What’s Your Comfort Movie?

Imagine this: You’ve had a long day — say, stressful job, restless kids, a global pandemic — and you just want to turn your brain off. So, what chill-out movie do you turn to? Mine is a no-brainer…

When Harry Met Sally. I always laugh throughout the 1989 romcom and can quote almost every line. The ending makes my heart swell, and suddenly everything feels all right.

Here are three fun facts:

— In the original ending, Harry and Sally didn’t end up together. (!)

— Two of the studio’s top choices for Harry were Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton, and Sally was almost played by Molly Ringwald.

— Screenwriter Nora Ephron’s title ideas included ‘How They Met,’ ‘Boy Meets Girl,’ ‘Just Friends,’ ‘Words of Love,’ and ‘Harry, This Is Sally.’

So, I’m curious: What’s your comfort movie? Please share below!

P.S. How to stop yourself from crying, and what’s your wagon wheel coffee table?

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shannon kish

April 1, 2022 4:53pm 4:53 pm

Good Will Hunting

natalia

February 10, 2022 3:39pm 3:39 pm

pride and prejudice 2005 y sense and sensibility 1995

Lynne

February 9, 2022 8:39pm 8:39 pm

Chocolat – delicious!

Francesca

February 9, 2022 5:03pm 5:03 pm

Movies: Out of Africa, Moonstruck, The Leopard, Kind Hearts and Coronets, Mrs. Miniver
TV: Pride and Prejudice (Colin Firth!) and The West Wing

Nicole

December 8, 2021 4:54pm 4:54 pm

My husband makes fun of me because my comfort films are often ones from my childhood! Sometimes I will put something on in the background when I’m cooking or doing something productive. Especially nice if it has a soothing soundtrack!

Ariane

December 7, 2021 8:22pm 8:22 pm

The American president

Ruby

March 14, 2021 1:54pm 1:54 pm

Beauriful girls – yes!! Singles and Reality Bites. Most Noah Baumbach movies. The Big Chill, Indian Summer, Legends of the fall, Sense and Sensibility.

Jenny

November 2, 2020 4:37pm 4:37 pm

Me too! (That is, late to the party but can’t resist posting.)
Mine is also When Harry Met Sally. (I swear I’m not influenced by your post; ever since college!) And then after that:
Moonstruck –SO many priceless lines, and such a great New York movie. And Cher is so good (and un-Cher-like).
Beautiful Girls –Anyone else?? Under-appreciated late-90s movie, terrific ensemble cast. About a high school reunion in a small New England town, and includes the song “Sweet Caroline” to excellent effect. Also lots of quotable lines.
Kissing Jessica Stein –I swear this movie was ahead of its time. Hard to appreciate from today’s perspective, but it’s from 2001. I also like Friends with Kids, also by Jennifer Westfeldt, but that one just isn’t as good–it has good moments, but they don’t coalesce into a great movie (no matter how many times I watch it…). And also I find the ending very derivative of When Harry Met Sally!
The Philadelphia Story –So good. Yes, dated, if you’re not in the habit of 1940s movies. But so good. It’s originally a play and retains that snappy dialogue.

Rosa

October 30, 2020 9:04am 9:04 am

Right now it’s Crazy Rich Asians or Pride and Prejudice. I love how I can turn them on and not even have to look at the screen to know what’s going on.

Cristina

October 27, 2020 9:12pm 9:12 pm

Much fun and so many good mentions here, I love You’ve Got Mail, The Way We Were, anything with Colin Firth, Adam’s Rib or anything with Hepburn and Tracy, and Cinema Paradiso,

Karla

September 25, 2020 1:33am 1:33 am

Super late to the party, but had fun reading all the comments and want to add my list anyway:
While You Were Sleeping
Mamma Mia (both!)
Pretty Woman
Hope Springs (Colin Firth/Heather Graham)
9-5
On Golden Pond
The Jazz Singer (Neil Diamond version)
What Women Want
Yes, I’m OLD! LOL

Christine C

Reply to Karla

September 28, 2020 12:30am 12:30 am

Late to this post but just watched Plus One on Hulu. When Harry met sally is one of my faves as well and Plus one is like a modern version.

Ashley

August 31, 2020 11:14am 11:14 am

A little late to this party, but…

My Girl- all time favorite. The ending is so sad, but I almost always fall asleep before the end anyway!
and Runaway Bride!

Kim

July 28, 2020 10:40pm 10:40 pm

The Sound of Music
Steel Magnolias
Beaches
Pretty Woman
The English Patient
The Birdcage

megnolia13

July 24, 2020 12:46pm 12:46 pm

Pride & Prejudice (2005) is the only self-care I ever need. The aesthetic sounds and score and the beautiful filmography. It’s like therapy on film.

Alice

July 23, 2020 5:06am 5:06 am

Movies that I’m always happy to see are:
Green Fried Tomatos
The Legend of 1900
Amélie
Chocolat
Robin Hood – Men in Tights
Deadpool (!)

Lately, though, I’ve started watching old teenage movies (Clueless, Legally Blonde, 13 Going 30, …) whenever I’m home alone, and it’s been great!

Alice

Reply to Alice

July 23, 2020 5:09am 5:09 am

As for TV shows, I love rewatching Scrubs and Brooklyn 99.
I’ve only watched The Good Place for the first time a short time ago, but I know it’s going to be another comfort show.

Sadie

July 15, 2020 7:19pm 7:19 pm

The Princess Bride. The bonus is it’s a comfort movie you can watch with your kids. Cheers me up every time!

Tara

July 14, 2020 2:36pm 2:36 pm

The Notebook, Eat, Pray, Love, Love Jones, Sex & The City 1 & 2, and in Love and Basketball are some of my favs!

Heather

July 12, 2020 8:37am 8:37 am

Thank you for this thread!

Movies:
Practical Magic
Father of the Bride
How to Make an American Quilt
You’ve Got Mail
Sleepless in Seattle
Harry Potters
Anything directed by John Hughes
Valley Girl (the old 80’s one)
You’ve Got Mail
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Big
Housesitter
Parenthood (with Steve Martin)
First Wive’s Club

TV:
Golden Girls
SATC
Gilmore Girls
My So Called Life
Freaks & Geeks
Wonder Years

Emily M

Reply to Heather

September 2, 2020 9:18am 9:18 am

How To Make An American Quilt is MY comfort movie too! Nobody ever has heard of it so I adore seeing this gem on your list. xo

Maria Anagnostopoulou

July 12, 2020 4:06am 4:06 am

Sense and Sensibility the BBC version

Mary Anne

July 11, 2020 10:43pm 10:43 pm

My fav is Stranger Than Fiction. Love it. First saw it snuggled up in bed on our iPad in Tuscany.

Cynthia

Reply to Mary Anne

February 9, 2022 6:06pm 6:06 pm

“But only because you stammered…”

Cristina

Reply to Mary Anne

February 10, 2022 10:33am 10:33 am

I LOVED this movie. It’s a looney premise but it works beautifully!

Annelies

July 9, 2020 5:34pm 5:34 pm

The Holiday and Pirate Radio

martini

Reply to Annelies

September 3, 2022 9:42pm 9:42 pm

Oh dear, “Pirate Radio”, man alive! I miss that movie so much. Just the b.e.s.t. Thanks for mentioning it.

Stella

July 9, 2020 1:20am 1:20 am

Sleepless in Seattle
Serendipity (during the holidays)
When Harry Met Sally
Center Stage
Anywhere But Here
Under the Tuscan Sun

Lisa DiGangi

July 8, 2020 3:21pm 3:21 pm

So many great comfort movies & agreed:
“When Harry Met Sally”,
“It’s Complicated” and
“Julie & Julia” are some of my favs but I also love seasonal/situational, like:
“Dirty Dancing” in summer
“Elf” around the holidays
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” during wedding season and
“Clue” on a stormy night

TV: The Golden Girls hands down (I enjoyed the series first time around with my Grandma…total comfort memories & belly laughs to boot!)

Can’t wait to watch something & unplug w/ a glass of vino tonight; thanks for the ideas!

Amber

July 8, 2020 5:01am 5:01 am

Ooh, love this question!
Movies:
It’s Complicated
Love Jones
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Sleeping with The Enemy
Broken English (my fave repeat)
Boomerang
Mystic Pizza
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Singles
Call Me by Your Name
Love Simon
Under the Tuscan Sun
Rear Window
Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead
(and so many more)

Shows:
Keeping up Appearances
Golden Girls
Felicity
Monk
SATC
Hart of Dixie
Insecure
Curious George (with my son)

katie

Reply to Amber

July 8, 2020 9:34am 9:34 am

Love Broken English. Parker Posey is so perfect in that movie.

Holly

Reply to Amber

July 8, 2020 12:50pm 12:50 pm

When I first read the title of this blog post, It’s Complicated came straight to my mind. I was hoping someone listed it and your comment was the first one I read, how funny!

That is my all time favorite comfort movie.
Meryl Streep in that kitchen always brings me so much joy.

Sujata

Reply to Amber

October 8, 2020 7:44pm 7:44 pm

Love Broken English!!! Parker and Melvil ;)

Laura

July 7, 2020 5:14pm 5:14 pm

I just read every comment and made a list of movies to comfort me till fall! Thank you Cup of Jo for brightening my world with this community of women!

And of course, here is my short list:
* The Family Stone
* When Harry Met Sally
* Hannah and Her Sisters (I know… I know) and Annie Hall (guilt)
* So I married an Ax Murderer
* Sense And Sensibility
* Julie and Julia

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