I Ranked 14 Rom-Coms On How Realistic Their "Meet-Cutes" Are

Maybe if I walk barefoot on an airport luggage carousel I'll meet my soulmate, too.

In case you haven't heard the term "meet-cute" before, it's used to describe the first meeting between two fictional characters, which basically leads to their love story.

Fox Searchlight Pictures

I'm a hopeless romantic, so I LOVE all things sickeningly cute, but it also pains me to say that I can't see a lot of movie meet-cutes happening in real life.

Sp let's take a deeper look into a few rom-com meet-cutes and see how realistic they *really* are.

14. Friends with Benefits

Sony Pictures Releasing

It hurts me to rank this one so low because it's probably one of my all-time favourite meet-cutes, but let's think about this one logically. Mila Kunis (a headhunter) goes to pick up Justin Timberlake (a job applicant) at the airport, makes a last-minute sign of his name out of lipstick, loses the sign, runs onto the baggage carousel barefoot to chase after the sign, and they both reach for the sign at the same time. I mean, legendary don't get me wrong, but believable? I don't see it.

Believability rating: 🌹

Sony Pictures Releasing

13. The Wedding Planner

Sony Pictures Releasing

Another great meet-cute and one I wish I could say was believable. Matthew McConaughey's character quite literally saves Jennifer Lopez's life seconds before she's about to be hit by a giant bin. Honestly though, do I even need to continue? I can't imagine a stranger risking their own life to rugby tackle a woman that's about to be hit by an industrial bin, even though I'll admit it's a pretty romantic turn of events. 

Believability rating: 🌹

Sony Pictures Releasing

12. 50 First Dates

Sony Pictures Releasing

Now this one's tricky because meeting someone in a restaurant doesn't seem like all that much of a stretch, but when you factor in the idea that Drew Barrymore is constructing her own waffle tower, which Adam Sandler — a stranger — decides to come over and help with, the line gets a little blurred. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for bonding over some DIY food architecture, but it doesn't seem all that likely to me. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹

Sony Pictures Releasing

11. Hitch

Sony Pictures Releasing

Although this meet-cute is less eccentric than the others, I'm still not 100% convinced of the likelihood of this one. So Eva Mendes' character is being hit on at a bar by a man who's definitely not getting the hint. Will Smith then sees this and comes over pretending to be Eva's boyfriend to give her an escape from the situation. Cute, yes, wildly helpful, yes, but the chances of a man taking that risk and the woman playing along just like that? I'm not too sure if I buy it. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹

Sony Pictures Releasing

10. Along Came Polly

Universal Pictures

Although a pretty specific scenario, I feel like I could see this one happening. Ben Stiller knocks over a sculpture at an art exhibition where Jennifer Aniston is working as a waitress. She then notices him, realising she knew him when they were kids, and approaches him. Specific I know, but surely, sculptures must get knocked over all the time, right? Plus, realising you recognise someone from years ago? I think that's pretty believable. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹

Universal Pictures

9. A Nice Girl Like You

Vertical Entertainment

Okay, hear me out. At first, I was ready to rank this seriously low, but after thinking about it, maybe it's not all that unrealistic? A woman screaming from inside the ladies' toilet at a wedding is, granted, not so likely, but the chances of someone walking past, hearing it, and wanting to check if everything's okay...believable? 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹

Vertical Entertainment

8. Serendipity

Miramax

Let me set the scene: We're in a busy shop a few days before Christmas, and a man and woman both reach for the last pair of cashmere gloves. I think that's a pretty realistic meet-cute, don't you? I mean, I would've expected them to be a little less polite when it came to deciding who was going to keep them, but hey, that's not the point. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Miramax

7. Love Happens

Film Flex

This is that typical scenario we've all seen in a million and one cheesy films. The girl drops something — in this case, a pen — and the guy selflessly comes to her rescue. Although a cliché, I think we've all dreamt of a moment like this happening to us (it can't just be me). Anyway, although I've not lived out my fantasy of this kind of scenario, I think it's pretty realistic.

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Film Flex

This part that follows their meet-cute, however, is a little less cute. 

6. Pretty Woman

Touchstone Home Entertainment

Okay, you're probably thinking this should've been lower on the list. I was contemplating it, too. But if you think about it, their meet-cute was just a man asking a woman for directions — pretty probable, right?

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹

Touchstone Home Entertainment

5. The Back-up Plan

CBS Films

I feel like this one is so realistic in a busy city like NYC. Two people hailing and jumping into the same taxi must surely happen all the time. I also get the impression that people who live in big cities are naturally more argumentative (I'm a Londoner, so I think I'm allowed to say that). The idea that these two started arguing over whose cab it is makes it pretty believable. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹

CBS Films

4. Notting Hill

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Let's put a pin in the fact Julia Roberts' character is actually a huge celebrity, and focus purely on the fact that a girl walked into a boy's bookshop, and they fell in love. If you strip away all the technicalities, that's the meet-cute, and it's definitely believable. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

3. Leap Year

StudioCanal UK

Okay, top three! It's getting serious now. So this one seems realistic because it wasn't one of those "love at first sight" scenarios — the guy found the girl pretty irritating to start with. But let's condense it and say that their meet-cute was simply a woman walking into a local pub and asking the guy who worked there for directions. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

StudioCanal UK

2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding

IFC Films

The runner-up meet-cute is just a regular guy walking into a restaurant and meeting the waitress that he'd later fall in love with. I mean, I'll be honest, I'm leaving out a lot of details here, like the fact she was absolutely starstruck and stood there staring at him — mute — for several seconds, giving borderline creepy vibes. But technically, he just walked into the restaurant she works at, and they met, which is simple enough. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

IFC Films

1. Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Finally, we have Crazy, Stupid, Love. Let's break this down — a girl's out for a drink with her friend at a bar, a man sees her, walks over, and introduces himself. Set in a typical place where women are often approached, it only seemed right to crown this one the most realistic meet-cute. Plain, simple, and clearly effective. Oh, and what a film, may I add. 

Believability rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹

Warner Bros. Pictures

Do you agree with my ranking? Tell us in the comments!