19 Best Romantic Comedies And Epic Movie Love Stories To Stream This Valentine’s Day

It doesn’t matter if you’re spending Valentine’s Day with that special someone, your best pal or even enjoying a night to yourself, it’s always the perfect opportunity to lean into the romance and revisit some of cinema’s great love stories.

So, if you’re at home this Valentine’s night, and struggling to pick something on the usual platforms to fit the mood, we’ve rounded up 19 of the best romantic comedies and dramatic love stories that are available to stream right now.

The film that cemented Julia Roberts’ spot as queen of the rom-coms towards the end of the 20th century, Pretty Woman paired the future Oscar winner with Richard Gere in this story about a Hollywood escort whose life is turned upside down when she falls in love with a man who has hired her services.

Julia landed her first Academy Award nomination for her work in the Garry Marshall comedy-drama, which has gone on to be considered a true classic of the romance genre.

Stream it on: Disney+

Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze gave their entire peer group a lesson in on-screen chemistry in Ghost, resulting in that immediately-iconic potters wheel sequence.

As well as packing in both action and comedy (with Whoopi Goldberg even winning an Oscar for her comic relief performance as fraudulent-psychic-turned-real-life-medium Oda Mae Brown), it’s the central romance between Demi and Patrick’s characters that has helped Ghost stand the test of time.

Just get ready to shed some serious tears in those heartbreaking final scenes.

Oh, and while there’s no arguing that Demi Moore’s haircut in this film is iconic, we’d recommend giving it at least 24 hours before you book any impulsive salon appointments.

Stream it on: ITVX and Netflix

While The Bodyguard’s biggest legacy is probably its theme song, a cover of I Will Always Love You by the unmistakable Whitney Houston, the film also allowed the music icon to show off another of her talents, as she made her big-screen acting debut opposite Kevin Costner.

The Bodyguard centres around a budding romance between a music icon and her security, and made a huge cultural impact in the early 90s, scoring two Oscar nominations for its soundtrack and proving to be an absolute smash at the box office.

Stream it on: Now

The second of three big-screen collaborations between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, Sleepless In Seattle is probably the most popular and best of their films together, thanks in no small part to the distinct contributions of filmmaker Norah Ephron.

In the hit screen romance, Tom plays a recent widower who unwittingly finds a new admirer after his eight-year-old son dials into a local radio show looking for a new wife for his dad.

Stream it on: Now

It tells you right there in the opening sequence that “never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo”, yet people continue holding up this tragic story as a romance for the ages.

Adaptations of Romeo And Juliet – and, indeed, Shakespeare’s work in general – don’t really come much better than Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 offering.

Not only does it shift the action to the 20th century (while retaining Shakespeare’s original script), it also features Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes in a screen pairing for the ages.

Look out for minor appearances from the always-dreamy Paul Rudd and all-round national treasure Miriam Margolyes, too!

Stream it on: Netflix and Disney+

OK, if we’re going to talk about Leo in the context of epic movie romances then we’re going to have to mention Titanic, right?

There’s a reason that almost 30 years on from its release, James Cameron’s historical romance still has people completely obsessed (and it’s definitely not the CGI…).

As Jack and Rose, Leo and co-star Kate Winslet brought to life a love story for the ages in Titanic, and while sadly theirs was not a romance that lasted (can we really call it a spoiler when the film came out three decades ago and the clue is right there in the name?), it is definitely still one for the ages.

Stream it on: Disney+ and Prime Video

When it comes to 90s romances, you might think of the likes of Four Weddings And A Funeral or My Best Friend’s Wedding rather than Sliding Doors.

However, while it’s probably Sliding Doors’ imaginative storytelling that stands out above its central love story, the message of the film is ultimately one about how if it’s meant to be between two people, they’ll find each other in any lifetime, and what could be more fitting for Valentine’s Day than that?

Stream it on: Netflix

The queen of rom-coms Julia Roberts ended the decade by finally coming together with the king, Hugh Grant, in Notting Hill, another home-run for screenwriter Richard Curtis, who would go on to score major success with the likes of Love Actually and About Time.

Set in London at the end of the 20th century, Notting Hill centres around a world-famous movie star who enters a romance with a man who appears to be the only person in the country with no idea who she is.

The film is packed with iconic characters and scenes, but it’s Julia’s “I’m just a girl…” speech that most of us will recall the best.

Stream it on: Disney+ and Prime Video

Bear with us here.

Admittedly, at first glance, Shrek might seem more in the realm of a family adventure or even a buddy comedy than a great romance. What that leaves out, though, is quite how heartwarming the unlikely love story between Shrek and Princess Fiona is – and we defy anyone not to get a lump in their throat at that “but you are beautiful…” in the final stretch.

So while we’d concede this might not seem like the most obvious choice for Valentine’s Day, if you give it a watch, we promise you’ll find yourself feeling surprisingly warm and fuzzy by the finish.

Stream it on: Disney+, Now and Prime Video

That first Bridget Jones movie is an absolutely game changing rom-com that’s stacked on both the “rom” and “com” fronts.

Renée Zellweger more than earned her Oscar nomination for playing the titular character, who is first charmed by Hugh Grant’s Daniel Cleaver and completely turned off by Colin Firth’s Mark Darcy, but as the story unfolds, our heroine takes control of her destiny, learns some big life lessons and takes a journey that ends with one of our favourite finale on-screen kisses ever.

Stream it on: Now

Moulin Rouge! is about as far from a happy ending as it gets (not a spoiler, folks, it’s one of the first things out of Ewan McGregor’s character’s mouth), but it’s also a celebration of truth, beauty, freedom and, above all, love – which makes it ideal Valentine’s viewing.

Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman’s Christian and Satine are a love story for the actual ages, while the film itself is just an all-singing, all-dancing, all-kicking work of art, guaranteed to have you laughing, gasping, singing and undoubtedly blubbing along from the sofa.

Stream it on: Disney+

Let’s face it, tear-jerkers don’t come much bigger than The Notebook.

That Noah and Allie’s enemies-to-lovers narrative was eventually echoed by its leads Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams only speaks to the power of The Notebook, which set a new bar for on-screen romances upon its release in 2004 – and also inspired that iconic MTV Movie Awards kiss which people still talk about to this day.

Stream it on: BBC iPlayer and Prime Video

Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice has been adapted for the big and small screen a bunch of times in the last century, and while Colin Firth’s Mr Darcy is the pinnacle for many; to a whole generation, it’s all about Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.

The period piece is actually a properly star-studded one, featuring a number of British stars who have gone on to great things like Rosamund Pike, Carey Mulligan and Tallulah Riley, alongside screen veterans Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethlyn and Dame Judi Dench.

Stream it on: Netflix

OK, again, we get that a Pixar sci-fi fable about the collective damage we’re all doing to the planet might not seem like a Valentine’s go-to – but we’d also argue that the love between Wall-E and Eve is one of the best love stories in Disney history, making it a great alternative to some of the more obvious romantic picks.

The action-packed movie sees Wall-E going to extreme lengths to be with the woman (well… female-coded android) he loves, and the adorable pair’s outer space “kiss” is just so heartwarming.

Stream it on: Disney+

First and foremost, The Handmaiden – directed by Park Chan-wook, who is currently riding a wave of success off the back of No Other Choice – is a period thriller full of unpredictable twists and turns.

But at its core is a slow-burn queer love story you can’t help but find yourself rooting for as the action slowly unfolds, with an ending you’re not likely to forget in a hurry.

Stream it on: BFI Player

A star-making vehicle for its lead, the then-burgeoning Timothée Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name is an ode to first love, and how impactful it can be, even when it doesn’t last.

With great performances across the board, this sun-soaked love story will take you on a true emotional journey (even if you can’t look at a peach in the same way for weeks to come).

Stream it on: Prime Video

While Call Me By Your Name was most people’s introduction to Timothée Chalamet, that same year, God’s Own Country proved to be a launchpad for Josh O’Connor, who was nominated for a Bafta off the back of his performance.

The British romance centres around a young, jaded farmer, unsatisfied with his lot in life and the expectations on him to follow in his family’s footsteps, who begins to reassess things when his parents take on a new farmhand.

Co-starring Alec Secăreanu and directed by Francis Lee, the film became notable for its central love story, its graphic sex scenes and that rare thing in an LGBTQ+ romance (especially at this time), an actually hopeful and happy ending.

Stream it on: BFI Player

There are unconventional romances, and then there’s The Shape Of Water, Guillermo Del Toro’s Oscar-winning story about the cleaner of a government lab who falls in love with one of the mysterious creatures being held captive there.

With an unforgettable performance from Sally Hawkins and a central love story that isn’t as difficult to get behind as you might think, The Shape Of Water was a more than deserving winner of the coveted Best Picture prize at the 2018 Academy Awards.

Stream it on: Disney+

We’ve absolutely loved the rom-com resurgence of the 2020s, the best offering from which is quite possibly Rye Lane.

Set over the course of a summer day in London, the breezy movie stars David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah as two complete strangers who meet by chance and bring out the best in each other.

With nods to some of the great British romantic comedies of the 90s and 2000s to look out for (including one great cameo in particular!), the sun-drenched setting is also the perfect antidote to anyone whose February blues are hitting hard right now.

Stream it on: BBC iPlayer and Disney+