From Hilarious To Heartbreaking, Here Are 11 Asian-Led Romance Films To Pull Your Heartstrings
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1.In the Mood for Love (2000)
Wong Kar-Wai's masterpiece, hailed as one of the greatest films of all time by several critics, tells the love story of a man and woman who realize their spouses are having an affair. The film has seen renewed interest in the past year thanks to the many references in 2022's Oscar-record-breaking Everything Everywhere All at Once.
2.Monsoon Wedding (2001)
This tender ensemble comedy-drama explores various relationships and dalliances amid a traditional Punjabi Hindu wedding. This international production blends American and Indian filmmaking into a universally inspiring celebration of life and love.
3.Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Part sports movie, rom-com, family drama, and ode to friendship, this classic feel-good movie nails all four genres through the stories of Jess (Parminder Nagra) and Jules (Keira Knightley), the former of which has a romance with their coach, Joe (Jonathan Rhys Meyers). It remains the highest grossing film about soccer — or football, depending on where you're reading this — of all time.
4.Saving Face (2004)
Alice Wu's stunning and honest directorial debut, which is partly based on her own relationship with her mother, explores the romance between Wil (Michelle Krusiec) and Vivian (Lynn Chen) as Wil comes out to her traditional Chinese family.
5.Outsourced (2006)
A white American salesman (Josh Hamilton) travels to India and struggles to train his replacements at a call center, such as budding writer Asha (Ayesha Dharker). A breezy and enjoyable romantic comedy on the surface, Outsourced also subtly explores the issues with an increasingly globalized world economy. It even got a brief TV reboot on NBC!
6.The Big Sick (2017)
Married couple Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon co-wrote this beautiful tale of love, illness, and culture clash based on their own relationship, with Zoe Kazan starring as a fictionalized version of Gordon, while Nanjiani plays a version of himself in this heartfelt film. The writing duo was even nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay!
7.Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians was a record-breaking smash hit, and the first major studio film with an all-Asian cast since The Joy Luck Club. Chinese American Rachel (Constance Wu) is a fish out of water when she finally meets her boyfriend Nick's (Henry Golding) uber-wealthy family, including a particularly intimidating matriarch Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh), in Singapore.
8.To All The Boys series (2018–2021)
Ok, maybe this counts as three movies, but oh well. Netflix's adaptation of the hit YA novels by Jenny Han made stars out of Lana Condor and Noah Centineo. In the first film, Lara Jean's private fantasies go public when a series of secret love letters to five different crushes accidentally get mailed out.
9.Plus One (2019)
Maya Erskine (co-star and co-creator of Hulu's hilarious PEN15) shines as Alice in this sharp and modern rom-com about two single friends in their late 20s who agree to bring each other as a "plus one" during their busy wedding seasons. Jack Quaid co-stars as Ben, and Rosalind Chao is fantastic as Alice's mother, Angela.
10.A Tourist's Guide to Love (2023)
A travel executive falls for her hunky tour guide in Vietnam in one of Netflix's latest light and fun rom-com treats. Scott Ly went on a major diet and fitness regimen in order to play the movie's lead, losing over 50 pounds in four months. Your move, MCU...
11.One True Loves (2023)
This adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid's hit romance novel stars Phillipa Soo as Emma, who is torn between two great loves. Just after getting engaged to Sam (Simu Liu), her presumed-dead husband (Luke Bracey) is found on a deserted island. The film was produced in association with BuzzFeed Studios, and you can watch it here.
