Best romance movies on Netflix to stream right now

Check out the list below for what we think are the best romantic movies that you can watch on the streamer right now.

The best romance movies on Netflix

Pretty Woman (1990)

The film that established Julia Roberts as the queen of the romcom in the '90s – before her roles in the likes of My Best Friend's Wedding and Notting Hill – sees her star opposite Richard Gere as a sex worker who is hired by a millionaire, only for the pair to fall in love against the odds.

Roberts and Gere share great chemistry, and although certain aspects of the film have perhaps aged badly, it remains very much a romcom staple.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Set in late 18th century France, Celine Sciamma's widely acclaimed film follows the romance that develops between a reluctant bride-to-be and the artist hired to paint her portrait.

Noémie Merlant and Adèle Haenel are luminous in the lead roles, and the whole film is superbly put together – with certain scenes sure to linger long in the memory, none more so than the heartbreaking final shot.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)

The first of three big-screen collaborations between Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, this joyous romcom deserves to be seen as a modern classic of the genre. Gosling plays Jacob Palmer, a young man who encourages his recently divorced new friend Cal (Steve Carell) to pick up women at their local bar, only for things to turn complicated when Jacob embarks on a romantic relationship of his own...

The film's star-studded cast also includes memorable role for Kevin Bacon, Julianne Moore and Marisa Tomei.

Angus Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008)

If you were a teenager at a certain point in the mid-to-late 2000s, it's highly likely that this coming-of-age classic was a staple of your viewing habits.

Directed by Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha, it follows soon-to-be 15-year-old Georgia Nicholson as she desperately tries to attract the attention of class heartthrob Robbie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) while dealing with squabbling parents and unflattering fancy dress costumes.

Call Me By Your Name (2017)

The film that made Timothée Chalamet a major global star, Luca Guadagnino's Oscar-nominated drama is set in the summer of 1983 and follows the burgeoning romance between 17-year-old Elio and doctorate student Oliver (Armie Hammer) – who is seven years his senior.

The film became a major hit soon after its release, with critics praising how well it captured the both the excitement and melancholy of first love.

The Lost City (2022)

This action-comedy film follows romance novelist Loretta Sage (Sandra Bullock) who – due to a kidnapping by an eccentric billionaire (Daniel Radcliffe) – finds herself on an adventure in the jungle with her handsome cover model Alan (Channing Tatum), who is desperate to prove he is more than just a pretty face.

Taking inspiration from films such as Romancing the Stone, it's an an enjoyable throwback that merges the romcom and action-adventure genres to entertaining effect.

Love at First Sight (2023)

Ben Hardy and Haley Lu-Richardson lead the cast of this Netflix original romcom, playing two people who meet by chance at an airport and soon strike up a romantic connection.

Mix-ups aplenty follow once they arrive at their destination in London, and while it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel when it comes to the genre, it's one of the better examples in the streamer's vast library of cheesy romcoms – with plenty of laughs and emotional moments along the way.

Easy A (2010)

Several teen romances over the years have been based on classic works of literature – including Clueless and 10 Things I Hate About You – and this excellent film takes its inspiration from Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlett Letter.

Emma Stone stars as Olive, who finds herself the victim of salacious rumours at her high school after she lies to her best friend about losing her virginity – and uses the rumours as a chance to advance her social standing.

Submarine (2010)

The directorial debut of Richard Ayoade, this coming-of-age flick is as offbeat and quirky as you'd expect from the star of The IT Crowd – and it's also one of the best original romcoms this side of the millennium.

It follows 15-year-old Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) as he navigates his first relationship while also trying to rescue his parents' marriage, and is full of warmth and humour – as well as a top-tier soundtrack from Alex Turner.

Just Like Heaven (2005)

This 2005 romcom stars Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, with the former playing a doctor who tragically dies in a road accident only to awake as a ghost and fall in love with the new tenant in her apartment building.

As romcoms go, it's undoubtedly on the twee, schmaltzy side of things, but the likeable lead duo ensure that it's worth a watch nonetheless.

Man Up (2015)

This London-set romcom follows a chaotic day in the life of singletons Nancy (Lake Bell) and Jack (Simon Pegg), who slowly fall for each other after the latter mistakes the former for his blind date.

There are plenty of laughs – including some from an enjoyably off-kilter Rory Kinnear – as their date takes them to several London locations and spirals further our of control.

Blue Jay (2016)

This melancholy black and white romantic drama follows two high school sweethearts after they unexpectedly reunite in their old hometown and spend some time reminiscing about what used to be.

Mark Duplass (who also wrote the script) and Sarah Paulson are superb in the lead roles, helping to make the film a lowkey delight.

What's Love Got to Do With It? (2022)

Lily James and Shazad Latif star in this recent addition to the romcom canon, which follows commitment-averse filmmaker Zoe as she makes a documentary about her childhood friend Kaz's upcoming assisted marriage.

There are no prizes for guessing what happens between the pair as they spend more time together, but the two leads share an easy chemistry and the focus on assisted marriages sets it apart from other romcoms.

To All The Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

This Netflix original teen romcom became a real sensation when it released in 2018 - spawning two sequels.

In the first film, shy teenager Lara Jean (Lana Condor) writes letters to each of her five crushes that she never plans to send – only for them all to be sent anyway. Across the three films, this sparks a major upheaval in her love life, leading to a relationship with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo).

Hitch (2006)

Will Smith stars in this romcom as Alex 'Hitch' Hitchens, a supposed dating expert whose career involves giving men advice as to how to successfully date the women of their dreams.

His expertise is put to the test when he is tracked down by gossip columnist Sara Melas (Eva Mendes), who is determined to expose him – and, perhaps inevitably, he ends up falling for her.

After (2019)

After wasn't exactly critically acclaimed upon its release in 2019, but it did gain a very devoted fanbase - which has only grown with the release of several sequels.

Based on a novel of the same name by Anna Todd, it follows young student Tessa (Josephine Langford) after she meets enigmatic rebel Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) during her first months of college - and soon falls passionately in love with him.

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