14 Valentine's films that won't make you want to vomit

Agreeing on a decent film to watch can be a battle at the best of times, but on Valentine's Day it's often especially fraught.

Indeed, navigating the never-ending stream of saccharine big screen offerings is no easy task, with many of the options available leaning a little too far into embarrassing cheesiness.

But fortunately, there are loads of romantic movies that manage to sidestep schmaltz more or less completely – providing laughs and charm without making you want to thrown up your expensive dinner.

After something that ticks those boxes, but not sure where to begin? We've outlined 14 varies options below.

1. What If

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) works his magic in this alternative rom-com about a guy called Wallace who falls head over heels for Chantry (Zoe Kazan). Only problem is she's already got a boyfriend (Rafe Spall), so Wallace has a hard time working his way out of the friend zone.

It's quirky, it's witty and Adam Driver keeps the witticisms coming thick and fast. You won't even have time to feel nauseous.

RT review

Daniel Radcliffe headlines a cute, quintessentially indie romantic comedy that thinks it's a bit cleverer than it actually is. It's quite the opposite for the character he plays, however - a medical school dropout who's lost his faith in love after a break-up.

So he takes solace in his friendship with a cartoon animator, played with familiar kookiness by Ruby Sparks star Zoe Kazan (her affectations enhanced by doodles that spring to life), but it's painfully clear that Radcliffe wants more. His main obstacle is Rafe Spall as Kazan's long-time boyfriend, who is instrumental in the film's funniest moments.

Mostly, though, director Michael Dowse (Goon) relies on the witty banter between his leads to keep the formulaic action zipping along. Radcliffe isn't quite as comfortable as his co-star with this screwball approach and shrewdly tries a few Hugh Grant-style tics, making a virtue of his very British awkwardness. Ironically, the chemistry is better when the two leads are not flirting with each other. – Stella Papamichael

Where to watch: Available to rent/buy

2. (500) Days of Summer

What better way to spend Valentine's than watching a movie that's all about a break-up, eh? Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt star in this beloved tale of greeting card writer and hopeless romantic Tom, who's caught totally off-guard when his girlfriend suddenly dumps him.

He spends a little over an hour figuring out why their relationship went sour, while wondering if there's more to life than romance.

RT review

The feature-film debut of music video director Marc Webb is a flouncy romantic comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (best known for 1990s sci-fi sitcom Third Rock from the Sun) as Tom, a wannabe architect working as a greetings card writer, who falls in and out of love with Summer (Zooey Deschanel), a beautiful if mercurial woman who starts work as his boss's secretary.

The film jumps backwards and forwards in time throughout our hero's 500-day infatuation with Summer, who unfortunately for Tom firmly refuses to believe in love. Gordon-Levitt's soft-hearted, love-struck performance is heartbreaking to watch - although it is played mostly for comedy - and really demonstrates how confused a man in love can get.

However, Webb's offbeat direction is occasionally disjointed, giving the appearance of a movie made up of a string of short films spliced together. The idea of analysing a relationship at different points in time is certainly fresh and interesting, but the director's inability to control the pace means the end result is a bit twee. – Karen Krizanovich

Where to watch: Disney+

3. Nick and Norah's Infinite Play List

Based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, this quirky little film follows teenagers Nick (Michael Cera) and Norah (Kat Dennings) who cross paths when she asks if he'll pretend to be her boyfriend for five minutes. Nick obliges, naturally, and the pair bond as they attempt to find their favourite band's secret show and search for Norah's drunken best friend.

There's moonlight, music and a little bit of magic, but not enough to make you bring your dinner back up.

RT review

During an eventful night in the Big Apple, bassist Nick (Michael Cera), the only heterosexual member of a gay boy band, bumps into Nora (Kat Dennings), a quirky high-school teen who's babysitting her outrageously drunk friend Caroline (Ari Graynor).

All three are desperate to discover the venue for a secret gig by underground band Where's Fluffy but they're dragged off-course by a series of increasingly frantic mishaps. Nick falls for Nora, Caroline passes out then goes AWOL and Nick's bitchy ex-girlfriend (Alexis Dziena) tries to ruin the romance.

More indebted to After Hours than Superbad, this late-night tour of Manhattan aims to be a smarter alternative to the usual teen movie yet fails to find the magical charm it needs to work properly. Instead it coasts leisurely by on its nicely mismatched central couple, gay-friendly supporting characters and name-checking of bands like Vampire Weekend and Band of Horses. – Jamie Russell

Where to watch: Available to buy from Sky Store

4. Easy A

Emma Stone takes the lead in this clever little comedy that's got an ever-so-subtle romance running through it. The feisty redhead (for this film anyway) stars as Olive, a run-of-the-mill high school teenager who decides to spice up her life by telling a lie about losing her virginity. Little does she know it'll spread like wildfire.

It's not too soppy, never floppy, and jam-packed with references to your favourite 80s teen movies.

RT review

Emma Stone demonstrated her star charisma with this teen movie, playing one of those girls who just fades into the background at high school. So when the fibs she tells about her (actually nonexistent) sexual exploits start doing the rounds, it's no surprise that Stone is flattered by the attention.

But, of course, we know that those tall tales are only going to get her into deeper trouble. What unfolds is a deft, witty and sympathetic tale of adolescent confusions that bravely references both Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter and John Hughes teen pics of the 1980s - and gets away with it.

There's also a stellar supporting cast that includes Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as Stone's groovy parents, and Malcolm McDowell and Lisa Kudrow as members of the school staff, and they all make the most of writer Bert V Royal's gold-standard dialogue. True, the plot almost overreaches itself, but it's still enormously funny and has surprising cross-generational appeal. – Trevor Johnston

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy

5. 10 Things I Hate about You

The brilliant ensemble teen comedy (starring Heath Ledger, Julia Styles, Joseph-Gordon Levitt and Larisa Oleynik) is a modern twist on Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew. It sees Patrick Verona (Ledger) chase after Kat Stratford (Styles) who ain't at all easy to woo.

"I know you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever be just whelmed?" We're still not sure but this film will definitely leave you over rather than underwhelmed.

RT review

Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew gets updated, Clueless-style, to high-school America in this engaging romantic comedy from debut director Gil Junger. Kat (Julia Stiles) is the sulky teenager who doesn't like anybody.

This causes a problem for her hormonally charged younger sister Bianca (Larisa Oleynik), who has been told by their dad that she can't date until Kat does.

Heath Ledger made his Hollywood breakthrough as unfortunate lad picked to introduce Kat to the dating scene, while the rest of the cast is peppered with equally good-looking youngsters, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Premium Rush) as Bianca's sweet but nerdy admirer. Smartly paced, fun and funny, this is just as enjoyable for adults as it is for its intended teenage market. – Joanna Berry

Where to watch: Disney+

6. High Fidelity

You can always rely on John Cusack to balance romance with marvellous misery. High Fidelity follows his reclusive record shop owner Rob as he recounts the tales of his last five break-ups – including the one he's in the middle of.

Funny and refreshing, Stephen Frears' little gem will make the down-and-out man in your life feel like he's a hunk after all.

RT review

Don't fret about the fact that Stephen Frears has transposed Nick Hornby's novel from north London to downtown Chicago. This slickly scripted, knowingly played and cameo-strewn comedy stands on its merits.

As the owner of a failing vinyl emporium, John Cusack combines reluctant self-awareness with genuine delusion as he attempts to reconcile the loss of girlfriend Iben Hjejle to lusty neighbour Tim Robbins by dating singer Lisa Bonet.

However, it's when directly addressing the viewer or compulsively compiling "top five" lists with co-workers Jack Black and Todd Louiso that Cusack, and the picture, really come alive. – David Parkinson

Where to watch: Disney+

7. Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Yet another brutal break-ups that proved surprisingly heart-warning. Forgetting Sarah Marshall sees Jason Segel's Peter getting the push from long-term TV star girlfriend Sarah, before jetting off to Hawaii to try and get over it. He meets a rather nice receptionist (Mila Kunis) on the island but the arrival of his ex and her new squeeze (Russell Brand) makes things a little more complicated.

It's rude, it's crude, it's laugh out loud funny, and it's not even close to dripping in sickly sweet vom-com honey.

RT review

The team responsible for The 40 Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up is behind this sometimes riotous anti-romantic comedy. After musician Peter (Jason Segel) is dumped by his TV-star girlfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell), he decides to take a trip to Hawaii to get over her.

But when Peter arrives, he discovers that Sarah and her new British rock star boyfriend (Russell Brand) are not only staying at the same resort, but in the very same hotel. All three leads are likeable and well cast, while the Hawaiian scenery looks great.

But like producer Judd Apatow's previous films, it is somewhat overlong, with several scenes apparently included because they could be, not because they should be. As compensation, it is often laugh-out-loud funny, with a broad humour that delivers belly laughs by the barrel-load. – Dave Aldridge

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy

8. When Harry Met Sally

Can men and women ever just be friends? That's the question rom-com queen Meg Ryan and the brilliant Billy Crystal try to answer in this chick flick classic. Nora Ephron's marvellous movie follows the pair as they attempt to keep things platonic across the decades.

RT review

Essentially concerned with the several meetings and partings of two college graduates over a decade or so, as life and love take their toll, this romantic comedy argues the question of whether men and women can ever have friendship without sex.

The teaming of Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal is perfect, while supporting stars Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby are outstanding and add a welcome suggestion of edge. With its glitzy New York locations and beguiling soundtrack of popular standards, the movie offers a glamorised excursion into Woody Allen territory, and is a triumph of expert and irresistible escapist entertainment.

The fake-orgasm-in-a-deli set piece propelled Ryan into stratospheric stardom, but there are numerous other pleasures to be found in Nora Ephron's Oscar-nominated screenplay and Rob Reiner's astute direction. – Robyn Karney

Where to watch: MGM+

9. The Princess Bride

If you haven't watched this 80s cult classic already you've missed out. Adapted from the book of the same name, The Princess Bride is the superbly satirical tale of farm boy Westley and his err, Princess Bride Buttercup, as they wind up in all sorts of ridiculous situations.

Mandy Patinkin's brilliant Inigo Montoya makes every single soppy kiss worth it.

RT review

Rob Reiner was always careful to avoid typecasting as a director, so following the warm nostalgia of Stand by Me he opted for this curious but ultimately charming fable.

The film opens with Peter Falk reading the story to grandson Fred Savage (from TV's The Wonder Years), and this ironic distancing continues throughout the movie. Although the requisite monsters, giants and swordfights are present and correct for the children, Reiner also ensures there are plenty of quiet chuckles for adults.

That's largely thanks to the efforts of an eclectic cast, which includes Mandy Patinkin, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, This Is Spinal Tap's Christopher Guest, Mel Smith and Peter Cook. An unexpected delight for all the family. – John Ferguson

Where to watch: Tubi

10. Silver Linings Playbook

OK, so it's technically a "dramedy" – dramatic romantic comedy – but it nabbed enough Oscars to warrant a watch. Strictly meets decent drama as Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence (in the role that made her hot property in Hollywood) play two troubled souls thrown together by their personal dilemmas and a dance competition.

Not so much dirty as flirty dancing, it's a slick little flick that any girl or boy can enjoy.

RT review

This beguilingly offbeat love story was adapted by idiosyncratic director David O Russell (The Fighter, American Hustle) from the debut novel by Matthew Quick. Bradley Cooper gives a career-changing performance as Pat, a bipolar divorcé returning to his larger-than-life suburban Philadelphia family after a spell in a mental health clinic.

After a chance meeting, he partners up with Jennifer Lawrence's fellow neurotic Tiffany (also keenly played) to train hard for a dance competition that promises to prove therapeutic for them both.

An accumulative betting subplot involving real-life team the Philadelphia Eagles, driven by Pat's roguish dad (Robert De Niro, in a rare autumnal role of substance), stokes the dramatic trajectory towards the ballroom-dance-off, which is much more surprising than your standard Hollywood ending, despite certain conventions.

This is a genuinely unusual, bittersweet romance that also boasts some terrific choreography. – Andrew Collins

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy

11. Before Sunrise

Richard Linklater's entire Before trilogy – starring Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy – is always worth a watch in its entirety, but this opening instalment is the most purely romantic of the three.

Hawke and Delpy are Ethan and Celine, an American man and Frenchwoman who meet on a train and decide to spend an evening together in Vienna, soon realising they seem to have a special connection. It's a delightful film with no shortage of standout moments.

RT review

When American slacker Ethan Hawke meets French student Julie Delpy on a train to Vienna, the romantic sparks fly as they spend one eventful night together in director Richard Linklater's exhilarating drama.

Announcing his presence as a major talent after grabbing attention with Dazed and Confused, Linklater's understated use of gorgeous Viennese backgrounds, coupled with a smart, funny and touching script, make this ultra-modern romance hip yet timeless.

With engaging Hawke and free-spirited Delpy delivering confident chemistry, this contemporary brief encounter is a real winner. – Alan Jones

Where to watch: Available to rent or buy

12. Bringing Up Baby

No list of romantic comedies would be complete without dipping into classic Hollywood, and specifically the large canon of screwball comedies. There are loads of gems from to choose from – such as The Philadelphia Story and It Happened One Night – but for pure chaotic fun, there's no looking past Howard Hawks superb 1938 gem.

Legendary stars Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant couldn't be more perfectly matched in a film that includes everything from runaway leopards to toppling dinosaur skeletons – this is pure unfiltered joy from the first minute to the very last.

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Despite flopping on release, this deft comedy has rightly become one of the definitive examples of the screwball genre. Cary Grant plays nicely against type as a mild-mannered scientist, while an energetic Katharine Hepburn excels as the scatty heiress whose new pet leopard is the surprising catalyst for both riotous farce and the inevitable romance.

Hepburn maintains an unusual layer of sweetness as she falls instantly in love with Grant – even while she sets about trying to sabotage her hapless paramour's marriage engagement. Howard Hawks directs with his usual zip, leading us effortlessly through every silly set piece. – Calum Baker

Where to watch: BBC iPlayer

13. The Apartment

Another oldie, this classic from Billy Wilder has a strong claim to be labelled the very best romcom Hollywood has ever produced. Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine and Fred McMurray, it's a film that has lost none of its emotional resonance in the 65 years since release.

RT Review

This classic from Billy Wilder sees Jack Lemmon's put-upon, snuffling insurance clerk CC Baxter basically offer his apartment to his superiors so that they can indulge in extramarital trysts. That he does it in return for promotions that never come makes "Buddy Boy" Baxter a sad case indeed.

But Wilder cleverly veils the plot's darker side and operates the movie as a light romantic comedy. He is helped immensely by Lemmon's skilled performance, which instantly earns our sympathy, and his character's redemption comes when Shirley MacLaine's elevator girl - mistress of unscrupulous boss Fred MacMurray - gets in a fix and he comes to her aid.

From such potentially edgy material Wilder and co-writer IAL Diamond sculpt an unforgettable romance that won five Oscars, including best picture, direction and screenplay. – Andrew Collins

Where to watch: MGM+

14. The Worst Person in the World

The third entry in Joachim Trier's loose Oslo trilogy, this modern gem perhaps leans more towards romantic drama – with a certain melancholy running through it – but there are enough light and comedic moments for it to qualify here.

Breakout star Renate Reinsve – now an Oscar nominee for Sentimental Value – is superb in a charming film that subverts some of the tropes of the genre and includes a handful of playfully realised set pieces. It's an instant classic.

RT Review

If you have ever felt that life is passing you by, then this wistful and warm film from Norwegian director Joachim Trier will hit you like a ton of bricks. Set in Oslo, the story is divided into 12 chapters that trace the 20s of a woman named Julie (the radiant Renate Reinsve), who is unsure of what to do with her life and with whom who to spend it.

Julie makes the kind of mistakes that would usually cast her as the villain of the piece, but thanks to Reinsve imbuing her with irresistible charisma and relatability, she is far from what the film's sarcastic title suggests.

Trier, who also co-wrote the script, directs with playful verve, from a kiss that would rival any romcom's to a dinner party with magic mushrooms on the menu. It is a film that dodges genre pigeonholes, with threads of romantic comedy and coming-of-age drama weaving into one, and a mournful final act that offers a further impactful gear-change. – Max Copeman

Where to watch: Mubi

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