Entertainment
There's nothing quite like a good romantic comedy to satisfy that "I want to be out on a romantic date but I'm too lazy to change out of my sweatpants and leave the couch" feeling. But with so many movies to choose from on Netflix, how do you decide on which one to watch? Easy. Just take a look at the trusty Tomatometer, and you've got yourself a handy list of nine rom-coms on Netflix with stellar Rotten Tomatoes scores.
Sure, it might be easy for some to write off rom-coms as clichéd schlock, but to do so would be to miss out on some really incredible stories from some even more incredible storytellers. For instance, The Incredible Jessica James stars Jessica Williams, the former Daily Show correspondent as the titular character, who is fiercely independent, driven, and, more importantly, isn't wholly defined by her relationship. That said, she still finds the significance of seeking support in others, especially in a potential romantic partner.
The equally hilarious Ali Wong brings a similar feeling to Always Be My Maybe's Sasha, who, throughout the entire film, steadfastly remains focused on her career as a chef, but isn't afraid to acknowledge that there is a balance to be struck between dedicating yourself to work and dedicating yourself to love and family.
These life lessons are cut with some pointed, clever humor — just enough to make watching these films not feel like a lecture or a chore. That, too, is a delicate balance to strike, and the movies on this list find a way to do exactly that, which is why critics love them so much.
1
'Catching Feelings' (100%)
When a married couple who are tired of their boring routine play host to a famous — albeit debaucherous — writer, they find that their lives are about to be shaken up in some strange new ways.
2
'To All the Boys I've Loved Before' (97%)
Lara Jean Song Covey (Lana Condor) faces a social nightmare that would immediately make any high school student consider moving away and changing schools: Someone's sent out all of her old unsent love letters to her past crushes. As she deals with the fallout, she learns that maybe love can bloom in the wake of a social disaster.
Based on Jenny Han's novel of the same name, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is a refreshing take on the teen coming-of-age romantic comedy.
3
'Tramps' (95%)
Tramps manages to embed a love story into a heist drama by doing away with the old meet-cute trope, turning "boy meets girl, boy falls for girl" into something more like "boy meets girl, boy messes up cash drop for shady deal, boy and girl become embroiled in plot to recover the cash, boy and girl find love in each other amidst the crime."
4
'About A Boy' (93%)
About a Boy features Hugh Grant as the awkward Will, an underachieving bachelor coasting on his family's money. When he tries to find a relationship by lying about having a kid to join a single parents' support group (yikes), he finds an unexpected brotherly bond with one of the children, Marcus (Nicholas Hoult), who teaches him about how to be more mature and responsible. Naturally, this helps Will learn more about himself and the kind of partner he wants to be in a relationship.
This is one of the only films on this list where the Tomatometer rating doesn't quite line up with the audience's rating — a mere 55%.
5
'The Spectacular Now' (92%)
An unlikely relationship between high school seniors Sutter (Miles Teller) and Aimee (Shailene Woodley) forms the center of this coming-of-age romantic comedy. Each of them find solace — and eventually love — in each other as they deal with their own personal traumas and wrestle with what the future might hold for each of them.
6
'Always Be My Maybe' (91%)
Sometimes childhood crushes don't work out. But what happens when fate puts childhood best friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) back together 15 years after a spectacular falling out? Romantic hijinks, apparently.
Always Be My Maybe isn't afraid to weave together clever social commentary, spectacular cameos (looking at you, Keanu Reeves), and positive, inclusive representation.
7
'Set It Up' (91%)
Set It Up proves that even with some romantic comedy clichés, it's still possible tell a fun story. Here, a pair of executive assistants (Glenn Powell and Zoey Deutch) conspire to pair up their strict, overly demanding bosses, in the hopes that it'll net them some free time. Of course, things don't pan out as they hope, and feelings bloom between more than just their bosses.
8
'Obvious Child' (91%)
Donna (Jenny Slate), an aspiring comedian whose life is upended when she's dumped, fired, and then finds out she's pregnant, suddenly has to deal with growing up and what that means for someone who's never really had to ask for help from others.
9
'The Incredible Jessica James' (88%)
When Jessica (Jessica Williams) breaks up with her boyfriend, she goes on a Tinder date with Boone (Chris O'Dowd), who's also dealing with a recent split. Though things don't start off well, they help each other move on from their respective exes. On the surface, it seems like a typical romantic comedy, but this one's elevated by great performances from Williams, O'Dowd, and LaKeith Stanfield.
And if these movies aren't cutting it, there are also plenty of rom-com-style TV shows to watch on Netflix that score pretty highly — try Lovesick (96%) or Love (94%) to start.
