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20 of the best romantic comedies to watch on Netflix

13 February 2025 at 10:53
Julia Roberts in "Notting Hill."
Julia Roberts starred as Anna Scott in "Notting Hill."

Universal Pictures Entertainment

  • Nothing beats a great romantic comedy, especially on Valentine's Day.
  • Luckily, there are lots of good ones on Netflix.
  • From modern hits like "Set It Up" to classics like "Notting Hill," there's something for everyone.

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)
always be my maybe netflix
Ali Wong and Randall Park in "Always Be My Maybe."

Ed Araquel/Netflix

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)
the incredible jessica james
Chris O'Dowd and Jessica Williams in "The Incredible Jessica James."

Netflix

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)
Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch in "Set It Up."
Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch in "Set It Up."

Netflix

Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell β€” who play assistants to demanding bosses and genuinely have great on-screen chemistry β€” 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 in "How to be Single."
Dakota Johnson starred as Alice Kepley in "How to be Single."

Warner Brothers Pictures

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 β€” just don't take it too seriously.

"To All the Boys" franchise (2018-2021)
Noah Centineo, Lana Condor, Ross Butler, and Madeleine Arthur in "To All the Boys: Always and Forever."
Noah Centineo, Lana Condor, Ross Butler, and Madeleine Arthur in "To All the Boys: Always and Forever."

Netflix

This popular teen rom-com franchise β€” "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) β€” 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 in "The Wedding Planner."
Jennifer Lopez starred as Mary Fiore in "The Wedding Planner."

Sony Pictures Entertainment

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 β€” and most important β€” 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)
Keith Powers and Gabrielle Union in "The Perfect Find."
Keith Powers and Gabrielle Union in "The Perfect Find."

Netflix

What would you do if you found out you'd kissed your new boss' son?

That's the predicament faced by protagonist Jenna β€” wonderfully played by Gabrielle Union β€” 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)
Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo in "13 Going on 30."
Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo in "13 Going on 30."

Revolution Studios

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 β€” a modern classic for a reason β€” features standout performances from Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer, Andy Serkis, and many other beloved actors.

"About Time" (2013)
Domhnall Gleeson in "About Time."
Domhnall Gleeson starred as Tim Lake in "About Time."

Universal Pictures

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 in "Notting Hill."
Julia Roberts starred as Anna Scott in "Notting Hill."

Universal Pictures Entertainment

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)
Andrew Barth Feldman and Jennifer Lawrence in "No Hard Feelings."
Andrew Barth Feldman and Jennifer Lawrence in "No Hard Feelings."

Sony Pictures Entertainment

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 β€” and hilarious.

"This Is 40" (2012)
Leslie Mann in "This Is 40."
Leslie Mann in "This Is 40."

Universal Pictures

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)
Leah Lewis in "The Half of It."
Leah Lewis in "The Half of It."

Netflix

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)
Haley Lu Richardson in "Love at First Sight."
Haley Lu Richardson in "Love at First Sight."

Netflix

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 β€” and critics were charmed by the leads and their chemistry.

"Anyone But You" (2023)
Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell in "Anyone but You."
Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell star as Bea and Ben in "Anyone But You."

Sony Pictures Entertainment

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)
Christina Milian in "Falling Inn Love."
Christina Milian in "Falling Inn Love."

Netflix

After losing her job and her boyfriend, Gabriela (Christina Milian) enters a "Win an Inn" contest β€” 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 clichΓ©s ... but we're not complaining.

"The Lovebirds" (2020)
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani in "The Lovebirds."
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani star as Leilani and Jibran in "The Lovebirds."

Netflix

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)
Alexandra Daddario and Adam DeVine in "When We First Met."
Alexandra Daddario and Adam DeVine in "When We First Met."

Netflix

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)
Joel Courtney, Gina Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., and Augustus Prew in "Players."
Joel Courtney, Gina Rodriguez, Damon Wayans Jr., and Augustus Prew in "Players."

Netflix

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)
Glen Powell in "Hit Man."
Glen Powell stars as Gary Johnson in "Hit Man."

Netflix

For the third time on this list, Glen Powell proves his rom-com prowess β€”Β 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 β€” and quickly falls for β€” 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."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Hugh Grant launched his career as a reliable rom-com heartthrob — but says filming comedies is a 'miserable process'

7 January 2025 at 03:49
A composite image of a man at two different ages. On the left he's older with neat gray hair. He's wearing a black suit ajcket and a white shirt. On the right, he's younger with longer brown hair. He's wearing a brown jacket and a blue shirt that his unbuttoned down to his chest.
Hugh Grant at the "Heretic" premiere and as Daniel Cleaver in "Bridget Jones's Diary."

Tristar Media/WireImage/Universal Pictures

  • Hugh Grant called filming comedies a "miserable process."
  • In the 1990s, he cemented his status as the go-to rom-com heartthrob.
  • Grant is best known for films including "Notting Hill," "Love Actually," and "Bridget Jones's Diary."

Hugh Grant launched his acting career with romantic comedies such as "Four Weddings and a Funeral," "Nine Months," and "Notting Hill" β€” but he said filming them is a "miserable process."

In the early stages of his career in the 1990s, Grant starred in many comedies, including "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain" and "Mickey Blue Eyes."

"Notting Hill" was one of the biggest British rom-coms of the 1990s, and he continued to work with its writer, Richard Curtis, on other movies.

His status as a reliable rom-com heartthrob continued to drive his career in the 2000s, but he has recently started experimenting with different genres, including the 2024 horror movie, "Heretic."

In an interview with Variety published on Monday, Grant said of romcoms: "I just think 'com' is difficult. I don't know about 'rom.' Rom is not easy β€” and you need to mean it β€” but com is certainly very difficult."

On comedies, he added: "It's a miserable process. You've probably been on comedy film sets and there's no laughter. You're doing it in a vacuum and if you're very lucky, you might hear a stifled snort from someone sitting near the monitor. That's gold to you."

The actor also discussed how he's viewed as "grumpy" online, and said that his previous comments about "Wonka" in 2023 were misconstrued. At the time, he said he "hated" playing an Oompa-Loompa.

Grant said: "That's what the internet does. It scrubs humor, and it scrubs context to create little clickbait moments. It's one of the reasons I loathe it with such violence, really."

In total, Grant's movies have collectively made $4.1 billion since he debuted in 1982, according to TheNumbers.com.

That includes 20 rom-coms, as well as a handful of action movies including: "The Gentlemen," "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre," and "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Writer Richard Curtis on why Julia Roberts rejected a 'Notting Hill' sequel: 'A very poor idea'

30 November 2024 at 01:58
Notting Hill
Julia Roberts in the classic romantic comedy.

Universal Pictures

  • Richard Curtis's idea for a second "Notting Hill" film was apparently shelved because of Julia Roberts.
  • Roberts is said to have disliked his idea for a follow-up film with a divorce plot.
  • "Julia thought that was a very poor idea," the "Love Actually" director told IndieWire.

The screenwriter behind the rom-com "Notting Hill" has opened up on why the classic movie has never got a sequel.

In an interview with IndieWire, Richard Curtis said that Julia Roberts was not a fan of his idea for a follow-up in which Roberts' and costar Hugh Grant's characters split up.

Asked if he would like to do any follow-ups to his past films, he said: "I tried doing one with 'Notting Hill' where they were going to get divorced, and Julia thought that was a very poor idea."

"I actually did four Red Nose Days and Comic Relief. We did those mini sequels to 'Love Actually,' and those satisfied me," he added.

A representative for Roberts did not respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.

In the 1999 film, Roberts plays a famous movie actor named Anna Scott.

Scott falls in love with William Thacker (played by Grant), the owner of a bookstore in the picturesque area of London from which the film takes its name.

notting hill
Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in "Notting Hill."

Universal Pictures

While the paparazzi's fascination with Anna initially complicates their relationship, the film ends with the pair happily together and expecting a child.

When it was released in theaters over Memorial Day weekend in 1999, "Notting Hill" grossed around $21.8 million over three days, and $27.7 million over the long weekend, making it the biggest opening for a romantic comedy film at the time.

The movie, directed by the late Roger Michell, was nominated for best film in the comedy or musical genre at the Golden Globes, with Grant and Roberts also receiving individual nominations.

Curtis, whose new animated film "That Christmas" premieres on Netflix on December 4, suggested that even if Roberts was on board with a "Notting Hill" sequel, his focus was currently on branching out into new kinds of projects.

"I think oddly enough I'm keen at this stage in my career of doing new things as much as I can," he told IndieWire. "That's why it was great doing an animated film. I've made, I think, 17 films. It's quite hard for the 18th to be as different as this one is."

Read the original article on Business Insider
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