The 18 best romantic comedies to watch on Netflix right now
Paramount Pictures
Nothing beats a great romantic comedy.
Thankfully, there are a lot of good ones on Netflix.
There are lots of Hollywood classics like "Hitch" on the streaming service.
Netflix has its own franchises too, including "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" and "Set It Up."
We need love and laughs now more than ever so what better time to watch a good romantic comedy?
Netflix has a large collection of Hollywood classics from the genre complete with the Matthew McConaughey rom-com "Failure to Launch" and "Hitch" starring Will Smith. The streaming giant also has a number of home-grown rom-coms like "Set It Up" as well as franchises like "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" and "Kissing Booth."
Here are the 18 best romantic comedies you can watch on Netflix right now.
Note: Numerous Netflix titles drop off the service monthly, so the availability of titles below may change.
"Always By My Maybe" (2019)
Ed Araquel/Netflix
Ali Wong and Randall Park are great as 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.
"Hitch" (2005)
Columbia Pictures
In this fantastic rom-com, Will Smith plays a date doctor who while working with his latest client (Kevin James) falls for someone too (Eva Mendes). It soon becomes apparent he's better at giving advice than taking his own as he self-destructs during their dates.
"As Good as It Gets" (1997)
TriStar Pictures
This is one of many James L. Brooks movies that masterfully look at relationships. It stars Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, and the pair would earn Oscars for their performances as an obsessive-compulsive novelist (Nicholson) and a single mother (Hunt) who waits on him at his favorite restaurant. We follow the two on their most unlikely courtship.
The movie also features one of the most adorable dogs you will ever see in a movie.
"Can't Hardly Wait" (1998)
Columbia Pictures
Featuring a collection of 1990s young Hollywood stars including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Seth Green, Ethan Embry, Lauren Ambrose, and Peter Facinelli, we follow a group of high school seniors during the night of a huge graduation party.
Embry plays the main character, Preston, who has decided that at the party he will finally profess his love to the most popular girl in school, Amanda Beckett (Hewitt). Things don't go as planned.
"Failure to Launch" (2006)
Paramount Pictures
Matthew McConaughey stars alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in this chapter of the McConaughey rom-com era.
McConaughey plays a mid-30s guy who still lives with his parents and has zero issues about it. His parents (Terry Bradshaw and Kathy Bates) are concerned, however, and hire an expert (Sarah Jessica Parker) behind his back to get him to leave the nest. Her approach is to start a relationship with the man so then his attachment goes away from his parents and to her. But, as with any rom-com, the plan fails, leading to complicated confessions and finally reconciliation.
"For Love or Money" (1993)
Universal
In this Barry Sonnenfeld ("Men in Black")-directed rom-com Michael J. Fox is a slick concierge at a luxury New York City hotel who is tasked with keeping tabs on a billionaire's mistress, Andy (Gabrielle Anwar). But things get interesting when the two fall for one another.
"He's Just Not That Into You" (2009)
New Line Cinema
Based on the 2004 self-help book of the same name, this rom-com assembles one of the most talented casts ever for a movie in the genre: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Connelly, Bradley Cooper, Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kevin Connolly, Justin Long, and Kris Kristofferson.
All their characters intersect as we look at their relationships (or lack thereof).
"The Heartbreak Kid" (2007)
Paramount Pictures
This rom-com stars Ben Stiller as Eddie, a single guy who falls for a girl (Malin Åkerman). He soon realizes on their honeymoon at a resort in Cabo that he knows nothing about her. It leads to Eddie begin building a relationship with another woman (Michelle Monaghan) at the resort.
By the end of the movie, you realize that perhaps Eddie isn't cut out for being in a relationship with anyone.
"The Incredible Jessica James" (2017)
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.
"The Kissing Booth" franchise
Netflix
This teen rom-com just had its part two released on Netflix recently and the third movie is coming out next year.
We follow Elle (Joey King) as she navigates high school and her unlikely romance with bad-boy Noah (Jacob Elordi). In the second movie, a new guy enters the picture.
"Life as We Know It" (2010)
Warner Bros.
This rom-com goes with the trusted "opposites attract" approach as Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel play career-driven people who realize they aren't right for each other after being connected on a blind date. However, their mutual friends have made them godparents to their child so they have to tolerate one another.
Then things get really complicated when the friends die in a car crash and now Heigl and Duhamel's characters learn they were named joint guardians of the child.
"40 Days and 40 Nights" (2002)
Miramax
Back in Josh Hartnett's heartthrob days, he starred in this rom-com in which he plays Matt, a San Francisco web designer who after a messy breakup chooses to stay away from any sexual contact for the duration of Lent.
Unbeknownst to him, his friend has started an office pool on how long he can last, leading to a lot of temptation. However, Matt may finally get over his ex following a chance encounter with Erica (Shannyn Sossamon).
"Set it Up" (2018)
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell play assistants of demanding bosses who decide the best way to make their lives easier is to get their bosses to date each other. But, in true rom-com fashion, the two assistants fall for each other, too.
"Sleeping with Other People" (2015)
Written and directed by "Russian doll" cocreator Leslye Headland, this great rom-com stars Jason Sudeikis and Alison Brie as two people who reconnect after having not seen each other since college. Both at low points in their lives relationship-wise, they decide to change things up and have a friendship. No sex.
Of course, things get complicated.
"Sleepless in Seattle" (1993)
IMDb/TriStar Pictures
This rom-com classic from Nora Ephron would make icons out of stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the genre. In the movie, Hanks play Sam, a father living in Seattle who is grieving the death of his wife to cancer. He suddenly gains the attention of single women across America when his son calls into a radio show and explains what his dad is going through.
Over in New York City, Annie (Ryan) hears Sam's story and though she's engaged she feels she has a connection to Sam and sets out to try to meet him.
"Silver Linings Playbook" (2012)
The Weinstein Company
Receiving eight Oscar nominations with Jennifer Lawrence winning for best actress, director David O. Russell takes on the rom-com the only way he knows how: telling a story filled with dysfunction, dark comedy, and lots of heart.
Bradley Cooper and Lawrence play two troubled people who build a relationship when they agree to team up for a dance competition.
The movie also is stacked with an impressive ensemble cast that includes Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, Shea Whigham, and John Ortiz.
"To All the Boys" franchise
Netflix
This popular teen rom-com franchise on Netflix follows high schooler Lara Jean Song-Covey (Lana Condor) as she navigates the ramifications when love letters to her crushes get sent out.
Based on a best-selling book series, it's a sweet coming-of-age story and about being true to your feelings.
"Valentine's Day" (2010)
Warner Bros.
Director Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman") examines a collection of relationships that build and dissolve on Valentine's Day.
The all-star cast includes Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Kathy Bates, Jamie Foxx, Ashton Kutcher, George Lopez, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner, Queen Latifah, Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, Patrick Dempsey, and Jennifer Garner.
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