All Jennifer Lopez Rom-Coms, Ranked

Given the pop culture at the time, it’s truly odd how little chemistry Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck have in Gigli. Then again, the movie doesn’t do them any favors; it’s incredibly dated, making 2003 feel even farther in the past than it actually is. Not to mention, Gigli doesn’t really commit to either the romance or the comedy aspects of the rom-com. 

Instead, it wants to be an action movie. So, the comedy doesn’t really support the romance, rather it undercuts it. Gigli delivered lines that became infamous, like “Turkey time,” for all the wrong reasons. Of all of Jennifer Lopez’s rom-coms, this one is the least appealing because it seems to want to engage with the cherished genre as an afterthought. If you’re looking for Lopez and Affleck in something closer to a traditional rom-com, there’s always Jersey Girl (2004). Then again, Lopez is not the leading lady of that; it’s more of a vehicle for Affleck. 

Second Act is more of a workplace comedy than a romantic comedy. Milo Ventimiglia plays Trey, Maya’s (Jennifer Lopez) boyfriend, amid This Is Us’s (2016) peak. However, the romance is more of a subplot to Maya’s professional ambitions. So, don’t go into this one expecting romance to be Second Act’s main priority.

Really, the movie finds a much more prominent love story in its female friendships. Between Maya, Joan (Leah Remini), and Zoe (Vanessa Hudgens), their dynamics carry the most weight. So, in that sense, Second Act is a bit of a subversive romantic comedy with a strong theme about it never being too late to start over or try again in love and life.

Jennifer Lopez’s Holly Castillo is one of the many stories unfolding in What to Expect When You’re Expecting, a lot like Valentine’s Day (2012). Unfortuantely, that breadth of stories means that Holly’s arc doesn’t get the depth that I wish it would have. Even so, in a movie that largely focuses on pregnancies, it’s compelling that Holly’s storyline navigates international adoption.

The only drawback is that What to Expect When You’re Expecting’s runtime inhibits how well it can navigate those logistics for Holly. It even undercuts Holly’s husband, Alex (Rodrigo Santoro), who gradually accepts becoming a father. Lopez and Santoro’s chemistry is fine; there’s just not enough of them in the movie. It’s strange to have Lopez in a rom-com and not give her much more. Then again, I always tear up when Holly meets her son, Kaleb, so Lopez knows how to land those emotional beats in a romantic comedy, no matter how much screentime she has. 

Shotgun Wedding stands out in my memory because it was the second romantic comedy Jennifer Lopez released in the same year as Marry Me. As Life As We Know It’s (2010) biggest fan, I was also eager to see this because Lopez was starring opposite Josh Duhamel. Sadly, Shotgun Wedding is more of an action-comedy than a rom-com. 

It relies too heavily on the action and not enough on the romance. Therefore, The Lost City (2022) is a better watch for rom-com fans who also want a paradise-adjacent location and a bit of action. Still, there’s no denying that Shotgun Wedding is a good time. It’s hilarious, outrageous, and features a fantastic supporting performance from Jennifer Coolidge. 

Looking at Jennifer Lopez’s extensive romantic comedy line-up, The Back-Up Plan may be one of the most underrated. I find her chemistry with Alex O'Loughlin believable and enjoyable. The concept of the movie is certainly different: Zoe (Lopez) meets her dream guy, Stan (O’Loughlin), after becoming pregnant through artificial insemination. 

That premise sets The Back-Up Plan for some romance but far more comedy—the balance is a fine one to strike. For example, Jane the Virgin (2012) does a good job with its own twist on true love and artificially inseminated pregnancies. Because it relies more on comedy, it’s just not the most memorable rom-com in Jennifer Lopez’s filmography, but it’s still a largely charming watch.

Marry Me holds a special place in my heart as a fan of romantic comedies and Jennifer Lopez’s appreciation of them. This movie marked her return to the genre after Second Act and feels like the early 2000s in the most complimentary and nostalgic ways. Perhaps it’s because it, like Shotgun Wedding, gets back to what Lopez’s romantic comedies often feature—a wedding.

The premise is also so fun. What do you mean, Kat (Lopez), a famous singer, impulsively marries Charlie (Owen Wilson), a teacher in the crowd at her show? Wait, it gets better. She does so because her fiancé, Bastian (Maluma), cheats on her just before their live-streamed (there’s the 2020s angle!) wedding. Marry Me also fits right into the rom-com register where famous people and everyday people fall in love, like Notting Hill (1999) and The Idea of You (2024). 

I’m always going to be a sucker for a Cinderella (1950) retelling as a romantic comedy. A Cinderella Story (2004) is one of my favorite movies of all time, so, of course, I love Maid in Manhattan. This movie is stunning in how it depicts New York City. Its narrative effectively grounds itself in real-world themes like class, making it a timely yet evergreen watch. It also has some—as top-tier romantic comedies should—excellent supporting performances from The Parent Trap’s (1998) Natasha Richardson and Easy A’s (2010) Stanley Tucci.

Jennifer Lopez plays Marisa Ventura, a single, working-class mother who works at a first-class hotel. Her son, Ty, is played by Tyler Posey, who would later stumble back into my life as I became obsessed with Teen Wolf (2011). Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes plays Chris Marshall, with the movie swapping a prince for a man running for Senate. Their chemistry is fantastic, making the moment when Marisa tells Chris “It was real” have the emotional honesty it deserves.

I should be upfront and share that Monster-in-Law is one of my favorite movies ever. I find even its most glaring faults charming. For better or worse, I will defend this absolute gem. On the one hand, it’s the movie that brought Jane Fonda back to acting after 15 years away. It also has utterly delightful supporting performances from Wanda Sykes and Adam Scott. Monster-in-Law also finds its male lead in Michael Vartan during the peak of Alias (2006).

Fonda and Jennifer Lopez’s dynamic is what makes this movie. The romance between Charlie (Lopez) and Kevin (Vartan) is already established in the movie’s opening minutes. This romantic comedy is more about sustaining that relationship as Charlie faces off against her controlling mother-in-law, Viola (Fonda). Watching Charlie and Viola raise the bar until they both reach breaking points and find a really satisfying resolution is, simply put, a great time. Therefore, I find Monster-in-Law to be a more effective rom-com than Second Act.

I don’t know that there’s a conversation about the best romantic comedies if it doesn’t include The Wedding Planner. This movie has some of the best chemistry the genre has ever seen with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey as its romantic leads. I don’t know that we’d have McConaughey in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) without The Wedding Planner.

I also don’t think the genre would have the phenomenon of Judy Greer playing ‘the best friend’ in rom-coms without this movie. It comes before Greer’s roles in 13 Going on 30 (2004) and 27 Dresses (2008)—both iconic romantic comedies in their own right. Not to mention, The Wedding Planner is Jennifer Lopez’s first romantic comedy. It establishes a bar that the other ones just can’t clear. Now, it’s Office Romance’s turn to try. Regardless, it will join a list of greats.