From happy stories to cathartic cry-fests, here are some of the best romantic movies you can stream right now on, well, NOW, picked by Jenna Guillaume.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Watch on NOWOne of the most well-loved rom-coms of all time, Bridget Jones’s Diary is a modern take on Pride and Prejudice, with Colin Firth reviving his dreamiest Darcy self, Hugh Grant shining as a charming rogue, and Renee Zellweger pulling the whole thing together with her comedic timing and mostly passable British accent. If you don’t swoon at, “I like you very much, just as you are” then what are you even doing watching romance?
Ghost (1990)
Watch on NOWPatrick Swayze and Demi Moore are wonderful as a young couple separated by his untimely death, but brought back together in spirit thanks to medium Oda Mae Brown, played by a show-stealing Whoopi Goldberg. Thanks to THAT Unchained Melody scene, this movie saw enrollment in pottery classes rise by 570% (this is a totally made-up fact, but it sounds right, doesn’t it?).
The Holiday (2006)
Watch on NOWNow this is where you turn when you need nothing but warm, lovely Christmassy cheer. Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play two strangers who swap homes for a much-needed break from their respective lives, each finding new love and a new lease on life along the way. Jude Law and Jack Black round out the cast, with Jude Law in particular at his most British, blue-eyed best.
The Light Between Oceans (2016)
Watch on NOWThe Light Between Oceans, based on the book by M. L. Stedman, is a beautiful and haunting period film. Set in the years following World War I, a young lighthouse keeper and his wife make a home on the isolated Janus Rock, off the coast of Western Australia. When a boat appears on shore with a dead body and a (live) baby, the pair make a decision that alters the course of their lives. It’s a devastating exploration of the lengths people go to for the ones they love, featuring some powerful performances (including pretty decent Aussie accents from Michael Fassbender and Alicia Vikander).
Love Actually (2003)
Watch on NOWRichard Curtis’ ode to love and Christmas is divisive, with many haters—but even more fans. While some parts of the film haven;t aged well, it’s hard not to smile (and occasionally cry) as the interconnected love stories of a group of Londoners unfold. It features one of the most iconic British casts of all time—with Colin Firth, Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Keira Knightley, Andrew Lincoln, Liam Neeson and even Mr Bean (aka Rowan Atkinson).
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Watch on NOWAs over-the-top, absurd, colourful, and fun as a movie based on a musical based on the catalogue of ABBA should be. With an incredible cast featuring Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Waters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard, and Dominic Cooper, it’s almost impossible to watch Mamma Mia! and not have a good time.
Notting Hill (1999)
Watch on NOWA Richard Curtis classic, Notting Hill is the quintessential Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts vehicle; combining his bumbling but charming Englishman with her all-American sweetheart charm. About a bookstore owner who falls in love with a famous actress, the film is responsible for the oft-quoted line “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”
Pretty in Pink (1986)
Watch on NOWWhat better way to escape the current world than by diving into a John Hughes classic? Set to an iconic soundtrack, Pretty in Pink is a love triangle between poor girl Andie (Molly Ringwald), her best friend Duckie (Jon Cryer) and rich boy Blane (Andrew McCarthy). It’s one of better Brat Pack movies, and is worth watching (or rewatching) purely for the lip synching scene if nothing else.
Shrek (2001)
Watch on NOWThe Disney princess movies might get all the attention when it comes to animated romances, but Shrek actually offers a touching love story about the importance of finding a “true love” who sees and appreciates you exactly as you are. When it was released, it was a refreshing antidote to the standard cheesy Disney fare, and if over the years it’s been memed into ridiculousness, it’s still a very funny and endearing movie.
