Tuesday, July 14, 2026

We need to chat about these forgotten rom-coms

July 14, 2026

Hi, friend!

5 golden age rom-coms you’ve never seen

I had a completely different topic planned for Worth the Chat this week, but Sunday night, while mindlessly scrolling Prime Video, I stumbled upon one of my favorite movies of all time, which is never available to watch—and I actually screamed (I have a witness).

This movie has been impossible to watch for years. You couldn't stream it, couldn't rent it, and unless you owned the DVD, you were out of luck. I’ve gone down every rabbit hole trying to figure out why it’s been stuck in purgatory for years, with no answers. My sister texted me earlier in the week to ask if I still had the DVD and if I could mail it to her (I did not). *Shoutout to John’s Worth the Watch last week on the importance of physical media—this is exactly why you keep your favorites.

So with it top of mind, I did my quarterly check to see if it had finally escaped streaming jail, and when I saw the movie poster with the Prime logo—not just rentable, but fully streaming with a subscription—the aforementioned scream occurred. I called my sister and pressed play immediately.

Which brings me to today's Worth the Chat. Consider this the companion piece to last month's list of hidden-gem modern rom-coms. Today we're going back to the golden era: the late '90s and early 2000s, when Hollywood made so many great romantic comedies that even the really good ones got lost in the shuffle.

And because I’m taking this as a sign from the universe to educate the masses on this masterpiece, I’m putting my #1 pick above the paywall. You’re welcome.

P.S: Please reply and let me know your favorite rom-coms that haven’t gotten the attention they deserve. I want to watch them!

5 golden age rom-coms you’ve never seen

Raising Helen (2004)

Streaming on Prime Video

When her oldest sister and brother-in-law die in an accident, single party girl Helen is shocked to be named guardian of their three kids instead of her responsible, suburban sister.

More details

Star-studded cast: Kate Hudson, Joan Cusack, John Corbett, Hayden Panettiere, Abigail and Spencer Breslin, Helen Mirren, Felicity Huffman.

My wrist hurts just from typing that insane cast list. This came out one year after How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, right at the height of Kate Hudson's rom-com reign. And it was directed by the late, great Garry Marshall, responsible for all-timers Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries, and Runaway Bride.

It has all the trappings of rom-com supremacy: a cool girl with a cool girl job (executive assistant at Manhattan’s most prestigious modeling agency), a bit of suspension of disbelief (never notifying the person you plan to entrust your children to), an unlikely pairing (a party girl and a pastor), and as many heartfelt moments as there are laughs.

There’s a reason I've checked every streaming service for this movie for nearly a decade. While it's finally streaming on Prime Video, I wouldn't wait too long to watch.

You stopped mid-take. 4 more rom-coms are behind the paywall

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