9 Feel-Good Movies for Women on Netflix, Ranked — Perfect Curling Up on the Couch
Had a hard week and just want to cozy up on the couch with a glass of Pinot Grigio? We feel you! To help guarantee that you find something that will soothe your stress and lift your spirits, we took a look through the Netflix catalog and re-watched some of our favorites in order to come up with a reverse ranking of truly feel-good fare that spans the gamut from original rom-coms to classic literary adaptations. With so much bad news in the world, there's nothing quite like the warm and fuzzy feeling that a feel-good movie offers — and if there are strong female characters and great performances, even better!
Whether you’re in the mood for a laugh or making your heart go pitter-patter, Netflix has the perfect woman-led films to watch. So where do you begin? Let’s get started with a list of nine uplifting favorites you can stream right now. Here we ranked our favorites:
9. Your Place or Mine (2023)
The 2023 rom-com stars the always-delightful Reese Witherspoon (read more about our favorite Reese Witherspoon movies and TV shows here!) and Ashton Kutcher as best friends who have an ill-advised hookup. Fast-forward 20 years later and the two pals are on separate coasts, leading very different lives — until they have to swap houses, and ultimately come to realize they're very much in love. The star power and chemistry between the actors is why we chose it to kick off our list of feel good movies for women on Netflix.
Click through to watch Your Place or Mine now.
8. The Noel Diary (2022)
Okay, so this is a Christmas story but it’s never too early to get in the spirit of the season, right? This 2022 movie is a rom-com with a dash of drama thrown in. When a best-selling author (Justin Hartley) goes home to Connecticut at Christmas after 20 years to settle his estranged hoarder mom’s estate, he is met a difficult task. He then meets a woman (Barrett Doss) who is looking for her birth mother and the two team up to uncover the truths of their families’ history — and possibly find romance in the process. (Check out more great Netflix Christmas movies here!)
Click through to watch The Noel Diary now.
7. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
In this clever 2019 rom-com, childhood friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) lose touch with each other for 15 years after having a little spat. Sasha is now a celebrity chef in Los Angeles and returns to her hometown of San Francisco to open her own restaurant. Of course, she runs into her childhood friend, who is content to be a musician living at home and working for his dad. While those around them always assumed that Sasha and Marcus would end up together, the two friends have put the opportunity off for years — until sparks start to fly around them once again.
Keep your eyes peeled for a laugh-out-loud cameo from none other than Keanu Reeves!
Click through to watch Always Be My Maybe now.
6. Dumplin' (2018)
In this heartfelt comedy, Jennifer Aniston plays a former beauty queen whose plus-sized teen daughter, Willowdean (nicknamed “Dumplin”) enters her Miss Teen Bluebonnet competition as a protest that quickly gets out of hand when other contestants follow her lead. The dynamic between Rosie and Willowdean (Danielle Macdonald) feels very real and any mom watching the movie will definitely experience a little tug on the heart strings. If you need any further enticement to watch, the soundtrack is by Dolly Parton!
Click through to watch Dumplin' now.
5. The Age of Adaline (2015)
In this captivating movie, Blake Lively plays Adaline, a young woman born at the turn of the 20th century who has an accident in the late 1930s that leaves her eternally youthful. While the world has significantly changed since her accident, Adaline has not. She has remained 29 years old for almost 80 years, and is left to live a solitary existence, never getting close to anyone in case her secret is revealed. Eventually she meets Ellis Jones (Michiel Huisman) who allows Adaline to let her guard down, only to complicate the eternal life she has come to accept.
Click through to watch The Age of Adaline now.
4. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
If you're a fan of musicals, look no further than this laugh riot starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as a pair of besties who want nothing more than for their quaint Iceland hometown to make a mark in the international Eurovision song contest.
It's delightful to watch all their over-the-top musical dreams come true, and you're likely to find yourself coveting all the fun outfits onscreen and singing along to the many silly yet catchy tunes.
Click through to watch Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga now.
3. Ibiza: Love Drunk (2018)
In this comedy, a trio of BFFs (Gillian Jacobs, Phoebe Robinson and Vanessa Bayer) who go on a business trip to Spain. Soon enough things take a raucous turn when they decide to indulge in some bachelorette party-style antics and follow a cool new DJ friend to Ibiza. If you’re looking for a light-hearted movie that puts a feminine spin on bro-filled party comedies like The Hangover, this is one to watch!
Click through to watch Ibiza now.
2. Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Our runner up for the best feel good movies for women on netflix is the swoon-worthy 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th -century novel starring Keira Knightley as the iconic heroine Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth and her sisters grow up in a household where their mother’s sole ambition is to find them wealthy husbands. The headstrong Elizabeth would rather establish herself as an individual than settle down and be known only as a wife.
Drama arrives with the presence of Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), a handsome yet aloof bachelor whose romantic feelings are complicated by the intricate class dynamics of the day. Knightley and Macfadyen have serious chemistry, and fans of the book will find this adaptation quite faithful.
Click through to watch Pride and Prejudice now.
1. La La Land (2016)
This romantic musical feels like a throwback to an earlier time. Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, the film follows the paths of a pianist and an actress trying to make it in Los Angeles. Stone is relegated to serving lattes to celebrities in between auditions while Gosling scrapes by playing cocktail parties and smoky dives.
Romance strikes as they pursue their dreams, but their journey to success in the "City of Stars" has many highs and lows. La La Land has a retro yet fresh aesthetic and the performances, musical numbers and direction make it a must-watch for anyone who wants a romantic, music-filled escape.
Click through to watch La La Land now.
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