These 14 Movies Broke Taboos For Women In Relationships And Inspired The Rest Of Us

From Netflix's From Scratch to classics like The Proposal and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

Pervasive principles regarding women making the first move in relationships have created a list of taboos, and shockwaves can occur when a woman mentions she is proposing to a man. However, some romantic comedies are seemingly trying to shift the paradigm of these old-school relationship dynamics.

Here are 14 movies that have showcased the woman making a nontraditional move in a relationship:

1. The Holiday Calendar

© Netflix / Courtesty Everett Collection

Kat Graham plays Abby Sutton in the movie The Holiday Calendar, a Netflix Christmas movie in which Abby is given a magical calendar by her grandfather. Each day, the calendar gives her a new clue throughout the 12 days of Christmas that predicts something about her day ahead. 

While Abby is experiencing this, her best friend Josh Barton (Quincy Brown) has come home for the holiday season. At the end of the movie, she realizes that Josh has always been the one, and she says 'I love you' first, to which he replies, 'I love you, too.'

2. The Proposal

Sam Emerson / ©Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock) is a demanding boss at a publishing house in New York City. Margaret's assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) is promised that after his years of working with Margaret, that she would promote him. 

When Margaret is at risk of being deported to Canada, she develops a plan to pretend to be engaged to Andrew to obtain a visa, unbeknownst to Andrew. Before the plan is completely underway, she proposes to Andrew on one knee on a street in the city. 

3. 27 Dresses

©20th Century Fox / courtesy Everett Collection

Katherine Heigl plays Jane Nichols, a woman who is always a bridesmaid to her friends. Nichols is also in love with her boss, though she's now a bridesmaid for her sister's wedding. A journalist, Kevin Doyle (James Marsden), takes an interest in Jane's story of having been in multiple weddings. 

Kevin and Jane's feelings grow for each other. At the end, Jane goes to a wedding that Kevin is covering, and makes a grand gesture with a microphone and spotlight. Jane says she has been waiting her whole life for the right guy to come along, and that there is a very good chance she has fallen in love with him, to which he replies, 'Get over here.'

4. Love Jones

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In Love Jones, Nina Mosley, a photographer played by Nia Long, meets Darius Lovehall, a poet/writer at a Chicago lounge. After Darius pursues Nina, the two start dating, but in an effort for both of them to seem as though they are playing it cool, they fall out because they diminish the feelings they have for one another. 

Nina goes back to New York for a period of time, but when she returns to Chicago, she begins dating Hollywood, played by Bill Bellamy. Hollywood is someone that is in Darius's friend circle.

5. To All the Boys I've Loved Before

Masha Weisberg /© Netflix /Courtesy Everett Collection

Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) has written love letters to the boys that she has had a crush on. Her little sister Kitty, in an attempt to help Lara Jean feel better, mails that letters without Lara Jean knowing. 

One of the letters was sent to Lara Jean's oldest sister Margot's (Janel Parrish) ex-boyfriend Josh. Lara Jean attempts to reassure Margot's ex-boyfriend that she does not have feelings for him. She forges a fake relationship that turns into a real relationship with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), a popular guy in school. At the beginning of this relationship, Lara Jean "jumps" Peter on the track during gym, kissing him first. 

6. From Scratch

Aaron Epstein / ©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Amy Wheeler (Zoe Saldaña) proposes to Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea) after Lino is having a difficult time relocating from Italy to California. One night, Amy surprises Lino by taking him to the bar to watch a soccer game. 

After what seems like a perfect date, Amy gets down on one knee to propose to Lino. As she gets down on one knee, Lino does attempt to stop her. Amy continues to propose, and Lino says yes.

7. How Stella Got Her Groove Back

© 20th Century Fox / Courtesy Everett Collection

Angela Bassett plays Stella Payne, a 40-year-old woman who goes to Jamaica with her best friend, played by Whoopi Goldberg. She has a fling with a young man named Winston Shakespeare (Taye Diggs) who is 21. The fling develops into more, and the two start dating, with Winston bringing Stella to his parent's home, where his mother is disappointed that Stella is so much older.

8. Pretty Woman

© Buena Vista Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Vivian Ward, played by Julia Roberts, is an escort who is picked up by wealthy businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) in Hollywood. Vivian stays with Edward in his hotel for an extended period of time, and the two develop feelings for each other. One night in bed, after spending the day together, Vivian whispers to Edward, 'I love you,' but he has fallen asleep.

9. Under the Tuscan Sun

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After divorcing her husband, Frances Mayes (Diane Lane) embarks on a tour of Tuscany, Italy. Instead of going along with the tour, she finds a villa and decides to fix it up. 

While she is in the midst of a home remodel, she falls for a younger man Marcello (Raoul Bova). Even as Marcello evades Frances's hints for a more intimate relationship, Frances goes to visit Marcello in his hometown of Positano to find him with a younger woman.

10. Bridget Jones's Diary

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After being labeled as tragically single, Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) decides to take control of her life. She even delivers a speech during a wedding toast to Mark Darcy (Colin Firth) about her feelings for him at an anniversary party. 

11. Wedding Season

Ken Woroner / © Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection

To avoid family meddling and the disapproving stares of the aunties, Asha (Pallavi Sharda) devises a plan to pretend date Ravi (Suraj Sharma). Asha proposes this idea to Ravi, to which Ravi reluctantly agrees. 

This allows Asha to focus on her presentation for her job in micro-finance. Ravi eventually admits that he wasn't pretending and has feelings for Asha. Asha and Ravi have an argument, but eventually, Asha makes the grand gesture with a monologue of why Ravi is a great guy to get him back.

12. The Back-up Plan

Peter Iovino / © CBS Films / Courtesy Everett Collection

Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) starts a relationship with Stan (Alex O'Loughlin) after her artificial insemination. After a successful date with Stan, Zoe goes to Stan's farm to tell him she is pregnant, and apologizes for not letting him know upfront, but is willing to let him go if he decides to no longer be in her life.

13. The Holiday

© Columbia Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection

Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) opens up emotionally to Graham (Jude Law) in England, where she has arranged a holiday escape from her life in Los Angeles. Amanda tells Graham that she has never cried since the divorce of her parents, and the vulnerability of Amanda first helps their relationship blossom.

14. Always Be My Maybe

© Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection

Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) reconnects with her childhood best friend Marcus Kim (Randall Park). Sasha is the first to admit that she had a crush on Marcus since childhood. Because the feeling is mutual, the two begin dating. Sasha's professional career is causing her to return to New York, and she invites Marcus to go with her instead of giving up on her career goals

Are there other films you'd add to this list? Let us know in the comments below.

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