The best romantic comedies are the easiest way to plan a cozy evening: a few laughs, a lot of heart and the promise of a happy ending. We picked 15 of them, from a 1934 classic to a 2026 release. Each comes with the year, director, running time and a spoiler-free premise.
In short
- The oldest is It Happened One Night (1934); the newest is People We Meet on Vacation (2026).
- Oscar-winning classics: It Happened One Night, The Apartment, Moonstruck.
- For a date night: Notting Hill, Hitch, Palm Springs.
- Julia Roberts appears three times: Pretty Woman, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Notting Hill.
Romantic comedy classics
It Happened One Night (1934)
Official trailer · “It Happened One Night” (1934)It Happened One Night is Frank Capra’s black-and-white comedy based on Samuel Hopkins Adams’s short story “Night Bus”. A pampered heiress (Claudette Colbert) escapes her father’s control and ends up on the road to New York with a cocky reporter (Clark Gable). It was the first of only three films to win the “Big Five” Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay. Why watch: the classic that hundreds of romcoms grew out of.
The Apartment (1960)
Official trailer · “The Apartment” (1960)The Apartment is Billy Wilder’s romantic comedy. A modest insurance clerk (Jack Lemmon), hoping to climb the corporate ladder, lends his apartment to his bosses for their affairs, then falls for an elevator operator (Shirley MacLaine) without knowing she is seeing his boss. It won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Why watch: a bittersweet story that has not aged in six decades.
Moonstruck (1987)
Official trailer · “Moonstruck” (1987)Moonstruck is a romantic comedy written by John Patrick Shanley. A widowed Italian American woman from Brooklyn (Cher) agrees to marry her boyfriend Johnny, then falls for his hot-tempered younger brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage), whom Johnny has not spoken to in five years. It won three Oscars: Best Actress for Cher, Best Supporting Actress for Olympia Dukakis and Best Original Screenplay for Shanley. Why watch: a loud Italian family and Cage as a romantic lead.
Romantic comedies of the late 80s and 90s
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
Official trailer · “When Harry Met Sally…” (1989)When Harry Met Sally… is a romantic comedy written by Nora Ephron. Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) meet on a shared drive from Chicago to New York and keep running into each other for twelve years, arguing over whether men and women can ever just be friends. Harry Connick Jr. recorded the jazz-standards soundtrack and won a Grammy for it. Why watch: dialogue people still quote.
Pretty Woman (1990)
Pretty Woman is a romantic comedy starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts. Wealthy corporate raider Edward hires Hollywood escort Vivian to accompany him to business meetings and social events for a week, and during that week something more develops. The title comes from Roy Orbison’s song “Oh, Pretty Woman”. According to Box Office Mojo, it is the romantic comedy with the most tickets sold in the US. Why watch: the chemistry between Gere and Roberts.
My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997)
Official trailer · “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997)My Best Friend’s Wedding is a romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts. Her character learns that her longtime best friend (Dermot Mulroney) is marrying a much younger woman (Cameron Diaz) in a few days, realizes she loves him and sets out to stop the wedding. A cover of “I Say a Little Prayer” from the soundtrack became a hit, and Rupert Everett earned a Golden Globe nomination. Why watch: a romcom where the heroine is far from always right.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
10 Things I Hate About You is a teen romantic comedy based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) cannot date Bianca until her older sister Kat (Julia Stiles) dates, so he recruits bad boy Patrick (Heath Ledger) to woo Kat. It was shot in Tacoma and Seattle. Why watch: Shakespeare in high-school hallways and Ledger at the start of his career.
Notting Hill (1999)
Notting Hill is a British romantic comedy written by Richard Curtis. The owner of a small bookshop in London’s Notting Hill (Hugh Grant) meets a famous American actress (Julia Roberts) who happens to walk into his shop. On release it was the highest-grossing British film of all time. Why watch: cozy London and Grant at his most charmingly awkward.
The 2000s and 2010s
Hitch (2005)
Official trailer · “Hitch” (2005)Hitch is a romantic comedy with Will Smith as a professional “date doctor” who teaches men how to woo women. While helping a client (Kevin James) woo a celebrity, he finds that his methods do not work on the gossip columnist (Eva Mendes) he has fallen for himself. It grossed $371.5 million worldwide, the tenth-highest total of 2005. Why watch: a light comedy with Will Smith at his best.
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
Official trailer · “(500) Days of Summer” (2009)(500) Days of Summer is a romantic comedy-drama and Marc Webb’s feature debut. Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) looks back on 500 days with Summer (Zooey Deschanel), and the film shows those days out of order, the way memories come back. It premiered at Sundance and, according to Wikipedia, has since become a cult classic. Why watch: an honest story about love that is not always mutual.
Long Shot (2019)
Official trailer · “Long Shot” (2019)Long Shot is a romantic comedy about a struggling journalist (Seth Rogen) who reconnects with his former babysitter (Charlize Theron), now the US Secretary of State preparing a presidential run. After reading his columns, she hires Fred as her speechwriter. Critics singled out the chemistry between Rogen and Theron. Why watch: an unlikely couple and plenty of political humor.
New romantic comedies of the 2020s
Palm Springs (2020)
Official trailer · “Palm Springs” (2020)Palm Springs is a sci-fi romantic comedy starring Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti. Two strangers meet at a wedding in Palm Springs and get stuck in a time loop, living the same day over and over. It came out on Hulu and in select theaters on July 10, 2020, earned two Golden Globe nominations and won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Comedy. Why watch: a fresh spin on Groundhog Day.
The Idea of You (2024)
Official trailer · “The Idea of You” (2024)The Idea of You is a romantic comedy-drama based on Robinne Lee’s novel. A divorced Los Angeles gallery owner about to turn 40 (Anne Hathaway) unexpectedly falls for the 24-year-old singer of a hugely popular boy band (Nicholas Galitzine), and the age gap becomes a real test for them. It premiered at South by Southwest and was released on Prime Video on May 2, 2024. Why watch: grown-up romance with Hathaway.
Materialists (2025)
Official trailer · “Materialists” (2025)Materialists is a romantic comedy-drama from Celine Song, the director of Past Lives. A successful New York matchmaker and former actress (Dakota Johnson) is torn between a wealthy financier (Pedro Pascal) who looks like the perfect match and her broke actor ex-boyfriend (Chris Evans). It opened in the US on June 13, 2025 and grossed $108 million on a $20 million budget. Why watch: a modern story about whether love can be calculated.
People We Meet on Vacation (2026)
Official trailer · “People We Meet on Vacation” (2026)People We Meet on Vacation is a Netflix romantic comedy based on Emily Henry’s novel. Poppy (Emily Bader) loves to travel, while Alex (Tom Blyth) would rather stay home with a good book, yet after sharing a ride they become best friends and spend one week of summer vacation together every year for a decade. It premiered on Netflix on January 9, 2026. Why watch: the newest film here, about a friendship that slowly turns into something more.
Three films here, When Harry Met Sally…, Pretty Woman and Notting Hill, also appear in our list of romance films worth watching; the rest do not. Fifteen more light picks are waiting in romantic movies for tonight, and holiday romcoms are among our Christmas movies.
Where to start
- When Harry Met Sally… if you want to see what the perfect romantic comedy looks like.
- Palm Springs if classic plots feel too predictable.
- Materialists if you want something modern and more grown-up.
FAQ
What is the oldest romantic comedy on the list?
Frank Capra’s It Happened One Night (1934), the first film to win the “Big Five” Oscars.
Which romantic comedies are best for a date night?
The easy picks are Notting Hill, Hitch or Palm Springs: funny, warm and free of heavy scenes.
Are there any romantic comedies from 2025–2026?
Yes: Materialists (2025) and People We Meet on Vacation (2026), released on Netflix.
Why are Bridget Jones’s Diary and Anyone but You missing?
They are already in our list of romantic movies for tonight, so this list features different films.
Where can I watch these films?
Streaming catalogs change often, so check the film’s page on your service. The Idea of You is a Prime Video original, and People We Meet on Vacation is a Netflix film.
How we chose
We wanted romantic comedies that work just as well on a first date as on the couch under a blanket, from black-and-white Oscar winners to fresh streaming premieres. Our picks are based on viewer reviews, critics’ scores and our own viewing experience. The tearjerkers we deliberately saved for our list of romance films that will make you cry.
Sources
- It Happened One Night (Wikipedia)
- The Apartment (Wikipedia)
- When Harry Met Sally… (Wikipedia)
- Materialists (film) (Wikipedia)
- People We Meet on Vacation (film) (Wikipedia)
Data was checked against Wikipedia on November 10, 2026.
Discussion