Love is a lot of things and does a lot of things. Just ask any singer-songwriter. Such a complicated emotion makes for a pretty complicated film landscape, too, especially in the massive Netflix library. The streamer offers a ton of romances, from the hilarious and corny to the cathartic and tear-jerking. There are plenty of romance movies that can feel like chicken soup for the soul, and there are also many that feel like a waste of time. So, to help you find the worthy ones, we’ve curated this list of the best romance movies on Netflix right now.
Looking for something else? Check out our list of the best rom-coms on Netflix, the best rom-coms on Hulu, and the best rom-coms on Amazon Prime Video.
Recently added to Netflix
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Love & Basketball2000 -
The Age of Adaline2015
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Legends of the Fall1994
Love & Basketball (2000) new
124m
Genre
Action, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Chris Warren
Directed by
Gina Prince-Bythewood
Omar Epps and Sanaa Lathan star as Quincy McCall and Monica Wright, two kids who grew up together and fell in love as they reached adulthood. They also share an all-consuming passion that complicates their relationship: basketball. As they both pursue professional basketball dreams, they head to different high schools and different colleges while trying to make their relationship work despite each knowing their love for the game comes first.
The Age of Adaline (2015) new
112m
Genre
Romance, Fantasy, Drama
Stars
Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford
Directed by
Lee Toland Krieger
Adaline Bowman (Blake Lively) has a secret: She’s remained 29 years old for nearly 80 years, which forces her to lead a solitary existence out of fear that someone might discover her strange immortality. But when Adaline meets philanthropist Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman), she can’t stay away. For the first time in decades, she feels a passionate draw toward someone. When a weekend with Ellis’ parents (Harrison Ford and Kathy Baker) nearly reveals her secret, Adaline must decide between security and love.
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001) new
97m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Drama
Stars
Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant
Directed by
Sharon Maguire
Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger) is the ultimate everywoman who was missing from romantic comedies for so long. At 32 years old and moderately successful, but more or less disorganized and hopeless in love, Bridget makes a New Year’s resolution to finally get her life on track. To help keep on track, Bridget keeps a diary of her everyday happenings and the actions she’s taking to make improvements in her life. However, her love life happens to get extremely complicated shortly after she starts the diary, making her little project more about understanding her romantic and sexual awakening.
Legends of the Fall (1994) new
133m
Genre
Adventure, Drama, Romance, War, Western
Stars
Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn
Directed by
Edward Zwick
This romantic epic follows three brothers and their father as they lead a homesteading life at the turn of the 20th century in the American West. Their lives are shaped by the frontier and the wars that a fledgling nation continually fights. But more so than the historical events happening around them, Tristan Ludlow (Brad Pitt) and Alfred Ludlow (Aidan Quinn) are defined by their competing love for a single woman: Susannah Fincannon (Julia Ormond).
Love Actually (2003)
135m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Drama
Stars
Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman
Directed by
Richard Curtis
While the creators swear it’s not a Christmas movie, Love, Actually has become a classic during the holiday season. Although it’s also one of those romance movies you can watch all year long. Featuring intertwining stories of several people searching for and finding different types of love, it’s heartwarming, heartbreaking, sweet, funny, and enlightening. It will make you laugh and cry, but it’s the type of movie with a fabulous ensemble cast that’s worth watching again and again.
Something's Gotta Give (2003)
128m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Romance
Stars
Jack Nicholson, Diane Keaton, Keanu Reeves
Directed by
Nancy Meyers
Something’s Gotta Give is a love story centered around two mature adults. Harry (Jack Nicholson) is a wealthy 60-year-old man with a penchant for dating younger women. When he meets a new girlfriend’s single mother, Erica (Diane Keaton), a woman in her 50s, the pair clash until circumstance brings them together and they realize they have a mutual attraction. With Harry’s reluctance to get into a serious relationship, however, nothing materializes. It’s a story about love, finding oneself even at an older age, and learning about what’s really important. With a talented cast and sweet story, it’s a must-watch for any romance movie fan.
The Lake House (2006)
99m
Genre
Romance, Drama, Mystery
Stars
Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Christopher Plummer
Directed by
Alejandro Agresti
Reuniting the iconic Speed duo of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, The Lake House takes a more subdued, romantic angle in this fantasy romance about two people who communicate with one another through letters in a mailbox at a lake house, even though they lived there at different points in time. While architect Alex (Reeves) resided there in 2004, doctor Kate (Bullock) moved in two years later in 2006, but they are somehow brought together through the magic of space and time. This sappy and sweet movie was a box office success, although it only received mixed reviews by critics. But the melodrama and charm, combined with the performances of the leads, easily make you forget about any plot inconsistencies.
Wake Up Sid (2009)
138m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Ranbir Kapoor, Konkona Sen Sharma, Rahul Khanna
Directed by
Ayan Mukerji
A coming-of-age story, Sid is a spoiled rich kid from Mumbai who carelessly weaves his way through college without worrying so much about succeeding or doing much of anything, really. That is, until he meets a young aspiring writer who encourages him to hone his talent for photography and start becoming a more responsible adult. Wake Up Sid was a massive box office success, and critics praised the performance of breakout star Ranbir Kapoor, who went on to star in movies like Anjaana Anjaani opposite Priyanka Chopra and the biopic Sanju. This movie is offered in the Hindi language.
Most Eligible Bachelor (2021)
149m
Genre
Romance
Stars
Akhil Akkineni, Pooja Hegde, Jayaprakash
Directed by
Bhaskar
Harsha is a young Indian man whose parents set him up for an arranged marriage. But during his time flipping through the photos of the various prospective brides, he ends up meeting a stand-up comedian named Vibha with whom he falls in love. By then, however, he is already set to marry someone else. It’s a story of forbidden love that has been told again and again. But Most Eligible Bachelor, offered in the Indian Telugu language, struck a chord with viewers and became a box office success. Breezy and emotional, the film is lauded as much for its soundtrack and cinematography as it is for the story.
The Girl Next Door (2004)
110m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Emile Hirsch, Elisha Cuthbert, Timothy Olyphant
Directed by
Luke Greenfield
One of the most popular rom-coms of the early 2000s stars Emile Hirsch as overachieving, straight-laced high school student Matthew Kidman. Matthew hasn’t really lived his life until the gorgeous, slightly older, seemingly innocent Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) movies in next door. It turns out, however, that Danielle is a one-time porn star and she is in deep with some shady characters. Relentlessly drawn to her, Matthew soon finds his sheltered life spinning out of control.
Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)
95m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Romance
Stars
Sally Field, Max Greenfield, Beth Behrs
Directed by
Michael Showalter
Something of a Harold and Maude for a new generation, Hello, My Name is Doris stars Sally Field as Doris Miller, an older woman who has never really experienced romance outside of the pages of a novel. But when she meets her company’s new art director, John (Max Greenfield), inter-generational sparks fly. Doris soon realizes she and John are meant for one another, so she internet stalks him with the help of her 13-year-old granddaughter (Tyne Daly). Soon, she’s casually inserting herself into John’s life — which is an entirely new world for her — and quickly wins over his friends as she throws caution to the wind to make up for all the love she’s missed out on in her life.
When Harry Met Sally... (1989) new
96m
Genre
Comedy, Romance, Drama
Stars
Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
Directed by
Rob Reiner
Considered by many the greatest romantic comedy ever made, When Harry Met Sally… starts with a basic conceit: Will sex ruin a man and a woman’s friendship? As they travel from Chicago to New York, Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) debate this idea constantly because, well, they’re wondering if they should have sex or not. They have a perfect friendship but they’ve never become physical, prompting each to wonder if maybe true love has just been sitting in front of them the whole time.
Along for the Ride (2022)
106m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
Emma Pasarow, Belmont Cameli, Kate Bosworth
Directed by
Sofia Alvarez
Looking for a high school romance? Look no further than Netflix’s original adaptation of Sarah Dessen’s novel of the same name. In the summer before college, insomniac Auden (Emma Pasarow) meets Eli (Belmont Cameli), another teen insomniac wandering the seaside town of Colby at night. Drawn to one another, they embark on nightly quests to discover themselves and one another as the ambitious Auden finally experiences the laidback teen life she didn’t know she yearned for.
Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
110m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Warren Beatty, Faye Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard
Directed by
Arthur Penn
It’s the greatest outlaw story ever told, starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. Legendary actors play legendary bandits in this Oscar-winning romance that revolutionized on-screen violence. The Depression-era bandits flew from city to city, robbing banks, eluding cops, and falling deeper in love — only until it had to come crashing down.
Phantom Thread (2017)
130m
Genre
Drama, Romance
Stars
Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville
Directed by
Paul Thomas Anderson
Daniel Day-Lewis and Vicky Krieps are an explosive chemistry experiment in Paul Thomas Anderson’s drama about Reynolds Woodcock, a fashion designer at the epicenter of British fashion in 1950s London. With his sister Cyril, he dresses royalty, movie stars, and all of the world’s most famous people while women come and go through his life like leaves on the wind. But when he meets Alma (Krieps), his carefully tailored existence begins to unwind as he finds himself succumbing to love.
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Five Feet Apart (2019)
116m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Moisés Arias
Directed by
Justin Baldoni
Five Feet Apart is right up the alley of John Green fans. Stella (Haley Lu Richardson) is a teenage cystic fibrosis patient who lives in a hospital, bound by routines and self-control that literally keep her alive. But she starts wondering what that kind of life really is when she meets Will (Cole Sprouse), a charming teen with the same illness and less inclination to follow the rules. Despite the instant attraction, restrictions say they must maintain a safe distance between one another, so as the connection intensifies, it becomes a lot harder to stay 5 feet apart.
A Christmas Prince (2017)
92m
Genre
Romance, TV Movie
Stars
Rose McIver, Ben Lamb, Alice Krige
Directed by
Alex Zamm
A surprise holiday romance hit, A Christmas Prince spawned a trilogy with a devoted fanbase. In the original, a young journalist (Rose McIver) is sent abroad to cover a foreign prince who is poised to become king. Traveling and working over the Christmas holiday, the journalist and prince receive a surprising Christmas gift when they immediately click and fall in love.
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
106m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
John David Washington, Zendaya
Directed by
Sam Levinson
While Malcolm & Marie may be a bit soapy for some, it will very likely hit all the right tones for the hopeless romantics. After the premiere of his new movie, a filmmaker (John David Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) return home with the expectation of an imminent windfall of critical and financial success. As they celebrate, the night takes a turn when revelations about past relationships arise, testing the strength of their bond in the face of an incoming, drastic change.
To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)
100m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish
Directed by
Susan Johnson
Based on the novel of the same name, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is about a teenager named Lara (Lana Condor), whose life is turned upside down when love letters she has written to her crushes — meant for her eyes only — are mailed out. Each of her five previous loves confronts her one by one in an awkward, cringe-worthy fashion. Lara, normally a shy girl, must face the reality that her secrets are now out. She breaks through her shy exterior and lets herself have extraordinary experiences, and maybe she even finds love? This Netflix original will solidify your notions that high school was a rough time for all, but not without pulling at your heartstrings first.
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)
102m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Jordan Fisher
Directed by
Michael Fimognari
Loved To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before? Good news, there’s a sequel! Lana Condor returns as awkwardly in love Lara and, turns out, she’s still reaping the fall out from the love letters she never meant to send. You may recall, the last movie left off with Lara and Peter (Noah Centineo) happily in a relationship but when another recipient of her old love letters — a crush from way back — enters the picture, there’s trouble brewing in paradise.
To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021)
115m
Genre
Romance, Comedy, Drama
Stars
Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish
Directed by
Michael Fimognari
Finally, cap off the trilogy with the newest release in the To All the Boys series! It’s senior year, and after returning from a family trip to Korea, Lara Jean has a lot on her mind. Primed to make the first major decision of her life, Lara Jean begins to weigh the pros and cons of attending college both with or without Peter.
The Ottoman Lieutenant (2016)
111m
Genre
Romance, Drama, War
Stars
Ben Kingsley, Paul Barrett, Josh Hartnett
Directed by
Joseph Ruben
This period drama set just before the First World War centers on two Americans falling in love in the Ottoman Empire. Strong-willed Lillie (Hera Hilmar) is infuriated by injustice in the United States, so she leaves to join an intriguing American doctor (Michiel Huisman) on his remote medical mission in the Ottoman Empire. On the brink of war, Lillie finds her loyalty tested to both Jude and the mission when she finds herself surprisingly falling in love with the enemy: A lieutenant in the Ottoman imperial army.
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
Genre
Romance, Drama, History
Cast
Lily James, Jessica Brown Findlay, Matthew Goode
If you’re wondering about the name, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is the improvised title of a group that was breaking curfew in German-occupied Guernsey in World War II. In 1946, author Juliet Ashton (Lily James) journeys to Guernsey to learn more about the society and its missing co-founder, Elizabeth McKenna (Jessica Brown Findlay). Along the way, Juliet develops feelings for a Guernsey resident, Dawsey Adams (Michiel Huisman), even though her boyfriend, Mark (Glen Powell), has already asked her to marry him. This film deftly balances its romantic elements with the mystery, and it’s very well-made.
Adrift (2018)
96m
Genre
Thriller, Romance, Adventure
Stars
Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas
Directed by
Baltasar Kormákur
Adrift is based on the real story of Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley) and Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin), a young couple very much in love. When Richard is hired to sail a yacht to San Diego, Tami accompanies him on the fateful journey. However, the untimely arrival of Hurricane Raymond devastates the yacht and threatens their lives. Woodley’s terrific performance carries most of the film, but the power of Tami’s bond with Richard can’t be denied.
Marriage Story (2019)
137m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern
Directed by
Noah Baumbach
Marriage Story was one of four Netflix original films to be nominated for the 2020 Golden Globes and is yet another thought-provoking, deeply moving offering about real life from celebrated director Noah Baumbach. Baumbach, who has built his reputation on down-to-earth films about relatable characters like The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha, and another Netflix original, The Meyerowitz Stories, delivers perhaps his most profound work yet in Marriage Story. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple who genuinely love one another yet can’t make their marriage work, Marriage Story is one of the most honest, complex analyses of love and marriage you’ll ever see. “Marriage is hard” is the platitude we always hear but this film takes that saying to its absolute logical and philosophical extent.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
102m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves
Directed by
Nahnatchka Khan
After a teenage fling, childhood friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) go their separate ways. She grows up to be a celebrity chef, engaged to a successful businessman, while Marcus stays in San Francisco to help out with his father’s air conditioner installation business. When Sasha’s boyfriend keeps putting off their wedding, she breaks up with him and moves back to San Francisco, where fate reunites her with Marcus. The two start hanging out again, and Marcus’s old feelings for Sasha reignite, but he has to deal with his feelings of inadequacy as well as her new boyfriend, Keanu Reeves (playing himself). Always Be My Maybe doesn’t reinvent the rom-com formula, but it executes it well, and all the actors involved give it their all (especially Reeves, delightfully over-the-top).
Someone Great (2019)
92m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise
Directed by
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Gina Rodriguez stars in this Netflix original that marks the directorial debut of Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, who is also the screenwriter for Marvel’s Thor: Love and Thunder. Rom-com to Marvel movie? Yes, and it will make sense once you see this imaginative, unusual, and hilarious flick about love, loss, growth, and the bond of female friendship. Rodriguez plays Jenny Young, a music journalist who is dumped by her long-term boyfriend on the eve of a huge move to San Francisco for her dream job. Despite her sorrow, her two best friends pry Jenny out of her misery for one last outrageous adventure in New York City, determined to help her look forward and not back.
Set It Up (2018)
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Cast
Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu
Sick of their domineering bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs), two corporate assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) hatch a plan to make them fall in love with one another so they’ll stop being so darn demanding. Naturally, the assistants fall in love, too. This 2018 Netflix original was written by Booksmart writer Katie Silberman and delivers far more charm than your typical scheme-y rom-com. With engaging performances from the lovable Liu and Diggs as well as the relative newcomers, Deutch and Powell, Set It Up is a feel-good love-fest with plenty of laughs.
Ibiza (2018)
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Cast
Gillian Jacobs, Vanessa Bayer, Phoebe Robinson
In the Netflix original Ibiza, Harper (Gillian Jacobs) is sent to Spain for a business meeting, so she naturally brings her two best friends, Nikki (Vanessa Bayer) and Leah (Phoebe Robinson), to join along in the merriment. Harper meets a famous DJ, Leo (Richard Madden), and her friends convince her to throw caution — and her meeting — to the wind to go to Ibiza and find this man. It’s different from regular romance plots, but conventional nonetheless. With a trio of hysterical ladies, Ibiza will hit your funny bone, but not tear too hard at your heartstrings.
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
83m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Jessica Williams, Chris O'Dowd, Noël Wells
Directed by
Jim Strouse
Jessica Williams hasn’t quite had a breakout since The Daily Show, but The Incredible Jessica James is the first real chance she gets to show off her rom-com chops … and she succeeds marvelously. Jessica James, the character, may not be quite as incredible as you’d expect but she’s passionate and fun, and Williams plays her with a comedic resolve that makes you fall in love with her. Her chemistry with co-star Chris O’Dowd makes for a goofy, sexy, and refreshingly honest exploration of love after heartbreak. It’s a rom-com simply for lack of a better classification — this cynical but hopeful romp is very much its own thing.
Nappily Ever After (2018)
100m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Sanaa Lathan, Ricky Whittle, Ernie Hudson
Directed by
Haifaa al-Mansour
Based on the best-selling novel of the same name, Nappily Ever After tells the story of Violet Jones, played by Sanaa Lathan, who seemingly has it all — the job, the boyfriend, the hair — until it all falls apart. She comes to realize that the life she thought she wanted isn’t the life for her. In a late-night breaking point, Violet cuts all her hair off, shedding more than just her locks in the process. When she goes on a date with a soulful barber, she begins to understand what true happiness means to her. The Netflix original is a feel-good romance where one woman finds out what is most important to her.
Been So Long (2018)
100m
Genre
Drama, Music, Romance
Stars
Michaela Coel, Arinzé Kene, Ronke Adekoluejo
Directed by
Tinge Krishnan
Not all love stories are confined to America. In Been So Long, Michaela Coel (Black Mirror, Chewing Gum) plays Simone, a committed single mother living in London who falls — rather unexpectedly — for a man (Arinzé Kene) who may or may not be living in the shadow of his troubled past. Part musical part romance, the Netflix Original is a pure portrayal of finding love during a time when life is already complicated enough. It’s based on the stage musical by Ché Walker and Arthur Darvill, and as such, you can expect the modern-day tale to incorporate elements of funk and soul, not to mention plenty of mood lighting.
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