The Best Rom-Com Movies to Stream on Netflix
Netflix
Everyone loves a happy ending, and a good romantic comedy often guarantees it. Whether the trope is enemies to lovers, love at first sight, or friendship with a twist, the journey is full of that sweet-and-sometimes-frustrating excitement, and ends with our hearts full and our eyes a little watery.
We scoured Netflix’s extensive catalog and picked out 40 romantic comedies that are sure to make the heart go pitter-patter, cause a good laugh, and maybe teach a valuable lesson or two about the L word. No matter if you’re watching these alone, with friends, or with a lover, you’re sure to enjoy the emotional roller coasters these films offer.
So grab some snacks (and a few tissues, in case there’s a good cry in store) and start movie night strong with this list of the best rom-coms to stream on Netflix.
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Corporate assistants Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell) have had enough of the late hours and ridiculous requests. Realizing they’re in the same unhappy boat, the two hatch a plan to get their over-demanding bosses Kristen (Lucy Liu) and Rick (Taye Diggs) to fall in love. What could go wrong? As it turns out, plenty—and then they start catching feels for each other.
What if you could go back in time to un-friend-zone yourself? That’s exactly what Noah (Adam Devine) tries to do after finding a magical photo-booth time machine that transports him to the Halloween party where he first met Avery (Alexandra Daddario). Can he change the course of history, or will he be forced to watch her marry someone else?
When Wesley (Nasim Pedrad) sends the ultimate drunk email to her new boyfriend, she and her friends (Anna Camp and Sarah Burns) set off to Mexico to try to delete it from his phone before he reads it. Things get more complicated once Wesley runs into Sean (Lamorne Morris), a guy that ended things on their very first date. Maybe hijinks in Mexico are all it takes to rekindle a spark…
Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) fell in love on their first night out together, but four years later it seems like they can’t have a conversation without arguing. In the middle of them calling it quits, a man hijacks their car and kills a biker…on purpose. Now they’ve taken on finding out just who the biker is, and why he deserved to be run over (and over and over). Amid the chaos, they might find each other again, too.
Jack (Sam Claflin) wants his sister’s (Eleanor Tomlinson) wedding to go off without a hitch, and he also wants to reconnect with a crush (Olivia Munn). But with uninvited guests, awkward encounters, and a weird drug going around, there’s many ways this day can go wrong—and we get to watch and laugh as it all plays out.
Sasha Tran (Ali Wong) and Marcus Kim (Randall Park) were childhood best friends-turned-sweethearts who fell out after a fateful night made things painfully awkward. Fast forward 15 years later when Sasha, a big-time chef, runs into Marcus—who’s still in the same place she left him. She’s successful and unforgiving, and he’s too comfortable settling. If only they weren’t still in love.
Narrated by comedian Kevin Hart, this comedy follows four “types” of men and women as they navigate dating and relationships. The ladies are reading Steve Harvey’s book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, and they’re hip to their suitors’ games. When all bets (and games) are off, who’s going to give into love?
Just when Martha (Anna Kendrick) thinks she’s destined to be single forever, she literally bumps into her dream man. Handsome, suave, and funny, Francis (Sam Rockwell) seems to have it all. That is, until she learns that he’s actually a “reverse hitman” who kills people who hire him to kill other people. The result? Romance with a major side of murder.
A-student Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) writes papers for her classmates in exchange for cash to help pay the bills. Things get complicated when Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) asks her to ghost-write his love letters to Aster Flores (Alexxis Lemire), the girl Ellie has a crush on, too.
Meghan (Elizabeth Banks) is a reporter with dreams of becoming a big news anchor. Broken-hearted after her fiancé breaks up with her and she doesn’t land her dream job, she has a one-night stand that quickly turns into her worst nightmare. Now she’s lost in L.A. without a phone, and her friends—and the very cute Gordon (James Marsden)—can’t find her. If Meghan doesn’t make it to work, she’ll miss her second chance at her dream.
If you love beach scenes, beautiful views, and a good playlist, this is the movie for you. Erica’s (Christina Milian) fiancé Jason (Jay Pharoah) left her a year ago, and the album she’s worked so hard for has just been destroyed, literally. She’s booked a beautiful resort for a working vacation, but when a cute guy named Caleb (Sinqua Walls) saves her from drowning, she realizes he’s Jason’s older brother…and wedding guest.
There’s nothing more romantic than wine—even when you’re hard at work. When importer Lola (Victoria Justice) travels to Australia to land her dream wine label, she finds herself trying to get on the owner’s good side by working at a local sheep farm. It doesn’t hurt that a hunky ranch hand (Adam Demos) is right by her side.
Class president Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) has everything planned out: He plans to go to Columbia with Claire (Madeline Weinstein), who he’s sure is his future wife. Feeling like the last virgin in high school, an unsettling question about his nonexistent sex life makes him realize he’s the only one who believes in taking things slow in the relationship. Meeting Elliott (Antonio Marziale) makes him question his plans—and dream of so much more.
Loosely based on Iliza Shlesinger’s life, Shlesinger plays Andrea, a semi-famous comedian who falls for the perfect guy (Ryan Hansen) on a plane ride home. Then she realizes that he lies about everything. In this reverse romantic comedy, Andrea finds truth and friendship while uncovering just how far a guy might go to get the girl.
Is anyone else tired of answering the “why are you single” question at every family gathering? Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) might have found the perfect solution in being each other’s plus one for every event—until real feelings get involved.
Similar to Holidate, this sweet film follows Peter (Michael Urie) as he tries to avoid his family’s judgment during Christmas. In an effort to hide his single status, he convinces his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to fake a relationship with him. But as most rom-coms go, fake feelings can turn very real, very fast.
For another festive and cute holiday pick, try Love Hard. When Natalie (Nina Dobrev) surprises her online boyfriend for the holidays, she discovers she’s been catfished—big time. After meeting the real guy behind the profile, Josh (Jimmy O. Yang), she learns there’s much more than meets the eye when it comes to love.
We had to round out the Christmas rom-com portion of this list with Lindsay Lohan’s much-anticipated return to acting. Lohan plays Sierra, a newly-engaged heiress who suffers from amnesia after a skiing accident. When she wakes, she finds herself being cared for by lodge owner Jake (Chord Overstreet)—and her life will never be the same.
In this star-studded movie, Eddie (Ed Helms) has made a career out of being an audience member on infomercials, aka a “clapper,” in L.A. But things get bad when a late-night TV host recognizes him and his many disguises, leaving him exposed—and jobless. While people want to make him actually-famous, he just wants to take Judy (Amanda Seyfried) on a nice date, and maybe find a second chance at love.
When a friend gives Eddie (Jake Johnson) a huge bag of cash to stash before going to prison, he can’t help but use a little for himself. And a little more, once he falls in love with Eva (Aislinn Derbez). Once his buddy returns from prison early, though, Eddie must find a quick way to come up with all of the money he lost—without also losing his new girlfriend.
Susan Whitaker (Rachael Leigh Cook) is a struggling attorney with a passion for helping the less fortunate, hired by Nick Cook (Damon Wayans Jr.) to sue dating site Love Guaranteed for wasting his time. Falling in love with his lawyer may make that case a little shaky.
When Brooks (Noah Centineo) needs savings for college, he creates an app that allows anyone to hire him as a stand-in boyfriend. All business, no feelings…right? Things get messy, however, once he meets Celia (Laura Marano), the right girl who makes him realize that playing with emotions maybe isn’t the best career move.
After Sofia (Riley Dandy) loses her job and boyfriend in the same day, things aren’t looking too great. Everything changes when she meets Matias (Isaac Gonzalez Rossi)—a hot chef who provides her with good food and even better romance.
While this movie is worth watching for the ocean views alone, the story is even better. Leanne (Zahra Newman) falls in love with Teddy (Rafe Spall), the guy who is saving everything for later: From setting a wedding date to following his dream of becoming a photographer, he always seems to need more time to think about it. But what happens when the next moment—or year—comes too soon?
Fans of home renovation shows will love this one. Gabriela (Christina Milian) ditches her city life to move to New Zealand after winning a rustic inn there. After meeting contractor Jake (Adam Demos), the two work to fix and flip it, building a romance along the way.
If you’ve never seen a realistic romance movie, then here’s your chance. Sam (Ben Schwartz) and Molly (Noël Wells), are an offbeat couple who, on their third and seemingly last anniversary, comb over what went wrong. But after three years together, what’s right and who’s wrong is only the half of it.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Having your biggest secrets exposed is a thing of nightmares for pretty much any teenager—or anyone, really. When her private love letters are sent to her crushes, Lara (Lana Condor) must figure out a way to explain herself. In the process, she ends up in a fake relationship with Peter (Noah Centineo), the most popular guy in school.
In yet another fun “fake a relationship” plot, Wedding Season follows Asha (Pallavi Sharda) and Ravi (Suraj Sharma) as they power through a summer of weddings together. Their adventures make them realize that they mean much more to each other than just being a plus one.
How far would you travel for love? After Harper (Gillian Jacobs) has a magical backstage moment with popular DJ Leo West (Richard Madden), she’s convinced he’s the one. Throwing all the responsibilities waiting for her at home away, she embarks on a trip to Ibiza with her friends (Vanessa Bayer and Phoebe Robinson) to track him down.
Natalie (Lili Reinhart) is a girl with two very different paths: On the night of her college graduation, her life splits into two parallel universes. In one, she becomes pregnant and raises her child in her hometown. In the other, she moves to Los Angeles to pursue her dream career. Great love manages to find her in both scenarios.
To get away from their problems and chaotic lives, a group of friends go on a bachelorette vacation to Ibiza together. While they try to turn to one another for help, they each end up with some very complicated love stories of their own. If you need a hilarious reminder of just how messy relationships can be, this is the movie for you.
The Incredible Jessica James
As Jessica James (Jessica Williams) knows, getting over an ex isn’t easy. While on the hunt for a rebound, she finds herself forming an unlikely friendship with Boone (Chris O’Dowd), a divorced app designer she rejected on a blind date. With the actors’ endearing chemistry and a truly unexpected ending (no spoilers!), the only word that can describe this rom-com is incredible.
Elle (Joey King) gets to live out her teenage dream when her first kiss leads to a real-life romance with her crush. She learns that dating Noah (Jacob Elordi) isn’t as easy as she thought it would be though, as the relationship might cost her more than she bargained for. Who will she side with: Noah, or her best friend—Noah’s younger brother?
In another cutesy teen rom-com, meet Jodi (Ava Michelle)—a 6-foot-1 girl who is tired of the bullies. She decides to embrace her height, ignore the haters, and find love along the way. It also stars big names like Sabrina Carpenter and The Office‘s Angela Kinsey, in case you needed another reason to watch.
How many women named Missy do you have in your contacts? For Tim (David Spade), the answer is “one too many.” When he means to message his dream woman to invite her to a corporate retreat to Hawaii, he’s horrified to learn he accidentally texted, well, the wrong Missy. His quirky and loud one-time blind date (Lauren Lapkus) shows up instead, and chaos ensues.
In one of the stranger rom-com premises out there, Rob (Marlon Wayans) is stuck in a time loop on the day of his wedding. Over and over again, he finds himself waking up completely naked in an elevator. That is, until he can figure out a way to give his bride the perfect day.
When two strangers are forced to participate in a shady briefcase swap, everything that could go wrong does. After the incorrect bag is given out, Danny (Callum Turner) and Ellie (Grace Van Patten) must band together and track it down somewhere in New York City.
Starring K.J. Apa (Riverdale), Maia Mitchell (The Fosters), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf) and more, you’re sure to recognize some famous faces in this coming-of-age film. It centers around a group of high schoolers in their final summer together before splitting up, and their relationships that are about to change forever.
In a story ripped from the pages of a fairytale, hairstylist Isabella (Laura Marano) gets the opportunity to work her magic during a royal wedding. The only problem? The groom, Prince Thomas (Mena Massoud), isn’t in love with his bride—he’s in love with her.
Sierra Burgess Is a Loser
Starring Riverdale and Stranger Things actress Shannon Purser, this case of mistaken identity will leave you on the edge of your seat. When Sierra begins texting with Jamey (Noah Centineo), she quickly realizes he thinks he’s talking to popular cheerleader Veronica (Kristine Froseth). Will she blow her cover, or will she end up in an unexpected romance?
Carlie Cooper is an Editorial Assistant at Hearst Autos.
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