Eight of the best romantic films to watch on Netflix today

Romance lovers everywhere, this day is for you — happy Valentine’s! Whether you’re one-half of a loved-up couple, or flying solo today, love is in the air and it’s a day to revel in the cheesy cuteness of it all. You may be heading out to an over-the-top date night tonight, but if you’re anything like us, you’ll prefer a night in on the couch with a takeaway (much more romantic, in our opinion). And what is the most important component of a Valentine’s night in? Netflix, of course.

Netflix has hours upon hours of choice content to mull over, and that includes plenty of romance. Rom-coms, dramas and straight up sob-fests are aplenty on the platform, and they actually give a welcome break from all the true crime documentaries we’ve been watching lately (after watching Abducted in Plain Sight, we need a massive distraction *shudder*). So, we’ve gathered the eight hands-down best lovey films to watch on Netflix tonight, and to continue watching all weekend long. Who says Valentine’s only has to last one day?

Related: Six books worth reading on or after Valentine’s Day (hot date or not)

The Notebook

Starting off with a classic tearjerker to end all tearjerkers here. Allie and Noah fall in love over a summer together as teenagers, but life has them grow apart and follow different paths, until they finally find their way back to each other. The film jumps back and forth between Allie and Noah in their youth and them now, as an elderly couple. This is peak Ryan Gosling romance here, people. Expect torrential tears, and an ensuing argument with your partner about why they never wrote you one letter a day for a year like Noah did (even though you live together).

About Time

Yes, another Rachel McAdams pick, but she can do no wrong in our eyes. Although this is a typical Richard Curtis rom-com, About Time is actually one of our all-time favourites here at IMAGE. It’s heartfelt, genuinely funny, has a lovely message about the importance of seizing the day and has Domhnall Gleeson in it, in what is hands-down his best role (sorry Ex Machina).

Love Actually

No it’s not Christmas. Yes, it is still, and always will be, an appropriate time to watch Love Actually. Following nine love stories, which intertwine over time, Love Actually is sweet, funny and does a fabulous job of showing the many forms love can take — even when it’s painful. It also features massive names, including Hugh Grant (seen above in his dancing scene), Laura Linney, Liam Neeson and, of course, Emma Thompson, who has rendered us unable to ever listen to Joni Mitchell without crying ever again.

PS. I Love You

We are at peak cheese here, readers. PS I Love You is for those of you who want an unapologetically snotty cry this evening, whether your partner is there or not. Holly (played by Jennifer Garner) is married to the love of her life Gerry (played by Gerard Butler, who, it must be said, does an abysmal Irish accent in this film, but don’t let it distract you), but when he suddenly dies from a brain tumour, Holly begins a new path towards the future, all aided by Gerry’s words of comfort. As if that wasn’t enough to draw you in, a lot of it takes place in Ireland, so you’ve got some familiar scenery in the background too.

Crazy Stupid Love

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Steve Carrell, Julianne Moore. We think that’s more than enough to get you to watch it, but there’s more. Crazy Stupid Love is one of the best rom-coms on Netflix, featuring brilliant performances from Gosling and Carrell, as the former tries to give a makeover to Carrell’s life and style. There is a major twist that you don’t see coming until it happens, makes the whole thing so much funnier, and also features Ryan Gosling doing the Dirty Dancing lift. So. There’s that.

When Harry Met Sally

One of the best films ever made about male-female relationships, and the fact that it was released in 1989 means nothing — When Harry Met Sally hasn’t aged at all. The film aims to answer the age-old question: can men and women ever really be just friends, without sex ever getting in the way? Although Harry and Sally are completely different, and drive each other completely insane, their friendship over the course of ten years provides the foundations for what might turn out to be a beautiful love affair. Plus, it has Billy Crystal acting through Nora Ephron’s words, so you know it’s going to be hilarious.

One Day

One Day, a criminally overlooked romantic drama from 2011, follows Dexter and Emma throughout their lives as they meet up on the same day every year (July 15 — one day, get it?). Their relationship twists and turns over the course of their time together, with fights, affairs, new lovers, new dramas and plenty of tear-jerking moments. In reality, Dexter and Emma’s love for eachother is one of the most realistic of the bunch — most relationships are not linear, and are not without break ups and makeups. Timing is everything, and One Day shows that beautifully.

 

Valentine’s Day

And of course, how could we forget Valentine’s Day? I mean really, you couldn’t forget it, it’s got the same name as the day. This star-studded blockbuster from 2010 is a little like Love Actually, in that it follows many intertwining love stories, but a little more Americanized, so it’s not nearly as heartbreaking. It’s very cheesy, but also very fun, and you get to watch plenty of legendary actors celebrate a day of romance.

 

Related: 12 red and pink pieces to show some love to yourself this Valentine’s Day