Whether you’re looking for a date night movie to watch with your sweetheart or you’re looking for a tearjerker of a movie to make you feel all the feels, a romantic movie checks all the boxes. From lighthearted rom-coms to epic tragedies about forbidden love, we’ve rounded up some of the most romantic movies of all time that you can stream right now. So light some candles, get your favorite snacks ready, and curl up under a blanket to enjoy these movies that are all about love.
Unsurprisingly, there are a loooot of movies about love! These romantic movies encompass everything from teen romance to love triangles to breakups to weddings and everything in between. And no matter what streaming services you have — be it Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, or basically anything else — there are definitely options on this list you can stream. We’ve also made sure to include some new romance movies along with the classics you probably already know and love. And if you don’t find anything on this list that strikes your fancy, check out our suggestions for Korean romance movies, movies with great sex scenes, or cozy winter movies.
The famous movie couples in these romantic films are sure to make you believe in love, and if they don’t…well, at least you were entertained for a couple hours, right? Keep scrolling for the most romantic movies of all time, from classic black-and-white films to subversive romantic comedies.
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Nothing says romance like being stuck in an infinite time loop together, reliving the day of your sister’s wedding…right? This funny, heartfelt movie stars Andy Samburg and Cristin Milioti as two people living the same day over and over again, until one of them decides to break the cycle.
‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’
AKA, the one with *the* Aubrey Hepburn outfit everyone has worn for Halloween at least once. Hepburn plays Holly Golightly, a charming wistful socialite who falls for her handsome new neighbor, played by George Peppard.
This incredibly romantic film follows Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke as two young travelers who meet on a train and decide to spend a magical day and night exploring Vienna together. If you like this one, great news: there are two more films in the trilogy, Before Sunset (which catches up with the same characters nine years later) and Before Midnight (which finds them again nine years later, nearly two decades after their first meeting).
This movie is based on the real-life romance of Kumail Nanjiani (who plays a version of himself) and his wife, Emily V. Gordon. When Emily is hospitalized with a life-threatening infection and put into a medically induced coma, Kumail is there for her — the only thing is, they’ve already broken up at this point, and her parents are kinda pissed at him about it.
Oh, hi, Pete Davidson! This rom-com follows Sheila (Kaley Cuoco) as she uses a time machine to relive a good date over and over and over again. But once she starts going further back in time to make changes to the guy she’s going on the date with, things get complicated.
This movie features what I will definitively call the sexiest pottery scene in all of cinema! Patrick Swayze plays Sam, a man whose love for his girlfriend transcends everything — even death, it seems.
This futuristic romance centers on a lonely writer who slowly develops a bond with an artificially-intelligent operating system (think, like, Siri or Alexa), voiced by Scarlett Johansson. It’s gorgeously shot and surprisingly sweet.
‘The Theory of Everything’
Stephen Hawking’s life, including his relationship with Jane Wilde, is the subject matter of this touching romantic film. It follows Stephen and Jane as they fall in love and together confront Stephen’s diagnosis of motor neuron disease at the age of 21.
This 1973 romantic drama stars Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, who fall for each other despite being total opposites. Come for the iconic cast, stay for the melodramatic ending.
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’
A classic rom-com! Toula is a 30-year-old woman with a loving, slightly overwhelming Greek family. When she accepts her boyfriend Ian’s marriage proposal, she realizes that planning the wedding and getting her family to accept Ian might be more complicated than she thought.
If watching this movie isn’t part of your annual holiday tradition, what are you even doing?? This cozy film stars Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz as two women who are going through it relationship-wise and decide to swap homes for the holiday season. Enter: Jude Law and a surprisingly sexy Jack Black as their love interests.
If you’re in the mood for a romantic drama, you’ll love this tale of forbidden love. Ronit and Estee are childhood friends from an Orthodox Jewish community, reunited when Ronit’s father dies and she returns to the community that once ostracized her for her romantic feelings towards Estee.
Despite the voiceover that says, “You should know up front, this is not a love story,” I think it deserves a spot on this list. It’s a realistic story about a situationship, plus Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel are super charming.
If you like musicals, this classic rom-com is for you. It takes place right as Hollywood is transitioning from silent films to “talkies.” You’ll be humming the songs long after the movie is over, trust me.
‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’
This visually stunning Bollywood film tells the story of the adopted son of a wealthy family who falls in love with a woman from a low-income background. He marries her despite his family’s protestations, and things get complicated from there. Don’t worry, there’s a happy ending!
This sweet movie centers around Ellie, a shy high school student who makes money writing essays for her classmates. When she’s approached by football player Paul to pen a love letter to their classmate Aster, she accepts. The thing is, Ellie *also* has a crush on Aster, so things get kinda complicated. As much as this is a movie about romance, it’s also about self-love and self-acceptance.
‘Something’s Gotta Give’
I’ll say it: This is Jennifer Garner’s best role of all time! She stars as Jenna Rink, a girl who goes from 13 to 30 years old overnight. As an adult, Jenna gets in contact with her childhood friend Matt, who has had a *major* glowup in the intervening years.
You’ll either find the premise of this movie very charming or very annoying, but there’s only one way to find out! Jonathan and Sara are two people who spend a surprisingly intimate day together. But rather than give him her number, Sara insists that if it’s meant to be, they’ll cross paths again. Several years on, both are engaged to be married to other people but can’t stop thinking about the other, leading them both on cross-country adventures.
I mean, it’s kinda *the* love story! Baz Luhrmann’s version of the Shakespearean drama takes place in the fictional Verona Beach and stars Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio as the titular couple.
Reese Witherspoon stars as an up-and-coming fashion designer in New York who’s on the cusp of marrying her dream guy. The only thing is she’s *technically* still married to her childhood sweetheart who lives in her Alabama hometown. When she heads back home to convince him to sign the divorce papers, she finds herself questioning everything.
Another Nancy Meyers classic! This one follows a divorced couple, played by Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin. Despite the fact that he’s remarried and she’s striking up a new relationship, they start having an affair and well, it’s complicated (sorry, I had to!).
Yes, this is another film about divorced parents who fall back into a romance, but this one takes place in Bali! Plus, how can you resist anything starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts?
‘The Worst Person in the World’
This movie will have you thinking about it long after the credits roll. It chronicles four years in the life of a young woman named Julie, who is in a relationship with an artist 15 years older than she is. While Julie’s romantic relationships are at the center of the film, it’s also an interesting tale about ambition, parenting, and figuring out who you are.
‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’
As far as rom-coms go, this one is surprisingly subversive. When Julianne’s best friend Michael gets engaged, she realizes she’s been in love with him all along. She plans to break up the happy couple, but things don’t exactly go according to plan.
This movie follows one Black man throughout his childhood and adult life as he works to figure out his sexual identity (and find love).
I don’t mean to undermine all the incredible work this film is doing, but the best way to describe it is: an absolute vibe. It’s about that “I just met a person at a party and they might be the love of my life” feeling.
“I… had… the time of my liiiiiife, and I owe it all to youuuuUUuu.”
This movie is not only a romance but just an absolute feast for the eyes, to employ a film critic phrase. The clothes! The locations! It doesn’t get any prettier than this.
The 2021 remake of West Side Story is very good, but we’re putting this one on the list instead because there’s something to be said for the original.
The opening sequence of this film will make you openly sob, and then after that, it’s just really, really enjoyable. He’s just trying to fulfill his wife’s lifelong dream!!
‘The Umbrellas of Cherbourg’
If you liked La La Land (which may or may not make an appearance later on this list), it owes a lot to this movie. It’s like, if you’ve already seen the 2.0 Emma Stone/Ryan Gosling version, you should definitely see the 1.0 version.
Ah, yes, a “lost flames reignite years later and realize they’re still into each other” movie.
This movie is what the phrase “stood the test of time” was invented for. If you didn’t know where the lines “Here’s looking at you, kid,” and “We’ll always have Paris,” came from, you need to watch ASAP.
‘In the Mood for Love’
I mean, it says love right in the title. This story follows two people who rent rooms in the same house that discover their spouses are having an affair. But will they end up doing the same?
Not only is this an iconic Amanda Bynes performance, but it’s based on Shakespeare, and that’s romantic as heck!
Two words: Issa Rae. She and LaKeith Stanfield get involved romantically as she’s sorting through her grief surrounding her mother’s death.
‘An Affair to Remember’
Before Chuck and Blair made their infamous promise to meet at the Empire State Building, Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr made the same one in this classic romance.
Other than the romance here, it’s incredibly fun to watch Queen Latifah go to Europe and simply ball TF out.
‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’
This is another installment in the canon of lesbian period pieces where the two main characters are tortured lovers who can’t be together but desperately want to be, and it’s very, very good.
This movie has basically every famous young British actor and actress in it, and Johnny Flynn’s final scene where he… I’m not going to spoil it for those of you who didn’t read the book in AP Lit, but it’s very, very swoon-y.
‘When Harry Met Sally’
This is one of those classics where two people who are obviously attracted to each other try to stay just friends. The fake orgasm scene is just the cherry on top.
I only need one word to sell you on the romance of this film: CHER.
This might have been the first in the long line of “member of the royal family escapes their duties by pretending to be normal” movies. Basically, the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry blueprint.
On his 21st birthday, Tim’s father tells him that the men in their family can time travel. At first, Tim uses this ability to get himself a girlfriend, but as life goes on, he realizes time travel isn’t the answer for all of his problems.
Sure, you could argue that this is a movie about family. But you could also argue that watching Timothée Chalamet profess his love for Saoirse Ronan on the side of a hill, even though she doesn’t reciprocate, qualifies it as a romance.
‘Sleeping With Other People’
Okay, this rom-com is criminally underrated. Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis play two serial daters who try to stay platonic friends years after their one-night stand. Emphasis on “try.”
Oh, this? The movie where Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan met? With the final dance number you certainly tried—and failed—to learn? Absolutely.
‘A Star Is Born’ (2018)
Okay yes, the second hour of this movie is very sad, but the first hour? Where Lady Gaga is simply falling in love? That’s romance, baby.
‘Pride & Prejudice’ (2005)
Before Matthew MacFadyen was stabbing Shiv in the back on Succession (IYKYK), he was breaking hearts as Mr. Darcy. This adaptation of the beloved novel will bewitch you, body and soul. (Get it?)
Before she was Emily in Paris, Lily Collins played single mom Rosie, who can’t seem to get the timing right with her best guy friend, Sam Claflin’s Alex. You’ll have to watch to see if they end up figuring it all out.
Prepare to spend two hours crying as you watch one of the most tragic love stories of our time with Anne Hathaway at the center of it all. This one will rip you apart, but it’s totally worth it.
Rachel McAdams gets into an accident and forgets everything, even her husband, Channing Tatum—as if anyone could forget they were married to Channing Tatum. But the point is that he kept trying to make her fall in love with him, even when she forgot him. Ugh.
‘The Time Traveler’s Wife’
Another Rachel McAdams classic to add to the list. This time, she’s falling in love with an actual time traveler, and it’s not as cool as it sounds. Will their love endure?
Are you surprised? The Rachel McAdams film festival continues! It’s safe to say Nicholas Sparks is pretty much the *king* of romance. Almost all of his novels get made into movies, but The Notebook is by far his most famous adaptation. That scene where Noah and Allie make out in the rain?!?! HOT.
I mean, this one’s just a given, right?
’10 Things I Hate About You’
UGH. Heath Ledger serenading Julia Stiles with “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” is truly one of the best scenes to ever happen in the history of cinema, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, WATCH THIS IMMEDIATELY.
There’s a reason why Pretty Woman has the highest number of ticket sales ever for a romantic comedy: It’s just, like, really effing good. Julia Roberts is a gem as always, and the FASHUN in this movie! Iconic!!
It didn’t win six Oscars for nothing.
‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’
Because Matthew McConaughey. Need we say more? Okay fine: Kate Hudson, too!
‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.’
Just because there is no such thing as too much Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. Also Steve Carell. Enough said.
The romance movie of all romance movies. No matter what age, this one is a MUST.
For some reason, a lot of great romance movies involve somebody dying. It’s very masochistic if you ask me, but I don’t make the rules!! At least in P.S. I Love You, you know from the start. So don’t worry—it’s not too depressing.
When Liam and Miley were still Liam and Miley (*sob*). This one will bring you back to better days.
“I’ll play you—one game, one-on-one.”
“For what?”
“Your heart.”
That exchange might sound cheesy, but if you’ve ever seen Love & Basketball, you know that’s the moment everybody starts tearing up. Quincy and Monica grow up together as basketball-loving BFFs. But on the journey to achieve their career dreams, they end up ~falling in love~.
This one is sort of underrated, IMHO. But seriously, give it a watch. You won’t be disappointed. P.S.: Is this how online dating worked before there were dating apps?
‘The Fault in Our Stars’
Two teens with cancer fall deeply, madly in love? Sure John Green, just f*ck us all the way up!
‘Call Me by Your Name’
If you want to feel absolutely destroyed, this is the movie for you! The Italian setting and the soundtrack are so freakin’ beautiful, as is the relationship that forms between Elio (internet bae Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer-me-with-those-thighs.) The film perfectly encapsulates the passion and pain of first love, and the end scene will just wreck you.
Moulin Rouge! gave us the most epic love song mashup of all time, the “Elephant Love Medley,” and for that, we should be forever grateful—but the movie behind the song is just as legendary. It’s sexy, wacky and, um, kind of heart-shattering, TBH. If the plot alone isn’t enough to make you shed a tear, Ewan McGregor’s beautiful voice sure will.
“I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” DAMMIT JULIA ROBERTS, I’m crying all over again. Hugh Grant may be a bit of a f*ck-up in this movie, but his beautiful face and perfectly tousled hair will make you forgive him for his mistakes. British men, amirite?
Oh man, I’m legit crying just thinking about this movie. I won’t spoil anything for you, but I would recommend placing a box of tissues within reach. Also, it’s kind of unfair how Sam Claflin’s face looks that good all the time.
Yet another adaptation of a Sparks classic, A Walk to Remember is pretty cheesy at times, but it’s also very cute and lovable.
“I wish I knew how to quit you.”
Those words became world-famous after the release of Brokeback Mountain. Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger are so good in this movie that I low-key forgot Anne Hathaway was even in it—but regardless, their performances are all *chef’s kiss*.
‘If Beale Street Could Talk’
If you want a good old-fashioned ugly cry, If Beale Street Could Talk will do the trick. Based on the James Baldwin novel, it follows Tish and Fonny, who have to navigate their relationship (and the fate of their future child) while Fonny sits in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. NGL, it’s sad as hell, but everything about this movie is just beautiful.
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