50 Best New Rom-Coms and Romance Movies

Critics Consensus: The Ballad of Wallis Island hums along a sweet melody without lapsing into outright sentimentality, mining a great deal of warmth from its humble premise.

Synopsis: THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND follows Charles (Tim Key), an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island and dreams of getting his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Basden, Tim Key, Carey Mulligan, Akemnji Ndifernyan

Directed By: James Griffiths

Critics Consensus: Buoyed by Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff's appealingly sweet performances, A Nice Indian Boy navigates cultural mores and romance with an infectiously kind heart.

Synopsis: Naveen Gavaskar is a self-effacing, soft-spoken doctor with a boisterous mother, seemingly perfect sister and quiet father. The Gavaskars are outwardly accepting of Naveen's sexuality... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karan Soni, Jonathan Groff, Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg

Directed By: Roshan Sethi

Critics Consensus: Rudy Mancuso's use of magical realism elevates Música, infusing its familiar narrative framework with a bracingly personal touch.

Synopsis: Based on writer, director and star Rudy Mancuso, Música is a coming-of-age love story that follows an aspiring creator with synesthesia, who must come to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rudy Mancuso, Camila Mendes, J.B. Smoove, Francesca Reale

Directed By: Rudy Mancuso

Critics Consensus: Lust and violence collide to powerfully pulpy effect in Love Lies Bleeding, a well-acted addition to writer-director Rose Glass' growing body of exceptional work.

Synopsis: From Director Rose Glass comes an electric new love story; reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Katy O'Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco

Directed By: Rose Glass

Critics Consensus: Another marvelous chronicle of America's strivers by writer-director Sean Baker given some extra pizzazz by Mikey Madison's brassy performance, Anora is a romantic drama on the bleeding edge.

Synopsis: Sean Baker's Palme d'Or winner ANORA is an audacious, thrilling, and comedic variation on a modern day Cinderella story. Mikey Madison (ONCE UPON A TIME... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yura Borisov, Karren Karagulian

Directed By: Sean Baker

Critics Consensus: Tracing through the passage of time with a light touch, director Baltasar Kormákur's moving drama is a wistful reverie on life itself.

Synopsis: A romantic and thrilling story that spans several decades and continents; TOUCH follows one widower's emotional journey to find his first love who disappeared 50... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Egill Ólafsson, Kōki, Pálmi Kormákur, Masahiro Motoki

Directed By: Baltasar Kormákur

Critics Consensus: A bittersweet romp about new beginnings with another sparkling turn by Renée Zellweger, Mad About the Boy gracefully closes the book on Bridget Jones' diary.

Synopsis: After jumping back into the dating pool, single mother Bridget Jones finds herself caught between a younger man and her son's science teacher.

Starring: Renée Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Colin Firth

Directed By: Michael Morris

Critics Consensus: With its trio of outstanding performers volleying their star power back and forth without ever dropping the ball, Challengers is a kinetic and sexy romp at court.

Synopsis: From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zendaya, Josh O'Connor, Mike Faist, A.J. Lister

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: Andrew Ahn lends a tender eye to a humorous and heartfelt remake that boasts loving performances to be embraced by all.

Synopsis: From Director Andrew Ahn comes a joyful comedy of errors about a chosen family navigating cultural identity, queerness, and family expectations. Frustrated with his commitment-phobic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bowen Yang, Lily Gladstone, Kelly Marie Tran, Han Gi-chan

Directed By: Andrew Ahn

Critics Consensus: Leveraging fantasy to explore how bad life choices are evergreen, Timestalker is a clever and imaginative sophomore feature from director and star Alice Lowe.

Synopsis: Timestalker follows hapless heroine Agnes through time as she repeatedly falls for the wrong guy, dies a grim death, gets reincarnated a century later, before... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alice Lowe, Jacob Anderson, Nick Frost, Kate Dickie

Directed By: Alice Lowe

Critics Consensus: Unwieldy but rewarding, The Beast uses its sci-fi conceit to explore intriguing themes in largely satisfying fashion.

Synopsis: The year is 2044: artificial intelligence controls all facets of a stoic society as humans routinely "erase" their feelings. Hoping to eliminate pain caused by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda, Dasha Nekrasova

Directed By: Bertrand Bonello

Critics Consensus: A modern, literate and sweet riff on finding the kind of happiness that can't be found in a book, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life will make your day.

Synopsis: Agathe, hopelessly clumsy yet charming and full of contradictions, finds herself in desperate singlehood. Her dream is to experience love akin to a Jane Austen... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Camille Rutherford, Pablo Pauly, Charlie Anson, Annabelle Lengronne

Directed By: Laura Piani

Critics Consensus: The Idea of You offers a welcome reminder that Anne Hathaway remains a thoroughly delightful rom-com lead -- and reaffirms that few filmmakers understand the genre better than Michael Showalter.

Synopsis: Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo

Directed By: Michael Showalter

Critics Consensus: A mature deconstruction of the conventional rom-com, Materialists provides its trio of swoon-worthy stars some of their meatiest material yet while reaffirming Celine Song as a modern master of relationship dramas.

Synopsis: A young, ambitious New York City matchmaker finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex.

Starring: Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Zoe Winters

Directed By: Celine Song

Critics Consensus: Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh's palpable chemistry will snatch audiences' hearts before breaking them in We Live in Time, a powerful melodrama that uses its nonlinear structure to thoughtfully explore grief.

Synopsis: Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together --... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Adam James, Aoife Hinds

Directed By: John Crowley

Critics Consensus: A mixture of gory slasher and sweet rom-com that ingeniously nails both formulas, Heart Eyes serves up a bloody valentine that'll make the heart skip a beat.

Synopsis: For the past several years, the "Heart Eyes Killer" has wreaked havoc on Valentine's Day by stalking and murdering romantic couples. This Valentine's Day, no... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Olivia Holt, Mason Gooding, Gigi Zumbado, Jordana Brewster

Directed By: Josh Ruben

Critics Consensus: A wickedly delightful genre mashup led by Melissa Barrera, Your Monster is pleasantly packed with songs, guts, and heart.

Synopsis: Your Monster tells the story of the soft-spoken actor Laura Franco (Melissa Barrera), who is dumped by her longtime boyfriend (Edmund Donovan) while recovering from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Melissa Barrera, Meghann Fahy, Tommy Dewey, Edmund Donovan

Directed By: Caroline Lindy

Critics Consensus: A phantasmagorical distillation of William S. Burroughs' preoccupations that's by turns meandering and vital, Queer marks one of Daniel Craig's most sterling performances yet.

Synopsis: 1950. William Lee, an American expat in Mexico City, spends his days almost entirely alone, except for a few contacts with other members of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Jason Schwartzman, Lesley Manville

Directed By: Luca Guadagnino

Critics Consensus: Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson memorably smolder together in Babygirl, with writer-director Halina Reijn's clinical gaze keeping this sexually frank thriller more provocative than prurient.

Synopsis: A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern.

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Antonio Banderas, Sophie Wilde

Directed By: Halina Reijn

Critics Consensus: A bittersweet rom-com that occasionally waffles as much as its characters in how mature it wants to be, The Threesome balances out into a sweetly shaggy film with standout performances from Zoey Deutch and Ruby Cruz.

Synopsis: One fateful night, the stars appear to align for Connor (Jonah Hauer-King), a kind and unassuming young man, as his irreverent long-time crush Olivia (Zoey... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Arden Myrin, Josh Segarra, Robert Longstreet, Julia Sweeney

Directed By: Chad Hartigan

Critics Consensus: Blending romance with vertiginous thrill-seeking, Skywalkers: A Love Story is a documentary of truly dizzying proportions.

Synopsis: A daredevil couple risks it all by going where no one has gone before: the top of the world's second-highest skyscraper. Angela and Vanya are... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Angela Nikolau, Ivan Beerkus

Directed By: Jeff Zimbalist, Maria Bukhonina

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Heartbroken and adrift, undocumented Brazilian immigrant Lourenço searches for purpose in the queer mecca of Provincetown. As the summer season comes to a fade, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Marco Pigossi, James Bland, Marisa Tomei, Bill Irwin

Directed By: Marco Calvani

Critics Consensus: Like the most delightful of stocking stuffers, The Baltimorons is modestly-sized but incredibly winning with its outsized charm.

Synopsis: On Christmas Eve, Cliff, a down-on-his luck comedian who can't catch a break, chips a tooth, and suddenly finds himself in the late-night care of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Strassner, Liz Larsen, Olivia Luccardi, Chris Strassner

Directed By: Jay Duplass

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After the death of his father, Cole (Michael Cimino) moves with his mother to a new house in a new town to discover he's also... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Peyton List, Michael Cimino, Andrea Navedo, Phoebe Holden

Directed By: Emily Ting

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Elias (14) feels attracted to his new neighbour Alexander (14). Soon he realizes that he's truly in love for the first time. The interactions with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lou Goossens, Marius De Saeger, Geert van Rampelberg, Emilie De Roo

Directed By: Anthony Schatteman

Critics Consensus: John Green once again nails the intricacies of adolescence and the importance of mental health in Turtles All the Way Down, a dynamic drama held together by a stellar cast.

Synopsis: Turtles All the Way Down tackles anxiety through its 17-year-old protagonist, Aza Holmes. It's not easy being Aza, but she's trying... trying to be a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Isabela Merced, Cree Cicchino, Felix Mallard, Maliq Johnson

Directed By: Hannah Marks

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A Vietnamese woman has endured many difficulties in her life. When she meets her neighbor, they develop feelings for each other.

Starring: Huynh Uyen An, Hong Dao, Phuong Anh Dao, Ngoc Giau Nghe Si Uu Tu

Directed By: Trấn Thành

Critics Consensus: Elevated by the sparky chemistry between Brett Goldstein and Imogen Poots, All of You's sci-fi hook and tearjerker trajectory aren't always a perfect match but do yield a romance to remember.

Synopsis: Best friends since college, Simon (Emmy Award winner Brett Goldstein) and Laura (Imogen Poots) drift apart when she takes a test that finds her soulmate... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brett Goldstein, Imogen Poots, Steven Cree, Zawe Ashton

Directed By: William Bridges

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: The current dating landscape is bleak at best, and no one is more aware of this than Mackenzie, a disillusioned 25-year old law student whose... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sofia Black-D'Elia, Ray Nicholson, Cazzie David, Jonathan Rudnitsky

Directed By: Cazzie David, Elisa Kalani

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Successful businessman Eric travels to Italy to stop his daydreaming daughter Olivia from restoring a crumbling villa. Italy, however, has different plans for him as... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Scott Foley, Violante Placido, Maia Reficco, Giuseppe Futia

Directed By: Mark Waters

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: MARMALADE is an edge-of-the-seat crime-tinged romance tale. Recently incarcerated Baron (Joe Keery) strikes up a friendship with cellmate Otis (Aldis Hodge), a man with a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Joe Keery, Camila Morrone, Aldis Hodge, Joshua Hanson

Directed By: Keir O'Donnell

Critics Consensus: Lifted by director Olivier Assayas's fluid storytelling and Vincent Macaigne's magnetic presence, Suspended Time is a warm, gently reflective pandemic portrait that, while slight and overly nostalgic, remains engaging and quietly resonant.

Synopsis: As society recedes in the spring of 2020, film director Paul Berger returns to his childhood home in the provincial Chevreuse Valley. Paul hunkers down... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Vincent Macaigne, Micha Lescot, Nine d'Urso, Nora Hamzawi

Directed By: Olivier Assayas

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Following parallel stories of bittersweet relationships in a metropolitan setting, exploring various aspects, hues and moods of love.

Starring: Pankaj Tripathy, Ali Fazal, Sara Ali Khan, Anupam Kher

Critics Consensus: Sustained by Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum's screwball chemistry even when its plotting strains credulity, this throwback romance is a pleasant enough trip to the moon and back.

Synopsis: Starring Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum, Fly Me To The Moon is a sharp, stylish romantic comedy set against the high-stakes backdrop of NASA's historic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Jim Rash, Anna Garcia

Directed By: Greg Berlanti

Critics Consensus: Mixing multiple genres, The Gorge makes for a surprisingly endearing romance until its action-thriller obligations steer proceedings back onto a more predictable path.

Synopsis: Two highly-trained operatives (Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy) are appointed to posts in guard towers on opposite sides of a vast and highly classified gorge,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Miles Teller, Anya Taylor-Joy, Sigourney Weaver, Sope Dirisu

Directed By: Scott Derrickson

Critics Consensus: Oh, Hi!'s tonal balance can be as dysfunctional as its characters' relationship, but this darkly comedic battle of the sexes mostly amuses thanks in part to Molly Gordon and Logan Lerman's compatibility as co-stars.

Synopsis: Iris has met her perfect guy, Isaac, and is enjoying their first romantic getaway together -- what could go wrong? This clever and charmingly odd... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Molly Gordon, Logan Lerman, Geraldine Viswanathan, John Reynolds

Directed By: Sophie Brooks

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Two college freshmen make a pact to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break, leading them on a chaotic night out in... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Nico Hiraga, Caleb Hearon, Tramell Tillman

Directed By: Jordan Weiss

Critics Consensus: Earnestly performed if marred by clunky dialogue, It Ends With Us is surprisingly at its most graceful when handling the more provocative elements of its melodramatic source material.

Synopsis: IT ENDS WITH US, the first Colleen Hoover novel adapted for the big screen, tells the story of Lily Bloom, a woman who overcomes a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni, Jenny Slate, Hasan Minhaj

Directed By: Justin Baldoni

Critics Consensus: On Swift Horses capitalizes on a steadfast cast while grappling with contemplatively rich themes of society, sexuality, and morality to a mostly astute end.

Synopsis: Muriel and her husband Lee are beginning a bright new life in California when he returns from the Korean War. But their newfound stability is... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, Diego Calva

Directed By: Daniel Minahan

Critics Consensus: The Greatest Hits is built around a genuinely interesting idea, but it's lost in a shallow treatment that's too often content to rely on sentimentality.

Synopsis: Harriet (Lucy Boynton) finds art imitating life when she discovers certain songs can transport her back in time -- literally. While she relives the past... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lucy Boynton, Justin H. Min, David Corenswet, Austin Crute

Directed By: Ned Benson

Critics Consensus: While Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon work well together as catty combatants, tired set pieces and a misjudged romantic subplot make this an invitation you can file under "maybe."

Synopsis: When two weddings are accidentally booked on the same day at the same venue, each bridal party is challenged with preserving their family's special moment... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Will Ferrell, Reese Witherspoon, Geraldine Viswanathan, Meredith Hagner

Directed By: Nicholas Stoller

Critics Consensus: The Life List checks all the romantic comedy boxes with efficiency, but it could've benefitted from squiggling outside the lines here and there.

Synopsis: When Alex Rose's mother sends her on a quest to complete her childhood bucket list, it takes her on a journey that will make you... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen, Sebastian de Souza, Connie Britton

Directed By: Adam Brooks

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Based on the popular novel by #1 NY Times Bestselling author Karen Kingsbury, Someone Like You is an achingly beautiful redemptive love story. Shocking news... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sarah Fisher, Jake Allyn, Lynn Collins, Robyn Lively

Directed By: Tyler Russell

Critics Consensus: Kristen Stewart and Steven Yeun are appealing leads, but Love Me's admirable narrative reach exceeds its grasp.

Synopsis: In a story that spans billions of years, a buoy and a satellite meet online long after humanity's extinction. As they learn what life was... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Steven Yeun

Directed By: Sam Zuchero, Andrew Zuchero

Critics Consensus: Though Simone Ashley brings her undeniable talent to Picture This, it strains to find any sense of rom-com charm, settling for limp humor, paint-by-numbers character arcs, and a formulaic glow that feels overly engineered.

Synopsis: In this heartfelt rom-com, struggling photographer Pia (Simone Ashley) receives a prediction: true love and career success await her in the next five dates she... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Simone Ashley, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Sindhu Vee, Luke Fetherston

Directed By: Prarthana Mohan

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After a failed comeback album, a rock star retreats to a cliffside home on Cyprus, only to find his new life complicated by visitors, and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Harry Connick Jr., Agni Scott, Ali Fumiko Whitney, Lea Maleni

Directed By: Stelana Kliris

Critics Consensus: Offering little lasting impact despite its attractive cast and scenic backdrops, The Map That Leads to You is a glossy, picturesque, and ultimately underwhelming love story.

Synopsis: The Map That Leads to You follows Heather (Madelyn Cline), a young woman setting off on an adventure across Europe with her best friends before... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Madelyn Cline, K.J. Apa, Josh Lucas, Madison Thompson

Directed By: Lasse Hallström

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Two teens on the cusp of adulthood meet and fall in love over four significant days of the year.

Starring: Jenna Ortega, Percy Hynes White, Adam Rodriguez, Marisol Nichols

Directed By: Tiffany Paulsen

Critics Consensus: Pretty to look at but dramatically inert, My Oxford Year may have the right pedigree as a romantic dramedy but flunks out on the fundamentals.

Synopsis: When Anna (Sofia Carson), an ambitious young American woman, sets out for Oxford University to fulfill a childhood dream, she has her life completely on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sofia Carson, Corey Mylchreest, Dougray Scott, Catherine McCormack

Directed By: Ian Morris, Iain Morris, Melissa Osborne

Critics Consensus: Fitfully amusing and earnest without ever finding a comedic groove, Kinda Pregnant's best efforts can't overcome the issue that its story is kinda icky.

Synopsis: When Lainy's plan to settle down and start a family falls apart, she puts on a fake baby bump, tells a lie, and accidentally falls... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Amy Schumer, Jillian Bell, Brianne Howey, Will Forte

Directed By: Tyler Spindel