45 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix to Bring the Spark to Movie Night
Updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Whether you're single or happily coupled, these romantic movies on Netflix will satisfy your romance cravings
Binge-worthy romantic movies on Netflix
The romance genre has never been more popular. From sappy to cynical, comedic to dramatic, every platform has a collection of swoon-worthy romance films to put you in a lovey-dovey mood. Some of the best romantic movies offer heart-wrenching moments, yearning emotions, love affairs, meet-cutes and more. Thankfully, streaming platforms give us date-night-approved options. The best romantic movies on Netflix range from tearjerkers and dramas to sexy flicks and romantic comedies bound to make you laugh.
Which love stories made the cut?
A number of the movies on our list are highly acclaimed Oscar winners. Some are esteemed literary adaptations. Others are critical hits considered among the best movies of all time. And many simply offer bubblegum pleasures and flirty interludes. They’re funny, sweet, sentimental and sure to put a smile on your face. And while you may find yourself laughing or shedding a few tears, you’ll certainly be rooting for the couples to find their happily ever after.
So grab the popcorn, get comfy on the couch, bookmark these Netflix codes and pick your romance genre. These are the best romantic movies on Netflix, and they’re sure to provide a love-filled marathon—just try not to catch feelings.
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Persuasion, 2022
Rated: PG
What you’re in for: Bridget Jones meets Jane Austen
If you love period films, check out Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot in this freewheeling adaptation of one of Jane Austen’s most beloved romance novels. Leave your society manners behind; even though Persuasion is set in Georgian England, you’ll find yourself immersed in modern slang and a wildly loose version of the usually staid heroine. Anne chugs from wine bottles and says aloud what the novel’s heroine kept tight to her chest while she tries for a second chance at true love. Fall head over heels with one of the newest romantic movies on Netflix.
A Perfect Pairing, 2022
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: When your job is wining and dining a hottie sheep herder
In A Perfect Pairing, Victoria Justice plays Lola, a lovesick divorcee from L.A. who finds herself working as a “jackeroo” on an Australian sheep farm to land a big wine client. The tall, bearded, blonde rancher named Max helps the newbie cowboy learn the ropes, and they both fall hard. This is one of those romantic movies on Netflix that’s perfect if you want a Hallmark rom-com with Western vibes.
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between, 2022
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: One final epic date night before saying goodbye forever
Based on one of the most popular YA novels in recent years, Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between follows two high schoolers about to go off to college. Jordan Fisher plays Aidan, who plans a spectacular send-off for his girlfriend Clare (Talia Ryder) before their scheduled breakup. Clare doesn’t want any loose ties before they depart for a new chapter, but Aidan’s not ready to end things. This happy, wholesome romance is full of hope even as it delves into change and separation.
Love & Gelato, 2022
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: A summer foodie romance set in Rome
This is one of those light, dreamy romantic movies on Netflix sure to transport you to a breezy excursion through Italy. If you’re looking for easy, sunny situations (and one of the best Netflix movies released in 2022), then grab your pint of gelato and give this a whirl. Adapted from the book series, Love & Gelato follows a young woman who fulfills her mom’s parting wish by traveling to Rome—the two were supposed to go together as a graduation gift. Actress Susanna Skaggs gives Lina relatable depth as she faces loss and finds love along the way.
Always Be My Maybe, 2019
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for: Charming rom-com with a can’t-miss Keanu Reeves cameo
Before you start streaming the best TV shows on Netflix, try this hilarious and refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope. Always Be My Maybe is one of those romantic movies on Netflix that you won’t soon forget. It’s about two childhood friends (Ali Wong and Randall Park) who run into one another after not speaking for 15 years. They went down different paths in life, but after spending time together, they realize there’s still a spark between them. Can that spark last as they try to fit in to each other’s current lives? Watch to find out.
Irreplaceable You, 2018
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Characters you care about—and tears! Lots of tears
You’ll want to grab the tissues for this one. Irreplaceable You is another childhood friends-turned-lovers movie. The lives of Abbie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Michiel Huisman) are turned upside down when Abbie is diagnosed with cancer. Not wanting to leave Sam alone, she starts looking for a future girlfriend for him. If you’re someone who reaches for books that will make you cry, this is a comical-yet-sad romantic flick guaranteed to tug at your heartstrings.
Love, Guaranteed, 2020
Rated: TV-PG
What you’re in for: Falling for cornball come-ons in spite of yourself—just like the heroine!
In Love, Guaranteed, a lawyer (Rachael Leigh Cook) takes on a client (Damon Wayans Jr.) looking to sue a dating website that guarantees love. As they build a case, they also build a bond with each other that could lead to something really great. Will they win the case—and each other’s hearts?
The Last Letter from Your Lover, 2021
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Gorgeous costumes, settings and heart-wrenching, literary “I love you”s
The Last Letter from Your Lover is one of the most romantic movies on Netflix, and you’ll understand why once you start watching. It’s about a journalist (Felicity Jones) who sets out to solve the mystery of a love affair between two people (Shailene Woodley, Callum Turner) after she discovers their secret love letters (some of which could seriously be love poems) from the 1960s. As she learns more about their love story, she learns more about herself—and her own budding romance.
Someone Great, 2019
Rated: R
What you’re in for: Relatable adulting that proves your friends are your truest loves
If you’re looking to smile, laugh and maybe even shed a tear or two, Netflix’s Someone Great is the movie for you. A music journalist (Gina Rodriguez) lands her dream job in San Francisco and must move there from New York City. Not wanting a long-distance relationship, her longtime boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield) breaks up with her right before the move. To help get over the sudden breakup and celebrate her last night in the Big Apple, she and her best friends (DeWanda Wise, Brittany Snow) go out for one last hurrah. Friendship, growth, love and loss make this flick memorable and relatable.
Holidate, 2020
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Over-the-top holiday celebrations as the backdrop for love
If you love Hallmark Christmas movies, this is a must-see romantic holiday flick to add to your streaming list. Holidate is about two singles (Emma Roberts, Luke Bracey) who agree to be each other’s dates for the holidays, but that’s it. Sounds easy enough, right? That’s until you add insane chemistry and feelings into the mix.
Set It Up, 2018
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Fun and flirty workplace shenanigans that lead straight to love
Two executive assistants (Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell) work together to set up their overbearing bosses (Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu) in Set It Up. Sure, they hope romance blooms between their bosses, but will it bloom between them too?
By the Sea, 2015
Rated: R
What you’re in for: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s only film as a married couple
Angelina Jolie wrote, directed and starred in By the Sea alongside then-husband Brad Pitt. The two play a couple who, sensing their marriage is in trouble, escape to a French seaside town where they learn about the locals and themselves.
All the Bright Places, 2020
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Heavy subject matter makes for a moving romance
This romantic teen movie is sure to tug at your heartstrings. A book-to-movie adaptation, All the Bright Places is about two students (Elle Fanning, Justice Smith) who grow close during a school project. They help each other with their struggles (each is coping with grief and despair) while forging a bond that changes their lives in a powerful and meaningful way.
Our Souls at Night, 2017
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Screen legends in a touching drama
Robert Redford and Jane Fonda reunite in Our Souls at Night, one of the most romantic movies on Netflix. Redford and Fonda play a widower and widow who, despite being neighbors for years, don’t know each other well. What starts as an innocent friendship turns into something much more. The actors’ chemistry is undeniable as their characters navigate feelings of loneliness, grief and love.
Five Feet Apart, 2019
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for: Sparks fly in a hospital wing where two patients fall in love
Five Feet Apart tells the story of a teen (Haley Lu Richardson) with cystic fibrosis who falls for another cystic fibrosis patient (Cole Sprouse). The catch? They can’t have physical contact with each other because of their illness. Their connection is undeniable, but how can their romance bloom when they have to be at least five feet apart at all times? Well, they have their ways.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, 2018
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Book club antics and a sweet period romance
This post–World War II romantic drama will stick with you long after its final scene (and possibly make you want to start a book club of your own). The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, based on the historical fiction novel of the same name, is about a British writer (Lily James) who starts communicating with people on the island of Guernsey, a place that was occupied by the Germans during the war. She travels to the island to document what life was like during occupation and finds that, in many ways, the war isn’t over for its residents. She also forms a bond with one local (Michiel Huisman) that undoubtedly changes her life.
The Half of It, 2020
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for: Charming love triangle with a Cyrano plotline
The Half of It is the story of a teen (Leah Lewis) who is enlisted by a jock (Daniel Diemer) to help him learn how to be romantic and write a love letter to his crush (Alexxis Lemire). As she helps him, they form a friendship—but that friendship is tested when she falls for the same girl. This coming-of-age LGBTQ romance features themes of sexuality, friendship and what it means to have a real connection with someone.
Malcolm & Marie, 2021
Rated: R
What you’re in for: Gorgeous cinematography capturing gorgeous individuals doing gorgeous acting
Malcolm & Marie gives us an intimate look into a heated night between a filmmaker (John David Washington) and his girlfriend (Zendaya) after his movie’s premiere. Their love is questioned and put to the test, and in the end, it will either sink or swim. Washington and Zendaya’s performances are raw and magnetic as they play a couple in the midst of a life-defining moment.
The Lost Husband, 2020
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for: Wholesome farm romance with a hayfield of hope
The Lost Husband tells the story of a widow (Leslie Bibb) who moves her family to her aunt’s goat farm in Texas to get back on their feet. She works on the farm along with the ranch manager (Josh Duhamel), who, despite butting heads with her, helps her adjust to country life. And, as they say, opposites attract. We think you know how the rest goes.
2 Hearts, 2020
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for: Super sentimental and twisty tearjerker
Two love stories in one? Sign us up for 2 Hearts. Although they take place in different decades and different locations, they share an incredible connection. The kicker: This is one of those romantic movies on Netflix based on a true, real-life story!
Elisa & Marcela, 2019
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Inspiring queer love story in a beautiful setting
Based on a true story, Elisa & Marcela is a riveting movie about an early-20th-century woman in Spain (Natalia de Molina) who takes on a man’s identity to marry her longtime love (Greta Fernández). The movie is beautifully shot, and you’ll be hooked from the beginning as you see their love story unfold. The lengths they go to in order to be with each other is truly astounding. If you enjoy this movie, you’ll also love these LGBTQ books.
The Lovebirds, 2020
Rated: R
What you’re in for: Two lovable stars flirting their way through dangerously funny mayhem
Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae are undeniably delightful in The Lovebirds, a comedic story about a couple who, on the cusp of a breakup, are thrown into a murder mystery. As they work to clear their names, they reconnect in meaningful (and hilarious) ways. You’ll laugh, smile and root for them to make up until the last scene in this laugh-out-loud Netflix comedy. And if the premise sounds interesting, these true crime books might also be up your alley.
Falling Inn Love, 2019
Rated: TV-PG
What you’re in for: A fixer-upper dream house that comes with a man!
Falling Inn Love is the story of a woman (Christina Milian) who, after losing her job and her boyfriend, wins an inn located in New Zealand’s countryside. It’s a lot to take on and fix up, so she enlists the help of a contractor (Adam Demos) to help with the restoration. Together, they fix up the inn—and each other’s hearts. Start streaming now and let the swooning begin.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, 2018
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Secret love letters signed, sealed and delivering unexpected love
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is one of those romantic movies on Netflix you can’t help but watch again and again. A great Valentine’s Day movie, it’s about a teen girl named Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and the chaos that ensues in her life after the soul-baring private letters she wrote to her crushes are mailed out. It leads to a fake relationship with one of those crushes, Peter (Noah Centineo), but things get complicated when real feelings begin to blossom. This teen romance will have you hooked from beginning to end with two more movies in the series.
When We First Met, 2018
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Time travel rom-com for sweethearts who believe in fate
If you’re looking for a sweeping romance that’ll make you laugh and think about fate, When We First Met is the one to watch. When Noah (Adam Devine) meets Avery (Alexandra Daddario) at a Halloween party, he thinks she’s the girl of his dreams. She, however, thinks of him as a friend. Fast-forward three years and Avery is engaged to another man. Noah, heartbroken and wishing things could have been different, unexpectedly travels back in time to when they first met. He gets multiple chances to change the future but quickly realizes that things happen for a reason—and that reason is pretty wonderful.
Resort to Love, 2021
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Island love is the perfect vacation
Get ready for a jaw-droppingly gorgeous island paradise filled with beautiful people dressed in beautiful attire falling in and out of love. In Resort to Love, Christina Milian sings and shines as Erica, a woman on a romantic getaway whose ex (Jay Pharoah) is getting married. Wedding planners will drool—it looks that good. This may be one of the sexiest movies on Netflix, especially if you love a shirtless, sun-dappled Sinqua Walls as her ex’s brother, who offers a yummy distraction.
Dangerous Liaisons, 2022
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: A modern update of the famous French novel about love and betrayal
The Academy Award–winning period drama with the same name is one of the best movies about vicious romantic deception. The original story takes place amid the French aristocracy in the 1700s, but this Netflix take on Dangerous Liaisons brings it to the modern world of social media. Set in a prep school (you might notice hints of the hit ’90s movie Cruel Intentions), it features scheming, cruel people who aim to double-cross but instead end up with broken hearts.
Call Me by Your Name, 2017
Rated: R
What you’re in for: A life-changing summer
In this unconventional romance, set in the northern Italian countryside in the early ’80s, a 17-year-old Elio (Timothée Chalamet) spends his lazy summer days transcribing music and reading in the splendor of the Italian sun. That’s until the arrival of his father’s intern, a charismatic 24-year-old doctoral student named Oliver (Armie Hammer). Call Me by Your Name is a coming-of-age story about first loves and life-changing bonds that earned three Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor (Chalamet), as well as an Oscar win for Adapted Screenplay.
This Little Love of Mine, 2021
Rated: G
What you’re in for: Surfer meets workaholic in this wholesome island love story
Grab your sun hat and leave your laptop behind. This is another one of the romantic movies on Netflix set in a tropical paradise—this time it’s Australia. In This Little Love of Mine, a business-minded lawyer leaves her corporate city-girl life to travel home to the island where she grew up. Her childhood bestie is still there, but he prefers beach life and won’t even look at the contract she needs him to sign. The two butt heads but find a rekindling of long-ago feelings. They agree to a trade—he’ll read one page of legalese every time she has some fun.
Good on Paper, 2021
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Funny women with hardcore romantic cynicism
Comedian Iliza Schlesinger wrote and stars in Good on Paper, a raunchy rom-com that turns the genre on its head. Schlesinger plays Andrea, a stand-up comic who’s cynical about romance until she meets the perfect guy on an airplane. Margaret Cho is hilarious as the best friend who sees right through the new man’s good-guy exterior.
Your Name Engraved Herein, 2020
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: A beautifully sensitive drama set in 1980s Taiwan
This heartfelt, award-winning teen romance begins when A-han and Birdy are in high school. Both boys are in a strict school rife with homophobia in this popular, searing drama. This is a great love story if you like thrillers, simply because of the stressful, harrowing circumstances the two go through as an oppressive culture tries to repress their love.
Single All the Way, 2021
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: Delightful meet-the-parents-at-Christmastime rom-com
A Hallmark-style Christmas romance with a dash of hipster. That’s Single All the Way, a holiday rom-com with Jennifer Coolidge and Kathy Najimy. Peter convinces his best friend Nick to pose as his boyfriend during a visit home to meet the family for the holidays. Little does he know that Nick has always harbored feelings for him—plus Nick fits in with the fam perfectly! So why is Peter going on dates with another guy? We love this feel-good romantic movie on Netflix.
Let It Snow, 2019
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: A snowstorm traps a lovestruck celebrity with small-town high-schoolers
In Let It Snow, a sweet rom-com for teens and tweens, a famous young pop star named Stuart gets trapped in a small town during a snowstorm. He meets up with Julie, a high-schooler with a sick mom and reservations about leaving for college. She has no idea that Stuart’s famous, and as the two bond, he’s able to be seen for who he really is.
Love Hard, 2021
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: A funny holiday romance with unexpected sweetness
In Love Hard, a romantic Christmas movie that you’re going to want to watch every season, Nina Dobrev plays Natalie, a woman who’s epically catfished. She leaves L.A. and surprises him at his family home in small-town New York. When she shows up, everything goes haywire when she meets a different guy who begs her to stay—so he won’t be humiliated in front of his fam.
Really Love, 2020
Rated: TV-MA
What you’re in for: Great acting in a touching independent drama set in the art world
In Really Love, Kofi Siraboe plays an artist who falls for a law student, Stevie (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing), in one of Netflix’s best understated, atmospheric dramas. If you love to listen to characters talk and get to know each other, this is the perfect slow burn for you. Intimate and sensitive, it features great performances in a story about how love fits in with ambition. And the art is exciting and beautiful!
The Kissing Booth, 2018
Rated: TV-14
What you’re in for: What happens when you get to kiss your crush?
The first entry in the popular trilogy of teen romances, The Kissing Booth was adapted from a teen book series about a girl who winds up running a kissing booth at her high school. Joey King plays Elle, whose world turns upside-down when she kisses her secret crush Noah (Michael Miccoli) in front of the whole school—but could he really have feelings for her? You can follow it up with all three films in the series.
Notting Hill, 1999
Rated: PG-13
What you’re in for:Â ’90s romance that begins in a bookstore
Prepare for some laughs (and maybe some tears) in the love-filled Notting Hill. It perfectly pairs two legendary romantic movie stars, Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, in a sweet tale of romance. Follow along as a humble bookstore owner (Grant) and a movie star (Roberts) have one of the most memorable meet-cutes and pursue a passionate relationship, despite living very different lifestyles.
The Best of Me, 2014
Rated: PG-13
Any film based on a Nicholas Sparks book is bound to be filled to the brim with romance. Case in point: 2014’s The Best of Me. This book-to-movie adaption tells the story of former high-school sweethearts (played by Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden) who return home for the funeral of a close friend. Old feelings come flooding back, and the duo realizes their love hadn’t faded over the decades. Will their past prevent them from creating a future they’ve always wanted? Start streaming this epic love tale to find out.
Brokeback Mountain, 2005
Rated: R
What you’re in for:Â An iconic LGBTQ+ tearjerker
A piece of advice: Grab a box of tissues before you start streaming Brokeback Mountain. One of the best LGBTQ+ romantic movies on Netflix follows two sheepherders (Jake Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger), who carry on a decades-long affair after working together. They live their lives, married with children, with a constant—and agonizing—pull between them that simply can’t be ignored. Gyllenhaal and Ledger provide some of their best performances in this love story filled with drama, passion and anguish.
If Beale Street Could Talk, 2018
Rated: R
Critically acclaimed and compelling from the start, If Beale Street Could Talk is a romantic drama that sticks with you long after you’ve finished streaming. Based on the 1974 James Baldwin novel, the film follows a pregnant woman named Tish (KiKi Layne) as she tries to free her fiancé and longtime love, Fonny (Stephan James), after he’s wrongfully arrested for a crime in 1970s Harlem. The cinematography, the music, the cast’s performance—it’s all exquisite and beautifully brings this heartfelt love story to life.
Jerry Maguire, 1996
Rated: R
Tom Cruise and Renée Zellweger shine in one of the most quoted films ever, hall-of-fame love story Jerry Maguire. Cruise’s character is a sports agent who trades his paycheck for his morals and restarts his career with greater purpose. Opening his own agency and hiring a single mom (Zellweger) to help out, he navigates the highs and lows of being your own boss—and finds love in the process.
Loving, 2016
Rated: PG-13
If you like your romantic movies on Netflix based in truth and history, add Loving to your streaming list ASAP. It’s based on the true story of Richard and Mildred Loving, an interracial couple whose marriage was the center of a legal battle that eventually reached the Supreme Court—and changed American history. Race and love are at the center of this must-watch film.
Along Came Polly, 2004
Rated: PG-13
Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston are brilliant together in Along Came Polly, a romantic comedy that reminds us why opposites attract. Stiller is a man who likes to play it safe, sticking to what he knows; Aniston plays his childhood crush, a carefree woman who enjoys letting loose. They begin dating after he’s dumped on his honeymoon, and what ensues is a hilarious love story that proves breaking out of your comfort zone has some great rewards.
Made of Honor, 2008
Rated: PG-13
Patrick Dempsey and Michelle Monaghan shine in Made of Honor, a rom-com about a womanizer (Dempsey) who realizes he’s in love with his best friend (Monaghan). The catch? She’s newly engaged, and he’s set to be the maid of honor. Yikes. Sure, he didn’t drop down on one knee to propose, but he still has an influential role in the wedding—a position he uses to try and win her heart. Will he make it down the aisle as a maid of honor or future husband?
Phantom Thread, 2017
Rated: R
Daniel Day-Lewis stars in Phantom Thread, an enchanting romantic flick about a prominent London fashion designer who enters an intense relationship with a waitress (Vicky Krieps). She becomes his inspiration, and soon, he finds his once-familiar life completely turned upside-down. Viewers should come for the romance but stay for the glamour and drama.
Additional reporting by Kelly Kuehn.
Originally Published: January 19, 2022
