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The best romance movies on Netflix right now

It’s never easy to find love, but despite the threat of heartache, some of us remain romantics at heart. Netflix has embraced the romance genre with a rich selection of films that doesn’t settle for just rom-coms. These are the movies that pull on our heartstrings and captivate viewers with intense love affairs, betrayals, despair, drama, redemption, and even a few thrills.

Netflix is always adding new movies as other titles leave as part of the constant churn of content. Regardless, we’ve made it our mission to stay on top of everything by updating our list of the best romance movies on Netflix right now. These are the films that collectively remind us what it’s like to be in love.

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.

Where the Crawdads Sing (2022) new
Where the Crawdads Sing
43 %
7.2/10
pg-13 125m
Genre Mystery, Drama, Thriller
Stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson
Directed by Olivia Newman

Where the Crawdads Sing is one of the rare films that works as a romance, a mystery, and a thriller. Director Olivia Newman adapted Delia Owens’ novel for the big screen with Daisy Edgar-Jones as Catherine “Kya” Clark, a young woman who lives alone in the marsh during the 1950s and ’60s after being abandoned by her family.

When Kya is a teenager, she falls for a boy her age, Tate Walker (Taylor John Smith). After her connection with Tate is seemingly severed, Kya takes up with Chase Andrews (Harris Dickinson), a young man who betrays his bond with her. But when one of her lovers ends up dead, Kya finds herself on trial for her life and the deck stacked against her.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) new
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
70 %
7.8/10
pg-13 166m
Genre Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Stars Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson
Directed by David Fincher

What’s so curious about The Curious Case of Benjamin Button? He was born old, and grows younger as he ages. David Fincher updates F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story by setting it across the 20th century, with Brad Pitt headlining the film as Benjamin Button. After Benjamin is abandoned by his father, he is taken in by Queenie (Taraji P. Henson) and her husband, Tizzy Weathers (Mahershala Ali).

But the key relationship in Benjamin’s life is with Daisy Fuller (Cate Blanchett), a girl whom he meets as a child before their ages eventually line up in the middle of their lives. Benjamin and Daisy share a powerful romance, but the nature of Benjamin’s condition means that their time together is limited.

Legends of the Fall (1994) new
Legends of the Fall
45 %
7.5/10
r 133m
Genre Adventure, Drama, Romance, War, Western
Stars Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn
Directed by Edward Zwick

Legends of the Fall is yet another Brad Pitt romantic drama that takes place over the course of a few decades. In the early 20th century, William Ludlow (Anthony Hopkins) lives on his property with his three sons, Tristan (Brad Pitt), Alfred (Aidan Quinn), and Samuel (E.T.‘s Henry Thomas).

Julia Ormond co-stars as Susannah Fincannon, the woman who comes between the brothers. All three of the Ludlow brothers have romantic feelings for Susannah, but only two of the brothers return from World War I. And in the years that follow, heartbreak and pain threaten to tear two remaining brothers apart as well.

Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022) new
Lady Chatterley's Lover
67 %
6.6/10
r 126m
Genre Drama, Romance
Stars Emma Corrin, Jack O'Connell, Matthew Duckett
Directed by Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre

For the better part of a century, D. H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover has been adapted again and again for film, television, and even radio. Netflix’s movie is the latest adaptation, and it features Emma Corrin in the title role of Constance “Connie” Reid, the wife of Matthew Duckett’s Sir Clifford Chatterley.

When Clifford returns home from World War I as a paraplegic, the passion goes out of his marriage with Connie despite her best efforts. But when Connie begins a torrid affair with a gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors (Jack O’Connell), it may cost Lady Chatterley her title, her wealth, and even her husband.

Faraway (2023)
Faraway
109m
Genre Romance, Comedy
Stars Naomi Krauss, Goran Bogdan, Adnan Maral
Directed by Vanessa Jopp

Sometimes, you just need a break from life. When her mother passes away and her husband doesn’t show up to the funeral, it’s the last straw for Zeynep (Naomi Krauss). She’s already dealing with stress at work, an aging father at home, a husband who is clearly too preoccupied with his job for her, and a typical closed off teenage daughter.

So, she takes things into her own hands and decides to drive off to a home in Croatia that her mother bought before her death. But when she arrives, the owner of the villa Josip (Goran Bogdan) is still living there. This could pose a problem, or could it? Faraway is a romantic drama with elements of comedy and feel-good heartwarming moments that fans have likened to movies like Mamma Mia.

The Best of Me (2014)
The Best of Me
117m
Genre Drama, Romance
Stars Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Luke Bracey
Directed by Michael Hoffman
When a romantic movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, you can be fairly confident that it’ll be worth a watch for fans of the genre. The author behind books like Dear John and The Notebook that inspired those movies of the same names is also behind The Best of Me. James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan star as Dawson and Amanda, former high school sweethearts who are reunited by tragedy decades later. But there’s one problem: Amanda is married with a family, and Dawson’s troubled life involves a family filled with hatred and violence. While critics were generally not a fan of The Best Of Me, the predictably sappy story and great casting make it worth a watch if you’re into cliched tearjerkers. Note that due to licensing restrictions, The Best Of Me is not available to Netflix Basic with Ads subscribers.
Disobedience (2017)
Disobedience
74 %
6.6/10
r 114m
Genre Drama, Romance
Stars Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola
Directed by Sebastián Lelio
Based on the 2006 Naomi Alderman novel of the same name, Disobedience tells the story of a woman named Ronit (Rachel Weisz) who is ostracized from her strict Jewish Orthodox family and community. She returns for her father’s funeral and catches back up with two old friends, Dovid (Alessandra Nivola) and Esti (Rachel McAdams), who are now married to one another. Drama unfolds as it becomes clear that there’s a spark between Ronit and Esti that would not be approved by the culture. Once their secret romance is detected, the two become entangled in a tall tale of forbidden love. Weisz also serves as producer of Disobedience, which has been praised by critics for being “thought-provoking,” “beautifully acted” and “emotionally nuanced.”
DISOBEDIENCE | Official Trailer
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk
87 %
7.1/10
r 120m
Genre Romance, Drama
Stars KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Based on James Baldwin’s book of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk follows 19-year-old Tish Rivers (KiKi Layne) and the bond she forms with her childhood friend, Fonny (Stephan James). Set in 1970s Harlem, the couple is making big plans when Fonny is arrested for a crime he didn’t commit. Tish knows Fonny is innocent and goes to work with her family to fight the charge and create a community of love and support for Tish’s unborn child. Tish’s hope and resilience are made possible only by the love she and Fonny share.
The Age of Adaline (2015)
The Age of Adaline
51 %
7.2/10
pg-13 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. This movie is not available with Netflix Basic with Ads.
Most Eligible Bachelor (2021)
Most Eligible Bachelor
6.1/10
pg-13 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.
Most Eligible Bachelor Theatrical Trailer | Akhil Akkineni, Pooja Hegde | Bhaskar | #MEBOnOct15th
Along for the Ride (2022)
Along for the Ride
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.
Phantom Thread (2017)
Phantom Thread
90 %
7.5/10
r 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. Unfortunately, if you have Netflix Basic with Ads, you will not be able to stream this title.

Five Feet Apart (2019)
Five Feet Apart
53 %
7.2/10
pg-13 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. This title is not included with Netflix Basic with Ads.
Five Feet Apart Teaser Trailer #1 (2019) | Movieclips Trailers

A Christmas Prince (2017)
A Christmas Prince
66 %
5.8/10
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.
A Christmas Prince | Official Trailer | Netflix

Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Malcolm & Marie
53 %
6.7/10
r 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.
Malcolm & Marie | Official Trailer | Netflix

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
64 %
7.1/10
pg-13 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 I've Loved Before | Official Trailer | Netflix
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020)
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
54 %
6.0/10
pg-13 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 2: P.S. I Still Love You | Official Sequel Trailer 2 | Netflix
To All the Boys: Always and Forever (2021)
To All the Boys: Always and Forever
65 %
6.3/10
pg-13 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.
To All The Boys: Always and Forever | Official Trailer | Netflix
The Ottoman Lieutenant (2016)
The Ottoman Lieutenant
26 %
6.4/10
r 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. Netflix Basic with Ads subscribers will not be able to watch this movie.
The Ottoman Lieutenant Trailer #1 (2017) | Movieclips Trailers
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society (2018)
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
65 %
7.4/10
tv-pg
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.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
Marriage Story (2019)
Marriage Story
94 %
7.9/10
r 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.
Marriage Story | Official Trailer | Netflix
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Always Be My Maybe
64 %
6.8/10
pg-13 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).
Always Be My Maybe | Trailer | Netflix
Someone Great (2019)
Someone Great
63 %
6.2/10
r 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.
Someone Great | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

Set It Up (2018)
Set It Up
62 %
6.5/10
tv-ma
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.
Set It Up | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
The Incredible Jessica James
72 %
6.5/10
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.
The Incredible Jessica James | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix
Nappily Ever After (2018)
Nappily Ever After
63 %
6.4/10
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. At 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.
NAPPILY EVER AFTER Trailer (2018)
Been So Long (2018)
Been So Long
74 %
5.5/10
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 MirrorChewing 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.
Been So Long | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix

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Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
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