Top 10 Underappreciated Romance Movies with Black Casts
#10: “Last Holiday” (2006)
Top 10 Most Underappreciated Christmas Movies
Queen Latifah is a rom-com legend - and if you haven’t seen her as such, you need to run to your nearest tv and watch her live her bucket list dreams. When her character Georgia Byrd finds out that her time on Earth is limited, she risks it all and travels to Europe. Her leap of faith is taken in the hopes of adventure, friendship, and of course love. In true rom-com fashion, she is greatly rewarded for her risk. The characters are easy to love and the storyline will make this a movie you will want to watch more than once.
#9: “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” (1998)
Top 10 Romance Movies About Age Gaps
Stella is a self-sufficient woman that has made a successful life for herself. Winston is a man half her age, living in another part of the world. When Stella’s friends convince her to take a solo trip to Jamaica, she finds the twenty-year-old man and learns to fall in love all over again. This star-studded cast includes the likes of Angela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Whoopi Goldberg, and Regina King. Between the unexpected romance and the phenomenal acting, the film left us wanting more Stella. We definitely think it's time for more movies like this to be made in the 2020s!
#8: “Beyond the Lights” (2014)
Top 10 Underappreciated Childhood Movies
When a musician with Rihanna-like star power realizes she has no control over her life, she tries to end it. But a police officer comes along and helps her off the edge, planting the start of a mutually beneficial love story. Noni and Kaz show how love can help a person feel seen and become the best version of themself. This movie was made after the so-called golden age of Black-cast romcoms and had a criminally small reception. But it is one that definitely deserves to be added to your next movie night.
#7: “The Wood” (1999)
Top 10 Best Supernatural Romance Movies
When a wedding is the central story line of a romcom, you just know there is going to be drama. The movie follows Slim and Mike as they help Roland get past cold feet. When the groom goes missing right before his wedding is supposed to start, his friends have to go bring him back. To convince him to return, they recount the stories of their teenagehood. Through a series of flashbacks, the movie explores male friendships, growing into adulthood, and of course, love. It’s a thoughtful story with plenty of fun to keep you interested.
#6: “Two Can Play That Game” (2001)
Top 10 Underrated Romance Movies
Anything a man can do, a woman can do in heels. That’s how the saying goes, right? Well at least, that seems to be the case in this movie. Shante thinks she knows everything there is to know about men, including how to keep them in check. Unfortunately, Tony thinks he knows everything about women as well. So when Tony convinces Shante’s boyfriend Keith to step out of line, conflict between the couple ensues. This is a fun romantic comedy that relies on the men vs women trope and is a great light-hearted pick for a movie night with friends.
#5: “The Brothers” (2001)
Top 10 Creepiest Romance Movies
In this romcom, the men in the story are four friends who share their personal lives with each other. Think Sex and the City, but on a basketball court. “The Brothers” explores the friends’ lives as they live through them, but it takes a closer look at more than just love. Throughout the romantic comedy-drama, the men also deal with their Black identity in the US and how that impacts who they are and what they do. If you have a hard time getting your partner to watch romantic movies with you, this might just be the perfect place to start.
#4: “The Best Man” (1999)
Top 10 Animated Movies with Stacked Casts You've Never Heard Of
This movie will have you coming back to watch it again and again. It has an ensemble cast full of ‘90s heartthrobs, including Taye Diggs, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long, and Regina Hall. The storyline follows a group of old friends coming back together for a wedding, while also providing flashbacks of their time at college. Harper, played by Diggs, planned to release his tell all novel after the nuptials. But his friends got an early copy and aren’t too happy with what they found out. There’s a love story, there’s drama, there’s fighting. It’s got a little something for everyone.
#3: “Deliver Us From Eva” (2003)
Eva has a bit of a reputation, and is known as difficult by many people - especially the men - in her life. So, her sisters’ partners pay Ray to put her in her place. When that doesn’t work, they part ways - but it can’t be a romcom without the romance, can it? When they encounter each other again, they actually fall for one another, in a bit of a dramatic fashion. In what can be seen as a retelling of “The Taming of the Shrew,” Gabrielle Union plays alongside LL Cool J, and their chemistry is palpable. Who knew a Shakespearean story could age so well over the centuries?
#2: “Poetic Justice” (1993)
This romantic drama stars Tupac and Janet Jackson. We think that might be enough to make it worthy to add to your watchlist. But if it’s not, maybe the plot will be. Justice is a hairdresser that is closed off from losing her boyfriend to a violent death. Lucky is a postman with a young daughter. The duo get swindled into going on a road trip together. And like we’ve seen in other romantic films of its kind, their chemistry only builds when they’re together. But what makes “Poetic Justice” stand out is the fact that it doesn’t only have dark moments, but it is also filled with poetry, music, and tremendous talent. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Jason's Lyric” (1994) Love Conquers All - At Least It Does for Jason & Lyric “A Thin Line Between Love and Hate” (1996) There Is Nothing Quite as Dangerous as a Woman Scorned “Brown Sugar” (2002) From Childhood Friends to Lovers
#1: “Love & Basketball” (2000)
Top 20 Romantic Movies Even Guys Love
[TikTok/viral meme reference:] The girls that get it, get it. The girls that don’t, well - it’s not too late to see this movie! Monica and Quincy, played by Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps respectively, are childhood sweethearts with big ambitions. Both have a love for basketball that might just be as strong as their love for each other. The romantic drama follows the on-again, off-again couple as they grow up and face the hardships of making a good life for themselves. Their story proves just how much love can overcome, and honestly any fan of romance should see it.
