Entertainment
As summer's brightness fades with the passing days, seasonal depression might set in — no, not the literal chemical response of the body producing less serotonin due to lack of vitamin D, but the end of another summer's promise of whirlwind romance and warm memories to carry into fall's cool nights. But fear not! Here are 16 sweet rom-coms on Netflix to brighten things up as days grow shorter, each a light and frothy mix of earnest romance to buoy you through the seasonal change. The films on this list are filled with earnest meet-cutes, enemies clearly destined to fall in love from the film's first minutes, musical numbers brimming with joy, and saucy scenes tinged with comedy.
Some of the best love stories break your heart, and though crying can be cathartic, sometimes you just want to watch two people fall in love with a few classic speed bumps on the road to true romance. Penelope takes it even further, using the classic fairytale format to set the course for its cursed young woman to find her technically-not-a-prince, while Love On Delivery combines the "underdog fighter" story with the "underdog guy goes for the girl" story to maximum silliness. Each of these movies, streaming on Netflix now, will warm your heart with an internal sunshine.
1
'A Case Of You'
When a writer (Peter Dinklage) stuck for ideas falls for a busking street musician, his low self-esteem convinces him there's no way she could like him as he is. Using the magic of the internet, he finds out her ideals and tries to transform himself into the man of her dreams, while starting a book about the experience. Will fiction become fact, or will he let her see who he really is?
2
'This Is Not What I Expected'
When an exacting, wealthy hotel executive obsessed with cuisine lands at Rosebud hotel, he hates everything about it.... until he's given the best meal of his life. Yet when he meets the chef who created it, he's stunned to find she's a brash, brassy slob. The two knock heads over everything but their love of food in this gourmet delight.
3
'Amelie'
Reclusive, shy cafe waitress Amelie discovers a jar of childhood mementos and decides to track their original owner down. She figures that if it brings him joy, she'll make bringing joy to others her life's work. Moved by the stories of those around her, Amelie works secretly behind the scenes to make people's deepest wishes come true... and distract herself from the loneliness in her own life.
4
'13 Going On 30'
In this classic rom-com starring Jennifer Garner, Jenna's birthday wish to grow up comes true, and now the 13-year-old is stuck in a 30-year-old body and life. She reconnects with her childhood friend (Mark Ruffalo) and starts to realize maybe growing up too fast isn't as fun as it seems.
5
'Mamma Mia!'
A frothy delight featuring the songs of ABBA as sung by Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, and Amanda Seyfried, the film takes place on a Greek island when a young woman planning on getting married decides to invite all three of her possible dads to the island for a grand reunion.
6
'Penelope'
It's a modern fairytale right down to the princess in a castle, but in this case Christina Ricci's pig-nosed poor little rich girl manages to bust out to break her own curse by finding true love.
7
'Chocolat'
A stuffy, tradition-bound town gets turned upside down when a sensual chocolatier starts selling her irresistible wares just before Lent.
8
'Love On Delivery'
A meek delivery boy trains to become a kung-fu hero to win over the girl of his dreams in this goofy, spoof-filled slapstick romance.
9
'Peace, Love And Misunderstanding'
After deciding on divorce, uptight lawyer Diane (Catherine Keener) takes her nearly-grown children to spend the weekend with her estranged mother, a wild-child hippie who hasn't slowed down a bit (Jane Fonda). What they learn (and unlearn) leads to a summer of love, music, and being open to new possibilities.
10
'The Feels'
Constance Wu stars in this story of a bachelorette weekend gone awry when one of the brides admits she's never had an orgasm.
11
'Basic Sanitation: The Movie'
A small town desperately needs a new sewer system, but when the only government money available is a grant to make a movie, a group of friends set out to make a "sewer monster" horror film to solve their problem. Romances, misunderstandings, and on-set mishaps abound.
12
'Kiss Me'
Soon-to-be stepsisters Mia and Frida meet for the first time at their parents' engagement party. Despite being engaged herself, Mia starts feeling closer to her new step-sibling than she's ever felt with her fiance, but their burgeoning relationship threatens to upend everyone's lives.
13
'Cinema Paradiso'
Life, love, and movies intertwine as a man recalls his childhood friendship with the town's film projectionist in this sweet paean to cinema romance.
14
'Love Per Square Foot'
The housing crisis makes strange bedfellows in this charming tale of two young people who enter a marriage of convenience to be able to afford an apartment.
15
'Spanglish'
Adam Sandler plays it straight as John Klasky, a chef whose fame has earned him an upscale lifestyle he's not used to, including hiring a live-in maid. Flor (Paz Vega) and her daughter Cristina are struggling for a better life, and the housekeeping job offers stability and safety. But when Flor and John start falling for each other, it throws everything into turmoil.
16
'Strictly Ballroom'
Scott comes from a dynasty of ballroom dancers, but trying to add his personal flair gets him ousted from competition and dumped by his dance partner. Only Fran, a feisty but clumsy newcomer, is willing to partner with him, and as the two train and try to balance passion and tradition, they realize something other than steps are heating up the dance floor.
There's no need to worry about the sun setting on another summer when that just means less time at the beach, and more time to indulge in sweet romantic comedies.
