10 best Valentine’s Day movies on Netflix
It’s officially love month! One of the best ways to fully feel the love in the air is by watching a romantic movie that will have your feet swinging with giddiness. Here are 10 romantic films to celebrate Valentine’s Day available to stream on Netflix that are perfect to watch with your special someone, your bestie, or even alone in your best PJs.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is one of the most beloved teenage rom-coms, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only is the plot just the right amount of cheesy, but the chemistry between the two leads will have you thirsting for more—and luckily for you, the series spawned two sequels and a spinoff series for a full Valentine’s Day marathon!
The film centers on Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), who becomes involved with Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) after her sister, Kitty (Anna Cathcart), sends out old love letters Lara Jean wrote to her past crushes. The two agree to fake date for both of their sakes, but soon, real feelings develop. What will happen to Lara and Peter? Well, you’ll have to watch to find out.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Do you want a slow burn? Then add Always Be My Maybe to your list on Netflix. This film is a personal favorite of mine since it features two strong Asian leads, which isn’t that common in Western media. Ali Wong and Randall Park both smash it out of the park with their chemistry and comedic chops.
Marcus (Park) and Sasha (Wong) are two childhood friends who lost contact with each other following a childhood friendship and failed teenage fling. As adults, Sasha becomes a celebrity chef and is engaged to a successful restaurateur, while Marcus is still living with his father and performs in an unsuccessful band. After Sasha and her fiancé part ways, she returns to their hometown to open a restaurant. Soon, the chemistry between Sasha and Marcus reignites, but will they be able to form a relationship with their past traumas and current life paths?
Girlfriend’s Day (2017)
Girlfriend’s Day is unique because it is not like the other romance movies that are bright and optimistic. This noir-tinged dramedy is dark, perfect for the person who believes Valentine’s Day is a useless “holiday.”
After his divorce, Ray Wentworth (Bob Odenkirk) goes from being a successful greeting card writer to unemployed and depressed. Determined to get out of his writer’s block, he joins a competition to produce the best greeting card to commemorate a new holiday: Girlfriend’s Day. Easy task, right? Wrong. The film soon takes a dramatic turn, with Ray facing deceit, murder, and homicide. It’s a thriller that will have you at the edge of your seat this love month.
All the Bright Places (2020)
If you’re looking for a tear-jerker, then All the Bright Places is the movie for you. Based on the novel of the same name by Jennifer Niven, the film features Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, and more. Warning: this film does not have a happy, fairytale ending. Prepare tissues.
Violet Markey (Fanning) is a teenager suffering from survivor’s guilt after her sister, Eleanor, died in a car crash. Bullied by other students, she finds herself standing on the edge of a bridge on Eleanor’s 19th birthday. Theodore Finch (Justice Smith) spots her while on a run and convinces her not to commit suicide. Thus begins their friendship; Finch does everything in his power to learn about Violet and partners up with her in a school project that requires them to explore Indiana. While their relationship blooms, their traumas are unearthed, forging a new bond.
tick, tick… BOOM! (2021)
tick, tick… BOOM! tells the story of Jonathan Larson, who most people know as the writer of the beloved musical Rent. The semi-autobiographical story tells the story of how Larson wrote a musical to enter the theater industry. The musical features Andrew Garfield as Larson.
tick, tick… BOOM! features love in many forms. Larson’s love for theater and his passion for writing a play, his friendship with Michael, and his messy relationship with his girlfriend, Susan. The film is bittersweet, as it shows Larson achieving his dream of entering the theater industry but losing relationships due to the hunger he felt to achieve his goals.
Alex Strangelove (2018)
Alex Strangelove is an adorable movie that tells a tale the LGBTQ+ community has heard (and experienced themselves) before. The film details a young man’s path to exploring his sexual identity and coming to terms with his authentic self.
Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) is a high school student who begins dating his friend Claire (Madeline Weinstein). Tired of being made fun of for being a virgin, the two plan to book a hotel room and have sex for the first time. However, things take a turn when Alex meets Elliot (Antonio Marziale) at a party. His interaction with Elliot has Alex questioning his sexuality, leading him to believe he is bisexual before admitting he is gay.
How To Be Single (2016)
Spending Valentine’s Day alone or with your besties? Then check out How To Be Single, a film that features love, friendship, and a journey to accepting one’s identity without being attached to another person.
Each character handles being single in different ways. Alice Kepley (Dakota Johnson) struggles with getting out of a relationship and must cope with closure and being alone. Meg Kepley (Leslie Mann), a girl boss CEO, struggles to open herself up to a relationship due to her lifestyle and choice of being a single mother. Robin (Rebel Wilson), on the other hand, is experiencing the gratification of sexual freedom and being unattached. There is no one right way to be single, and this film highlights it.
Our Souls at Night (2017)
Rarely do we see films focusing on elderly couples, but Our Souls at Night does just that. And it does it extremely well, proving that romance films don’t need to always center around romantic 20-somethings.
Louis Waters (Robert Redford) and Addie Moore (Jane Fonda) are two widow(er)s who have been neighbors for decades but never truly got to know one another. One day, Addie proposes to Lois that they sleep together at night—completely platonically and non-sexually—to combat their loneliness. Lois reluctantly agrees, and soon their friendship blossoms. However, as they learn more about each other, a romantic relationship ensues.
Someone Great (2019)
Someone Great is another film best paired with your closest friends. It shows how while each friend may be going through something, their love for one another will always help them overcome their problems.
Jenny Young (Gina Rodriguez) is dumped by her boyfriend of nine years and spirals into a depression. She is left alone to mourn the relationship while packing her bags to move to San Francisco to work her dream job. She calls her two best friends, Erin (DeWanda Wise) and Blair (Brittany Snow), and proposes one last hurrah before she leaves as a way to celebrate her new job and distract herself from her broken heart. The film showcases the challenges each girl goes through in their relationships and how they bond together as friends throughout it all.
Look Both Ways (2022)
The award for most creative movie goes to Look Both Ways. The film presents two parallel realities based on different results, showing both stories at the same time and leaving the viewer to decide which reality they want to believe in.
The film stars Lili Reinhart as Natalie, a senior at the University of Texas. She has sex with her friend Gabe (Danny Ramirez), with both claiming it’s nothing serious. During the night of her graduation, Natalie feels sick and takes a pregnancy test with her friend Cara as support. The film then splits into two realities: one where the result is positive and one where the result is negative.
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