23 of the best romantic comedies currently streaming on Netflix, HBO Max and more

John Corbett and Nia Vardalos at a 2002 "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" screening after party at Ballys Hotel in Las Vegas. (Denise Truscello, WireImage/Getty Images)

Who doesn’t love a good romantic comedy, right?

And with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, now is the perfect time to stream one of the classic rom coms that made our list.

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Some of them are newer and you may not have heard of them before, but for the most part, these are romantic comedies that went on to define the genre. Girl meets boy, girl falls in love with boy, girl loses boy and girl falls in love with boy again.

They’re very formulaic, but that’s why we love them, right? We know what we’re getting.


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.

‘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.

‘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.

‘The Holiday’

It’s more of a Christmas movie than a romantic comedy, but there is no denying that “The Holiday” is a fantastic movie. Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz are amazing, and how can you not fall in love with Jude Law?

‘The Lovebirds’

What happens when a couple out on date night accidentally gets accused of committing a crime? Watch “The Lovebirds,” starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani. It’s very similar to “Date Night” with Tina Fey and Steve Carell, but aren’t most movies in Hollywood basically all the same?


Hulu

‘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.

‘Second Act’

Jennifer Lopez, one of the queens of romantic comedies, returned to the genre in 2018 with this fun rom-com about a woman trying to reinvent herself (and her career) in the second act of her life. It’s an OK movie, but co-star Leah Remini shines every time she shows up on screen.

‘(500) Days of Summer’

If you grew up listening to indie rock and took art classes in high school, then you 100% saw “(500) Days of Summer” back when it came out in 2009. Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, the movie follows a couple’s entire 500-day relationship. Like the film’s stars, it’s funny and quirky.

‘Date Night’

When “Date Night” came out, the careers of Steve Carell and Tina Fey could not have been bigger, which made the movie 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.

‘The Proposal’

RIP Betty White! Honestly, this movie wouldn’t be half as good as it is without White’s hilarious performance of the crazy and funny grandma. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds don’t really have a ton of chemistry together, but regardless, it’s still fun to watch here and there.


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 film 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 seems mostly unfamiliar with, but it’s also just a fantastic story that you’ll want to watch.

‘Crazy Stupid Love’

Steve Carell plays a recently divorced dad who needs to learn how talk to single women again, thanks to his new friend Ryan Gosling.

Gosling plays a forever-bachelor who ends up falling for Carell’s daughter, even though he doesn’t know her. It’s a classic, and very funny.

‘Maid In Manhattan’

How can you not love this movie? It’s classic J. Lo, and one of those moves that you always want to watch whenever it’s on TV. Now you can stream it on HBO Max.

‘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 cold, snowy day. It just feels right.

‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’

Can we just talk about how incredible this movie is? 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.

‘Miss Congeniality’

Just like “Maid In Manhattan” made J. Lo a romantic comedy star, “Miss Congeniality” did the same for Sandra Bullock. The movie is absolutely iconic and includes tons of quotable lines and memorable scenes. The movie is more about finding out who the suspect is, but it’s still an added bonus that Bullock’s character ends up with her crush at the end.

‘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 tuned in for the actual series to understand the characters and their pasts, but even if you’ve never watched a single episode, the movie will make you want to start season one of the iconic TV show, stat. The second movie is also out on HBO (as well is the reboot, “And Just Like That”), but that second film was a bit more painful, so we’re not even going 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.

‘When Harry Met Sally’

Was this the first-ever romantic comedy? Probably not (”Annie Hall” may get that honor of defining the genre), but “When Harry Met Sally” sure made romantic comedies super popular. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are perfect in this movie. Five stars.

‘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.


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 she plays 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.


About the Author:

Jack is a Digital Content Editor with a degree in creative writing and French from Western Michigan University. He specializes in writing about movies, food and the latest TV shows.