Skip to Content

60 Best Romantic Comedy Movies of All Time

Cute, funny or a teensy bit cheesy, these rom-coms make us catch feelings in all the best ways.

By Rebecca Deczynski and Lizz Schumer
best romantic comedies
courtesy

The meet-cute. The heartstring-tugging speech. The kiss in the softly falling snow. The moment when you think they hate each other. When it comes to romantic movies, the rom-com formula doesn't always get the respect it deserves. And that's a shame, especially since these movies have delivered so many of our favorite iconic film moments. "I'll have what she's having," anyone? And now that we've got streaming services serving up decades of our favorites (check out these romantic comedies on Netflix for starters) we can laugh and cry to our little hearts' content.

When it comes to finding the best romantic comedy movies of all time, we've got an embarrassment of riches on our hands. How can you choose one "you-had-me-at-hello" speech over another "I want the rest of my life to start as soon as possible?" Here are a few of our favorite sexy, screwball, sci-fi and even superhero stories that prove love is real.

1

When Harry Met Sally (1989)

best romantic comedies when harry met sally
Columbia Pictures

Can men and women ever truly just be friends? That's the question this film by rom-com queen Nora Ephron attempts to answer. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal's chemistry just bleeds through the screen, and who can forget that iconic moment at Katz's Deli? With scenes including Central Park in the fall, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and plenty of bustling streetscapes, it's also a love letter to New York City.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON HBO MAX

2

Love, Simon (2018)

movie poster for love, simon
Imdb

Part coming-of-age, part identity journey with lots of sweet teen romance moments, this is the perfect choice for sleepover fare. It deals with a gay teen trying to figure out how to come out and find love, in a story so many will find deeply relatable.

WATCH ON HULU

RELATED: 15 Most Romantic LGBTQ+ Movies to Watch With Your Sweetie

3

His Girl Friday (1940)

his girl friday in best romantic comedy movies
Columbia Pictures

This movie is the very definition of a screwball romantic comedy, with snappy dialogue that keeps viewers on their toes. It's also a comedy of remarriage, as it's about a newspaper reporter (Cary Grant) who wants to stop his ex-wife and one-time protégé (Rosalind Russell) from getting married to a boring insurance broker.

WATCH ON AMAZON

WATCH ON PARAMOUNT+

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
4

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

eternal sunshine of a spotless mind in best romantic comedy movies
Focus Features

For those who like their romantic comedies with a little science fiction, this team-up between director Michel Gondry and writer Charlie Kaufman is the one. Jim Carrey plays a man, spurned by a breakup, who agrees to a procedure to erase the memories of his ex, Clementine (Kate Winslet). But as his memories of her disappear, he realizes he still has feelings for her.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON APPLE TV

5

Moonstruck (1987)

moonstruck in best romantic comedy movies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In what might be Cher's best acting performance, she stars as a young widow living with her Italian American family in Brooklyn Heights. She plans to get re-married, but things get complicated when she meets her fiancé's brother (Nic Cage). He seems all wrong for her, but there's undeniable chemistry.

WATCH ON AMAZON

6

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

best romantic comedies while you were sleeping
Buena Vista Pictures

This story about "love at second sight" goes to show that sometimes The One arrives when we've let our guard down. Or anyway, that's what Lucy (Sandra Bullock) comes to understand as she gets to know Jack (Bill Pullman) while pretending to be his comatose brother's fiancée. Yes, you read that right.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON DISNEY+

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
7

The Apartment (1960)

the apartment in best romantic comedy movies
United Artists

Billy Wilder's classic rom-com is also an Academy Award winner. The film stars a young Jack Lemmon as a man who's found a unique way to advance his career: He lends his apartment to his bosses for their extramarital affairs. He gets more than he bargained for, though, when he meets Fran (Shirley MacLaine), one of his boss's mistresses.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON APPLE TV

8

Love and Basketball (2000)

love and basketball in best romantic comedy movies
New Line Cinema

We love a sweet story about childhood sweethearts. In this story, Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps play next-door-neighbors who fall for each other. But their ambitions get in the way of their romance, since they both strive to play professional basketball.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON HBO MAX

9

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

best romantic comedies always be my maybe
Netflix

In comedian Ali Wong’s directorial debut, she also plays Sasha Tran, a celebrity chef who returns home to San Francisco to open a restaurant. Of course, she runs into her childhood BFF, Marcus Kim (Randall Park) whose life hasn't exactly gone as planned. Sparks fly, banter follows and so does plenty of drama.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
10

Say Anything (1989)

best romantic comedies say anything
20th Century Fox

This John Cusak classic probably sold about a million boomboxes after the scene in which Lloyd (Cusak) stood outside Diane's (Ione Skye) window holding one overhead, Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" blasting from its speakers. The gesture represented the epitome of romance in the late '80s, and we'd still melt for it today.

WATCH ON AMAZON

11

Straight Up (2020)

straight up in best romantic comedy movies
Strand Releasing

Todd is an ultra-articulate twentysomething with OCD who has lived most of his life as a gay man. When he meets Rory, a straight woman who, for her own reasons, avoids intimacy, he starts to question his sexuality. They decide to give a relationship a go, but can it survive without sex? The quick-witted patter between Rory and Todd have all the charm of an old-school rom-com, plus it pays tribute to the fluidity of sexual attraction.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON APPLE TV

12

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

best romantic comedies scott pilgrim vs the world
Universal Pictures

Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) meets his dream girl, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), but must first defeat her seven evil exes before they can live happily ever after. This cult classic feels like a video game in movie form, but even non-gamers will love this fast-paced favorite.

WATCH ON AMAZON

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
13

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

best romantic comedies   sleepless in seattle
TriStar Pictures

Both the struggles and surprising upsides of long-distance relationships come to light in this film about a recent widower (Tom Hanks) and a newspaper writer (Meg Ryan) who live on opposite sides of the country. For anyone who spent the past year or so far apart from loved ones, it feels like a balm.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON APPLE TV

14

The Philadelphia Story (1940)

the philadelphia story in best romantic comedy movies
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Another comedy of remarriage, The Philadelphia Story stars Cary Grant as the ex-husband of a wealthy socialite (Katharine Hepburn) who enlists the help of a tabloid reporter (Jimmy Stewart) to win her back. When it was released in 1940, it was a big comeback for Hepburn, and it was nominated for six Academy Awards and won two (Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay).

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON HBO MAX

15

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

best romantic comedies how to lose a guy in 10 days
Paramount Pictures

When Andie (Kate Hudson) places a bet that she can get rid of a guy in 10 days and Ben (Matthew McConaughey) also wagers that he can get a girl in 10 days, they find themselves in a wacky scenario that seems doomed to fail. Their electric chemistry makes this one so much fun to watch.

WATCH ON AMAZON

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
16

The Princess Bride (1987)

best romantic comedies the princess bride
20th Century Fox

Haven't seen The Princess Bride? Inconceivable! This longtime favorite follows the love story of Buttercup (Robin Wright) and Westley (Cary Elwes), who battle swashbuckling swordsmen with a revenge fixation, screaming eels, Rodents of Unusual Size and even death for the chance to be together. It's also one of the most-quoted rom-coms of all time.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON DISNEY+

17

Clueless (1995)

best romantic comedies clueless
Paramount Pictures

As if! Based on Jane Austen's Emma, this Valley Girl classic starring Alicia Silverstone is filled with not only unexpected love, but the way friendships can evolve over time. The clothes! The quotes! This timeless film is well worth at least one annual screening.

WATCH ON AMAZON

18

Roman Holiday (1953)

best romantic comedies roman holiday
Paramount Pictures

Audrey Hepburn flexes her serious talent as a bored Princess Ann, who gives her guardians the slip for an adventure with American newsman Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck) in this romantic comedy elder. You may already know the iconic scooter scene that basically created the trend of tooling around city streets in a Vespa.

WATCH ON AMAZON WATCH ON APPLE TV

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
19

The Best Man (1999)

the best man in best romantic comedy movies
Universal Pictures

This ensemble rom-com kicks off when a group of college friends reunite at a wedding, only to find that they're characters in an upcoming novel written by the best man — and the book brings up truths they'd rather keep hidden.

WATCH ON AMAZON

20

To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018)

best romantic comedies   to all the boys i've loved before
Netflix

This rom-com brings every girl's worst nightmare to life: Lara Jean's secret love missives get mailed out to each of her five crushes. She has to do some serious damage control as her high school life gets turned upside down. You'll laugh and cringe along with her as she tries to make it all work out. And if you can't get enough of Lara Jean, there are two sequels that follow.

WATCH ON NETFLIX

Headshot of Lizz Schumer
Lizz Schumer
Senior Editor

Lizz (she/her) is a senior editor at Good Housekeeping, where she runs the GH Book Club, edits essays and long-form features and writes about pets, books and lifestyle topics. A journalist for almost two decades, she is the author of Biography of a Body and Buffalo Steel. She also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor at New York University's School of Professional Studies and creative nonfiction at the Muse Writing Center, and coaches with the New York Writing Room. 

Watch Next
 
preview for Good Housekeeping US Section: Life

The Best Movies to Watch

hello, goodbye, and everything in between, to all the boys i've loved before and persuasion are three good housekeeping picks for best romantic movies on netflix

45 Romantic Movies to Watch on Netflix Right Now

where to watch the super mario bros movie 2023 streaming date

Where to Watch 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie'

best witch movies

37 Best Witch Movies for the Entire Family

fall movies on netflix

22 Fall Movies on Netflix to Watch This Autumn

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Advertisement - Continue Reading Below
Logo
tiktok icon
twitter icon
youtube icon
facebook icon
instagram icon
pinterest icon
Hearst Lifestyle and Design Group - A Part of Hearst Digital Media

A Part of Hearst Digital Media

Good Housekeeping participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.

©2023 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Privacy NoticeCA Notice at CollectionYour CA Privacy Rights/Shine the LightDAA Industry Opt OutTerms of UseSite Map
Cookies Choices