4 Comfort Movies To Watch When You’re Feeling Down
Everyone has days when they feel a little off. It just means that you’re human.
I find that the best way to kick those blues to the curb is by curling up on the couch with a soft blanket and a good comfort movie. You know the type. They’re often family-friendly, with a kind of predictable plot that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
Although streaming services offer a plethora of choices, nothing beats the classic films on this list. There’s a girl-meets-boy story (who doesn’t love those?), a tale about finally putting yourself first, a story about a tough girl who finds her femininity, and a reluctant father of the bride.
27 Dresses (2008)
27 Dresses tells the story of Jane Nichols (Katherine Heigl), a good-hearted young woman who happens to be a chronic people-pleaser. While handling bridesmaid duties for two weddings on the same night, Jane unwittingly grabs the attention of Kevin Doyle (James Marsden). His bleak view of marriage immediately repulses Jane, who, in a frantic attempt to put some distance between them, drops her appointment book in the cab they were sharing.
Kevin picks it up and uses it to find out more about Jane. But the marriage-hater is the least of her problems. When her glamorous sister Tess (Malin Akerman) comes home, Jane’s life is thrown into chaos as her sibling hurriedly engaged to Jane’s boss. Stuck planning her sister’s wedding to the man she secretly loves, Jane finds herself filled with mixed feelings about the upcoming nuptials. And to make matters worse, Kevin comes back into the picture for the most unexpected reason.
Something Borrowed (2011)
Something Borrowed is a complicated story that doesn’t tie up every loose end with a neat bow, but if you’ve ever felt second best, this movie is for you. It begins by introducing us to Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin), who is initially refused entry to her own birthday party because (perhaps) she isn’t as flashy as her best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson), who is throwing the shindig. Darcy is loud, outgoing, and always the center of attention, while Rachel is her polar opposite – quiet, shy, and almost invisible.
Darcy is engaged to Dex (Colin Egglesfield), who she met through Rachel. Flashbacks show that Rachel and Dex were close friends in law school, where they almost became romantically involved before Darcy destroyed the moment with her overbearing personality. After a few serendipitous events, Rachel tells Dex that had feelings for him many years ago. Her admission sets off a chain of events that strain her friendship with Darcy. Should Rachel finally out herself first, or go back to existing in the shadows?
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Sandra Bullock stars as the very relatable (depending on who you ask) Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality. Gracie is an FBI agent who puts her job above everything else. Even though her male colleagues take credit for her ideas, she seems happy to be one of the boys. When her FBI partner Eric Matthews (Benjamin Bratt) is put in charge of a case in which notorious domestic terrorist “The Citizen” threatens the Miss United States Pageant, Gracie is chosen to go undercover as one of the contestants.
Although the job is great for her career, it’s not the most ideal setup for a woman who can’t walk in high heels. With the help of etiquette expert Victor Melling (Michael Caine), Gracie learns how to dress better and carry herself like a lady. As her FBI work merges with contest activities, Gracie impresses the judges, makes friends with the other Miss Unites States entrants, and comes to realize the value of embracing your femininity.
Father of the Bride (1991)
There are three Father of the Bride movies, all loosely based on the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter. But the best is definitely the 1991 film starring Steve Martin, Diane Keeton, Martin Short and Kimberly Williams. The story is a retrospective look at the events leading up to the wedding of Annie Banks (Williams). When Annie announces her engagement to her parents after a whirlwind romance in Europe, her mom, Nina (Keaton), is excited, while her dad, George (Martin), is not pleased.
George, who still sees his 22-year-old daughter as a little girl, reluctantly goes through the motions of wedding planning while trying to find fault with his soon-to-be son-in-law Brian Mackenzie (George Newbern). The planning kicks into hire gear when Annie and Nina hire an eccentric wedding coordinator named Franck (Martin Short) to manage the big day. As the financial cost continues to climb, so does the mental toll on George. Will he snap under the pressure, or will his love for Annie carry him through?