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Elly Garnand
For decades, romantic comedies have been considered by the film-going masses to be little more than "chick flicks," designated as lighter fare that falls more into the guilty-pleasure viewing category than, say, Scorsese's latest film. However, with the modern era of 24-hour news cycles and social media addiction, there's nothing like watching two people fall in love to briefly quell the existential angst. These movies allow you to get lost in the moment-by-moment nuances of courtship and supply you with a hefty dose of witty banter, unlike a plot-heavy piece of Oscar bait.
Despite a lack of rom-coms starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan these days, the genre is experiencing a resurgence, with new movies coming out all the time and old classics finding new audiences. Streaming services are popping out original content faster than it can be consumed, with hidden gems on every platform imaginable. On Netflix alone, there are enough titles to keep you in the world of meet-cutes and quirky dates until you run out of popcorn.
Viewers often slight themselves sticking to films set in specific genres when Netflix hosts so many movies that bend genre stereotypes. Rom-coms, although often characterized in their own genre, can cross the lines from period pieces to horror. Luckily, we've curated a diversified list of the best rom-coms on Netflix for fans across the board.
Update January 4, 2024: If you love rom-coms and still subscribe to Netflix, you're in luck. This article has been updated with more entries to reflect what is currently streaming on Netflix.
Releasing exclusively to Netflix in 2023, Your Place or Mine stars Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher. Best friends Debbie, played by Witherspoon, and Peter, played by Kutcher, have a long-standing relationship. Debbie, living in Los Angeles, has to venture to NYC in hopes of receiving a better-paying job. Without anyone to watch her son, Jack, Peter, living in NYC, says he will fly out and spend the week with him while Debbie works. Despite their contrasting personalities, the two realize the feelings they've harbored for years and admit they love each other.
In Nappily Ever After, Violet (Sanaa Lathan) is plagued by deep-seated insecurities about her natural hair. The insecurities stem from her mother's criticism of her as a child and her insistence on straightening her hair before she went out in public. As a grown woman, Violet's diffidence begins to affect her love life negatively. After a challenging break-up, Violet must learn to accept and love herself, and, in turn, she finds love again. According to Sheila O'Malley of Roger Ebert's website, Lathan's performance in Nappily Ever After is "fearless."
Released exclusively to Netflix in 2020, Love, Guaranteed, follows Susan, played by Rachel Leigh Cook, and Nick, played by Damon Waynes Jr. Susan works for a law firm that is doing research on an online dating application. Nick, who has been on 986 dates before meeting with Susan, decides to sue the company behind the dating app. They offer him $100,000 to settle outside of court, but Nick declines. During their client and lawyer relationship, Susan and Nick grow feelings for each other. Not only did Susan and Nick fall in love, they were asked to be the face of the dating app, giving them more than they could have imagined.
A well-written and beautifully shot film starring Rachael Leigh Cook and Damon Wayans, Love, Guaranteed is the kind of movie you put on when you just want to sit back and relax after a long day at work. It tackles several aspects of modern relationships, like embracing messy truths and seeing beyond surface assumptions in order to truly open your heart to love. Director Mark Steven Johnson steers away from complexity or flaws to prove that rom-coms can have their cake and eat it, too.
Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between tells the story of two high school sweethearts who promise to break up before college. On their last night of high school, the two plan to share one last night of dates, but Aidan, played by Jordan Fisher, hopes to change his girlfriend's mind. Clare, played by Talia Ryder, is adamant about the breakup remaining permanent, and despite Aidan's attempts, the two part ways after a fight. The ending shows the two meeting again while Clare is on summer break, suggesting that another Hello, Goodbye movie could be in the works.
The Kissing Booth is a Netflix original movie that showcases three films starring Joey King, Jacob Elordi, and Joel Courtney. King plays Elle, a high school girl who has had a crush on her best friend Lee's (Joel Courtney) brother since childhood. When she signs up to run the school's kissing booth at the spring carnival, Elle is pushed face-to-face with her crush Noah, and the two have to work together. The three-film series shows the ups and downs of the couple's relationship from start to finish and leaves the ending up for interpretation.
Someone Great follows Jenny, played by Gina Rodriguez, gets dumped by her long-time boyfriend Nate, played by LaKeith Stanfield. Shortly after, she spirals into a deep depression and makes the decision to move to San Francisco. Before her big move, Jenny and her two closest girlfriends take on New York City for one last hoorah. The film concludes with a confrontation between Nate and Jenny, and closure is surely delivered.
The movie, like its storyline suggests, taps into post-breakup emotions. But instead of being mopey, it choses a rather vibrant and hilarious aesthetic to the art of letting go by focusing on female friendships. Gina Rodriguez, Brittany Snow and DeWanda are simply gorgeous as long-time friends whose bond runs deeper than blood. From the dramatic highs to the thought-provoking lows, Someone Great reminds us that when one chapter ends, a new one begins.
Along with displaying her outstanding talent as a director, Greta Gerwig has also delivered brilliant on-screen performances, such as in Frances Ha. The story is about a 27-year-old aspiring dancer named Frances, living in Brooklyn without so much as an apartment, especially now that her best friend Sophie has moved in with her boyfriend. Adrift, she tries to navigate life and adulthood on her own, always striving for unanticipated happiness and self-discovery.
Another boundary-pushing romantic comedy is the Netflix original Always Be My Maybe, which was co-written by and co-stars comedian Ali Wong, who is no stranger to breaking ground, best known for performing her stand-up special Baby Cobra while she was very pregnant. Taking place in San Francisco, the story unfolds when Wong's character reconnects with her childhood neighbor (Randall Park) when returning home after becoming a successful New York City restaurateur. Only in the Bay Area to open up her latest fine-dining outpost, things get complicated when old feelings are dredged up.
Wong brings the same messiness and refreshing humor as her stand-up specials to the small screens to deliver a story about how opposites may attract when time and circumstances allow it. With Randall Park, her performance is as sharp and layered as several A-listers. The two leads navigate the potential of a relationship when hilariously foiling their intense pull-push with humor. Overall, Always Be My Maybe is an outstanding rom-com from the 2010s.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is an outstanding film based on the graphic novels created by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The titular character is a 22-year-old bass player who meets and falls in love with the mesmerizing Ramona Flowers. However, in order to date her, Scott must first battle all her seven evil exes. With his friends behind him and great challenges ahead of him, he discovers his true worth.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is directed by Nicholas Stoller in his feature directorial debut, and it is only fitting to say that Stoller has turned the film into a quintessential, funny, and empathetic romantic comedy to be remembered for ages. Jason Segel pens and stars in the film, and while Kristen Bell brings her witty persona to the screen, Mila Kunis steals all scenes as the unapologetic hotel concierge. Messy, hilarious, and unexpected in places, the movie is simply perfect.
Indie darling Zoey Deutch is infinitely charming opposite Glen Powell in the clever romantic comedy Set it Up. The movie achieves a unique self-awareness as Deutch and Powell's characters work together to set up their overbearing bosses, orchestrating meet-cutes and spying on them relentlessly in the hopes of creating a relationship that will get their employers off their backs once and for all. Of course, in the process of scheming to create love where there is none, their organic feelings for one another develop. It might seem formulaic, but the payoff is decidedly worth the watch.
The second teen romance story on this list, To All the Boys I've Loved Before explores a novel premise: what if our crushes knew exactly what we thought of them, down to every last embarrassing detail? In the film, high schooler Lara Jean (Lana Condor) accidentally ends up with a stack of love letters sent out to every boy she's ever liked. Of course, chaos ensues, but it also manages to resolve brilliantly in a heartwarming way without veering into overly corny territory.
Christine has decades of experience in trade and consumer journalism. While she started her career writing exclusively about tech, she now writes about everything from tech to entertainment, business, lifestyle, and more. An admitted TV junkie (feel free to reach out for recommendations on what to watch!), if she's not working or hanging out with friends and family, she's probably relaxing with a crisp glass of wine while binging her latest TV series obsession. Follow her on Twitter @christinetechCA.
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