13 Best Romantic Comedies Of The 21st Century

This unexpected little gem is a film that was rightly celebrated, an engaging if unrealistic portrayal of two lost souls using dance and each other to rebuild their lives. While the actual premise is a bit over the top, the star cast make every post a winner, with Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawerence more than matching it with an in form Robert DeNiro.

The plot sees Cooper's Pat Solitano released from a mental health facility having beaten up his wife's lover, returning to live with his family, including his eccentric father played by DeNiro. Pat soon teams up with Lawerence's Tiffany in practicing for a dance competition they have entered, which the lead man is using as a ploy to win back his wife.

While the specifics of mental issues are somewhat brushed aside, the emphasis on Pat and Tiffany being outcasts who find likeminded people to connect to is executed to perfection. The 'will they won't they' scenarios could easily have fallen flat with weaker actors, but the two leading actors are so good you just go with it.

The supporting cast is all first rate, with DeNiro brilliant as Pat's eccentric father figure, while Chris Tucker's cameo as one of Pat's fellow inmates from the mental facility adds an extra spark. The epic celebrations of the Solitanos after our lead pair receive a mediocre score at the film's climactic dance contest is typical of the great fun to be had here.