When it comes to the best romance movies on Netflix, there is such a great mix of originals as well as some of the best romances in movie history. These movies also traverse the spectrum from romantic comedies to both romances with happy and sad endings, bringing smiles, tears, or in some cases, both. When it comes to streaming services like Netflix, it is also hard to tell when movies will drop off the service, and at times it is hard to scroll through and find the best movies in any specific genre. The good news is, for romances, there are plenty to choose from.
The best romance movies on Netflix include now-classic love stories with stars like Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, and Robert Redford, alongside newer movies starring up-and-comers. These include teenage coming-of-age stories, tales of older men and women looking for love, and quite a few comedies with a strong romantic subplot. Add in the dramatic movies, some of which deliver tragedies that often destroy the love stories entirely, and there is something on Netflix for any couple looking for a romance, whether they want to laugh or cry.
25 Holidate (2020)
Holidate was a 2020 romantic comedy movie about a couple who pretend to be dating to keep their families from worrying about their love lives. Emma Roberts stars as a woman who hates family holidays because they always judge her for being single, and she meets Jackson (Luke Bracey) who agrees they could date on holidays to keep from having to settle down with anyone. The movie remains self-aware of its own genre, and it plays with tropes of romantic comedies in smart ways, helping it stand out from many of the best romance movies on Netflix for couples.
24 New In Town (2009)
Renée Zellweger was one of the most successful romantic comedy actresses for more than a decade and one of her best movies is now on Netflix. This is New in Town, which has Zellweger star as a high-powered consultant from Miami who is sent to Minnesota to oversee the restructuring of a business. While there, she meets Ted (Harry Connick Jr.), and the two begin to fall in love. This is a fish-out-of-water story for Zellweger and a mismatched romantic pair for her and Connick. It received negative reviews from critics, but still made $30 million on an $8 million budget, making it a success.
23 Forever My Girl (2018)
Forever My Girl is a romantic drama about a successful country musician who returns home when one of his childhood friends has died in an accident. When he returns home, he sees the girl that he left at the altar before setting out to become a star. When he learns that she had his son, and he never knew he existed, the two reconnect, but neither is sure this can ever really work. The critics mostly dismissed the movie, but it was a success at the box office, making $16.4 million on just a $3.5 million budget — and Forever My Girl has gone on to be one of the best romance movies on Netflix for couples.
22 The Best Of Me (2014)
Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, The Best of Me stars James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan as Dawson and Amanda. The movie jumps around in time, showing their relationship together in 1992 and their current lives, where they are no longer together. Marsden is Dawson, a man who returns home after his surrogate dad dies and finds that he also asked for Dawson's teenage girlfriend Amanda to come as well, hoping they could reconcile. However, she is now married, and the movie flashes back to what ended their relationship, and then, as it is with Sparks' novels, tragedy strikes.
21 Persuasion (2022)
When looking for romantic movies, there are a lot of adaptations of the work of Jane Austin. While Pride & Prejudice and Emma lead the way, her novel Persuasion has also seen several adaptations released over the years. One of the best romance movies on Netflix is based on this book, with the 2022 release. Dakota Johnson stars as Annie, an English woman who broke off her engagement to a man eight years ago, but then meets him again and rekindles their relationship, giving love a second chance. The 2022 version of Persuasion got a one-week theatrical release before heading to Netflix, where it's been known as one of their strongest romance movies ever since.
20 Wedding Season (2022)
Wedding Season is a romantic comedy about a woman named Asha who broke off her engagement and quit her Wall Street job to move on to a startup firm in New Jersey. When her mother sets up an online dating profile, she ends up meeting Ravi, although their first date goes badly. However, she asks him to pretend to date her so that her mother will leave her alone and let her move on with her life. While the movie is a typical romantic comedy, with the same beats and tics from the genre, the cast was on top of their game and critics praised the movie, giving it an 83% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
19 The Lost Husband (2020)
The Lost Husband is a 2020 romance movie that stars Leslie Bibb and Josh Duhamel in a rare movie about a romance between mature people looking for love. Bibb is Libby, a woman whose husband dies, and she is left as a single mother of two kids. When she moves to her aunt's farm in Texas, she meets the farm manager James (Duhamel), and the two slowly fall in love. However, they both have a lot of pain in their lives to deal with before either can move on in any sort of relationship. The movie is a true love story and never falls into the clichés of the genre.
18 How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days (2003)
In 2003, Kate Hudson was making her name as a romantic comedy star and Matthew McConaughey was enjoying his short time in the genre as one of Hollywood's top leading men as well. In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, McConaughey played a bachelor who wants to prove he can have a deep romance while Hudson plays a reporter who is writing an article about how to get a guy to dump her in less than 10 days by doing everything wrong. It ended up as a great comedy, with the two playing well off each other, and remains one of the best romance movies on Netflix.
17 Dear John (2010)
Nicholas Sparks is an acquired taste for many fans of romantic movies. That is because Sparks' novels are always tragedies, and deal with people either recovering from one or heading into a dark and depressing ending. In Dear John, the movie was bookended by a man serving in the Army in Afghanistan who said the last thing he thought of was "you" before blacking out. The story then shows the love story between John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried). The movie tells the story of these two individuals and the heartbreak in their lives. Critics slammed it, but fans loved it, with it receiving nominations at the Teen Choice, People's Choice, and MTV Movie Awards.
16 About Last Night (2014)
About Last Night is a star-studded romantic comedy that is a remake of a 1974 David Mamet play titled Sexual Perversity in Chicago. The predominantly Black cast includes Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, Michael Ealy, Joy Bryant, and Paula Patton. Danny and Bernie are friends who start dating a pair of roommates and both relationships catch fire fast before the movie shows their ups and downs as they decide if this was meant to last. The movie remains one of the best romance movies on Netflix, offering something unique that doesn't exist in most romances.
