Jennifer Lopez (a.k.a. JLo) is among 21st-century romantic comedy royalty. The singer, dancer, and actress has anchored 12 romcoms since the early 2000s.
Lopez dreamed of performing from a young age, with an early knack for commanding the screen. She first broke into the entertainment industry with a small role in the 1986 film My Little Girl. She then danced on the 1990s comedy show In Living Color before breaking into meatier film roles. The actor’s big break came in 1997 with her critically acclaimed leading performance in Selena.
Following Selena, Lopez appeared in a variety of genre films before landing her first romantic comedy in 2001. The actor’s charming performance and effortless chemistry in her romcom debut cemented her as a genre mainstay. She appeared in several romcoms before the genre began to die down around the 2010s.
JLo was a fixture of the early 2000s romcom boom, and has been at the forefront of the recent resurgence. Lopez’s latest romcom, Office Romance, arrived on Netflix this month. The film’s arrival has sparked renewed interest in Lopez’s impressive romcom filmography. Though the average critical score for Lopez romcoms is low, the films generally boast high box office earnings and sustained cultural relevance. Within Lopez’s impressive romcom filmography, there are a few standout films that are particularly iconic.
12
Gigli (2003)
Gigli is considered the worst film for both Lopez and co-star Ben Affleck. Martin Brest (Beverly Hills Cop) wrote and directed the infamous romantic comedy.
Considered out of touch even at the time of its release, Gigli sees gangsters Larry Gigli (Affleck) and Ricki (Lopez) reluctantly sent on a joint mission to kidnap a federal prosecutor’s younger brother, who has an intellectual disability. The Sony Pictures flop has a dismal 6% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 14% audience score. Gigli grossed just $7 million at the worldwide box office, against a $54 million budget.
Critics agreed that the film’s attempted jokes fell flat and the leading couple’s chemistry did not land. Despite Gigli’s failure, Lopez’s performance was a bright spot in the otherwise clunky film. During a 2022 Vogue interview, Lopez mentioned an interest in revisiting the critically panned film.
11
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (2012)
Directed by Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee), What to Expect When You’re Expecting follows five couples during the turbulent period of approaching parenthood. While not a straight romcom, the ensemble comedy follows classic romcom arcs within each intersecting story.
Lopez plays a baby photographer who cannot have kids of her own and is eager to adopt, though her husband (Rodrigo Santoro) is unsure. In the end, Lopez’s love story is with her new baby, not her partner. The actor’s performance is simultaneously heartwarming and heartbreaking, making her one of the more compelling aspects of the film.
Despite engaging performances from a stacked cast, What to Expect When You’re Expecting is generally disjointed and relies on jokes that were iffy in 2012 and have since aged particularly poorly. The film has a 23% critical score and 47% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
10
The Back-Up Plan (2010)
2010’s The Back-Up Plan marks Lopez’s return to straight romantic comedies following a five-year interlude. Directed by Alan Poul and written by Kate Angelo, the film follows a woman who finds her soulmate on the same day that she conceives through artificial insemination.
The Back-Up Plan makes obvious jokes about the lead character’s hidden pregnancy and was picked apart by critics for being overly formulaic. Some jokes also struggle to land today, including the boyfriend’s jealousy of a pregnancy pillow. The Back-Up Plan has an 18% composite critical score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Audiences are more fond of the film, giving it a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes. The PG-13 film grossed a respectable $77 million worldwide against a $35 million budget. Lopez romcoms are often more popular with general audiences than film critics, receiving low reviews but high box office earnings.
9
Second Act (2018)
The 2018 film Second Act is more of a workplace comedy than a traditional romcom. However, the film’s romantic subplot still earns it the romcom classification.
After losing a manager position to a college-educated candidate, Maya Vargas (Lopez) concocts a workplace ruse to prove her professional prowess. The romantic subplot comes when Vargas’s loving boyfriend (Milo Ventimiglia) expresses his desire to start a family, though Vargas is unsure.
While the romantic subplot is somewhat weak, the focus on Lopez as a solo lead is welcome. Lopez’s central performance sells the film’s humorous yet inspiring story. From 50 First Dates director Peter Segal, Second Act earned a mediocre 44% critical and popular score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the Lopez vehicle grossed a respectable $72.2 million at the worldwide box office.
8
Jersey Girl (2004)
At its core, Jersey Girl is about the concept of love, not just romance.
By writer-director Kevin Smith (Clerks), the film depicts a young single father’s (Ben Affleck) love for a new romance, his late wife, and his daughter. The touching and naturally comedic story is sold through the intimate cast’s earnest performances. Despite its merits, the sweet romcom grossed just $35.4 million at the worldwide box office, against a $35 million budget. Jersey Girl has a critical score of 42% and an audience score of 48% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The mediocre response to Jersey Girl is due, in part, to Lopez and Affleck’s real romantic turmoil. The “it couple” publicly split about three months before their film’s premiere—likely dampening its reception.
7
Shotgun Wedding (2022)
The traditional romcom takes an action-packed turn in the Amazon Prime original, Shotgun Wedding.
From Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore, Shotgun Wedding follows a couple (Lopez and Josh Duhamel) as they fight to survive after their destination wedding is raided by pirates. The chemistry between Lopez and Duhamel is not exceptionally strong, but the high-action, high-comedy antics make for an entertaining flick. Through an interesting blend of action, romance, and comedy, this film offers wide-reaching appeal.
The stellar cast of Shotgun Wedding is rounded out by Jennifer Coolidge, Lenny Kravitz, and D’Arcy Carden. Shotgun Wedding has a 4/10 from Screen Rant and a 46% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences are more favorable towards this crowd pleaser, giving it a 51% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
6
Monster-in-Law (2005)
Monster-in-Law was a critical flop with just 19% on Rotten Tomatoes, but a popular success. It grossed $155 million at the worldwide box office and found additional viewership on streaming. It has a 55% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Directed by Robert Luketic and written by Anya Kochoff, the hilarious romance finds Charlotte (Jennifer Lopez) at odds with her soon-to-be mother-in-law (Jane Fonda). Jennifer Lopez gives a reliably entertaining and charismatic performance, but two-time Oscar winner Jane Fonda steals the show.
Fonda strategically chose to be in Monster-in-Law following a career dip, as she knew Lopez would draw mass audiences (via Deadline). The plan worked, and Monster-in-Law effectively relaunched Fonda’s career, opening the door for future projects such as the hit Netflix show Grand and Frankie.
5
Office Romance (2026)
Lopez returns to romcoms in the Netflix original, Office Romance, which premiered on June 5, 2026.
Directed by Ol Parker (Ticket to Paradise), the flick follows a classic forbidden love arc between CEO Jackie Cruz (Lopez) and new-hire Daniel Blanchflower (Brett Goldstein). As their romance blossoms, the protagonists struggle against Cruz’s own no-dating policy. The cast is rounded out by Betty Gilpin (GLOW), Tony Hale (Arrested Development), Bradley Whitford (Get Out), and Amy Sedaris (BoJack Horseman).
Early reviews of the film are somewhat split, with a 43% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes. However, this should not deter excited viewers. Office Romance is tailor-made for romantic comedy fanatics, and is among Lopez’s best true romcoms. The delightful Office Romance strikes an appropriate balance of romantic chemistry and enjoyable comedy, and cements Netflix’s place atop the modern romcom wave.
4
Shall We Dance (2004)
Shall We Dance is perhaps the only romantic comedy to fully utilize Lopez’s dance background and ability.
In the 2004 film, Richard Gere plays a bored family man who spots a striking dance instructor (Lopez) and promptly signs up for her lessons. Despite the implication of infidelity, the narrative is surprisingly uplifting. Gere and Lopez build palpable chemistry through intimate dance scenes, proving to be a perfect balance of charming and sexy. The stellar cast includes Susan Sarandon, who plays Gere’s wife, Lisa Ann Walter, and Stanley Tucci.
Shall We Dance received lukewarm reviews, with a 46% critical score and 57% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, the lead actors’ combined star power proved an effective lure, as the blockbuster grossed over $170 million at the worldwide box office.
3
Maid in Manhattan (2002)
Maid in Manhattan is one of Lopez’s most beloved romantic comedies. The 2002 film was released at the peak of Lopez’s initial ascension into stardom, arriving one year after her romcom debut.
The Cinderella-style story is directed by Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club) and written by Kevin Wade (Working Girl). It sees a Republican political candidate (Ralph Fiennes) fall for a hotel maid (Lopez), mistaking her for a member of the upper class.
The narrative is perfectly predictable, in the way classic romcoms are intended to be. While Maid in Manhattan was unpopular among critics, with a 37% on Rotten Tomatoes, it drew crowds to the theater. The romance grossed $154.9 million at the worldwide box office, standing out in a stacked year for romcoms. 2002 also saw the release of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Bend It Like Beckham, and Two Weeks’ Notice.