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45 of the Most Romantic Valentine’s Day Movies
You’ll love these even if you don’t usually celebrate.
Valentine’s Day often involves romantic, candlelit dinners (or one of these fun date ideas), but this year, consider cozying up at home and turning on a super romantic movie instead. To help you prep for your exciting plan, we’ve queued up 45 of the best movies for Valentine’s Day below.
Whether you’re spending the holiday with a longtime partner, a new flame, your favorite girlfriends, or on your own, there’s a perfect movie for you. In the mood for something light, cheesy, and/or laugh-out-loud hilarious? We’ve got rom-coms galore for that. On the other hand, if you want a flick that’ll make you bawl your eyes out (no shame—sometimes you gotta feel your feelings), this list includes a good serving of dramatic, emotional, and heart-wrenching films, too. And there are love stories for all ages, from teen crushes to 20- and 30-something disasters to second chances after divorce. Oh, and if you’re not in the mood for love (again, we get it), we’ve also included a few breakup-central stories and ones that are just nice to look at (hello, Channing Tatum’s abs).
So invite over your valentine or galentine, stock some snacks (grab the ones from Oprah’s Favorite Things here), and fire up Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, or Hulu. Still need more options? Here are a gazillion more romantic movies and the best (swoony) period dramas.
Valentine’s Day (2010)
This aptly titled film takes place in Los Angeles on (you guessed it) February 14. The ensemble cast reads like the guest list at a splashy Hollywood event: Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Taylor Swift, Jamie Foxx, and Anne Hathaway, just to name a few.
The Half of It (2020)
Alice Wu’s take on Cyrano de Bergerac is set in a small Massachusetts town, where high schooler Ellie (Leah Lewis) writes her classmates’ essays for money. She agrees to help Paul (Daniel Diemer) out with his love letters only because she’s in love with the same girl and feels free to communicate with her through a disguise. Defying conventional rom-com tropes, The Half of It celebrates all kinds of love—romantic, familial, and friendship bonds—without elevating one over the other.
Moonstruck (1987)
Moonstruck is testament to the fact that you never really know when love will strike. Certainly, Loretta Castorini (Cher) doesn’t expect to fall for her fiancé’s brother, Ronny (Nicolas Cage), when she invites him to the wedding. Watch Moonstruck for Cher and Cage’s magnetic performances (as well as the rest of the cast), memorable dialogue, and meditation on love.
Dirty Dancing (1987)
Prepare to fall in love with Johnny (Patrick Swayze) and Baby (Jennifer Grey)—two lovers from opposite sides of the tracks—as they fall in love with each other at a summer camp. Also of note? The dancing and that legendary lift!
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks as Annie and Sam keep hopeless romantics restless throughout this classic thanks to their “will they, won’t they” dance. Spoiler alert: One of our favorite scenes is when Sam’s son calls the radio station where Annie works to help find his widowed father a partner. Plus, we’re obsessed with the sweet ending.
Roman Holiday (1953)
Try not to get all the feels watching reporter Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) sweep Princess Ann (Audrey Hepburn) off her feet during an adventure in Italy. If you’re in the mood for a timeless black-and-white film, press play.
Pretty Woman (1990)
In this ’90s, modern Cinderella tale, a romance develops between a wealthy businessman (Richard Gere) and a prostitute (Julia Roberts). Without a doubt, it’s Gere and Roberts at their finest.
The Princess Bride (1987)
Based on William Goldman’s novel of the same name, turn to this sci-fi love story when you’re tired of the typical rom-com (or Hugh Grant). Amid fanciful creatures, pirates, and sappy scenes, Cary Elwes’s and Robin Wright’s characters embark on an adventurous journey of true love.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
You’ll probably miss the late Heath Ledger while watching this teen flick, which is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. It’s beloved for the onscreen chemistry the actor shared with Julia Stiles while they portrayed Patrick and Kat. Plus, you won’t be able to look away when Stiles delivers a tearjerking speech in which she confesses her love (and hate) for Ledger’s bad-boy protagonist.
Love & Basketball (2000)
The swoony story of how two next-door neighbors fall in love over years is perfect for Valentine’s Day. Monica (Sanaa Lathan) and Quincy (Omar Epps) connect over their passion for basketball—but, of course, their genders lead them on different paths through the sport. The film follows how they move in and out of each other's lives...and whether they can eventually work out their relationship.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
If you like your romantic movies with a heavy dose of heartbreak, here’s one for you. It’s the story of a secret, forbidden relationship between two cowboys in 1960s Wyoming—who must hide their love for each other from both their wives. The film won three Academy Awards, including one for its director, Ang Lee.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Based on James Baldwin’s novel of the same name, this film follows a young man and woman, Fonny (Stephan James) and Tish (KiKi Layne), who fall in love despite barriers: Fonny is wrongfully arrested for rape while Tish learns she is pregnant with Fonny’s child. The non-linear narrative includes their respective families’ reactions and attempts to help. Regina King won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Tish’s mother.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
As the title implies in this British romance, Charles (Hugh Grant) has to bump into Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at five different events before he’s able to fully express how he feels about her. Grant has never been more charming.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
In this irresistible Netflix rom-com, Ali Wong and Randall Park play former childhood besties with unfinished business. When Sasha (Wong) moves back to San Francisco, she and Marcus (Randall) reconnect. But is the gap between their current positions—she, a famous chef and he, still living at home—too large to bridge? Keanu Reeves also appears in the cameo of the century.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
You’ll surely get swept away by the over-the-top glitz and glamour—not to mention the ultra-romantic shows of love—in this rom-com. Rachel (Constance Wu) joins her boyfriend, Nick (Henry Golding), on a trip to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding. What she doesn’t know is that his family is filthy rich...and not too happy that he’s in love with someone outside their orbit.
Waiting to Exhale (1995)
Waiting to Exhale shows that love stories rarely take place in a vacuum. The four best friends in the warm classic help each other through their various romances’ highs, lows, and disappointments. The chemistry between Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett, Loretta Devine, and Lela Rochon is ultimately more memorable than the romances.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
The best thing about watching the lovable Sally Albright (Meg Ryan) and Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) on-screen is seeing how they grow both as a couple and as individuals. Besides, we all still want to eat what Sally orders in that iconic orgasmic café scene.
Love Jones (1997)
Your heart will warm up watching Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) use poetry to woo the beautiful photographer Nina Moseley (Nia Long) in this epic Black love story.
The Big Sick (2017)
The adorable meet-cute between Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani) and Emily (Zoe Kazan) just barely scratches the surface of this brilliant clash-of-cultures film. The Big Sick, based on Nanjiani and his wife Emily V. Gordon’s true story, also refreshingly brings Pakistani and Muslim culture into the spotlight.
Bridget Jones's Diary (2001)
Regarded as the best film of the Bridget Jones’s trilogy by superfans, Renée Zellweger is forced to choose between two handsome potential suitors, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant, in this British romantic comedy.
Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an assistant editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents, Rachael Ray In Season, and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise).
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