The 18 Best Romantic Movies on Netflix Right Now (February 2021)

The Lovebirds (2020): Best Rom-Com Murder Mystery

Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani's (Issa Rae) relationship is on ice, and so is the man they just hit with their car. Although the man survives, he is immediately killed by someone else right in front of the couple's eyes. Convinced that they'll be blamed if they go to the police, they decide to investigate the murder on their own first.

The Lovebirds is pretty standard fare for a made-for-Netflix movie, but the chemistry between the lead actors is enough to carry this untraditional romantic comedy through its short runtime. It's a lighthearted joyride that you may soon forget, but it's still a fun way to spend an hour-and-a-half.

The Lost Husband (2020): Best Story About Love, Loss, and Finding Love Again

Libby (Leslie Bibb) loses everything when her husband passes away, forcing her to move to a farm with relatives. As she goes through the stages of grief, Libby learns how to milk goats and bonds with a handsome farmhand, James O'Conner (Josh Duhamel). However, living with family brings up conflicts that prevent her from going forward.

Director Vicky Wight's adaptation of Katherine Center's novel could have easily been a milk-toast romantic comedy that focuses primarily on the fish-out-of-water element of a city girl adapting to country life. However, thanks to clever writing and exceptional performances by Bibb and Duhamel, The Lost Husband is better than your average clone of The Notebook.

Desperados (2020): Best Female-Empowerment Roadtrip Movie

Ever written an email in the middle of the night that you regret sending? Have you ever driven to another country to prevent someone from reading said email? That's the setup to Desperados, a road-trip movie about a group of women who cross the border to intercept a drunken email message.

Desperados seems like a throwback to late-90s and early 2000s films like Clueless and Bridget Jones's Diary. It's not very original, and the humor is juvenile, but if you're in the mood for a mindless rom-com, Desperados delivers.

Rebecca (2020): Best Remake of an Alfred Hitchcock Classic

Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer) never quite recovered from the loss of his first wife, Rebecca, but that doesn't stop him from marrying another woman after a weekend rendezvous. The new Mrs. de Winter (Lily James) quickly starts to regret their nuptials once she realizes that Rebecca still haunts her new home.

In the eyes of film critics, the remake couldn't possibly compete with Hitchcock's original. Still, this version may be more palatable for modern audiences. If you like Rebecca, be sure to check out the original movie, as well as the 1938 novel it's based on.

All the Bright Places (2020): Best Teen Romance Movie

While taking a jog, Theodore (Justice Smith) sees Violet (Elle Fanning) seemingly about to jump off a bridge. After talking her away from the ledge, Theodore learns that Violet's sister was killed in a car accident on the same bridge. As Violet begins to open up, the two form a deep bond, but Theodore is holding back his own secrets.

All the Bright Places adequately explores the complexities of teenage mental health. However, it may not be appropriate for someone who is currently experiencing mental health issues. Although the movie is about a teen romance, it's not intended for younger audiences.

Loving (2016): Best Historical Romantic Drama About Civil Rights

In 1958, interracial marriage was illegal in Virginia, so Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter took a road trip to Washington, D.C., to tie the knot. Upon returning home, the couple was arrested and forced to choose between serving jail time or leaving the state. Their case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ultimately struck down anti-miscegenation laws across the country.

While upsetting to watch at many points, Loving should be essential viewing for every American because it reminds us that the freedoms we take for granted were not secured without a fight. It has a happy ending, so the payoff is worth it if you can get through the sad moments.

After (2019): Best Young Adult Love Triangle Story

Based on a 2014 romance novel of the same name, After is about a young woman named Tessa (Josephine Langford) who goes to college and falls for the resident bad boy, Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin). This wouldn't be a problem if Tessa didn't already have a boyfriend back home. Then again, does she really have to choose between the two?

After was met with mixed reviews by critics, but fans of the book will no doubt be pleased with the adaptation. The strong cast and excellent cinematography should be enough to keep casual viewers watching.

The Incredible Jessica James (2017): Most Original Rom-Com About Dating in the Digital Age

Comedian and Daily Show correspondent Jessica Williams stars as Jessica James, a recently single woman who isn't quite over her ex. After going on a blind date with Boone (Chris O'Dowd), who also misses his ex-wife, they decide to follow each other's exes' on social media. As Boone and Jessica continue meeting up to talk about their exes, they start to fall for one another.

The Incredible Jessica James premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2017 and was met with positive feedback from audiences and critics. The story isn't groundbreaking, but the laughs are omnipresent, and the chemistry between the lead actors is palpable.

Always Be My Maybe (2019): Best Love Story About Immigrants

Marcus (Randall Park) and Sasha (Ali Wong) haven't seen each other since they dated as teenagers. Years later, Sasha is a celebrity chef, and Marcus is in a band that performs only in his neighborhood. When Sasha moves back to San Francisco to open a restaurant, old feelings unexpectedly resurface between childhood friends.

Always Be My Maybe is a touching romantic comedy about immigrant communities in San Francisco. For her performance, Ali Wong was nominated for Comedy Movie Star of 2019 at the People's Choice Awards. Randall Park won the 2019 Chicago Indie Award for Best Original Song for the song I Punched Keanu Reeves.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018): Most 'Embarrassing Meet-Cute' Movie, Ever

Based on a popular young adult book series, To All the Boys I've Loved Before tells the story of Lara Jean (Condor), whose trove of unsent and secret love letters are mailed to her crushes. Lara's dating life is thrown into chaos as the recipients of her letters start confronting her one by one.

The sequel, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, is on Netflix too.

Set It Up (2018): Best Accidental Romance

Set It Up is a bit of a two for one, with a clever setup and a great payoff. Two assistants (Deutch and Powell) of two domineering bosses (Liu and Diggs) conspire to spark a romantic relationship between their employers. The intent is that their bosses might let up a little if they have something else to focus on, but somewhere along the way, the assistants start falling for each other as well.

Silver Linings Playbook (2012): Best Off-Kilter Romance

Director David O. Russell takes a stab at the romance genre with this slightly askew love story about a man with bipolar disorder (Bradley Cooper) who moves back in with his family after a stint in a mental institution. Initially intent on reuniting with his estranged wife, romance ends up sparking instead with his dance competition rival (Jennifer Lawrence).

Marriage Story (2019): Realest Destruction of a Marriage Kick in the Emotions

Marriage Story is the emotionally crushing tale of playwright Charlie (Adam Driver) and actress Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), as their suddenly bi-coastal marriage falls apart. An amicable split, with their son in mind, soon becomes anything but. This isn't your flick if you want a paint by the numbers romance, but it's the perfect pick if you're looking to get kicked straight in the emotions.

Stardust (2007): A Swashbuckling Fairy-Tale Romantic Fantasy

Stardust is a modern fairy tale from the mind of Neil Gaiman with a romantic core at its heart. Young Tristan (Charlie Cox) promises to retrieve a fallen star for the woman he loves, but romance blooms with traveling companion Yvain (Claire Danes) during his journey. Framed as a fantasy adventure, and it is that as well, the connection between Tristan and Yvain is the string that ties the story together.

About Time (2013): Best Use of Limited Time Travel for Romance

Looking for a romance flick to watch with your significant other, but they're more into science fiction? About Time is a rom-com through and through, but with a nice little sci-fi twist: protagonist Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) learns that the men in his family have the ability to travel back in time. He uses this power to relive the past in pursuit of Mary (Rachel McAdams) but learns that altering the past can have unintended consequences.

The Notebook (2004): Best Girl Can't Make Up Her Mind Romance

Told through the framing device of an elderly man in a nursing home reading a notebook to another patient, The Notebook follows the romance of star-crossed lovers Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling). Noah is a poor lumber mill worker, while Allie is an heiress, but their love story spans decades despite all odds.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020): Best Romance With Hints of Icelandic Gnomes

This Will Ferrell comedy about an Icelandic music group might not be the most likely candidate for a fantastic romance, but Ferrell and Rachel McAdams make for a surprisingly good pairing.

Eurovision definitely goes heavy on the laughs, but there's a strikingly resonant romantic core here, with moments of real tenderness, that make this Netflix Original a must-watch if you're a fan of comedy with a side of romance.