The Worst Romantic Movies of All Time

50. Eat Pray Love (2010) – Based on Elizabeth Gilbert’s bestselling memoir, Eat Pray Love had all the makings of a soulful romantic journey but ended up being panned for its self-indulgent tone. Julia Roberts’ performance as a woman seeking meaning across Italy, India, and Bali felt less inspiring and more like an overlong travel commercial, leaving critics and audiences underwhelmed by its lack of real emotional depth.

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49. Dear John (2010) – A Nicholas Sparks adaptation, Dear John promised heart-tugging romance but instead delivered a slow-moving and predictable melodrama. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried lacked strong chemistry, and the story, centered around love letters exchanged between a soldier and his girlfriend, was criticized for being emotionally manipulative and frustratingly cliché.

48. Yesterday (2019) – While not a traditional romance, Yesterday had a love subplot at its core that fell flat. The film’s intriguing premise about a struggling musician who wakes up in a world where The Beatles never existed was overshadowed by a bland romance between Himesh Patel and Lily James, which felt forced and tacked-on to a story that was already struggling to find focus.

47. What Happens in Vegas (2008) – This rom-com starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher tried to capitalize on the “opposites attract” formula but came across as obnoxious and unfunny. The plot, revolving around two strangers who drunkenly marry in Las Vegas and must stick it out for financial reasons, was criticized for being contrived, mean-spirited, and devoid of genuine charm.

46. The Wedding Planner (2001) – Despite featuring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, The Wedding Planner is often cited as one of the weaker rom-coms of its era. Its storyline of a wedding planner falling for a groom-to-be was riddled with clichés, predictable gags, and thin character development, making it feel like a missed opportunity despite the star power.

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45. This Means War (2012) – Combining action and romance, This Means War saw Chris Pine and Tom Hardy as CIA operatives fighting over Reese Witherspoon’s character. Instead of being fun, the movie was criticized for being shallow, over-the-top, and tonally confused, with the love triangle feeling forced and the action sequences doing little to compensate.

44. The Ugly Truth (2009) – This Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler rom-com was meant to explore the battle of the sexes but ended up leaning too heavily on crude humor and outdated gender stereotypes. The supposed chemistry between the leads often came across as uncomfortable, with the film’s attempts at edgy comedy making it more grating than charming.

43. I Love Trouble (1994) – Starring Julia Roberts and Nick Nolte, this romantic comedy thriller was a box office flop and widely panned for the lack of chemistry between its leads. Behind-the-scenes tensions between the actors reportedly seeped into the film, making their romantic pairing unbelievable. What was meant to be a witty screwball romp instead felt dull and lifeless.

42. Management (2008) – A quirky indie romance with Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn, Management was criticized for its awkward premise and uneven tone. The story of a motel clerk pursuing a traveling saleswoman came off as creepy rather than endearing, and despite Aniston’s charm, the movie failed to strike the right balance between offbeat comedy and genuine romance.

41. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) – With Matthew McConaughey playing a womanizer haunted by past lovers, this rom-com attempted a Christmas Carol twist but stumbled badly. Despite a talented cast that included Jennifer Garner and Michael Douglas, the film was derided for its lazy writing, unlikable protagonist, and overreliance on recycled rom-com tropes.

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