8 Romantic Comedies for Those Who Love the Fake Dating Trope

There’s nothing that a good romantic comedy can not solve. Whether you want to watch something to uplift your mood or you just want something romantic, there is a romantic comedy to fit every mood. And while everybody loves a little enemies-to-lovers trope, there is another one such trope that can get your toes curling every time, no matter how much you watch it. The Fake Dating trope adds spice to every story, whether it is the Renaissance era’s Bridgerton or Gen Z’s The Perfect Date. 

From making an ex jealous to gain their affection back to pretending to be in a relationship to for the family’s happiness, fake dating is one trope that wins over everyone, and so, here are some of the best fake dating movies that will have you swooning and craving one for yourself

Best Romantic Movies Featuring the Fake Dating Trope 

Picture Perfect (1997)

The 90s were characterised by fake dating stories being introduced through a strong woman's determination and hard work, and the film Picture Perfect stands as one of the best examples of the same. The film features Jennifer Aniston, who plays a young advertising executive who is looking to rise through the ranks and impress her boss. She hatches a complicated plot to win her boss over and pretends to be engaged to a man she has just met. Nonetheless, the plot of the movie starts to get more complex when an unexpected third party, Sam, played by Kevin Bacon, begins to understand her ploy.

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The Wedding Date (2005)

At a time when most maids of honour celebrate and plan for their loved one’s wedding, Kat Ellis was dreading the day she had to go back to her parents' house in London for her sister's wedding. And as if her being single wasn't enough, it turns out her ex-fiancé was the best man at that wedding. As a result, Kat ends up hiring the charming escort Nick Mercer to pretend to be her boyfriend. What begins as a pretend relationship to put up a show in front of her family and ex soon turns into something romantic as the lines between real and fake start to blur.

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The Decoy Bride (2011)

With heartwarming scenes that make it more complicated than a usual romantic movie and more chaotic than any comedic one, this British rom-com sees an American movie star trying to have her perfect wedding with an English author, James Arber. But things start to go south as they are constantly hounded by paparazzi who are looking to capture their wedding.

To ensure that their wedding is uninterrupted, the couple’s manager suggests using a local assistant to pose as a “decoy bride” to trick the paparazzi. However, everything gets chaotic when the author and the decoy bride begin falling for each other. The film is a typical example of the genre, and it doesn’t stray too far from the conventions and clichés.

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To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

An adaptation of Jenny Han’s book series of the same name, the film follows Lara Jean Covey, who is trying to navigate through a mess of secret letters that her little sister sent out to all the boys that Lara Jean has had a crush on over the years. The damage control takes interesting twists and leads her to team up with one of the recipients of one of her secret letters. Peter Kavinsky, who is looking to make his girlfriend jealous, agrees to the ploy. But what seems like a win-win plan takes a turn when feelings get involved and the fake dating starts to get real. 

While the movie guarantees the inevitable happily ever after, it is exciting to watch as the protagonists realise their feelings for each other.

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How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)

Andie Anderson is a journalist for the magazine that writes ‘How To’ articles. Bored with the stagnancy of life and fueled by her friend’s habits, Andie decides to write an article on 'How To' Lose A Guy In Ten Days,' but the catch is-she has to pretend to date a guy and prove her point by imitating her friend's behaviour. The movie is nothing short of chaos on film as Andie’s pretend boyfriend, Benjamin Barry, also comes with a scheme of his own. 

Advertising Executive Benjamin, when challenged by his boss, bets that he could get any woman to fall in love with him. Making for the perfect recipe for disaster, the duo come into a relationship only to have both their hearts shattered.

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The Perfect Date (2019)

This film follows a high school senior, Brooks, who is excited to go to Yale but can’t afford it. So, he agrees to pretend to be Celia’s boyfriend in a mission to support his dreams. That plan takes a hit when an idea strikes him. He develops an app and agrees to be a date for other girls with a personality of their choice. But when Celia and Brooks decide to go on one last date to make their crushes jealous, things start to shift, and their relationship finds a new focus as the two realise that they might just be falling in love.

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Purple Hearts (2022)

The movie follows a struggling songwriter, Cassie and Marine Luke as they ally to avail massive financial benefits. The duo plot to get married to avail the benefits and decide to get divorced a year later, and while everything seems to go just as planned initially, things quickly take a turn when Luke is injured on the battlefield, making Cassie reevaluate how she truly feels about Luke

A heartwarming touch to your regular chaotic fake dating trope, Purple Hearts taps into something deeper with its romantic comedy genre and an emotional storyline.

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Holidate (2020)

The story follows Sloane Benson, who is tired of her family’s nagging during the holidays. Annoyed with her mother’s attempts to set her up with people she thinks Sloane should date, Sloane devises a plan to get out of the nagging. When she meets Jackson, the two decide to be each other’s holidates or platonic plus ones for a whole year, but things change when their feelings take a romantic turn as the year progresses.

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