Let’s be real for a second. Sometimes you don't want a gritty, three-hour historical epic that leaves you questioning the moral fabric of society. You want Adam Sandler. You want a fake marriage, a beautiful tropical location, and a series of increasingly absurd lies that somehow result in a happy ending. Honestly, films like Just Go With It occupy a very specific, very necessary corner of our brains. They are the cinematic equivalent of comfort food.
Maybe it's the chemistry between Sandler and Jennifer Aniston. Or perhaps it's the sheer audacity of a plot where a plastic surgeon pretends his office manager is his ex-wife to impress a much younger schoolteacher. It's ridiculous. It's goofy. And yet, when it's raining outside or you've had a brutal week at work, there is nothing better.
But why is it so hard to find that exact vibe again?
The "fake relationship" trope is a staple of the rom-com genre, but Just Go With It (which, fun fact, is actually a remake of the 1969 film Cactus Flower) adds a layer of slapstick energy and high-production value travel-porn that’s surprisingly hard to replicate. You’re looking for a specific blend: a bit of deception, a lot of heart, and a setting that makes you want to book a flight to Hawaii immediately.
The Best Films Like Just Go With It You Probably Forgot About
If you’re chasing that specific high, you have to start with the "Sandler-verse," but you also have to look at the mid-2000s boom of the high-concept romantic comedy.
Blended (2014) is the most obvious successor. It reunites Sandler with Drew Barrymore, and if we’re being objective, their chemistry is the gold standard for this type of movie. Instead of a fake marriage, you get two single parents who have a disastrous blind date and then—through a series of convoluted events—end up sharing a suite at a South African resort. It hits every single beat. You have the exotic location, the kids providing the B-plot emotional stakes, and the slow realization that the person they hated in Act 1 is actually their soulmate.
Then there’s The Proposal (2009). While it trades Sandler’s specific brand of "man-child" humor for Ryan Reynolds’ razor-sharp sarcasm and Sandra Bullock’s physical comedy, the DNA is identical. It’s the "fake engagement" trope at its absolute peak.
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The stakes in The Proposal feel a bit higher because of the looming deportation threat, but the comedy remains light. It also features Betty White in a supporting role that arguably steals the entire movie. If you liked the "fake family" dynamic in Just Go With It, the scenes in Sitka, Alaska, where Margaret (Bullock) has to pretend to love Andrew’s (Reynolds) eccentric family, will hit the spot.
Why the "Fake Relationship" Trope Never Gets Old
Humans love a secret.
There is a psychological satisfaction in watching two characters navigate a web of lies. It creates instant tension. Every scene becomes a high-stakes game of "will they get caught?" This is exactly why movies like We're the Millers (2013) work so well, even though that film leans much harder into R-rated territory than Just Go With It.
In We're the Millers, Jason Sudeikis hires a stripper (Jennifer Aniston, again), a runaway, and a dorky neighbor to pretend to be his family so he can smuggle drugs across the border. It sounds dark on paper, but it’s actually hilarious. It captures that same "mismatched group forced into intimacy" vibe. You start for the jokes, but you stay because you actually want this fake family to become a real one.
The Underappreciated Classics
We also need to talk about Overboard. Specifically the 1987 original with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, though the 2018 gender-swapped remake with Anna Faris has its charms.
The original is a bit problematic by modern standards—a man convinces an amnesiac heiress she’s his wife to get revenge—but the comedic execution is flawless. It captures that sun-drenched, chaotic energy. It’s about people being forced to live a life they didn't choose, only to realize it’s the life they actually wanted.
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- Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008): If you loved the Hawaii setting of Just Go With It, this is mandatory viewing. It’s more of a "breakup" movie than a "fake relationship" movie, but it shares the same DNA of vacation-resort-madness.
- Couples Retreat (2009): This one leans heavily into the ensemble comedy aspect. It’s a group of friends on a tropical island, half of whom don't want to be there, forced into therapy. It’s breezy, beautiful to look at, and features Vince Vaughn doing his typical fast-talking routine.
- The Heartbreak Kid (2007): A darker, more cynical take on the "mistake on vacation" theme. Ben Stiller realizes he married the wrong woman on their honeymoon and starts falling for someone else. It's cringier than Sandler's work, but the pacing is fantastic.
Dealing with the "Critics vs. Fans" Divide
It’s no secret that critics usually hate films like Just Go With It.
If you look at Rotten Tomatoes, Just Go With It sits at a dismal 19% from critics. But the audience score? 59% and millions in box office receipts. There is a massive disconnect there.
Critics often look for "prestige" or "innovation." They want a film to reinvent the wheel. But the audience? We just want to laugh. We want to see beautiful people in beautiful places doing silly things. There’s a comfort in the formula. You know exactly how these movies are going to end within the first ten minutes. That’s not a bug; it’s a feature.
Nuance exists even in the "low-brow" comedy world. A movie like 50 First Dates (another Sandler/Barrymore classic) manages to be genuinely touching despite its goofy premise. It deals with memory loss and the idea of "choosing" to love someone every single day. It’s surprisingly deep for a movie that also features a walrus named Jocko.
The Evolution of the Tropical Rom-Com
Recently, we've seen a bit of a resurgence in this genre.
Ticket to Paradise (2022) with Julia Roberts and George Clooney felt like a throwback to the big-budget, star-powered comedies of the early 2010s. It wasn't trying to be "edgy." It was just two of the biggest movie stars on the planet bickering in Bali.
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Then you have The Lost City (2022), which adds an adventure element. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum have a dynamic that feels very reminiscent of the "odd couple" energy in Just Go With It.
What these newer films prove is that we haven't outgrown the genre. We just need the right chemistry. You can’t fake the spark between two leads, and that’s ultimately why Just Go With It remains so watchable. You can tell Aniston and Sandler are actually friends. They’re having fun, and that fun is infectious.
Making Your Own Marathon
If you're planning a weekend binge-watch, don't just stick to the obvious ones.
Mix in some of the high-energy ensemble pieces like Grown Ups (the ultimate "hanging out" movie) with the more structured rom-coms like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. The goal is to maintain that "lighthearted deception" thread.
Honestly, the "fake it till you make it" theme is universal. We all feel like we’re pretending to some degree in our real lives—whether it’s at a job or at a social event. Seeing characters take that to an extreme, like pretending to have a whole other family just to keep a lie alive, is a form of catharsis.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Movie Night:
- Prioritize Chemistry: If you loved Sandler and Aniston, move straight to Murder Mystery (1 and 2) on Netflix. It’s a bit more "whodunit," but their banter is exactly the same.
- Look for the Director: Dennis Dugan directed Just Go With It, Happy Gilmore, and Big Daddy. If you like the rhythm of his jokes, look through his filmography.
- The Tropical Rule: If the movie doesn't have at least one scene involving a pool, a beach, or an overpriced resort, it probably won't hit the same "vacation" vibe you're looking for.
- Check the Supporting Cast: These movies often live or die by their side characters. Nick Swardson’s "Dolph Lundgren" character in Just Go With It is a prime example. Look for movies featuring Kathryn Hahn, Luis Guzmán, or Rebel Wilson for that same chaotic energy.
Ultimately, films like Just Go With It aren't trying to win Oscars. They’re trying to give you a 116-minute break from reality. Sometimes, a well-timed "bad" joke and a sunset over the Pacific is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Start your marathon with The Proposal for the structure, move into Blended for the heart, and finish with Couples Retreat for the pure escapism. It’s a foolproof lineup for anyone who thinks the modern movie landscape has become just a little too serious.
Next Steps:
- Check the "Frequently Bought Together" or "More Like This" sections on your streaming service specifically for the 2008–2014 window.
- Follow the filmographies of producers like Jack Giarraputo if you want that specific Happy Madison production style.
- Avoid "Prestige Rom-Coms" (like 500 Days of Summer) if you are specifically looking for the goofy, slapstick energy of the Sandler-verse.