A little love and laughter sound like a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, and Netflix is here to help.
After romantic comedies nearly disappeared in the 2010s, the streamer gave the genre a much-needed boost with 2018 hits like “Set It Up,” starring Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch, and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” starring Lana Condor and Noah Centineo.
Now, Netflix has a large collection of rom-coms to choose from, including 10 originals from 2024 alone and Sony’s 2023 sleeper hit “Anyone But You,” which sees Powell return to the rom-com stage alongside “Euphoria” star Sydney Sweeney.
So, to help you avoid some decision fatigue in the search bar, we’ve compiled a list of 20 of the best movies to watch this holiday.
From ’90s classics like “Notting Hill” to modern favorites like “Always Be My Maybe,” there are plenty of films to fall in love with this Valentine’s Day.
Note: Numerous Netflix titles drop off the service monthly, so the availability of titles below may change.
“Always Be My Maybe” (2019)
Ali Wong and Randall Park are childhood friends who reconnect as adults. Though their lives have taken them in different directions, there’s still a lot of laughs and love between them.
But things really go up a notch when suddenly Park’s character has to compete with Keanu Reeves, starring as a hilarious fictionalized version of himself.
“The Incredible Jessica James” (2017)
Jessica Williams plays the title character in this indie rom-com that follows her character as she gets over a breakup by casually dating a guy she met on a blind date (Chris O’Dowd).
Unlike the typical Hollywood rom-com, this one has some realness to the characters and the warts-and-all relationship being formed.
“Set It Up” (2018)
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell — who play assistants to demanding bosses and genuinely have great on-screen chemistry — decide the best way to make their lives easier is to get their bosses to date each other.
While you may predict the outcome of this one, it’s still a fun, sweet movie that helped modernize the rom-com genre on Netflix.
“How to be Single” (2016)
Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Alison Brie, and Leslie Mann star as single women in New York City navigating personal and romantic relationships.
Though reviews were mixed, it’s an easy, humorous watch — just don’t take it too seriously.
“To All the Boys” franchise (2018-2021)
This popular teen rom-com franchise — “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” (2018) “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” (2020), and “To All the Boys: Always and Forever” (2021) — follows high schooler Lara Jean Song-Covey (Lana Condor) as she navigates the fallout after love letters to her crushes get sent out.
Based on a best-selling book series by Jenny Han, it’s a sweet coming-of-age story about being true to your feelings.
“The Wedding Planner” (2001)
Jennifer Lopez stars as Mary Fiore, a wedding planner who’s been down on her luck with love until a chance meeting with pediatrician Steve Edison (Matthew McConaughey).
But the love-match proves to be much more complicated when she learns that her next — and most important — wedding to plan is that of Edison and heiress Fran Donnelly (Bridgette Wilson).
It’s a movie that completely gives itself away in the trailer, but aren’t those the best kinds of cheesy rom-coms?
“The Perfect Find” (2023)
What would you do if you found out you’d kissed your new boss’ son?
That’s the predicament faced by protagonist Jenna — wonderfully played by Gabrielle Union — as she launches a career comeback after a difficult breakup.
Together, they must work to understand both their personal and professional relationship.
“13 Going on 30” (2004)
In this beloved early 2000s staple, Jenna Rink is an awkward 13-year-old girl who wishes to skip the woes of adolescence and become an established 30-year-old woman. When her wish magically comes true, Jenna (Jennifer Garner) learns that her adult life is much more complicated than she expected.
This movie — a modern classic for a reason — features standout performances from Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, and many other beloved actors.
“About Time” (2013)
When Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) learns he can time travel, he sets his sights on finding love, using his gift to woo and begin a relationship with Mary (Rachel McAdams); but Tim must learn that time travel can’t solve all of life’s problems.
“Notting Hill” (1999)
Julia Roberts was the queen of romantic comedies in the ’90s, giving audiences classics like “Pretty Woman,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Runaway Bride,” and of course, “Notting Hill.”
In “Notting Hill,” Roberts plays American movie star Anna Scott, who falls for William Thacker (Hugh Grant), a London bookshop owner.
Both Roberts and Grant were nominated for Golden Globes for their performances.
“No Hard Feelings” (2023)
Jennifer Lawrence’s big return to the silver screen came in this R-rated romantic comedy where she stars as Maddie, a 30-something-year-old Uber driver and waitress. After her car is towed, she accepts a Craigslist ad from a wealthy couple offering a Buick in exchange for dating their sheltered son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), before he leaves for college.
The relationship (which faced criticism when the movie was released) ends up being sweet — and hilarious.
“This Is 40” (2012)
Judd Apatow’s unofficial sequel to “Knocked Up” stars his wife, Leslie Mann, and Paul Rudd as married couple Debbie and Pete.
The couple navigates a rough patch in their relationship that captures the realities of marriage, parenthood, finances, and love with Apatow’s signature sense of humor.
Mann and Apatow’s daughters, Maude and Iris, also star in this 2012 movie, making it a full family affair.
“The Half of It” (2020)
Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), an introverted Chinese American girl, is known for writing fellow students’ essays in exchange for money in her small town. Meanwhile, Paul Munsky (Daniel Diemer) is a football player who needs help communicating with his crush, Aster (Alexxis Lemire). Ellie agrees to write love letters for Paul, as she secretly likes Aster, too.
This modern adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac” is just too cute to miss.
“Love at First Sight” (2023)
As the title suggests, this is a movie all about chasing love at first sight.
Hadley (Haley Lu Richardson) and Oliver (Ben Hardy) meet on a flight to London and feel an instant connection. When they arrive, Hadley’s phone dies, causing her to lose Oliver’s number. With no way to contact him, she tries to find him again.
While this film has its cheesy moments, it’s sweet, too — and critics were charmed by the leads and their chemistry.
“Anyone But You” (2023)
Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) do not get along, but when they both end up in Australia for a wedding, the pair agree to fake date to further their own agendas. What could go wrong?
This modern take on the enemies-to-lovers trope brought romantic comedies back to the big screen and became a sleeper hit at the box office, grossing more than $220 million worldwide.
“Falling Inn Love” (2019)
After losing her job and her boyfriend, Gabriela (Christina Milian) enters a “Win an Inn” contest — and wins. After finding that her new inn in New Zealand needs a renovation, she enlists the help of local Jake Taylor (Adam Demos) and the pair begins to fall for each other.
This is a gooey Hallmark-esque movie that’s packed with rom-com clichés … but we’re not complaining.
“The Lovebirds” (2020)
Leilani (Issa Rae) and Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) are a couple on the verge of a breakup when a man hijacks their car and uses it to kill another man before fleeing the scene.
Too afraid to go to the police, the couple seeks to find the murderer themselves and clear their names.
“The chemistry between stars Kumail Nanjiani and Issa Rae keeps the romantic comedy charming,” Polygon’s Karen Han wrote.
“When We First Met” (2018)
Noah (Adam DeVine) meets Avery (Alexandra Daddario) at a Halloween party, and the two hit it off before hanging out for the rest of the night. Unfortunately for Noah, Avery says goodbye with a hug, leaving him in the friend zone.
Three years later, Avery’s engaged and a heartbroken Noah returns to the photo booth they visited the night they met. Suddenly, he’s back in time with the ability to use the photo booth for unlimited chances to make Avery fall in love with him … but does the future ever really go as planned?
“Players” (2024)
This Netflix original stars Gina Rodriguez as Mack, a sportswriter who enjoys setting up hookups for her friends … before she falls for someone herself.
“It’s as much a story of love among friends as it is of any couple, and a handful of good gags and great performances keep the whole thing steaming along,” The New York Times’ Alissa Wilkinson wrote.
“Hit Man” (2023)
For the third time on this list, Glen Powell proves his rom-com prowess — this time with “Hit Man.” He plays Gary Johnson, a professor who moonlights as a fake hit man for the New Orleans Police Department.
But things get complicated when Johnson, posing as a hit man named Ron, meets — and quickly falls for — Madison (Adria Arjona), a woman trying to have her abusive husband killed.
The Wrap’s Ben Croll wrote that the film “is a deliriously entertaining star vehicle, a throwback to the low-concept, high-reward studio crowd-pleasers built around a comic persona and designed to showcase a gifted performer’s range.”
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