This post shares the 5 best rom coms of the 2020s perfect for your next movie night.
If you’re a 90s kid like me, you grew up with romantic comedies as the bread and butter of every movie night. There were just so many classics to choose from. From the iconic 13 going on 30, to the quirky 500 days of Summer, to the cozy classic The Holiday, these movies made me excited to enter my adult dating era.
However, just as I’m about to turn 30, it feels like Hollywood has all but abandoned this genre for more lucrative Marvel superhero movies or yet another remake. It’s like something has shifted in the cultural zeitgeist that has made rom-coms feel…irrelevant, cringey, and somewhat passé. Blame it on the proliferation of dating apps, or the fact that more and more singles are simply giving up on dating. Whatever it is, I don’t like it, as a lifelong fan of the genre.
Luckily, on my never-ending search for 10/10 rom-coms, I found 5 recent movies that clear my very high bar.
What sets these rom-coms apart from their classic predecessors is their distinctly modern vibe. There’s way more representation of people of color, the LGBTQ community, and older people. The humor and cultural context in these movies are distinctly post-pandemic era. Furthermore, they highlight modern romantic problems unique to our technology-driven world, like catfishing on dating apps.
If you’re on the hunt for the best rom coms of the 2020s that hold their own against the classics, let me present my top 5:
1. The Broken Hearts Gallery
The Broken Hearts Gallery feels like the 2020s version of indie rom-com classic 500 Days of Summer. They’re both set in New York, with artsy, eccentric main characters, and feature their own renditions of the “manic pixie dream girl” main character archetype.
The Broken Hearts Gallery follows Lucy, an art gallerist assistant in New York City who collects mementos from every significant relationship in her life. After a horrific break-up with her latest boyfriend, she meets Nick, an aspiring boutique hotelier who she collaborates with to stage “The Broken Hearts Gallery” exhibit, featuring artifacts of heartbreak from New Yorkers of all walks of life.
This movie really stood out to me for the artistry of its sets and cinematic vignettes. From the stunning abandoned YMCA turned boutique hotel, to the breathtaking yet mundane backdrops only New York City can provide, every other still in this movie felt like a work of art in its own right. Put this underrated rom-com on when you need some artistic and romantic inspiration.
Streaming On: Roku or Hulu (with Starz TV add-on)
Best For: lovers of New York City, art galleries, and 500 days of summer
2. Your Place Or Mine
If you’re a big fan of Nancy Meyers and re-watch films based on the homes featured in them, then “Your Place or Mine” is perfect for you.
Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher play two polar opposites who somehow remained best friends for decades after a one time hook-up. They live on opposite sides of the country and lead opposite lives in many ways. Ashton Kutcher is a high-flying business consultant living the bachelor life in a New York penthouse. Reese Witherspoon is a slightly neurotic but loving single mother navigating a career change in Los Angeles. Switching homes for a stint brings them closer and surfaces new feelings between them.
Credit: Netflix
The concept for this movie is not exactly original, but what makes it shine for me is the dazzling cinematography and captivating bi-coastal sets. Reese Witherspoon’s eclectic maximalist, colorful L.A. home and Ashton Kutcher’s ultra sleek, business-chic Dumbo bachelor pad provide a visual feast for interior design lovers. I can watch this again and again just to re-visit those homes!
Streaming On: Netflix
Best For: Interior Design aficionados and Nancy Meyers fans
3. Love Hard
Love Hard is arguably the funniest movie on this list. It genuinely had me laughing out loud to myself in a packed Brooklyn Thai restaurant on a Friday night. Yes, I distinctly remember the first time I watched what has become one of my favorite films.
The movie centers around Natalie (Nina Dobrev), an LA-based journalist who writes about her not so stellar dating life à la Carrie Bradshaw. When she meets a “perfect” man on a dating app (Darren Barnet), she flies 3000 miles to New York to surprise him for Christmas….only to discover she’s been catfished.
Jimmy O. Yang and Nina Dobrev’s sparkling comedic chemistry really shine throughout this movie. The personalities of their characters seem to clash at just the right angle to result in perfectly cinematic comedic moments. It’s perfect to watch solo or with friends and family—my parents loved it too!
Streaming On: Netflix
Best For: Laughing out loud, with friends or by yourself! Especially if you’ve been burned by online dating.
4. Happiest Season
I watched this Holiday rom-com on the plane ride back from Europe a month ago, and was simultaneously sobbing and laughing into my microwaved gnocchi and miniature red wine. The elderly Italian couple next to me probably wished they’d shelled out the extra bucks for premium economy.
Happiest Season is a hilarious Christmas ensemble comedy led by Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis, who play a lesbian couple going home to Harper’s (Mackenzie Davis) family for the holidays for the first time. Just one catch: Harper didn’t tell her partner she hasn’t come out yet to her conservative parents. It’s a classic family drama meets coming-out dramedy, with many heartwarming moments that genuinely touched me. But maybe sappy moments just hit harder at 30,000 feet in the air?
In all seriousness, this is one of the best family centered rom-coms I’ve seen to date. The supporting characters in this movie are particularly hilarious, with the Dan Levy and Mary Holland characters stealing the scene throughout.
Streaming On: Hulu
Best For: family drama and getting you into the Christmas spirit.
5. The Idea Of You
I actually can’t remember a movie before The Idea Of You that featured an older woman falling in love with a younger man. Granted, that older woman is the forever drop-dead gorgeous Anne Hathaway, but she definitely plays a gen X older woman. Pre-teen child and all.
The Idea of You is about a 40-something divorced art galerist who captivates the heart of the lead singer of her daughter’s favorite boy band. She reluctantly embarks on a whirlwind, global romance that pushes the boundaries of what her surrounding community and she, herself, find “acceptable”.
I genuinely loved this movie, for multiple reasons. For one thing, the visual arts theme throughout delighted the art lover inside me. I also loved watching a somewhat realistic portrayal of a middle-aged woman finding love again, unconventionally. Last but not least, the chemistry between the main actors was truly palpable.
Streaming On: Amazon Prime
Best For: former boy-band groupies and fans of watching older women find love.
Let me know in the comments if you end up watching one of these. I’d love to know what you think. And if you have new recommendations for other modern rom-coms, I’m always looking for new favorites!
