Meg Ryan | What Women Want | ad executive | Marisa Tomei

What Women Want (2000) It’s surprising that macho Mel “Braveheart” Gibson starred in this feminist romantic comedy about a chauvinistic, freewheeling ad executive who, through near electrocution, gains the ability to hear women’s thoughts. Overwhelmed by all this new information, he first uses it to seduce a coffee-shop hottie (Marisa Tomei) and then learns to better understand his teenage daughter, his coworkers, and a rival (Helen Hunt) who nabbed the position he wanted. It’s a hilarious and touching story, although it now comes with unintentional humor when Gibson tells one young man, “Thanks for the yarmulke.”

When Harry Met Sally (1989) Can men and women be just friends? Director Rob Reiner and writer Nora Ephron pondered that very idea in this classic romantic comedy starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as the titular friends/potential lovers. What would be completely pedestrian material in lesser hands is elevated by fine comedic performances from the cast and by some snappy dialogue. The scene in a Manhattan deli is legendary, and for good reason. Ryan is incredibly hot with her clothes on.