These 14 Queer Rom-Coms Will Have You Feeling Every Single Emotion
Rom-coms can get a lot of slack, but let's be honest, they're always a good time. Whether you're going through a breakup and want to be reminded that love exists, or you're just a romantic at heart, these queer rom-coms should definitely be on your list.
1.The Half of It
Ellie Chu is a typical high school student stuck in a small town with her widowed father. She also runs a side job completing other students’ homework. Things start to change when she agrees to write love letters for a jock, Paul. As they start to become friends, Ellie finds herself falling for the object of their letters, the popular and kind Aster Flores. The gorgeous film is written and directed by Alice Wu and is a beautiful coming-of-age story exploring love, friendship, and growing up.
Watch it here.
2.Happiest Season
The holiday-centric movie stars Kristen Stewart as Abby Holland. Abby is dating Harper Caldwell and decides to go home with Harper for Christmas. Abby sees this as the perfect opportunity to introduce herself to Harper's parents and propose to her on Christmas morning. The plans hit a roadblock when Harper tells Abby she has yet to come out to her family. Abby reluctantly agrees to pretend to be Harper's straight roommate for the holiday season. Thus, chaos, laughter, and plenty of drama ensue. You'll have to watch to see how it all ends.
Watch it here.
3.Crush
Paige Evans (Rowan Blanchard) is an artist harboring a crush on a popular track star. When she's forced to join her high school track team, she uses it as a chance to pursue Gabriela. Yet she finds herself falling for an unexpected friend and ends up discovering what true love looks like. The laugh-out-loud movie has plenty of drama along with a little bit of mystery and is available to stream on Hulu here.
4.Big Eden
Credit: Chaiken Films
Henry Hart (Arye Gross), is a New York City artist who returns to his small Montana town when his grandpa gets sick. Despite his reluctance and the fact that his closeted ex is still living in town, Henry makes the choice to stay until his grandpa gets better. As Henry tries to avoid his ex and come to terms with his own sexuality, he re-enters Pike's (Eric Schweig) life, a sensitive outdoorsman and shopkeeper in town, who, coincidently, has harbored an unrequited crush on Henry since high school. The rom-com features love triangles, beautiful rustic scenery, and plenty of heartwarming drama.
Watch it here.
5.Love, Simon
The movie, based on the novel Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, centers around Simon Spier (Nick Robinson). Simon is a typical teen. He spends time with his best friends and deals with the pressures of high school. He also doesn't know how to come out as gay. Simon starts writing emails to another student referred to as "Blue" who anonymously posts about being gay on their high school website.
Watch it here.
6.Saving Face
Wilhelmina Pang (Michelle Krusiec) is a closeted surgeon living in New York City. As her mother tries to set her up with men in their social circle, Wilhelmina instead develops a crush on a ballet dancer, Vivian Shing (Lynn Chen). When Wilhelmina’s mother announces she's pregnant with an unknown man’s baby and subsequently moves into her daughter's apartment, Wilhelmina is then forced to decide if she’s going to come out or live in the closet. The 2004 rom-com explores love, relationships, and mother-daughter dynamics. It's also considered one of the first movies to center around a Chinese American experience in the queer movie genre. Alice Wu also directs this film!
Watch it here.
7.Boy Meets Girl
Ricky (played by Michelle Hendley) is a transgender woman and an aspiring fashion designer living in Kentucky. As a friendship and affair with Francesca (played by Alexandra Turshen) start to develop, Ricky is forced to reconcile Francesca’s difficult home life and the odds of them working out. While it focuses on the drama and romance, it still highlights a beautiful and positive feeling that's woven throughout the plotline.
Watch it here.
8.The Feels
Constance Wu and Angela Trimbur star as Andi and Lu, two soon-to-be wives on their bachelorette weekend in wine country. When Lu reveals she’s never had an orgasm, her wife-to-be and their mutual friends set out to make this right. Hilarity ensues. The movie is filled to the brim with hilarious moments, beautiful honesty, and so much joy.
Watch here.
9.The Thing About Harry
Credit; Freeform When Sam (Jake Borelli) is forced on a road trip with his former high school bully, Harry (Niko Terho), he learns that Harry has grown up since his high school days. It's soon revealed that Harry bullied him because he was hiding that he's pansexual. As romance blooms, the plot becomes filled with unexpected roadblocks, drama, and plenty of comedy. The Freeform movie stands out as a fresh take on a rom-com, complete with a winding journey. Peter Paige (The Fosters and Good Trouble co-creator) directed this wonderful film.
Stream it here.
10.The Wedding Banquet
The film, which came out in 1993, centers around Wai-Tung (played by Winston Chao), a gay Taiwanese realtor living in America with his boyfriend, Simon (Mitchell Lichtenstein). Wai-Tung’s parents, who still live in Taiwan, are on a mission to make him settle down with a woman. Simon instead concocts a scheme so Wei-Tung can get married and offers their good friend Wei-Wei a green card. When Wai-Tung's parents show up, things start to get messy. While today's version would have a less ambiguous ending, the '90s feature paints a realistic portrayal of life for gay couples.
Watch it here.
11.The Birdcage
The 1996 film stars Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Elaine May. Williams and Lane play nightclub owners and partners Albert and Armond. When they go to meet their son's fiance, Barbara, and her family, they decide to play it straight for the weekend in order to please Barbara's ultra-conservative father. The movie is a remake of the 1978 French classic, La Cage aux Folles, and stands the test of time.
12.Booksmart
Best friends Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) and Molly (Beanie Feldstein) are on a mission to end high school on an epic note after spending the last four years dedicated to schoolwork. The movie mainly focuses on the platonic friendship between Amy and Molly, but a big part of the storyline revolves around Amy’s sexuality and her long-term crush on skater girl, Ryan. Booksmart is so witty and ends on a happy note for Amy, though she has a heck of a night to get through before she starts to figure everything out.
Watch it here.
13.I Love You Phillip Morris
Based on a true story, Steven Russell (Jim Carrey) is a religious cop with a wife and a family. When an accident changes his perspective, he vows to be true to himself and comes out of the closet. Upon moving to Florida, he decides to finance a luxurious lifestyle with bad checks and stolen credit cards. He gets caught and meets Phillip (Ewan McGregor) in jail. Phillip soon becomes the love of his life. They soon escape jail and embark on a wild crime spree filled with laugh-out-loud moments, dark humor, and yes, romance. The movie is based on a true story and biography titled I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, and Prison Breaks.
Watch it here.
14.But I'm A Cheerleader
The cult classic satire centers around Megan (Natasha Lyonne) a typical cheerleader who is perfectly fine with her football-playing boyfriend. She also hasn’t yet come to terms with her sexuality. When her conservative parents suspect she's gay, they send her off to a conversion boot camp. There, she learns to accept herself and begins to fall for fellow camper, Graham (Clea DuVall). The satirical film deftly tackles topics surrounding the social construction of gender roles, heteronormativity, the religious right, and more.
Watch it here.
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What's your favorite LGBTQIA+ rom-com? LMK below!
