The best romantic comedy movies on Hulu
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Love is a wonderful, unpredictable thing. There are plenty of films that paint the road to happily ever after as a linear one, but we all know that's rarely how real-life shakes out. Still, there's something extra special about a movie that can laugh at the awkwardness of dating and the chaos of relationships. Whether you're craving something raucous like Forgetting Sarah Marshall or something surprisingly sweet like Palm Springs, here are the best rom-coms on Hulu.
<i>Celeste and Jesse Forever</i> (2012)
Don't be fooled by its misleading title: Celeste and Jesse are getting a divorce. After getting married young, these high school sweethearts have decided to maintain their tight-knit bond post-split, cracking inside jokes, staying attached at the hip, and acting like a couple, which unsettles their friends. Like many other indie films in the genre, Celeste and Jesse Forever deviates from rom-com traditions (don't expect any meet-cutes), instead exploring what really happens after the credits roll. It's a poignantly earnest story about the letting go of the person you love, as EW's critic wrote, "It's been a while since a romantic comedy mustered this much charm by looking this much like life." —James Mercadante
Where to watch Celeste and Jesse Forever: Hulu
EW grade: A– (read the review)
Director: Lee Toland Krieger
Cast: Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, Will McCormack, Elijah Wood, Emma Roberts, Ari Graynor, Eric Christian Olsen, Rob Huebel
Related content: Rashida Jones talks Celeste and Jesse Forever
<i>Crush</i> (2022)
Paige Evans' (Rowan Blanchard) only experience with love is her passion for art, but when she's forced to join the girls' high school track team to evade suspension, she gets a lucky chance to hang out with her secret crush, Gabby (Love, Victor's Isabella Ferreira). But no matter how fast Paige runs towards the affection of Miller High's It Girl, her feelings for another teammate — Gabby's sister, AJ (Auli'i Cravalho) — swiftly catch up to her. With its charming storytelling and abundance of drama (both on and off screen), Crush is an LGBTQ+ rom-com that captures the beauty of queer joy and first love.—J.M.
Director: Sammi Cohen
Cast: Rowan Blanchard, Auli'i Cravalho, Isabella Ferreira, Tyler Alvarez, Teala Dunn, Michelle Buteau, Megan Mullally
<i>Father of the Bride</i> (1991)
When it comes to feel-good wedding flicks, Father of the Bride takes the cake. Nancy Meyers' remake of the 1950 Spencer Tracy film centers on athletic shoe company owner George Banks (now Steve Martin), whose life suddenly somersaults when his daughter Annie returns home from studying abroad and reveals she's engaged to her boyfriend of three months. From meeting Annie's future in-laws to diving into the chaos of wedding planning — complete with caterers, florists, and organizers galore — George has to accept the reality that his daughter is growing up, and he too must embrace the changing tides of life. —J.M.
Where to watch Father of the Bride: Hulu
Director: Charles Shyer
Cast: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kieran Culkin, George Newbern, Peter Michael Goetz, Martin Short, Kate McGregor-Stewart, B.D. Wong, Richard Portnow, David Pasquesi, Chauncey Leopardi
Related content: Father of the Bride cast reunites for a brand new wedding
<i>Fire Island</i> (2022)
A group of queer besties looks forward to their trip to Fire Island every year, but when they discover it may be their last, they double down on their goal of a hardcore week of partying. Inspired by Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, Fire Island finds Noah (Joel Kim Booster, who also wrote the screenplay) committed to helping his friend Howie (Bowen Yang) get some action, but he quickly finds that playing matchmaker is a thankless task — especially under the seemingly judgmental eye of a new acquaintance (Conrad Ricamora in the Mr. Darcy-equivalent role). EW's critic said it best: "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a very small swimsuit must be in want of a rom-com to call his own; Fire Island sets the stage, messy and sweet, and lets its freak flag fly." —Angela Andaloro
Where to watch Fire Island: Hulu
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Andrew Ahn
Cast: Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, Margaret Cho, Conrad Ricamora, James Scully, Matt Rogers, Tomas Matos, Torian Miller, Nick Adams, Zane Phillips
Related content: The rise of the gay rom-com: Fire Island's Joel Kim Booster & Bros' Billy Eichner redefine the genre
<i>Forgetting Sarah Marshall</i> (2008)
After getting dumped by his actress girlfriend Sarah Marshall — who ditched him as soon as she rose to stardom — musician Peter needs to escape L.A. to clear his head. Booking an impromptu stay at an luxurious Hawaiian resort, Peter bumps into Sarah on vacation with her new rockstar beau, Aldous Snow, but finds a love interest of his own that makes her jealous in return. Jason Segel, who also co-wrote the script with director Nicholas Stoller, shines as Peter, particularly in the naked opening break-up scene that he came up with himself. —A.A.
Where to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall: Hulu
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Nicholas Stoller
Cast: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Da'Vone McDonald, Jack McBrayer, Maria Thayer, Paul Rudd, Jason Bateman
Related content: Sarah Marshall guys' wild diary
<i>Happiest Season</i> (2020)
Abby Holland (Kristen Stewart) and Harper Caldwell (Mackenzie Davis) are happy in their relationship nearly a year in. So happy, in fact, that Abby's ready to pop the question during their cozy holiday with Harper's family. She's in for a surprise, however, when she realizes her soon-to-be fiancé hasn't come out to her conservative parents. Now, Abby must navigate the delicate secrets of the Caldwell family if she wants to fight for the woman she loves. Marking Hulu's first LGBTQ+ holiday rom-com, Happiest Season isn't perfect (much like familial relationships) but it gleams with festive cheer that's enjoyable to stream all year round. —A.A.
Where to watch Happiest Season: Hulu
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Clea DuVall
Cast: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie Davis, Alison Brie, Dan Levy, Aubrey Plaza, Mary Holland, Mary Steenburgen, Victor Garber, Ana Gasteyer, Jake McDorman, Sarayu Blue
Related content: Kristen Stewart on making the Yuletide super-gay in Happiest Season
<i>The Hating Game</i> (2021)
The two CEOs at this publishing company would be useless without their faithful assistants — who happen to hate each other's guts. Lucy (Lucy Hale) believes in bringing great fashion and an even better attitude to the office, but much to her dismay, her coworker Joshua (Austin Stowell) has an opposite approach. And their cut throat competitiveness only intensifies when an enticing managing editor position opens up. Based on Sally Thorne's best-selling romance novel of the same name, The Hating Game may lean into the predictable enemies-to-lovers trope, but that doesn't make it any less charming. —A.A.
Where to watch The Hating Game: Hulu
Director: Peter Hutchings
Cast: Lucy Hale, Austin Stowell, Kathryn Boswell, Damon Daunno, Sakina Jaffrey, Corbin Bernsen
<i>How to Be Single</i> (2016)
Fresh out of college, Alice embarks on a new chapter of life by taking a break from her long-term boyfriend, Josh, and relocating to N.Y.C. to start her career as a paralegal and move into her sister's apartment. Now navigating the single life, Alice is feeling way in over her head, but she doesn't have to do it alone: She has her sister and co-worker-turned-best friend by her side, who add a little spice and humor to her several misadventures. Interweaving multiple story lines, How to Be Single captures the chaos of modern dating and the quest of embracing life on your own terms amidst the city that never sleeps. Whether you're in a relationship, inexperienced in love, or somewhere in between, this film offers something for everyone — and might reveal a thing or two about yourself. —J.M.
Where to watch How to Be Single: Hulu
EW grade: B (read the review)
Director: Christian Ditter
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Rebel Wilson, Leslie Mann, Alison Brie, Damon Wayans Jr., Anders Holm, Nicholas Braun, Jake Lacy, Jason Mantzoukas
Related content: Leslie Mann, Dakota Johnson hit on a reporter mid-interview
<i>Palm Springs</i> (2020)
This sci-fi-meets-rom-com flick stars Andy Samberg as Nyles, who's on his way to celebrate his buddies Tala and Abe on their wedding day. The only problem? He's headed there again and again after getting stuck in a time loop in the desert, and things only get wilder when the Maid of Honor/sister of the bride, Sarah (Cristin Milioti), gets stuck there with him. This unexpected take on the romance genre is chock full of nihilism and existential dread as the pair desperately seeks a return to normalcy, but it all works because of the excellent cast. EW's critic notably praised the two leads, as "Samberg nimbly walks the line between slacker cartoon and actual frustrated human… But it's Cristin Milioti who feels most like the revelation here; as great as she's been in brief turns on shows like Black Mirror and 30 Rock, she shines when given the chance to lead." —A.A.
Where to watch Palm Springs: Hulu
EW grade: B+ (read the review)
Director: Max Barbakow
Cast: Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Camila Mendes, Tyler Hoechlin, Meredith Hagner, Peter Gallagher, Dale Dickey
Related content: Palm Springs star Cristin Milioti has found herself in her own time loop — and an awards race
<i>Rye Lane</i> (2023)
Raine Allen-Miller's 2023 directorial debut refutes the notion that rom-coms have lost their sparkle, capturing the genre's trademark magic of grand gestures and love at first sight while injecting new life into it. When lovesick Dom (David Jonsson) cries in a gender-neutral bathroom stall, he's interupted when an outgoing stranger named Yas (Vivian Oparah) overhears his faint sobs. The two embark on a day-long journey roaming the streets of South London's Rye Lane, bonding over their failed relationships and scheming chaos against their exes. Similar to the story's dynamic pacing, Oparah and Jonsson radiate effervescence, as they seamlessly bounce off each other's energy while the mise-en-scène bursts with a kaleidoscope of experimental camerawork. —J.M.
Director: Raine Allen-Miller
Cast: David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Poppy Allen-Quarmby, Simon Manyonda, Karene Peter, Benjamin Sarpong-Broni, Malcolm Atabroh
<i>She's the Man</i> (2006)
Amanda Bynes carried the torch for 2000s teen flicks in Hollywood, and her starring role in She's the Man cemented her status as an early aughts rom-com queen. Viola Hastings (Bynes) has her world turned upside down when her high school disbands the girls' soccer team to benefit the male athletes. Determined to prove that girls are just as skilled in sports, Viola pretends to be her brother Sebastian and tries out for soccer at his new boarding school. But she soon develops romantic feelings for her team captain/roommate, Duke, leaving her torn about whether to win his heart as Viola or keep kicking as Sebastian. One of many teen flicks that offer modern twists on literary classics — Clueless (1995), 10 Things I Hate About You (1998), to name a few — She's the Man reimagines Shakespeare's Twelfth Night with a hilarious sports-centric story while preserving its main themes of gender performance. —J.M.
Director: Andy Fickman
Cast: Amanda Bynes, Channing Tatum, Laura Ramsey, James Snyder, Emily Perkins, Alexandra Breckenridge, James Kirk, Robert Hoffman
Related content: Amanda Bynes says she 'fought for Channing Tatum' to get She's the Man role
<i>What Happens in Vegas</i> (2008)
Two strangers — the recently-jilted Joy McNally and the newly-unemployed Jack Fuller — have their cards handed to them when they wake up in Vegas married. After agreeing on a divorce and suddenly racking up $3 million on a slot machine, the bent-out-of-shape couple is court-ordered to stay in wedlock for six months, genuinely working on their marriage, in order to earn their winnings. Written by Dana Fox (Cruella, The Lost City), this breezy romance flick offers enough scheming, banter, and tension to satiate all your enemies-to-lovers desires. And if that wasn't enough, the cherry on top comes from rom-com veterans Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz, whose seasoned appeal and comedic prowess bring an extra dose of fun to the screen. —J.M.
Where to watch What Happens in Vegas: Hulu
Director: Tom Vaughan
Cast: Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Rob Corddry, Lake Bell, Dennis Farina, Treat Williams, Queen Latifah, Jason Sudekis, Zach Galifianakis
Related content: Cameron Diaz 'not looking to' make movies again as she focuses on motherhood
