8 Romance Movies Critics Hated That Audiences Would Fight For. The Crowd Was Right.

Critics wrote these off. Audiences bought the tickets, quoted the lines and rewatched them every winter. Today I'm with the crowd. Loudly.

Number one beats a far more famous rival, and critics hated it most.

1. 8
   Just Go with It (2011)3.9

   Just Go with It is a perfect Sunday couch movie.

   Critics gave it 20% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave it an A− CinemaScore and $214.9M worldwide. Sandler lies his way to Hawaii. You watched it twice. Admit it.
2. 7
   The Ugly Truth (2009)3.8

   The Ugly Truth is dumb, and the crowd loved it anyway.

   14% on Rotten Tomatoes, a 28 on Metacritic, then $205.6M worldwide off a reported $38M budget. Gerard Butler barking dating advice was the whole pitch, and it sold.
3. 6
   How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)5.1

   Peak McConaughey charm. Critics just refused to have fun.

   42% from critics, $105.8M domestic. Hudson and McConaughey trying to out-sabotage each other is the entire engine, and it runs smoother than most rom-coms twice as smart.
4. 5
   The Holiday (2006)6.1

   The Holiday is a yearly ritual, not a movie.

   Critics shrugged at 51%. Audiences pushed it to $205.2M worldwide and 372,460 IMDb votes. Jack Black as a romantic lead should not work. It legit does.
5. 4
   Meet Joe Black (1998)5.9

   Meet Joe Black is slow on purpose. Critics called it boring.

   48% on Rotten Tomatoes, but 7.2 on IMDb from 305,195 voters and an A− CinemaScore. Pitt and Hopkins doing a quiet two-hander beats most romances' loudest scenes.
6. 3
   Me Before You (2016)6.4

   Me Before You earned its tears. The crowd said so with money.

   Critics landed at 55%. Audiences gave it an A CinemaScore and $208.5M worldwide on a reported $20M budget. Emilia Clarke's eyebrows deserve their own credit.
7. 2
   The Notebook (2004)7.1

   The Notebook is a classic. 54% from critics is a typo.

   705,617 IMDb voters average 7.8. CinemaScore: A. Gosling and McAdams fight like real people, and James Garner and Gena Rowlands make the frame story hit harder than it should.
8. 1
   A Walk to Remember (2002)5.6

   A Walk to Remember is better than The Notebook. Yes, really.

   Critics: 30% on Rotten Tomatoes, 35 on Metacritic. Audiences: 7.3 on IMDb from 233,609 votes. Mandy Moore plays it completely sincere, and nobody out-sincered her.

$63.47 says you're typing "The Notebook should be number one" before you even finish scrolling.

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Current mood: ready to fight about it