55 Valentine's Day Movies That Capture Romance Across Different Tropes & Endings

This one is a no-brainer. Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, this is a quintessential valentine's day romcom movie. It follows the story of two graduate students who become close friends and part ways, only to meet five years later and have to confront their feelings about each other. From the iconic cafe scene with Meg Ryan faking an orgasm to the lovely friends-to-lovers arc, this one is a fun and heartwarming watch. 

IMDb Rating: 7.7/10

Trope: Friends to lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan

Release Year: 1989

Duration: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Another classic, The Wedding Singer is an OG rom-com starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore. In long-term relationships with different people when Robbie Hart meets Julia, he promises her that he will be the singer at her wedding. Little do they know that fate has other plans for them, and these plans lead to hilarious and beautiful consequences. 

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Trope: Friends to lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore

Release Year: 1998

Duration: 1 hour, 37 minutes

This one has to be my favourite holiday movie, no matter what the holiday. The movie follows Amanda (Cameron Diaz) and Iris (Kate Winslet), who live every different lives in the US and the UK, respectively, and decide to swap houses for a vacation after a series of unfortunate events in their lives. What happens on the vacation is a healthy and entertaining mix of self-discovery, nostalgia, and a whole lot of romance.

IMDb Rating: 7/10

Trope: House Swap/Opposites Attract

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz

Release Year: 2006

Duration: 2 hour, 16 minutes

Another Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore classic (they really did rule the late 90s rom-com scene), 50 First Dates had a novel concept. When Henry meets Lucy, he is forced to let go of all his ideas that drove him away from long-term commitment because of how smitten he is of her. Lucy too falls for Henry and wants to be with him. But, no, that is just the beginning. Henry soon realises that Lucy suffers from short-term memory loss and has to win her over multiple times.  

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Trope: Multiple chances at love

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore

Release Year: 2004

Duration: 1 hour, 13 minutes

I don't know about anyone else, but I am guilty of watching this movie about 200 times. Be it our moms or us, no one can resist the charm of Richard Gere and Julia Roberts, especially not when the plot is this spicy. Julia Roberts plays a young, troubled but smart sex worker named Vivienne who meets the dashing millionaire businessman Edward (Gere) when he asks her for directions on Hollywood Boulevard. What happens next over the course of the movie is nothing short of a fairytale, with a music score to boot!

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Trope: Cinderella Story

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere

Release Year: 1990

Duration: 1 hour, 59 minutes

If you've heard the line 'I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy...' and don't know where it is from, prepare your life to be forever changed. William Thacker (Hugh Grant), a bookstore owner, quite literally runs into Hollywood superstar Anna Scott (Julia Roberts) on the street and spills juice all over her shirt. An invitation back to his house to get cleaned up leads to an unlikely romance budding between the two and leaving all of us in a pile of mush. 

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Trope: Fish Out Of Water

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant

Release Year: 1999

Duration: 2 hours, 4 minutes

This one is for all the Ryan Reynolds fans out there (and yes, I am talking to myself too). An ambitious and seemingly cold senior publishing executive Margaret (Sandra Bullock) has to find a quick way to stay in the US after her visa expires, and who comes to the rescue? Her cute assistant Andrew (Ryan Reynolds)! Well, not very willingly at first. On a trip to Andrew's hometown to announce the engagement, this unlikely pair finds out that they have more in common than they thought. If not for the pair's sizzling chemistry, watch it for the cute and hilarious Grandma, played by Betty White. 

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Trope: Fake Relationship/Enemies To Lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds

Release Year: 2009

Duration: 1 hour, 48 minutes

A movie that was definitely ahead of its time, OK Kanmani follows the lives of Adi (Dulquer Salmaan) and Tara (Nithya Menen) who meet at a friend's wedding and fall in love. Both have plans of moving abroad to either study or work and are dead against marriage, so decide to live together and enjoy the time they have with each other. What happens next, neither of them could have predicted. This one is really cute to watch with your partner. 

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Trope: Live-in Relationship

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya Menen

Release Year: 2015

Duration: 2 hours, 19 minutes

Another early 2000s gem, this one took the country by storm, with the cartoon introduced in the movie continuing to run in the TOI, years after the movie's release. After Karan (Saif Ali Khan) and Rhea (Rani Mukerji) meet on a flight to New York, they keep meeting each other due to twists of fate at various stages of their lives and develop an unlikely friendship. But when fate intervenes again, the friendship turns into more and both are left trying to deal with the consequences of it. 

IMDb Rating: 7/10

Trope: Enemies to lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Dulquer Salmaan, Nithya Menen

Release Year: 2004

Duration: 2 hours, 23 minutes

The movie that introduced us to the star that is Ranveer Singh, Band Baaja Baarat is a quintessential Delhi movie. Made in the golden age of Bollywood rom-coms, it follows the lives of Bitoo (Ranveer Singh) and Shruti (Anushka Sharma), who start a wedding planning business together. Coming from extremely different schools of thought, complications ensue when they spend one drunken night together and Shruti falls for Bitoo.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Trope: Workplace romance

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 2 hours, 19 minutes

This one has Irrfan Khan as the romantic lead. And even though no movie needs further introduction after that fact, this one has another great aspect and that is that it is a romance between older people, at least older than what most rom-coms cater to. When Jaya (Paravathy Thiruvothu), a widow, meets Yogi on a dating site and decides to go on a date with him, the date turns out disastrous. But the charm of Yogi makes her give him another chance, leading to a trip they both undertake to reconnect with their pasts. Missed trains, ex-girlfriends, and picturesque scenery, this road trip romance has it all. 

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Trope: Will they/won't they romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Parvathy Thiruvothu

Release Year: 2017

Duration: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Even though not that well-known, the people who watch this movie instantly fall in love. Especially if you have Indian roots, this movie and its family dynamics are super relatable! Toula (Nia Vardalos) is trying to come to term with her Greek heritage in New York all the while managing the ups and downs that come with being in your 20s. When she falls for a non-Greek man, Ian (John Corbett), all hell breaks loose and she has to convince her huge, loud family to accept him as their own. 

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Trope: Fish out of water

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett

Release Year: 2002

Duration: 1 hour, 35 minutes

Found on every top rom-com list, this one is a personal rewatch favourite. A How-To column writer Andie meets ad guy Benjamin and they both begin to date. The twist? Both have opposite goals in mind, Andie has to do every cringe-worthy thing she can think of to drive him away, and Benjamin and has to make her fall in love to win a big bet. But, of course, love finds a way to actually creep in, giving us the perfect airport chase! 

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Trope: Enemies to lovers/ Fake dating

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey

Release Year: 2003

Duration: 1 hour, 35 minutes

This one is a real classic. Frances aka Baby meets Johnny (Patrick Swayze), a dance instructor, at the resort her and her family are holidaying at, they strike up a connection. What happens next is a steamy, musical romance complete with a final choreographed dance number and family drama stemming from Baby's father's disapproval of the romance. Just the sequence of Johnny romancing Frances to Love Is Strange is worth watching the whole movie for. 

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Jennifer Grey, Patrick Swayze

Release Year: 1987

Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes

One of the first rom-coms with Black protagonists, this one doesn't feature in many lists but is definitely an iconic movie. Monica (Sanaa Lethan) and Quicny (Omar Epps) grow up next to each other and go from being friends at the age of 11 to young lovers. But the twist in the story happens when both their ambitions of becoming pro basketball players stands in the way of their romance.

IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Trope: Friends to Lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Sanaa Lethan, Omar Epps

Release Year: 2000

Duration: 2 hours, 4 minutes

If you're on the right side of the internet, I am sure you have seen various edits of this beautiful movie starring Kiera Knightely and Matthew Macfayden. Based on the classic with the same name by Jane Austen, the movie follows the story of Elizabeth Bennet (Lizzy), the second oldest daughter of the Bennet family, who is headstrong, straightforward and extremely well-read, much to her mother's dismay. When Mr. Darcy comes to town with his friends Bingley and strikes up a romance with Elizabeth's oldest sister, Darcy and Lizzy's lives intertwine in unexpected ways, leading to beautiful consequences. If you're a fan of the classic, I also suggest you check out the BBC's Pride & Prejudice, starring Colin Firth. 

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfayden

Release Year: 2005

Duration: 2 hours, 9 minutes

Based on another book by Jane Austen named Emma, Aisha follows the story of a South Delhi brat called, of course, Aisha (Sonam Kapoor), who decides to meddle in all of her friends' lives by becoming a matchmaker for them. This, obviously, leads to hilarious and disastorous consequences, ultimately helping her find out who she loves. This one has amazing music, and of course, the ever dashing and gorgeous Abhay Deol. 

IMDb Rating: 5.1/10

Trope: Mismatch

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Sonam Kapoor, Abhay Deol

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 2 hours, 6 minutes

A better romance movie has never been made and we're ready to fight anyone on this. The series is the story of the lives of Celine (Julie Deply), who meets Jesse (Ethan Hawke), an American, on a train in France. It is Jesse's last day in the country and he decides to spend his last few hours there with Celine. The three-part series follows their lives after that chance meeting, through various stages of their lives and it will leave you heart full and definitely give you perspective on what it means to love someone. 

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Trope: Meet-cute

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Julie Deply, Ethan Hawke

Release Year: 1995

Duration: 1 hour, 41 minutes

An Audrey Hepburn classic, Roman Holiday is about Princess Anne, who is utterly bored by the life of a royal, confined to her palace and never having been able to have a normal life. She escapes to Rome and falls in love with a political journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), giving us an old-timey romance that transports you back in time and makes you long for those years and old Roman streets. 

IMDb Rating: 8/10

Trope: Royal Romance

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck

Release Year: 1953

Duration: 1 hour, 58 minutes

Another modern classic, while Call Me By Your Name isn't your usual rom-com and is definitely more heartbreaking than one, it is a wonderful and beautifully made story of young love and has a great score. Elio (Timothee Chalamet), develops feelings for his father's assistant Oliver (Arnie Hammer), and they both strike up a romance. Although temporary, Elio realises the depth of his feelings for Oliver and has to come to terms with what that means for him when it comes to his sexual orientation.

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Arnie Hammer, Timothee Chalamet

Release Year: 2017

Duration: 2 hours, 12 minutes

The Big Sick is one of those movies where you start watching with the expectation of mindless fun, but finish with a heart that is full and having cried big happy tears. It follows the lives of Kumail (Kumail Nanjiani), a Pakistani stand-up comedian, who falls for Emily (Zoe Kazan), a graduate student. Their lives are suddenly upside down when Emily falls sick and has to be in a medically induced coma. Kumail takes care of her during this period and bonds with her family, what that leads to is a lot of light humour, big heartwarming moments and a movie you will definitely want to go back to.

IMDb Rating: 7.5/10

Trope: Opposites Attract

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Zoe Kazan, Kumail Nanjiani

Release Year: 2017

Duration: 2 hours

If we had to pick one movie that defines what a classic is, it has to be Casablanca. During World War 2, Rick (Humphrey Bogart), who is a nightclub owner, decides to help his ex-lover (Ilsa, played by Ingrid Bergman) and her husband. Soon, during this tumultuous times, Ilsa's feelings for Rick resurface, leading to a love triangle without a match till this date. The movie is definitely rewatch worthy, and gave us many iconic lines such as 'Here's looking at you, kid.'

IMDb Rating: 8.5/10

Trope: Love Triangle

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman

Release Year: 1942

Duration: 1 hour, 42 minutes

Based on a book by the same name, Crazy Rich Asians is a super fun and light movie to watch with your girlfriends. Rachel (Constance Wu), a professor of economics in New York is in a long-term relationship with Nick (Henry Golding). On a trip to Singapore to meet his family, she finds out that Nick is the heir to a huge hotel empire. What ensues is a lot of  family drama, beautiful Singapore sights, and a lot of crazy rich scenes. 

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Constance Wu, Henry Golding

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 2 hour

A childhood favourite of mine, Serendipity is one of those movies that will either make you believe that the universe really does conspire for two people to be together or make you feel annoyed at these two people clearly meant to be together leaving it all up to fate. Jon (John Cusak) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) part ways after a night of romance as they are both in committed relationships, but their intense connection and twists of fate keep bringing them together.

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Trope: Chance Meeting

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Bridget Moynahan, John Cusack

Release Year: 2001

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Who doesn't love Mama Mia? Now a rendition being performed on Broadway, this start-studded movie is one of the most fun Hollywood musicals of all time. When Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) decides to find out who her father is and invites all three of her mother's (Meryl Streep) exes (Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard) to her wedding, it leads to super cute consequences. Watch it for the friendship between Streep's character Donna and her three friends and the amazing ABBA songs. 

IMDb Rating: 6.5/10

Trope: Love Triangle/Self Discovery

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried

Release Year: 2008

Duration: 1 hour, 48 minutes

A millennial favourite, Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na was the first movie of both Irfan Khan (Jay) and Genelia D'Souza (Aditi). Two best friends, Jay and Aditi insist that they are not in love with each other and try to find partners for each other. Only after they start seeing other people do they realise the intensity of their romantic feelings for each other. Complete with an airport chase, horses, a road trip and a talking portrait of Naseeruddin Shah, this movie is super entertaining watch! 

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Trope: Friends to Lovers

Watch On: Not available on any major streaming platforms at the moment. 

Cast: Genelia Deshmukh, Imran Khan

Release Year: 2008

Duration: 2 hours, 35 minutes

Another Bollywood classic, Jab We Met follows the life of Geet (Kareena Kapoor), a bubbly girl studying in Punjab, who meets Aditya (Shahid Kapoor), a telecom tycoon on a train to Bhatinda. When they miss their train due to hilarious events, and Aditya helps Geet run away to be with her boyfriend, they strike up a friendship and an unbreakable bond, with Aditya falling in love with Geet. 

IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

Trope: Meet-cute

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Shahid Kapoor

Release Year: 2007

Duration: 2 hours, 18 minutes

This one is intense, and you should be prepared to cry. Tomas (Franz Rogowoski) and Martin's (Ben Wishaw) relationship becomes complicated and is put to the test when one of them starts a relationship with a younger woman Agathe (Adèle Exarchopoulos). The movie talks about the complex nature of long-term relationships and the fluidity of sexuality. 

IMDb Rating: 6.6/10

Trope: Infidelity

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, Adèle Exarchopoulos

Release Year: 2003

Duration: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Wong Kar-wai's cinematic masterpiece, In The Mood For Love is a beautiful movie that I think everyone needs to watch. It is about two people (Maggie Cheung and Tony Leung Chiu-wai) who live in the same apartment complex and build a slow and steady friendship and romance, finding companionship in each other while they partners spend most of their time away from them. 

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Trope: Infidelity, Friends to Lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Ping-Lam Siu

Release Year: 2000

Duration: 1 hour, 38 minutes

One of Ranbir Kapoor's breakout movies, Anurag Basu tells the story of Barfi (Ranbir Kapoor) and Jhilmil (Priyanka Chopra), and how they form a special bond with Barfi taking care of Jhilmil's special needs and them building a life together. What complicated their cute little story is when Barfi's old flame Shruti (Ileana D'Cruz) walks back into his life, causing misunderstandings between him and his wife. An added bonus is the beautiful music. 

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Trope: Mismatch

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Ileana D'Cruz, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Ranbir Kapoor

Release Year: 2012

Duration: 2 hours, 31 minutes

This one is for the ones recovering from a break-up. Jenny (Gina Rodriguez), a music journalist, has been in a nine-year long relationship with Nate (LaKeith Stanfield), until he decides to suddenly break their relationship off. Over the course of the next few days, Jenny tries to deal with the grief of this life, while preparing for a life in LA, where she is moving for her dream job. Strap in for a lot of crying, a lot of beautiful female friendships, and great music.

IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Trope: Breakup Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Gina Rodriguez, LaKeith Stanfield

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 1 hour, 32 minutes

Sasha (Ali Wong) is a super successful celebrity chef in New York and has come back home to open another restaurant. While there, she rekindles her friendship with her high-school best friend Marcus (Randall Park), who is a failed musician. Even though there is obvious chemistry between the two, there are misunderstandings and fights because of how different their lives look and what they both think they want from their life. This is a super cute and heartwarming movie with a lot of great Asian food and a special appearance by Keanu Reeves.

IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

Trope: Friends to Lovers

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 1 hour, 41 minutes

When I say be prepared for your heart to break, trust me, I mean it 100%. This critically acclaimed French film is about two women, Marriane (Noemie Merlant) and Heloise (Adele Haelene). When Marriane is commissioned to paint a portrait of Heloise, they strike up a relationship that soon turns to love. Not being able to be with each other, they both have to come to terms with their reality.

IMDb Rating: 8.1/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Adèle Haenel, Noémie Merlant

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 2 hours, 2 minutes

Another heavy and heartbreaking movie, this one deals with sexual assault, race and the US criminal justice system. Clementine aka Tish (KiKi Layne) and Alonzo aka Fonny (Stephan James) have been childhood bestfriends and are now married to each other. But their quaint life is challenged and is in enormous upheaval when Fonny is accused of rape. A pregnant Tish then sets out on a brave journey to prove his innocence.

IMDb Rating: 7.1/10

Trope: Love Against Odds

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 2 hours

A thriller dance performance, fashion magazine shoots, a beautiful Jennifer Garner and a gorgeous Mark Ruffalo, need we say more? But I will, because this is the cutest rom-com out there. Jenny and Matty are childhood best friends, on Jenny's thirteenth birthday she sits under wishing dust and wishes she was 30 and popular and successful, and the wish comes true! Jenny wake up to find herself 30 and in an unfamiliar life with all the things she wished for, but no real love or friends, until she reconnects with Matt.

IMDb Rating: 6.3/10

Trope: Childhood Sweethearts

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo

Release Year: 2004

Duration: 1 hour, 38 minutes

The ultimate romance movie, Sleepless In Seattle is about a young boy trying to help is dad find love. Sam's (Tom Hanks) 8 year old makes him call a radio show with the hopes that he would find a companion. Anne (Meg Ryan), who is unhappy with her relationship, hears Sam on the radio and decides to write to him to meet her at the top of the Empire State Building. What ensues is a series of events and bring them together and push them away. 

IMDb Rating: 6.8/10

Trope: Fateful Encounter

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan

Release Year: 1993

Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes

Adapted from a beautiful book by the same name, One Day takes place over a timeline of many years. Emma (Anne Hathaway) and Dexter (Jim Sturgess) meet on the night of their graduation and then decide to meet every year on 15 July to see where they are in life. Over a period of 18 years, their relationship evolves and takes many heartwarming forms. They also made a remake series of the old movie quite recently. 

IMDb Rating: 7/10

Trope: Fateful Encounter

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Anne Hathway, Jim Sturgess

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 1 hour, 47 minutes

This internet sensation based on a book by the same name, Red, White & Royal Blue has been obsessed over for long and with good reason. Two high-profile young boys, Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez), the first son of the United States, and Price Henry II (Nicholas Galitzine) fall in love and start a very steamy relationship. But because of the positions they hold, they must keep their relationship a secret, leading to complications between them. 

IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Trope: Forbidden Love/Secret Dating

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Taylor Zakhar Perez, Nicholas Galitzine

Release Year: 2023

Duration: 2 hours

If you're a fan of The Office, you will love this Steve Carell starrer. When Cal (Carell) finds out his wife wants a divorce, he is heartbroken and unable to move on. Then he meets Jacob (Ryan Gosling), who teaches him how to pick up women and insists that it is the best way for him to move on. All is well, until the biggest twist of all tests not only Jacob and Cal's friendship but also Jacob's newest relationship. 

IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Trope: Mid-life Crisis, Heartbreak 

Watch On: Jiocinema

Cast: Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 2 hours

No matter what you say about La La Land, words will always fall short. This Oscar-nominated film follows the life of Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a pianist who wants to one day open his own jazz bar, and Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress. After meeting at a party and starting a romance, they both fall deeply in love but must deal with and overcome the challenges their ever-changing lives throws at their relationship. Watch for the wonderful cinematography, the splendid performance and the stunning music. 

IMDb Rating: 8/10

Trope: Right Person, Wrong Time

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

Release Year: 2016

Duration: 2 hours, 8 minutes

A Shah Rukh classic, Veer Zara is about love that survives a separation by borders, religion, and time. After a chance meeting, an Indian pilot, Veer (Shah Rukh Khan), a Pakistani girl, Zara (Preity Zinta) fall in love and strike up a romance. But they are forced to be apart as Veer spends his years in a Pakistani prison while Zara is made to believe his is dead. 

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Preity G Zinta

Release Year: 2004

Duration: 3 hours, 12 minutes

An absolute 80s classic, Say Anything is about changing for the better when in love. Diane (Ione Skye) meets and falls in love with Llyod (John Cusack), and while they are happy together, Diane's father tries to convince her to cut him loose as he is an underachiever who doesn't match up to her causing troubles in their relationship. If you don't know where the iconic boombox outside your window trope comes from, it is this one! 

IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Trope: Forbidden Love

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Ione Skye, John Cusack

Release Year: 1989

Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes

A list of romance movies is incomplete without this Noah Centineo and Lana Candor starrer. Based on the To All The Boys books by Jenny Han, this trilogy follows the romance between nerdy, old school romantic lover Lara Jean and handsome, lacrosse champion Peter Kavinsky. Lara writes five letters to all the boys she has ever had a crush on and when her sister mails it all to them, a super cute, high school romance by chance begins between Lara and Peter. What started off as a cover for Peter to get his ex back turns real when the duo develops feelings for each other. The rest of the trilogy follows the duo as they graduate, find colleges and a past acquaintance makes his way in. Yes, this is the movie that started the "I Like Me Better" craze and we absolutely love it! This trilogy is also the predecessor to the new sensation on the block, XO Kitty that follows Lara's sister, Kitty's life. 

IMDb Rating: 7/10

Trope: High School Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Lana Candor, Noah Centineo

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 1 hour, 40 minutes

This quintessential romance watch is something I have made several friends over. It is a comfort rewatch and is a trilogy (like the one above) that so many of us grew alongside of, with every release. The story is based on a Wattpad book of the same name and follows high school student Elle. She grew up with her childhood best friend Lee and has a set of rules they follow to keep their friendship intact, one of which is that his hot brother Noah is strictly out of bounds but as Elle and Noah develop feelings for each other, things get complicated. The entire trilogy starts and ends with a kissing both, a fundraiser booth where people get a kiss, blindfolded. This trilogy is a journey of romance, friendship, nostalgia and what it means to maintain boundaries between friendship and love. 

IMDb Rating: 5.9/10

Trope: High School Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Joey King, Jacob Elordi

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 1 hour, 45 minutes

This is a Christmas movie that is a super funny, light-hearted watch that I rewatch when I want some feel-good romantic arc. It follows a Belgravian baker and a princess who meet by fate and discover that they look so much alike. They decide to swap lives for two days and end up falling for their partners in their switched roles. I absolutely adore how the quality of the storylines of the next two movies only gets better and is a fun watch you will keep recommending. 

IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

Trope: Royal Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio, Nick Sagar

Release Year: 2018

Duration: 1 hour, 41 minutes

This Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis starrer is a wholesome romance movie that starts off as a one night stand. Friends With Benefits is what Maya and Alex decide to be unless one of them starts catching feelings and the other follows, but is it too late by then? Watch this funny, comically timed romance movie that threads through the intricacies of commitment issues, loneliness and the human need to feel seen. 

IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

Trope: One Night Stand 

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 1 hour, 49 minutes

Imran Khan and romance movies are a match made in heaven. This one also has Sonam Kapoor, Sammir Dattani and a colour festish for white and red. This follows Jay, who does not like love stories and Simran who simply loves love! Simran loves white flowers and her fiance, Raj, makes sure she always has one. But this more-than-perfect couple is met with problems when Simran works with Jay and starts falling for him. The movie addresses the question of "how far will you go for love?" If you too, have that claim to "I can change him, no really I can," then this must top your watchlist. 

IMDb Rating: 5.7/10

Trope: Enemies to Lovers

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Imran Khan, Sonam Kapoor

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 2 hours, 9 minutes

If you haven't watched Chennai Express, you must add it to your romance movies watchlist ASAP. It has SRK and Deepika Padukone, the classic "let me help you onto a moving train" scene, glimpses of Tamil lifestyle and Rohit Shetty's ace direction. SRK's character sets on a train journey (in the Chennai Express) to Rameshwaram to deposit the ashes of his late grandfather. He helps a don's daughter board the train and what follows is a cat and mouse chase of the duo and gradually, they fall for each other in the backdrop of cultural and language differences. 

IMDb Rating: 6.2/10

Trope: Forbidden Love/Mismatch

Watch On: YouTube Movies

Cast: Shahrukh Khan, Deepika Padukone

Release Year: 2013

Duration: 2 hours, 21 minutes

I was introduced to this movie back in hostel when the exam stress got real. This is one of those movies that helps you forget your stress for a moment and laugh out loud, without holding back. Directed by Luv Ranjan, the story follows three bachelors Nishant, Rajat and Vikrant who each have girlfriends. The entire movie is a comical coverage of how their girlfriends take over their lives and dominate major aspects of it, that results in both chaos and comedy. 

IMDb Rating: 7.6/10

Trope: Satirical gender depictions + Romcom

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Karthik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharuscha 

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 2 hours, 29 minutes

The Fault In Our Stars is a classic addition to every romance movie list ever. Its Bollywood remake, Dil Bechara has our hearts for its music, direction, cast and the cute chemistry shared by their leads, Sushant Singh Rajput (if only he would have seen the absolute magic he created onscreen) and the debut of Sanjana Sanghi. The story follows Manny and Kizie who meet in a cancer support group meeting. Kizie reluctantly falls for Manny but both of them discover each other and life, as the movie progresses. The songs will have you crying even before the tragic ending hits you. 

IMDb Rating: 8.3/10

Trope: Tragic Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Sanjana Sanghi 

Release Year: 2020

Duration: 1 hour, 41 minutes

I will watch anything with Jen Aniston in it, but for real though, The Switch is one of my favourites when it comes to romcoms that is unhinged. Jason Bateman and Jennifer Aniston portray two best friends, Wally and Kassie. Kassie decides to opt for a sperm donor to get pregnant and Wally believes he would be the lucky guy. Unfortunately for him, Kassie picks someone else but as fate would have it, Wally in an inebriated state, replaces the actual sperm donated with his own! Seven years later, Wally comes face to face with Kassie's son, courtesy of his sperm. 

IMDb Rating: 6.1/10

Trope: Friends to Lovers

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman

Release Year: 2010

Duration: 1 hour, 41 minutes

Speaking of Jennifer Aniston, her chemistry and comical timing with Adam Sandler is unmatched and one of their classic movies should be on your watchlist. On a weekend trip to Hawaii, Danny (played by Adam), a plastic surgeon asks his assistant Katherine (played by Jennifer) to act his wife who is about to get divorced, in order to fool a younger girl that he is seeing. In the process, Katherine catches feelings for Danny, ending in a wholesome, chaotic plot that will have you rooting for their relationship. 

IMDb Rating: 6.4/10

Trope: Fake Dating

Watch On: Prime Video

Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Adam Sandler

Release Year: 2011

Duration: 2 hours

Noah Centineo is the perfect lover boy and in this beautiful romcom, he plays Brooks Rattigan who wants to make more money for college so, upon Celia's advice after escorting her to a school dance, he designs an app that lets you rent him as a date for a night. You can customise him to your preference, based on occasion and have him accompany you to your events. He meets Shelby, a rich brat girl with "prestigious" dreams and falls for her. But, going on so many dates as so many different people, Brooks realises that he has no single identity he can stand for and suffers an identity crisis. Meanwhile, he is also falling for Celia. 

IMDb Rating: 5.8/10

Trope: Fake Dating

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Noah Centineo, Camila Mendes, Laura Marano

Release Year: 2019

Duration: 1 hour, 29 minutes

The Notebook is a classic staple on every list of top romantic movies. Capturing 1940s South Carolina, it follows mill worker Noah Calhoun and rich girl Allie who fall desperately in love, in the backdrop of their parents disapproval. Fate intervenes when Noah goes to serve in the army for World War II and Allie gets involved with another man but when Noah returns before Allie's marriage, they realise their affair is everything but over. 

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Trope: Tragic Romance

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams

Release Year: 2004

Duration: 2 hours, 3 minutes

A mismatch in a Mumbai tiffin service connects Ila, a houswife and Saajan, a widower. They start communicating through notes placed in their lunchbox and thus, starts a connection without ever meeting. The movie is a reminder of the need of human interaction to cure loneliness and the instance of letting our guards down to nurture something beautiful. 

IMDb Rating: 7.8/10

Trope: Fateful Meet

Watch On: Netflix

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur

Release Year: 2013

Duration: 1 hour, 44 minutes