directed by Mike Nichols

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The Graduate

PG

Romance

Comedy

Drama

4.5/10

Release Date

December 21, 1967

Runtime

106 minutes

Director

Mike Nichols

Writers

Calder Willingham, Buck Henry

Cast

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  • Headshot Of Dustin Hoffman In The Los Angeles Premiere Of 'Kung Fu Panda 4'

    Dustin Hoffman

  • Headshot Of Katharine Ross

    Katharine Ross

In The Graduate, Dustin Hoffman stars as college student Benjamin Braddock, who becomes involved in an affair with an older woman, Mrs. Robinson, played by Anne Bancroft. The film explores themes of alienation and the generation gap in 1960s America, and features a memorable soundtrack by Simon & Garfunkel.

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The Graduate sees aimless college graduate Benjamin Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) start an affair with the married Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft). However, the semi-blissful romance between the two becomes further complicated when Benjamin begins falling for Mrs. Robinson’s daughter, Elaine (Katharine Ross). Though their love is forbidden, Benjamin and Elaine have a false sense of maturity that gives them the courage to defy the orders of others.

This leads to The Graduate‘s ending, which is what the film is remembered most for. Considered to be a perfect movie ending, the final moments of the film see the young pair gradually hit with the reality of their bold declaration of love. For its soundtrack, performances, and ability to capture the feelings of uncertainty after college, the film has become widely regarded as one of the most influential movies of all time.

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