A24
Last Updated: September 24th
Romantic comedies may offer a world that is nearly as fantastical as ones with dragons or aliens, but like most movies, there is usually a grain of truth. Everyone wants to find someone who loves them, warts and all, and while your love story might not have the sheen of perfection that comes with giant apartments and flawless hair, the emotional stakes ring true. When you’re either looking to cuddle up with your significant other or want to swoon over the romantic ideal, check out the best romantic comedies on Netflix right now. You just might find a new favorite.
Related: The Best Romance Movies On Netflix Right Now, Ranked
Netflix
10. Set It Up (2018)
Run Time: 105 min | IMDb: 6.6/10
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell star in this office rom-com with a bit of a twist. Instead of the two young co-stars falling in love, it’s Deutch and Powell who try to set up their overbearing, workaholic bosses with each other so that they can get a break from their demanding jobs. Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs play the employers from hell, and Deutch and Powell put themselves through the ringer to make the pair fall in love, and to make us laugh. It’s superficial and cute, so really, it’s the perfect movie binge for a Friday night.
Paramount
9. How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)
Run Time: 116 min | IMDb: 6.4/10
For the early aughts, Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson were synonymous with romantic comedy. Whether they were finding love together or with others, it was hard to find a silly love story without them. However, they were best together, and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days is easily the height of their comedic courtship onscreen. When a journalist looking for her big break (Hudson) and an advertising guy trying to nab a big account (McConaughey) get caught up in a bet that they can romantically destroy the other, they surprise themselves by actually falling for the other person. Sure, they do horrible things to each other, but all is forgiven by the time the credits roll. Mock the premise all you want, but McConaughey and Hudson have undeniable chemistry.
Netflix/AMC
8. The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
Run Time: 85 min | IMDb: 6.5/10
Unfortunately, romantic comedies are no longer a regular part of the movie release landscape, for a variety of reasons, from changing sensibilities to changing economics. Romcoms need a readjustment, however, not an eradication. The Incredible Jessica James is an excellent example of a new empowered sensibility that could help save romcoms. Jessica James (Jessica Williams) is struggling to make it as a writer in NYC while also dealing with a painful breakup. While she does open herself up for a new relationship with an older man (Chris O’Dowd), it feels more like Jessica finding yet another piece of herself instead of being the end all and be all of her happiness. Williams has charm to spare in the role, and she and O’Dowd play well off of each other. It may look a little different than the glossy romcoms of decades past, but The Incredible Jessica James captures romance in the millennial age and the difficulties that come along with that.
Universal Pictures
7. Love Actually (2003)
Run Time: 135 min | IMDb: 7.6/10
Love Actually is easily the most controversial choice on this list. Debate rages all over the internet about whether this film is a classic or an abomination, and nearly everyone has an opinion about the Christmas romance. Some storylines work better than others (the less said about the trip to America the better), but the ones that do hum along with heart and wit. Not only is Love Actually a who’s who of British cinema (Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, and Alan Rickman to name just a few), but is the perfect cream puff of a movie whether its the holiday season or not. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll wish Colin Firth would learn Portuguese for you.
A24
6. Laggies (2014)
Run Time: 99 min | IMDb: 6.4/10
Keira Knightley, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Sam Rockwell star in this coming-of-age comedy about a woman who should’ve matured a long time ago. Knightley plays the aimless Megan, a woman approaching 30 who’s stuck in the life she lived as a teenager — same boyfriend, same friends, same unemployed status. She escapes it all by couch-surfing at Annika’s (Moretz) house. Annika is the 16-year-old she bought booze for one time who’s living with a disinterested divorced dad and in need of a motherly figure. Rockwell plays the dad, who’s surprisingly cool with the whole arrangement, and the two end up falling for each other before Megan’s forced to confront the life she left behind. It’s a sweet, ridiculous rom-com that features a woman refusing to grow up, which honestly, is a refreshing change for the genre.
A24
5. Obvious Child (2014)
Run Time: 84 min | IMDb: 6.8/10
Jenny Slate is one of the more underrated comedians in the game right now, but she proved herself a capable leading lady in Gillian Robespierre’s indie rom-com, Obvious Child. Slate plays Donna, a young hopeful trying to make it in the world of stand-up. She frequents a few undergrounds around New York City, honing her set while disappointing her successful academic mother by phoning it in at a used bookstore in Brooklyn for her regular 9-5. She has a brief and promising love affair with Max (Jake Lacy) before facing a dilemma: an unplanned pregnancy. There aren’t many films that can tackle the sensitive topic of abortion with dignity, grace, and a ton of poop jokes, so you’ll want to check this one out.
Miramax
4. Amelie (2001)
Run Time: 122 min | IMDb: 8.3/10
This whimsical French rom-com follows a young woman played by Audrey Tautou, who tries to cure her own loneliness by bringing happiness to those around her. A waitress and an eccentric girl, Amelie begins doing good deeds for others after the death of her mother and her father’s decision to become a reculse. She ends up making a connection with a young Frenchman and most of the movie centers on Amelie playing a cat-and-mouse game with her love interest around Paris. It’s got a quintessential French-feel and a bit of imagination, two ingredients to a perfect rom-com.
Universal Pictures
3. Mamma Mia! (2008)
Run Time: 108 min | IMDb: 6.4/10
Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and a slew of talented actors singing ABBA ballads while performing intricate musical numbers on an island in Greece? Why wouldn’t this melodic rom-com be on our list? Amanda Seyfried plays Sophie, a young woman prepping for her wedding day by writing some last minute invites to three men, all with an equal chance of being her father. The girl found her mother’s old diary, read it, and contacted the three paramours who might have been present for her conception, as one does. Streep plays said mom, Donna, and along with her best friends (played by Christine Baranski and Julie Walters) must ready for her daughter’s big day while also fielding the romantic interests of her past lovers. We dare you not to be belting out the lyrics to “Dancing Queen” by the end of this one.
Miramax
2. Bridget Jones’s Baby (2016)
Run Time: 118 mins | IMDb: 6.6/10
If you ever feel like your romcom heroines are a little too put together or impossibly accomplished, Bridget Jones’s Diary is the movie for you. As a harried singleton who is trying to improve her life and find a sensible boyfriend, Renee Zellweger’s Bridget fumbles her way through life and love in the same way that many find themselves doing. We’re all looking for someone who likes us “just the way we are” and have dated a few “emotional f*ckwits” along the way. Also, while Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason should fade into obscurity, Bridget Jones’s Baby is the rare romantic sequel that actually hits all the right notes. Bridget is still the lovable dork that audiences fall in love with, but she also undergoes enough change for the better that you believe that she really is growing up. Toss in an impossibly wonderful Colin Firth (again) and you have a recipe for romantic greatness.
Miramax
1. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
Run Time: 94 min | IMDb: 7.2/10
Sometimes a movie comes your way that is so full of sparkling life that it is impossible to resist. Strictly Ballroom is one of those movies. An Australian gem that kicked off Baz Luhrmann’s directing career, Strictly Ballroom is a whirlwind of sequins and the push and pull of unlikely lovers. When a famed dancer Scott (Paul Mercurio) is dumped by his partner, he teams up with clumsy beginner Fran (Tara Morice) in order to still compete in the Pan-Pacific Championship. As she blossoms into a truly magnificent ballroom star, Fran also undergoes a personal transformation, bringing to life one of the most charming ugly duckling tales ever put on screen. Not only does Scott fall in love with her, but you will too.
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