Summary
- Great chemistry in the main cast is essential for a good romantic comedy. Hulu's best rom-coms showcase stellar performances that make the movies enjoyable.
- The best rom-coms on Hulu acknowledge and play with the tropes of the genre, creating fresh and unique stories that stand out from the traditional romance.
- Hulu offers a variety of romantic comedies, from classic movies to newer releases, catering to different tastes within the genre. There's a rom-com for everyone on the streaming platform.
Romantic comedies are often dismissed as a genre as a whole for being cheesy, but there are plenty of romantic comedies that can take classic tropes, combine them with stellar performances, and end up with great movies, which is exactly what the best rom-coms on Hulu are able to do. Hulu offers a variety of romantic movies, and while a lot of the offerings on the streamer lean more toward the dramatic end of the genre, there is still a rom-com for everyone.A good romantic comedy needs great chemistry in its main cast. It also can't be afraid to acknowledge the tropes of the genre and create something fresh with them. Hulu's best rom-coms do just that - from newer teen rom-coms like Crush to holiday fare like Happiest Season. Hulu also offers some classics in their library movies, giving romantic comedy fans a chance to see what inspired these modern takes.
Beautiful Disaster (2023)
One of Hulu’s original romantic comedies of 2023, the movie is based on a book of the same name by Jamie McGuire. Virginia Gardner (Runaways) and Dylan Sprouse (My Fake Boyfriend) star as a pair of college students who seem like polar opposites. She’s trying to leave her past behind and be the stereotypical good girl while he embraces his bad boy image. When the two make a bet, they find themselves growing closer. While the movie plays to relatively standard rom-com fare, it’s still one of the most enjoyable rom-coms of Hulu’s originals.
The Girl Next Door (2004)
When former adult film star Danielle (Elisha Cuthbert) moves in next door to a graduating high school senior Matthew (Emile Hirsch), she shakes up his view of the world, encouraging him to be more daring than he has all through school. Her former controlling producer, however, jumps in when Matthew and Danielle’s relationship hits a snag and a series of mishaps and manipulations leave Matthew owing a lot of money. He and his friends team up with adult film stars to create a modern sex education video that changes their lives and solves their money problem. While aspects of the move are dated, it’s still a fun and funny snapshot of early 2000s rom-coms.
The Valet (2022)
If there’s one trope prevalent in the best Hulu rom-coms, it’s fake dating. Here, the fake couple in question is a movie star (Samara Weaving) and a valet (Eugenio Derbez) that she’s photographed with when she’s actually having an affair with a wealthy married man. A scheme is matched to allow the press to believe the star and the valet are dating, and the two gradually realize the lives they’ve been leading aren’t particularly healthy. The movie uses a standard rom-com trope to create a story of growth and friendship instead of the traditional romance, and it’s a breath of fresh air in Hulu’s rom-coms.
The Hating Game (2021)
Inspired by the novel by Sally Thorne, Lucy Hale and Austin Stowell star in this rom-com that is the perfect example of the enemies-to-lovers idea. Lucy (Hale) and Josh (Stowell) cannot stand one another and end up vying for the same promotion at their publishing company. The more they compete, however, the more they get to know one another, and the more they discover they actually like one another. The chemistry of Hale and Stowell is what makes this mostly formulaic story one of Hulu’s best rom-coms.
What Happens In Vegas (2008)
Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz were essentially comedy royalty in the early 2000s, so it only makes sense that they would have teamed up for a movie at some point. They play two people who meet during separate trips to Las Vegas and marry during a drunken night. When one of them wins a $3 million prize while they’re still technically married, however, they attempt to undermine one another during the divorce to get the money, and of course, fall in love. While the premise is mostly ridiculous, Diaz and Kutcher are fantastic in their roles, and they make the movie truly memorable.
Simply Irresistible (1999)
Simply Irresistible has hints of drama, but at its core, it’s still a romantic comedy. The movie sees Sarah Michelle Gellar as the leading lady in one of her first big screen roles outside of teen or horror projects. She plays a struggling cook who inherits her mother’s restaurant. When she begins “cooking her feelings” into her dishes, her recipes become a huge success, but the man she’s been seeing starts to suspect she’s somehow manipulated his feelings with her seemingly magical ability. Simply Irresistible is more of an urban fantasy than the usual rom-com, and that makes it stand out.
Celeste & Jesse Forever (2012)
Celeste & Jesse Forever is one of Hulu’s best rom-coms because it’s actually about what happens after the happily ever after is over. Celeste (Rashida Jones) and Jesse (Andy Samberg) were high school sweethearts and best friends who got married young and then struggle to actually move on with their lives when they decide to divorce. The story follows them discovering who they are without one another and whether they can move on with other people. It’s a refreshing take for the genre.
We Broke Up (2021)
Much like Celeste & Jesse Forever, We Broke Up sees a long-time couple deciding to go their separate ways. Unlike the other movie, however, this couple isn’t so close that they continue to maintain their friendship and slide back into couply patterns following their decision. Instead, they struggle to decide if they should try again when they’re both invited to a wedding. The performances of Aya Cash and William Jackson Harper as the pair in question make for a compelling watch.
She’s The Man (2006)
In this modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a teenage girl (Amanda Bynes) disguises herself as her own brother to be able to play soccer with the guys when he skips out on boarding school. Along the way, she falls for her roommate (Channing Tatum) and proves that female players can be just as successful as male players. She’s The Man is Amanda Bynes at her best. There is mistaken identity, miscommunication, comedies of errors, and she makes the audience believe every bit of it.
Crush (2022)
One of Hulu’s original movies, Crush is certainly a throwback to teen comedies of the early 2000s. While the movie still features plenty of stereotypes and tropes that classic teen movies have employed, it also paves the way for more representation in modern teen comedies. The central love triangle is between three young women, providing a love story for out queer characters instead of a coming-out story. The week of its premiere in 2022, it was the top-streamed movie on Hulu, and it certainly deserved that top spot (via Media Play News).
The Holiday Fix-Up
The Holiday Fix-Up isn’t just one of the best rom-coms on Hulu, it’s also one of the best Christmas movies on Hulu. Set during the holiday season, it features a former couple teaming up to renovate an inn in the town where they both grew up. The catch? They aren’t on the best of terms since Sam (Jana Kramer) has become the star of her own home improvement show and Coop (Ryan McPartlin) chose to remain in town. Heavier on the romance than the comedy, the movie provides a sweet story about communication and forgiveness.
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
While aspects of the film are considered problematic over 20 years later, there’s no denying that Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas are completely charming as the former childhood sweethearts who can’t seem to stand one another long enough to even get a divorce. The cast is packed with talent from Candice Bergen to Melanie Lynskey to Ethan Embry. Sweet Home Alabama is truly a rom-com classic.
It Had To Be You
This movie explores the relationship between a couple named Sonia and Chris. The two seem to be in a good place in their relationship until the concept of marriage comes in to play. Sonia must decide if she really wants to either settle down and get married or pursue her fantasies. It's a feel-good movie with an interesting and relatable premise that discusses the realities of marriage, love, and being an adult. This quirky and honest movie stars Cristin Milioti and Dan Soder.
How To Be Single (2016)
How To Be Single wasn’t a hit with critics when it first premiered, but the movie really works to turn the rom-com genre on its head. Each of the main characters fills a familiar rom-com role, like a single girl desperate to find the one (Allison Brie), the party girl not willing to settle down (Rebel Wilson), the independent woman who wants a family (Leslie Mann), and the woman struggling to get over her ex (Dakota Johnson). The journey of the movie isn’t really about each of them finding a happily ever after with a man, but examining how their lives as single women differ, and just what happily ever after might really mean for each of them.
Leap Year (2010)
Amy Adams and Matthew Goode star in this movie about a woman (Adams) who decides to propose to her boyfriend in Ireland on Leap Day (February 29), calling upon an Irish tradition for luck. Goode plays the Irish innkeeper she pays to get her to her boyfriend. The two have one of the most calamitous road trips possible across the countryside, providing for one comedic moment after another. The movie is predictable, but charming, largely due to Adams and Goode’s chemistry and performances in some outlandish situations.
Love And Other Drugs (2010)
The main reason that Love And Other Drugs isn’t the best rom-com on Hulu is that it veers more toward the dramatic end of the rom-com spectrum than the comedic. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as a man who becomes a pharmaceutical rep and falls for Anne Hathaway’s Maggie, a woman with a serious medical condition. The story chronicles the ups and downs of their relationship and the reality of what the downsides of her illness could look like. While both of the leads are charming, it’s not as light as Hulu’s other offerings.
What’s Your Number (2011)
Anna Faris is the lead in this delightful rom-com. She stars as a young woman who reads an article that makes her worry she might have already met “the one” and passed him by because of her large number of past partners. She’s inspired to track down all of her exes to see if there might still be a spark. The man who lives across the hall (Chris Evans) helps her on her quest and the two bond over their disastrous relationships. It’s fun, funny, and has a slew of supporting players that are so fun to watch like Ari Graynor, Chris Pratt, and Anthony Mackie.
Rye Lane (2023)
Set in South London, this rom-com features a pair of strangers (David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah) who meet at an art exhibit after both going through bad break-ups. They team up for an eventful day to get back at their exes and get their things back, but their fun sours when one of them realizes the other hasn’t been entirely truthful. Featuring a predominantly BlPOC cast, the movie provides some much-needed diversity in the rom-com genre and makes for a fun and cheeky whirlwind of a story.
Love, Simon (2018)
This 2018 film is a combination of teen romance and a coming-of-age story. Love, Simon stars Nick Robinson as Simon Spier who exchanges emails with a mysterious student at his high school after he learns they are gay, just like him. Simon isn't out to his friends and family yet and worries about being outed by another fellow classmate who blackmails him. Ultimately, it's a feel-good movie with familiar aspects that may be comforting for rom-com fans looking for an easy-viewing movie. The film also takes a look at how society approaches sexuality and the pressure to be "normal."
Palm Springs (2020)
Palm Springs is a quirky film that stars Brooklyn Nine-Nine's Andy Samberg and How I Met You Mother's Cristin Milioti. Milioti's Sarah is a reluctant bridesmaid when she meets Samberg's character Nyles. Viewers will enjoy this film if they are into the "stuck in a time loop" as well as heaps of funny banter. Palm Springs also features plenty of twists, meaning viewers never know what's going to happen next. It's a funny and unconventional romantic comedy that infuses sci-fi into the genre in a refreshing and engaging way.
Happiest Season
Happiest Season is a film that centers around the main characters Harper and Abby as they celebrate one year of dating each other. Harper takes Abby to meet her family for Christmas and reveals she hasn't come out to her parents yet. Instead, she convinces Abby to pretend to just be her straight roommate. Harper worries that if she tells her family that she's in a relationship with Abby, it will ruin the perfect family image that her parents have engraved. However, their relationship soon becomes complicated as Abby continues to lie for Harper. Eventually, after spending the holiday together they grow to know each other more than ever before. There is a lot warmth and heartfelt moments throughout this film that makes it a perfect watch for Valentine's Day.
Fire Island (2022)
Fire Island takes the idea of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and modernizes it - but for a group of queer friends instead of the Bennett sisters. The group goes to Fire Island for a vacation where some of them play matchmaker and others get caught up in new relationships. Fire Island has a stellar cast that includes Joel Kim Booster, Bowen Yang, and Conrad Ricamora. The actors make for great replacements for the Bennetts and the Darcy’s, embodying the same chemistry, while giving the familiar story a fresh update.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall follows Peter (Jason Segel) who tries to forget his ex (Kristen Bell) by going on vacation without her, only to find she and her new boyfriend (Russell Brand) booked at the same resort. The story is really about discovering when a relationship truly makes someone happy instead of when a relationship is simply what the person is used to, and both Segel’s Peter and Bell’s Sarah have to figure that out. They do so, however, through a lot of comedic set-ups as they try to one-up each other with their new love interests.
Notting Hill (1999)
Notting Hill features rom-com powerhouses Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant in the leading roles. While both actors are adept at both drama and comedy and could probably play any role presented to them, their rom-com chemistry is effortless. Roberts plays an actress who crosses paths with Grant’s bookseller and the two form an instant connection. That connection is tested over time as they go their separate ways but repeatedly come back to one another. Notting Hill is one of the best rom-coms of the ‘90s and features witty dialogue, likable characters, and perfect chemistry.
Sleeping With Other People (2015)
The best rom-com on Hulu is Sleeping With Other People. The movie begins when Lainey (Alison Brie) and Jake (Jason Sudeikis) meet in college, losing their virginity to one another and becoming close friends as a result. The two confide all of their problems in one another, which only results in them becoming closer. While both can admit to themselves that they are in love with the other person, they refuse to admit it to one another, entering into even more relationships that don’t work for them. Sleeping With Other People is a fresh and modern take on the rom-com genre because the audience knows that both characters know how they feel. The story isn’t about getting one of them to realize the truth, but about getting them to be brave enough to take the leap. It stands above Hulu’s other rom-com offerings.