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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 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 June 2022 to include Titanic.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Director: David Dobkin
Cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Pierce Brosnan, Dan Stevens, and Demi Lovato
Writers: Will Ferrell and Andrew Steele
Run Time: 2 hr 3 min
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
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Director: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa
Writer: Dan Fogelman
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei
Run Time: 1 hr 58 min
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 Goslingand Emma Stonerecreating Dirty Dancing, and who doesn’t want to see that?- Liam Gaughan
Titanic (1997)
Director/ Writer: James Cameron
Cast: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Bill Paxton
Run Time: 3 hr 14 min
Titanicbecame a phenomenon for a reason. As easy as it is to make fun of James Cameron’s romantic dialogue, he never fails to deliver spectacle. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet would go on to do more nuanced acting work, but they were never quite as charming as they were here. This is a romantic film that redefined a generation, pushed the boundaries of special effects, and solidified blockbuster filmmaking in the eyes of the Academy Awards. It’s an essential watch for any film fan — or anyone who just needs a good cry. –Liam Gaughan
The Danish Girl (2015)
Director: Tom Hooper
Writer: Lucinda Coxon
Cast: Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw
Run Time: 2 hr
Based on the 2000 novel of the same name by David Ebershoff, The Danish Girl is a fictional portrayal of real-life painters Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegener. The two painters, a couple, lived during the 1920s in Copenhagen. The 2015 drama stars Eddie Redmayne as Elbe, one of the first known people to get sex reassignment surgery, while Alicia Vikander plays Wegener. In The Danish Girl, Elbe stands in for a female model who fails to show up for one of Wegener’s painting sessions, igniting the self-discovery of her gender identity. As Wegener’s paintings in which Elbe is the female subject become more popular, Elbe and Wegener navigate their changing relationship while Elbe faces depression despite being determined to be her true self. The movie was nominated for multiple Academy Awards, with Vikander winning for Best Supporting Actress. While a male actor portraying a transgender woman has become less welcome in the years since the movie’s release, The Danish Girl is still a complex, emotional portrayal of Elbe and Wegener.
A Whisker Away (2020)
Directors: Junichi Sato and Tomotaka Shibayama
Cast: Mirai Shida, Natsuki Hanae, and Hiroaki Ogi
Writer: Mari Okada
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
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)
Director: Susan Johnson
Cast: Lana Condor, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart, Noah Centineo, Israel Broussard, and John Corbett
Writer: Sofia Alvarez
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min
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)
Director: Claire Scanlon
Cast: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Lucy Liu, and Taye Diggs
Writer: Katie Silberman
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min
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)
Director: Luke Snellin
Cast: Isabela Merced, Shameik Moore, Liv Hewson, Odeya Rush, Jacob Batalon, Kiernan Shipka, Joan Cusack
Writers: Laura Solon, Victoria Strouse, and Kay Cannon
Run Time: 1 hr 33 min
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)
Director: Craig Johnson
Cast: Daniel Doheny, Madeline Weinstein, Antonio Marziale, and Daniel Zolghadri
Writer: Craig Johnson
Run Time: 1 hr 39 min
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)
Writer/Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson
Cast: Gina Rodriguez, LaKeith Stanfield, Brittany Snow, DeWanda Wise
Run Time: 1 hr 32 min
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)
Writer/Director: Jim Strouse
Cast: Jessica Williams, Chris O’Down, Lakeith Stanfield, Noel Wells
Run Time: 1 hr 25 min
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)
Director: Nahnacthka Kahn
Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park, Michelle Buteau, Keanu Reeves, Daniel Dae Kim, James Saito, Vivian Bang
Writers: Michael Golamco, Ali Wong, Randall Park
Run Time: 1 hr 41 min
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)
Writer/Director: Alice Wu
Cast: Leah Lewis, Enrique Murciano, Alexxis Lemire, Becky Ann Baker, Daniel Diemer, Collin Chou
Run Time: 1 hr 44 min
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
365 Days (2020)
Director: Barbara Bialowas, Tomasz Mandes
Writers: Tomasz Klimala, Barbara Bialowas (screenplay associate), Tomasz Mandes (screenplay associate), Blanka Lipinska (screenplay associate/based on the novel by)
Cast: Michele Morrone, Anna Maria Sieklucka, Bronislaw Wroclawski, Otar Saralidze, Magdalena Lamparska, Natasza Urbanska
Run Time: 1 hr 55 min
Move over, every other sexy movie on this list, because there’s a new kid on the block named 365 Days,and it’s perhaps the sexiest thing to ever land on Netflix. Ever.
Arriving on Netflix in June, the Polish feature (originally titled 365 dni) is adapted from the first book in a steamy adult romance novel series from author Blanka Lipinska. 365 Days tells the story of Laura (Anna Maria Sieklucka), a young Polish woman who Massimo (Michele Morrone), the head of a Sicilian crime family, believes is the same woman who saved his life during a deal gone wrong months ago. When Massimo spies Laura at a bar while she is vacationing in Sicily for her birthday, he makes the decision to separate Laura and keep her for 365 days to see if she will fall in love with him.
Now, look, I know that this plot sounds deeply problematic; it definitely starts that way. Luckily, through Laura’s perspective, 365 Days addresses just how messed up it is for Massimo to kidnap her and keep her at his palazzo for a whole-ass year. And while you will experience a few more “Hey, that’s kinda fucked up!” moments as you watch, it’s really hard (heh) not to be hella turned on by Massimo and Laura’s chemistry. It’s very easy to be charmed by the glamor and Eurotrash wealth porn of Massimo’s life as a young, hot, super jacked Italian mafia don (Christian Grey who?). As the movie busies itself charming you with the fantasy of this life, it also cleverly crafts the cat-and-mouse game of seduction he and Laura play with one another. This, in turn, just makes them a great couple to watch develop. When it comes to the sex scenes, 365 Days gives Pornhub a run for its money with the very visceral, steamy situations Massimo and Laura find themselves in as their relationship progresses. Their BDSM-filled sexcapades the stuff of pure spank bank fantasy, ranging from fooling around in the shower to full-on yacht sex with enough thrusting and hair-pulling to keep your eyes glued to the screen.
Seriously, cancel any plans you have, watch 365 Days right now, and thank me later. — Allie Gemmill
Marriage Story (2019)
Director/Writer: Noah Baumbach
Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta
Run Time: 2 hr 16 min
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)
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Cast: Charlize Theron, KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts, Marwan Kenzari, Luca Marinelli, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Writer: Greg Rucka
Run Time: 2 hr 5 min
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)
Director: Ian Samuels
Cast: Shannon Purser, Kristine Froseth, RJ Cyler, Noah Centineo
Writer: Lindsey Beer
Run Time: 1 hr 45 min
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
Irreplaceable You (2018)
Director: Stephanie Laing
Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Brian Tyree Henry, Steve Coogan, Timothy Simons, Jacki Weaver, Kate McKinnon, Christopher Walken, Tamara Tunie
Writer: Bess Wohl
Run Time: 1 hr 36 min
One of the sadder offerings of the bunch, right as Abbie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Michiel Huisman) are about to get married and start a family, Abbie is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Determined to leave the love of her life in good hands, Abbie spends her dying days searching for a new match for Sam. While this romance could be incredibly depressing, writer Bess Wohl weaves all sorts of delightful moments throughout to brighten the overall tone. The support group Abbie attends, in particular, featuring the dark comedy stylings of greats like Kate McKinnon, Christopher Walken, and Steve Coogan to name a few add beautiful life to this otherwise deathly romance. – Rebecca Landman
All the Bright Places (2020)
Director: Brett Haley
Cast: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp, Kelli O’Hara, Lamar Johnson, Virginia Gardner, Felix Mallard, Sofia Hasmik, Keegan-Michael Key, Luke Wilson
Writer: Jennifer Niven, Liz Hannah
Run Time: 1 hr 48 min
In this incredibly emotional high school romance set in Indiana, love blossoms between Theodore Finch (Justice Smith) and Violet Markey (Elle Fanning) after Theodore talks Violet down from a suicide attempt. These two teens grow close as they each battle their own inner demons. Violet feels survivors guilt as she has survived a car crash that claimed her late-sister’s life. Theodore struggles with mental illness having grown up abused by his father and abandoned by his mother. Director Brett Haley‘s romance All the Bright Placesorchestrates a symphony of emotions, juxtaposing riveting darkness with tender, light compassion. Despite their inner obstacles, these two teens find great love in one another. When tragedy strikes yet again, that love they find in all the bright places lives on. – Rebecca Landman
Her (2013)
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson
Writer: Spike Jonze
Run Time: 2 hr 5 min
Few romantic movies are as gut-wrenching as Her. The story follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely man who hires a new personal AI to keep him company (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). At first, it feels weird to build a relationship with a machine. But soon Theodore falls completely in love with the voice whispering soft words in his ears. And the opposite is also true, as the AI starts to genuinely love Theodore back. What looks like a weird episode of Black Mirror actually becomes a story of acceptance and finding true love where you least expect it. It’s also a bittersweet tale of how couples from very different backgrounds have trouble communicating with each other, and how, sometimes, people who love each other must end their relationship for the well-being of all involved. Spike Jonze achieved a rare mix of romance and science fiction that works in every level, making Her one of the best romantic movies on Netflix right now.— Marco Vito Oddo
