Sex in our City: Seattle as the Romantic Lead

Say what you will about Seattle’s dating scene (given that we are encased in rain-repellant fabrics much of the year, it is a bit of a miracle that anyone ever makes a connection), Hollywood seems to think it’s the perfect place for romance—or more specifically, for romantic comedies. The following handful of rom-coms set in Seattle are full of unlikely couples and their attendant antics on the inevitable path to lurve.

Say Anything [1989]
An aspiring kickboxer (John Cusack) and a valedictorian (Ione Skye) defy everyone’s expectations. Best reason to watch it again: The scene where Cusack serenades Skye with the boom box works every time.

Singles [1992]
Slackers find sex, love and rock ’n’ roll in the apartments at 19th and Thomas. Best reason to watch it again: To mourn the long lost O.K. Hotel and other classic Seattle haunts featured prominently. Also: The soundtrack still rules!

Sleepless in Seattle [1993]
A houseboat-dwelling widower (Tom Hanks) in Seattle and a journalist in Baltimore (Meg Ryan) meet cute via a radio show. Best reason to watch it again: To remember what Ryan’s face used to look like.

Life or Something Like It [2002]
A news reporter with a bad dye job (Angelina Jolie) and her archenemy cameraman (Ed Burns) fight and then fall hard. Best reason to watch it again: Steve Pool makes a cameo.

Love Happens [2009]
A florist (Jennifer Aniston) and a therapist (Aaron Eckhart) flirt among the Pike Place Market stalls (and a “Seattle” that looks suspiciously like Vancouver, BC). Best reason to watch it again: Uh, was there ever a first time?