A Little White Lie? 7 Must-Watch Romantic Comedies Where The Leads Toy With The Truth
It’s just a little white lie. It won’t hurt anyone. Will it?
It’s what I call the Frasier plot, so named because nearly every episode of the classic sitcom featured this kind of storyline. A character tells what feels like a tiny lie but it quickly snowballs and they can’t help but create bigger and bigger lies to keep up. Of course, things get complicated when love enters the mix.
Sure, most of the conflict could be solved if the main character would just admit that they lied, but then the rom com would only be 10 minutes long–and we can’t have that! I’ve compiled the best romantic comedies that feature the main character trying to recover after epically lying to their love interest. Could you trust your love if they lied?
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Lucy works as a toll-taker for the train, and she has a secret crush on Peter, a man she’s never really met. When she saves him from getting decimated by the train, a nurse mistakes her for his fiancé. As he’s stuck in a coma, she ends up going along with the lie when she meets his family. If only she wasn’t falling for his brother…Watch While You Were Sleeping on Disney+.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Kathleen and Joe are rival bookstore owners, but have no idea that they’re also each others’ anonymous AOL pen pals. They’re falling in love online while hating each other in real life. But when Joe realizes who she really is, he skips the opportunity to tell her and keeps up the lie instead to string her along. Rent You’ve Got Mail on Prime Video.
She’s All That (1999)
Zack’s best friend crafts a bet: He has to turn the worst girl in school into the prom queen in order to win. But, as he gets to know Laney Boggs and her brash, art-loving personality, he realizes that she’s actually wonderful. Does he tell her right away or let the lie get exposed? Watch She’s All That on Paramount+.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
All Josie wants is to become a reporter for the newspaper she works for. When she’s offered a chance to go back to high school and pretend to be a student for a scoop, she jumps at the chance. But when she starts falling for the actually age-appropriate English teacher, she has to choose between love and her career. (Or does she?) Watch Never Been Kissed on Disney+.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Andie wants to write an article about how needy women turn men off, so she starts a relationship with Ben as a way to prove her theory. Ben, on the other hand, insists that he can make any woman fall in love with him, so he’s down to stay with Andie even when she’s being a nightmare. This is a rare rom com watch where both people are knee-deep in lies. Watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days on Paramount+.
She’s the Man (2006)
Viola just wants to play soccer, so when her high school cuts the girls’ team, she moves schools and pretends to be a guy to prove a point. Things are going well except for one problem: She’s falling for her roommate and he thinks she’s a dude. This is a must-watch classic that launched Channing Tatum’s career. Watch She’s the Man on Paramount+.
Second Act (2018)
Less about romance, Second Act is the closest to Upgraded on this list. Jennifer Lopez’s Maya works at a grocery store and just wants to move up in the world. When her godson makes her look like a Harvard alum with tons of fake business experience online, she’s quickly living the dream she always wanted. But what happens if people find out? Watch Second Act on Hulu.
