From happy stories to cathartic cry-fests, here’s the romantic cream of the crop you can stream right now on Netflix, picked by Jenna Guillaume.
See also
* The 25 best romantic movies on Prime Video
* All new streaming movies & series
Alex Strangelove (2018)
Watch on NetflixA teen rom-com that kind of slipped under the radar back in 2018, Alex Strangelove is a sweet story about boy called Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) who is trying to figure out his sexuality, as he finds himself torn between the love he feels for his best friend/girlfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein) and his crush on his new friend Elliot (Antonio Marziale).
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Watch on NetflixCo-written and starring Ali Wong and Randall Park (with Michael Golamco also serving as a co-writer), Always Be My Maybe is a funny rom-com about a pair of childhood friends who meet again as adults and act upon their long pent-up feelings—but not without complications and challenges. It’s worth watching just for the spectacle of Keanu Reeves playing himself.
Candy Jar (2018)
Watch on NetflixCandy Jar is another under-rated 2018 teen rom-com (with a side of drama—warning: this movie might make you cry). It’s about two ambitious, nerdy students who are debate team rivals with more in common than they at first realise. It’s not a perfect movie, but it gets under your skin in a really lovely way.
Dating The Enemy (1996)
Watch on NetflixAn extremely underrated Australian rom-com starring Claudia Karvan and Guy Pearce as a couple who have recently broken up and who wake up to find themselves in each other’s bodies. It’s funny and ridiculous, while also being rather sweet, as the pair learn and grow to understand one another more as they quite literally walk in each other’s shoes.
The Half Of It (2020)
Watch on NetflixA Netflix teen movie that went mostly under the radar, this is a tender coming-of-age tale based loosely on Cyrano de Bergerac. Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) is a shy student who makes money by doing her classmates’ homework for them. When she’s approached by jock Paul (Daniel Didmer)—a sweet himbo—to write love letters to popular girl Aster (Alexxis Lemire), things get complicated, as Ellie has feelings for Aster too. The romance is lovely, but the friendship that develops between Ellie and Paul is the true heart of the story.
Isn’t it Romantic (2019)
Watch on NetflixAn affectionate parody of rom-coms, this Rebel Wilson vehicle sees her character wake up after an accident to find her world has been turned into a rom-com—complete with the requisite wardrobe, musical numbers, and censored sex scenes. The real highlight of the movie is Liam Hemsworth, who lets his comedic talents free as Wilson’s generic rom-com love interest.
The Princess Switch (2018)
Watch on NetflixAn utterly absurd, completely cheesy Christmas romance (aka the best kind), The Princess Switch sees Vanessa Hudgens take on two roles: ordinary Chicago baker Stacy, and Margaret, the Duchess of Montenaro. When the identical women cross paths, they of course switch places to get a taste of another kind of life — and love. It’s double the hijinks, double the romance, and double the fun.
Set It Up (2018)
Watch on NetflixSet It Up plays with familiar rom-com tropes in interesting ways. Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell sparkle as two overworked assistants who set up their bosses (Taye Diggs and Lucy Liu) in an attempt to make their own lives easier. Of course, they only make their lives more complicated—and romantic.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Watch on NetflixReminiscent of the golden age of teen rom-coms (ie the ‘80s and ‘90s), To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a sweet story of an introverted girl, Lara Jean Covey, who pretends to date one of the most popular boys in school and inevitably falls in love with him. While Noah Centineo garnered a lot of attention for his dreamy portrayal of love interest Peter Kavinsky, it’s really Lana Condor’s warmth and light comedic touch as Lara Jean that elevates the movie to an instant classic.
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Watch on NetflixMeg Ryan and Tom Hanks are one of the most iconic rom-com pairings of all time, and You’ve Got Mail is arguably their best work together. The romance itself is full of problems, but the combined charm of Ryan and Hanks sells it so well you don’t even care. Watching it now is also a nostalgic look back to a very specific and brief time on the internet when email was a good and exciting thing.
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