Looking for a good love story? We’ve put together the best romance movies streaming on Netflix right now, from rom-coms to tear-jerking dramas to something a little sexier. Netflix has been leaning into their own original romantic content in recent years, so there are plenty of new releases to check out, but there are also some bonafide classics, award-winners, and box office hits in the mix. So without any further ado, settle in for meet-cutes, public professions of love, mind games, romantic gestures, slow dances, seductions, and all the classic romance movie beats.
If you didn’t find quite what you’re looking for here, check out the Best Movies on Netflix, Best Rom-Coms on Netflix, the Sexiest Movies on Netflix, the Best Netflix and Chill Movies Right Now, or if you’re not finding it on Netflix at all, head over to our list of the Best Romantic Comedies of the 21st Century So Far.
Editor’s note: This post was last updated December 2022 to include The DUFF.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Run Time: 2 hr 3 min | Director: David Dobkin
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato
I did not go into Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga expecting one of the most touching and romantic movies of the year, but one should never underestimate the power of Rachel McAdams. The Mean Girls and Game Night star proves once again that she’s one of the most underrated comedic actors of her generation with the goofy-yet-poignant Netflix Original comedy, starring alongside Will Ferrell as a pair of Icelandic singers with dreams of winning the Eurovision Song Contest. It’s sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, but the big surprises here are the fabulously catchy original songs and the surprising tenderness between the laughs that might just leave you with a tear in your eye and warmth in your heart. That’s not just because of the love story, but that’s sure a big part of it. Bonus: Dan Stevens giving the comedic performance of his career, which is also (you’re probably noticing a theme here) surprisingly touching. — Haleigh Foutch
The DUFF (2015)
Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Ari Sandel
Cast: Mae Whitman, Robbie Amell, Bella Thorne, Bianca A. Santos, Skyler Samuels, and Ken Jeong
Life is good for Bianca (Mae Whitman) until she learns that her classmates have been secretly thinking of her as the DUFF — designated ugly fat friend — to her best friends Casey (Bianca A. Santos) and Jess (Skyler Samuels), popular girls who everybody wants to know (or sleep with). With a little help from her childhood best friend Wesley (Robbie Amell), Bianca reinvents herself and breaks free of the stereotype that has been thrust upon her in exchange for tutoring Wesley in science. Along the way, Bianca and Wesley grow closer and begin to fall in love as she begins to learn that appearances aren’t everything and it doesn’t matter what others think of you. The Duff is the perfect teen movie about finding yourself and finding love that, like the characters, exceeds expectations and becomes much more than it appears to be. — Jay Snow
Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)
Run Time: 2 hr 5 min | Director: Olivia Newman
Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson
Based on the novel by Delia Owens, Where the Crawdads Sing offers some mystery and thriller aspects along with the romance. The movie centers around a girl named Kya (Daisy Edgar-Jones) from childhood to young adulthood. Neglected yet determined, Kya raises herself in a poor North Carolina marshland. When a prominent local man is found dead, however, Kya finds herself the prime suspect and is tried for his murder. She also finds herself in a love triange with the town’s golden boy Chase (Harris Dickinson) and the supportive Tate (Taylor John Smith). With beautiful cinematography and a compelling story, Where the Crawdads Sing is a solid romance with a dark twist. – Taylor Gates
Holidate (2020)
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Run Time: 1 hr 44 min | Director: John Whitesell
Cast: Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey, Kristin Chenoweth, Frances Fisher
Emma Roberts (American Horror Story) stars alongside Luke Bracey (Elvis) in Holidate, an adorable romantic comedy that charmingly exposes the familial and societal pressures that come with being single. Through a delightful journey of finding love, Holidate builds on the iconic and often cringe-worthy holiday movie tropes, allowing the two single strangers at the heart of the movie to find unexpected attraction and genuine chemistry. Holidate is not only bursting with comedy and cute cliches but also star power, including the incomparable Kristin Chenoweth (Schmigadoon!). A romantic comedy to the core, Holidate brilliantly balances hilarity with heartwarming moments. – Yael Tygiel
Look Both Ways (2022)
Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Cast: Lili Reinhart, Danny Ramirez, David Corenswet, Aisha Dee
Look Both Ways is a funny, charming film that explores the notion of one decision having the power to change the trajectory of your life forever. After Natalie (Lili Reinhart) spontaneously sleeps with her friend Gabe (Danny Ramirez), she has a pregnancy scare on her college graduation night. The film follows two different paths: what her life would look like if the test was positive and what it would be like if it was negative. Look Both Ways tells equally compelling tales, and the focus on Natalie’s career, in addition to the romance, is a refreshing change. – Taylor Gates
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Run Time: 1 hr 58 min | Director: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei
How many charming people can you pack into one movie? Crazy, Stupid, Loveputs a lot less emphasis on the “stupid” than you may expect. Although the plot makes absolutely no sense if you try to break it down logically (and why would you?), it’s a rather potent commentary on sincerity, body image, and societal expectations. These wacky characters don’t know what they’re doing, but nobody does. Without steeping into melodrama, Crazy, Stupid, Love understands why finding a sincere connection is so hard in the 21st century. You also get Ryan GoslingandEmma Stonerecreating Dirty Dancing, and who doesn’t want to see that? – Liam Gaughan
Persuasion (2022)
Run Time: 1 hr 47 min | Director: Carrie Cracknell
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Richard E. Grant, Henry Golding,
Based on the Jane Austin novel, Persuasion sees Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey) as Anne Elliot, a heartbroken woman who is presented with a second chance at true love. Co-starring a brilliant British cast, including the incomparable Richard E. Grant (Loki) and Crazy Rich Asians’ heartthrob Henry Golding, Persuasion is a classic romance story set in a bygone era. Gorgeously costumed and filled with breathtaking scenery and landscapes, Persuasion is a feast for the eyes, allowing director Carrie Cracknell to reveal a grounded story intended to tug on the heartstrings and warm the soul. – Yael Tygiel
Love & Gelato (2022)
Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Director: Brandon Camp
Cast: Susanna Skaggs, Tobia De Angelis, Owen McDonnell
Based on the best-selling novel by Jenna Evans Welch, Love & Gelato is an adorable rom-com sure to appeal to Emily in Paris fans or anyone just looking for a lighthearted watch. The movie follows Lina (Susanna Skaggs) as she ventures to Rome the summer before heading off to college. The film employs many beloved tropes of the genre – love triangles! Insta-love! An endlessly supportive bestie! – making it as sweet as its name. Bonus points for the beautiful cinematography showcasing Italy. – Taylor Gates
A Whisker Away (2020)
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min | Director: Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama
Cast: Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, Hiroaki Ogi
The premise of A Whisker Away sounds absolutely ridiculous when you first hear it. Miyo Sasaki, a middle school girl, is in love with her classmate Kento Hinode. In order to get close to him, she uses a mysterious mask to transform herself into a cat. Exactly! Ridiculous, right? But appearances can be deceptive, which basically is the fundamental theme of this 2020 anime film. In fact, the movie’s Japanese title translates to “Wanting to Cry, I Pretend to Be a Cat”, which actually sums up the plot much better.
Once you get past the initial weirdness, A Whisker Away turns out to be a very endearing story that’s as much about loving others as it is about loving yourself. Despite her bubbly exterior, Miyo is a deeply unhappy girl who desperately wants to find a sense of belonging. All the stuff with the cats just provides a cute, whimsical, and visually brilliant vehicle to help her find what she is looking for. There’s beautiful artwork, well-crafted characters, and a genuinely heartwarming story at the core of A Whisker Away, making it a must-watch for fans of the romance genre. — Remus Noronha
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Director: Susan Johnson
Cast: Lana Condor, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Noah Centineo
If you’re looking for a fun, sweet, YA romance to brighten your day, you won’t do much better on Netflix than To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Based off the novel by Jenny Han, the story follows Lara Jean (Lana Condor), a teenager whose worst nightmares are realized when five letters she wrote to her secret crushes are sent out without her knowledge. When she’s confronted by her old crush Peter (Noah Centineo), she’s afraid it could get in the way of her current crush Josh (Israel Broussard), so Lara Jean and Peter resolve to fake a relationship, so they can get with whom they really want to be with. Naturally, pretending to be together starts to create real feelings between the two. The film is a joy from start to finish, letting you relive a time when who “liked” you was the most important thing in the world, but without any of the trauma high school entails. Though the sequels aren’t as excellent as the first film, the entire To All the Boys trilogy is now available on Netflix. —Matt Goldberg
Set It Up (2018)
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min | Director: Claire Scanlon
Cast: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, Taye Diggs
If you’re looking for a charming romantic comedy, but don’t want to rewatch something from a previous decade for the umpteenth time, you should definitely give Claire Scanlon’s charming Set It Up a look. The plot follows two beleaguered assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) who decided to set up their bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs, respectively) in order to just get some precious free time away from their demanding jobs. However, with all their scheming, they start to fall for each other. You can see the rom-com beats coming from a mile away, but they’re done so well and so effectively that you won’t mind. Plus, the film sizzles thanks to the outstanding performances from the dazzling Deutch and Powell, who should be the streaming generation’s Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. — Matt Goldberg
Let It Snow (2019)
Run Time: 1 hr 33 min | Director: Luke Snellin
Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Liv Hewson, Odeya Rush
If you’re in the mood for some seasonal romance, Netflix delivered a bit of a Love Actually for the teen set with Let It Snow, a breezy holiday rom-com that finds a series of overlapping love stories on one fateful Christmas-season snow day. It’s a sweet film from top-to-tail, as interested in the dramas of teen friendship and domestic struggles as it the blossoming romances, and it’s filled with delightful performances from a knockout cast of young up-and-comers. A lot of the Netflix Christmas romances follow in the Hallmark Channel vein, and absolutely no judgment if that’s your preferred thing, but for those who want an old-fashioned feel-good holiday romance, Let It Snow is just the ticket. — Haleigh Foutch
Alex Strangelove (2018)
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Director: Craig Johnson
Cast: Daniel Doheny, Madeline Weinstein, Antonio Marziale, and Daniel Zolghadri
Yes, Alex Strangelove is a romantic comedy, which is how it got onto this list. But what makes the movie so endearing isn’t so much the romance as it is the personal arc of the lead character. Daniel Doheny stars as Alex Truelove, a high school senior and class president who is in a relationship with his best friend Claire (Madeline Weinstein). The couple sets a date to have sex for the first time. As you can imagine, something happens to derail those plans, and that something is the charming, openly-gay teenager Elliot (Antonio Marziale). After meeting him at a party, Alex starts to get closer to Elliot, which leads him to begin questioning his own sexuality. While the movie isn’t particularly deep, it delivers a funny, enjoyable story about accepting yourself that’s worth checking out. — Remus Noronha
Someone Great (2019)
Run Time: 1 hr 32 min | Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, LaKeith Stanfield, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise
Pitched somewhere between a love story and a wild night out comedy, Someone Great is one of Netflix’s better recently comedy efforts, centered on a young woman (Gina Rodriguez), who heads out for one last crazy night with her best friends before leaving town. Oh, and she just got dumped by her boyfriend of seven years. The boyfriend in question is played LaKeith Stanfield in peak charming mode, and the chemistry between the two is a knockout, keeping you wrapped up in their love even though you know it’s over. There’s plenty of raunchy comedy to go around in this one, but the dynamic between Rodriguez and Stanfield gives the film its heart and its spark. — Haleigh Foutch
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
Run Time: 1 hr 25 min | Director: Jim Strouse
Cast: Jessica Williams, Chris O’Down, Lakeith Stanfield, Noel Wells
Jessica Williams still hasn’t got the breakout she deserves since her tenure on The Daily Show, but the indie rom-com The Incredible Jessica James is the first time since then we’ve got to see her step into a leading role, and she just lights up the screen. Now, the character of Jessica James may not be quite as incredible as the title leads you to believe — she’s actually pretty selfish and naive — but she’s passionate, raw and ambitious, and Williams makes you love her in spite of her faults. A supporting performance from the constantly charming Chris O’Dowd certainly doesn’t hurt, and the two have electric chemistry as they try to navigate the waters of heartbreak together toward something healthy and new. Sexy, funny and decidedly modern, The Incredible Jessica James is a refreshing spin on the rom-com that doesn’t pander to the lowest common denominator. — Haleigh Foutch
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Run Time: 1 hr 41 min | Director: Nahnacthka Kahn
Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park, Michelle Buteau, Keanu Reeves
Netflix brought the rom-com back in a big way with 2018’s Set It Up, and the streaming service’s 2019 effort Always Be My Maybe is similarly charming and delightful. Co-written by and starring Randall Park and Ali Wong, the film follows a pair of teenaged best friends who have since drifted apart and are pushed together once more in adulthood, even though their lives have followed very different paths. Park and Wong are dynamite together, and the film takes time to breathe with some well-paced dramatic sequences. It’s also not lacking in scene-stealers, as Michelle Buteau is a hoot and Keanu Reeves once again proves his talent knows no bounds. — Adam Chitwood
The Half of It (2020)
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min | Director: Alice Wu
Cast: Leah Lewis, Enrique Murciano, Alexxis Lemire, Becky Ann Baker
Netflix has become the home of some real home-run romantic comedies in recent years, and the latest gem The Half of It might have just threatened to knock the crown off of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Written and directed by Alice Wu, the film offers an update on the classic Cyrano de Bergerac — and not in the deeply unsettling catfishing way Sierra Burgess Is a Loser did. Wu’s touching, gorgeously shot tale finds three teenagers searching for their identity and hungry for their first love, all wrapped up in a messy, hungry love triangle that never feels cheap or exploitative. Gorgeously shot, expertly paced, and filled with characters you can’t help but learn to love, The Half of It is a knockout self-aware teen romance that’s as bittersweet as the real thing. — Haleigh Foutch
Marriage Story (2019)
Run Time: 2 hr 16 min | Director: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta
Fair warning: Marriage Story will wreck you. But it’s also not just one of the best films of 2019, it’s the best film Noah Baumbach has ever made. The story chronicles the process of divorce from separation to finalization, with Adam Driver playing the successful theater director husband and Scarlett Johansson playing the successful actress wife. Complicating matters is the fact that the couple shares a child, but the brilliance of Baumbach’s film is that it tells the story from both points of view, so no matter which side you fall on in the end, you have deep empathy for both individuals. Driver and Johansson give career-best performances as Baumbach writes full-bodied, complex individuals—you know, like actual human beings. And with regards to the subject matter, Baumbach vividly showcases how the voices of the two individuals—and the love they previously shared—get lost in the actual process of divorcing. Heartbreaking and deeply human, Marriage Story is not to be missed. – Adam Chitwood
The Old Guard (2020)
Run Time: 2 hr 5 min | Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari
You might be surprised to see Netflix’s latest big-budget actioner The Old Guard on this list, but consider the fact that it’s directed by Love & Basketball and Beyond the Lights filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood and it all starts to make sense. Those films are two of the best love stories of the 21st century and tucked into her ass-kicking superhero thriller, Prince-Bythwood makes space for another stunning romance. Of course, much of that credit goes to original writer Greg Rucka, who made it very clear the queer love story stayed in his film deal, and equally so to actors Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli, who make you fall as in love with Nicky and Joe as they are with each other. But in Prince-Bythewood’s hands, their immortal love story is a swooning, lovely subplot that almost steals the whole dang show. — Haleigh Foutch
Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018)
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min | Director: Ian Samuels
Cast: Shannon Purser, Kristine Froseth, RJ Cyler, Noah Centineo
When mean girl cheerleader Veronica (Kristine Froseth) gives high school quarterback Jamey (Noah Centineo) unpopular Sierra Burgess’s (Shannon Purser) number instead of her own to dodge Jamey’s advances, Jamey unknowingly begins falling for Sierra. A modern romance from director Ian Samuels (The Map of Tiny Perfect Things) this high school flick explores themes of identity, friendship, and self-confidence. While this movie is a romantic comedy at heart, it’s the friendship that develops between Sierra and Veronica that leads to the most profound character development within Sierra, a girl coming into her own and learning how to love herself. – Rebecca Landman
