What’s going on in the romance genre on Netflix? Fifty Shades of Grey, the erotic romantic drama that became a phenomenon in 2015, is now streaming. If you’re looking for a lighter option, Set It Up, When We First Met, The Lovebirds, and Long Shot are viable romantic options.
Netflix is home to some of the best rom-coms on streaming. Below, we have selected three rom-coms to stream right now. Our picks include the newest film from Richard Linklater, a Netflix original rom-com with three delightful stars, and an international romance based on a beloved novel.
Hit Man (2023)
Glen Powell, your movie star moment is here. The charismatic actor shines in Linklater’s romantic dramedy, Hit Man. Cowritten by Powell and Linklater, Hit Man depicts the life of Gary Johnson (Powell), a dull college professor who works part-time in tech for the New Orleans Police Department. After a police officer is suspended, Gary steps into the role of a fake hitman sent into the field to elicit confessions from potential criminals.
Much to the dismay of his team, Gary thrives in this new role, successfully transforming into a new hitman for each assignment. While on the job disguised as the cocky and confident Ron, Gary meets Madison (Adria Arjona), a woman looking for a hitman to kill her abusive husband. Feeling sympathetic for her situation, Ron advises her to abandon the hit, and the two eventually start a sexy, passionate affair. Gary now must balance business with pleasure or risk facing backlash from the police.
Stream Hit Man on Netflix.
A Family Affair (2024)
It’s a big year for relationships between celebrities and mothers. The Idea of You paired a pop star with a single mother. In Netflix’s A Family Affair, a movie star finds love with his assistant’s mother. Zara (Joey King) is an undervalued assistant working for Chris Cole (Zac Efron), an egotistical movie star. Chris’s antics eventually lead Zara to quit. When Chris goes to offer Zara another job, he meets Brooke (Nicole Kidman), Zara’s mother.
One thing leads to another, and the next thing you know, Brooke and Chris are sharing a romantic moment in bed. Zara eventually finds out about their affair and begs her mother to end it immediately. However, Brooke is falling for Chris, and vice versa. Is Brooke willing to risk her relationship with her daughter for another shot at love?
Stream A Family Affair on Netflix.
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
The title, Crazy Rich Asians, gives away one of its main themes — wealth. However, the heartfelt story is more about identity and love than money. Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) is a modest NYU professor in a relationship with her boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding). Rachel travels with Nick to Singapore for his best friend’s wedding.
Shortly after arriving in Singapore, Rachel learns that Nick has been hiding the fact that he comes from one of the wealthiest families in the country. Nick’s economic status also makes him one of the most desirable bachelors in Singapore. All eyes are now on Rachel as she tries to prove to Nick’s family that she’s worthy of his love. Convincing Nick’s disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) will be the toughest task.
Stream Crazy Rich Asians on Netflix.