Diane Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun legend, brings another romantic classic with Must Love Dogs, her 2005 release about a recent divorcée who tries out online dating after the end of her marriage. This being the early aughts, online dating is practically unrecognizable from today’s Tinder hellscape, but that’s all part of Must Love Dogs‘ charm. As Sarah, Lane signs up for a dating website and connects with Jake (John Cusak), who is also looking for love again after the end of his own relationship. After a dog park first date, the two click, but the addition of Bob (Dermot Mulroney, playing the charming dad of one of Sarah’s preschool students) as another potential love interest complicates their relationship. With Elizabeth Perkins as Sarah’s wise-cracking sister and Christopher Plummer as her advice-ready dad, Must Love Dogs fills every early-200s rom-com trope in all the best ways.
Photo: Everett Collection
