It doesn’t matter if you’re cuddled up on the couch with your significant other or eating snacks with your best friends, putting on a romantic comedy is always a good idea, especially around Valentine’s Day.
Luckily, you don’t need to go digging through old DVDs to watch a few. Netflix, Hulu, HBO and the like have tons of options for you, from the classic teen rom-coms to the ones that will actually make you laugh out loud.
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Here are some of our favorites:
Netflix
‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’
Netflix saw the potential in the hit book series and decided to make some teen romantic comedy magic with Lana Condor and Noah Centineo as the leads. The best part is that the sequel, “To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You” is on Netflix, as well.
‘50 First Dates’
Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore are romantic comedy heaven (too bad “The Wedding Singer” isn’t available for streaming) and “50 First Dates” is the perfect combination of Sandler craziness that you come to expect in his films and romantic gushy moments. Add in a hilarious performance from Rob Schneider and an unexpected cameo from Dan Aykroyd and you’ve got a great rom-com.
‘Sex and the City: The Movie’
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen the “Sex and the City” movie, it just never gets old. Granted, it helps if you’ve seen the actual series to understand the characters and their pasts, but even if you’ve never seen a single episode, the movie will for sure make you want to start season one of the iconic TV show, stat. The second movie is also out on Netflx, but that film was a bit more painful, so we’re not even going to go there.
But there is so much to love about the first movie. From Miranda and Steve meeting on the Brooklyn Bridge to Charlotte pooping her pants in Mexico, it’s always great to see the girls back together.
‘Easy A’
“Easy A” is more like a funny teen movie than a full-on romantic comedy, but Emma Stone’s character does end up with the cute guy at the end of it, so we’re going to count it anyway.
Stone is absolutely delightful in “Easy A,” and her on-screen parents, Patricia Clarkson and Stanley Tucci, deliver some of the best lines in the entire movie. Also, it’s probably one of the last times we saw Amanda Bynes as a normal human being. Weird, right? Anyway, stream this movie. It’s a classic, and you’ll never not laugh at Stone singing “Pocket Full of Sunshine” in her shower.
‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’
Julia Roberts is the queen of romantic comedies, and there is no way to dispute that -- and “My Best Friend’s Wedding” might be the best one she starred in. Most people have seen this movie 100 times, but it’s always a good one to rewatch, and if your sweetie has never seen it, it’s even better to introduce it to someone.
‘The Incredible Jessica James’
Want to know what it’s like for a young woman living in a big city dating in this century? Look no further than “The Incredible Jessica James.” Starring Jessica Williams from “The Daily Show,” the film shows Williams’ character going through the struggles of modern dating, from matching with guys on Tinder to unfollowing your ex on social media.
‘Julie & Julia’
Is there anything better than Meryl Streep doing a Julia Child impression for an entire movie? No, dear reader, there is not, which makes “Julie & Julia” such a delight. The movie follows Amy Adams’ character, Julie, as she cooks (and blogs) her way through Julia Child’s cookbook, while we get the backstory on how Julia learned to cook while living in France with her charming and adoring husband, played by the always-perfect Stanley Tucci. We do get some classic romantic comedy moments between Julie and her husband in the film, but this is really a love letter to Julia Child and the millions of people she inspired with her cooking.
‘Always Be My Maybe’
After two insanely funny stand-up specials, Ali Wong finally got to star in a romantic comedy alongside fellow comedian Randall Park. “Always Be My Maybe” is about a couple who used to date when they were younger and then they reunite, after 15 years apart. It’s a classic romantic comedy plot, but the performances by Wong and Park really make this one shine.
Hulu
‘What Men Want’
Remember the classic romantic comedy “What Women Want” with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt? It’s a great movie, and this film with Taraji P. Henson flips the script and shows us what women really want. Henson’s character can hear the inner thoughts of the men around her, and man, is it funny. You won’t stop laughing until the movie’s over.
‘I Feel Pretty’
Amy Schumer stars in this comedy about a woman who has zero self-confidence, so it’s pretty darn relatable.
Schumer’s character hits her head and suddenly gains all the self-confidence in the world, and of course, hilarity ensues. It’s not a typical romantic comedy, but it is a comedy -- and you should check it out.
‘The Wedding Planner’
Who hasn’t seen this classic romantic comedy before? It turned Jennifer Lopez into more than just a singer and dancer, and it made Matthew McConaughey a leading heartthrob actor. J. Lo plays a career-driven wedding planner who ends up falling in love with the groom whose wedding she is planning. It has classic romantic comedy themes, and it never gets old.
‘The Princess Bride’
“The Princess Bride” is easily one of the greatest movies ever made, and it’s a film that everyone should watch at least once. From the storytelling to the hilarious jokes, there is just so much to love. It will be one of those movies that stands the test of time, and it’s a perfect choice to watch on Valentine’s Day.
‘Date Night’
When “Date Night” came out, the careers of Steve Carell and Tina Fey could not have been bigger, which made it so exciting. Fey and Carell play overworked parents who head to the big city for a much-deserved date night, except things go horribly wrong, and of course, hilarious antics ensue.
HBO Max
‘13 Going On 30′
First of all, the number of fantastic rom-coms on HBO Max is unreal. There are so many great ones that we couldn’t even include them all on this list.
That being said, “13 Going On 30″ is iconic and will forever go down as one of the best rom-coms ever. It came out at the height of early 2000 romantic comedies, and it features a great cast, which includes Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and perhaps one of the best rom-com actresses who is so good at playing the best friend, Judy Greer. This should be in the Smithsonian one day.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’
After years of romantic comedies starring largely white casts, a big studio finally produced a movie with an entirely Asian cast, and the results were something that many in the movie industry already knew: That a diverse cast can become a box office success.
Based on the book by the same name, “Crazy Rich Asians” explores the crazy rich Asian families in Singapore with a couple worth rooting for. Not only is it a look inside a culture that the rest of the world is mostly unfamiliar with, but it’s also just a fantastic story that you’ll want to watch.
‘Date Movie’
By the time “Date Movie” came out in 2006, the romantic comedy tropes were becoming more and more predictable. So just like the “Scary Movie” franchise, “Date Movie” is a parody of the rom-com genre. It wasn’t as popular (or as funny) as the “Scary Movie” movies, but it’s still something fun to watch if you need a good laugh.
‘The Five-Year Engagement’
Finally, a romantic comedy with Emily Blunt! After she stole our hearts as Emily in “The Devil Wears Prada,” it was so great to see her as a leading lady in this rom-com, opposite the always-funny Jason Segel. Now, depending on how you feel romantic comedies should end may dictate how you feel about this movie. It’s not the classic kind of conclusion, but still, it’s a funny film with a great supporting cast (hello, Mindy Kaling!).
‘Little Shop of Horrors’
This is our first musical on the list, and it’s a classic. Now, if you’re not a fan of musicals, then you may want to pick another romantic comedy, but “Little Shop of Horrors” is a fan favorite for lovers of the theater, and there are many reasons as to why. It’s campy, funny and has an iconic cast featuring Rick Moranis, Steve Martin and Ellen Greene.
‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’
Can we just talk about how incredible this movie is for a moment? Not only is it the highest-grossing indie film of all time, but it’s just flat-out hilarious. From the dad, Gus, who uses Windex to fix any ailment, to Aunt Voula who steals every scene she is in, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” was honestly a cultural reset when it came to what a romantic comedy can look like. It you haven’t seen this film in a minute, it’s worth a rewatch. You’ll remember just how funny is it.
‘Two Weeks Notice’
Remember when Sandra Bullock was the queen of romantic comedies and Hugh Grant was the king? It seemed inevitable that these two would wind up in a movie together, and “Two Weeks Notice” was the perfect vehicle for the duo. Bullock and Grant play two career-driven people who see the world completely differently, but of course, they end up falling in love. It’s one of those romantic comedies that is great from start to finish.
‘The Wedding Date’
When you actually take a step back and look at the plot of this movie, it’s kind of crazy and sad. A woman was so desperate to bring a date (and to make her ex mad) to her sister’s wedding that she hired an escort, who she then eventually fell in love with. If it weren’t for Debra Messing’s charm and Dermot Mulroney’s looks, this movie would have flopped.
‘You’ve Got Mail’
I don’t even need to write that much to convince you to watch this movie. It’s Meg Ryan. It’s Tom Hanks. It’s Nora Ephron. It’s iconic, and that’s all you need to know. Watching “You’ve Got Mail” is like putting on your favorite sweater in the middle of a snowy cold day. It just feels right.
Disney+
‘10 Things I Hate About You’
You probably wouldn’t think that Disney+ would have any romantic comedies in its huge library of animated movies from yesteryear, but Disney apparently owns some rom-coms from back in the day, including “10 Things I Hate About You” starring Julia Stiles and the late Heath Ledger. The film is based off Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” but retold through a teen rom-com lens.
‘The Parent Trap’
Both versions of “The Parent Trap” are available to stream on Disney+, but let’s get real for a moment -- we all know the ’90s version with Lindsay Lohan is the superior one. Lohan is obviously iconic as playing the twins, Hallie and Annie, and Dennis Quaid and the late Natasha Richardson are perfect as the parents.
‘The Sound of Music’
The oldest film on our list might just be the best of them all. First of all, this is a great movie to show someone who has never seen it. Julie Andrews is wonderful as Maria, and Christopher Plummer makes the perfect love interest for Andrews. With so many iconic songs, scenes and actors, it’s hard to pass up this movie on Valentine’s Day.
Will you be watching any of these movies on Valentine’s Day with your sweetie? Let us know below in the comments.
