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22 Movies On Amazon Prime All Romantics Need To See

These movies will definitely have you swooning.

by Amen Oyiboke and Candace Cordelia Smith
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Originally Published: 
Tessa Thompson stars in 'Sylvie's Love,' one of the many romantic movies available on Amazon Prime. ...
Amazon Prime

If you’re a hopeless romantic, you probably have an idea of what you think true love should be like — and it likely comes from all the rom-coms and romantic dramas you see each year. All those soulful stories and happy endings are so nice to watch, as it’s always a really great feeling to watch people fall in love on screen. And with the good ol’ convenience of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max, you can have access to all of Hollywood’s greatest romances whenever you’d like. But make sure you add one more streaming service to your queue, as the list of romantic movies on Amazon Prime is a must have for those seeking a love fix.

The movies on this list include love stories that defy conventions about age or ethnicity, such as Sylvie’s Love, Still Mine, and Brick Lane, as well as those based on real life, like The Big Sick and All Good Things. Whatever kind of romance fan you are, these movies will definitely have you swooning. And thankfully, since there are dozens of movies to choose from on Amazon Prime, this list has a little bit of everything to fit everybody’s taste.

So, if you’re looking to fall vicariously in love, feel some passion, or just enjoy an escape, add these movies to your Amazon queue to make any time of the year the season of love.

1. The Big Sick

The Big Sick follows the real-life story of comedian and actor Kumail Nanjiani and his eventual wife, Emily Gordon (played by Zoe Kazan), meeting and falling in love, all while Emily deals with an unexpected illness and Kumail deals with her worried family. There’s also Kumail’s Muslim family, who’ve already picked out several eligible bachelorettes for him to marry. When Emily is put into a medically induced coma, Kumail gets to know more about her life and family, and has to come to terms with his romantic feelings.

2. I Could Never Be Your Woman

It’s a Clueless reunion for Paul Rudd, director Amy Heckerling, and Stacey Dash in I Could Never Be Your Woman. The rom-com, written and directed by Heckerling, looks at the older woman/younger man age gap while dating in a refreshing way. Rudd stars as a 29-year-old actor named Adam, cast in a TV show written and produced by Michelle Pfeiffer’s character, Rosie. Although Rosie is 40, divorced, and hung up on her age, that doesn’t stop her and Adam from having a love connection. Still, Rosie’s insecurities about being 40 weigh heavily on her mind as she also focuses on her career and being a mother to Izzie (played by Saoirse Ronan in her movie debut). As for Dash, her character, Brianne, is the lead actress in Rosie’s fictional TV show, You Go Girl.

3. The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things

Think of The Map of Tiny Perfect Things as the rom-com version of Groundhog Day, except the main character is a high school teen instead of a weatherman. Mark (Kyle Allen) finds himself living the same day on a continual loop. But on one of those days, he meets Margaret (Kathryn Newton), who’s also going through the same fate. Together, they seek to figure out how to get out of another endless day on repeat — and sparks inevitably fly.

4. A Rainy Day In New York

This Woody Allen ensemble movie centers around the story of Gatsby Welles (Timothée Chalamet), an eccentric liberal arts college student, and his growing relationship with journalism major Ashleigh Enright (Elle Fanning). Their plans to have a special, romantic weekend in Manhattan are upended by the glittering opportunities presented by city life and the threat of rain. A Rainy Day in New York also stars Selena Gomez, Liev Schrieber, Jude Law, Diego Luna, and Rebecca Hall.

5. 2 Days In New York

Julie Delpy (as Marion) and Chris Rock (as Mingus) star as a quirky New York couple whose relationship is tested after Marion’s unconventional family arrives in town from Paris. Two wacky days in New York follow as Marion and Mingus try to keep up with her relatives and hold onto their sanity at the same time. The 2012 rom-com is the sequel to Delpy’s 2007 movie 2 Days in Paris, and was directed and co-written by the actor as well.

5. What If

Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan star as two individuals needing a fresh look on love in 2013’s What If. Radcliffe plays Wallace, a medical school dropout trying to figure things out after his girlfriend cheats on him. After going to a party, he falls for Chantry (Kazan), an animator who just so happens to have a boyfriend (Rafe Spall). The two hit it off, and things get more intense from there as they decide to forge a tight friendship.

6. You Cast A Spell On Me

If you believe in fate, You Cast a Spell on Me is sure to bewitch you. Matt (Ryan McPartlin) and Sara (Nikki DeLoach) meet at a Halloween party and click right away. However, they decide not to exchange phone numbers, which leaves them in an odd predicament. Regardless of their decision, it appears that the stars were aligned the moment the pair locked eyes, thanks to Matt’s magical powers as a warlock.

7. Romeo And Juliet

There are two movie adaptations of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet streaming on Amazon Prime, but it’s the 1996 version with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes that’s in the spotlight. A modern-day classic, it stars the two as literature’s tragic sweethearts Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet, and Baz Luhrmann’s breathtaking directorial skills breathe new life into the famous tale of star-crossed love. No romantic stone is left unturned, and you won’t be able to take your eyes away from the star-studded cast, their interpretation of the script, or the cinematography and costumes. On top of that, the soundtrack remains a must-listen to this day.

8. Center Stage

Whether you’re a fan of ballet or not, there’s much to cheer about when it comes to 2000’s Center Stage. For starters, the movie marks the movie debut of Amanda Schull — a professional ballet dancer at the time of filming — and Zoe Saldana. As Jody Sawyer and Eva Rodriguez, respectively, they play roommates at the American Ballet Academy, with Jody eschewing college for the bright lights of New York City and Eva being a super-talented Boston export with sass. The plotlines give insight into the glittery, often guarded world of professional ballet, including the drama (romantic and otherwise) that happens off-stage. The choreography throughout the teen drama is beautiful, too, especially during the final performance scenes that decide the career fates of the ABA gang.

9. Center Stage: Turn It Up

In case you missed it, there is a sequel to Center Stage, but a number of the main stars from the original are missing in action. Instead, Center Stage: Turn It Up introduces the character of Kate Parker (Rachele Brooke Smith), a Detroit native with dreams of being an American Ballet Academy dancer. She doesn’t make the cut at her audition but sticks around in New York City, homeless. Kate eventually finds a job and a love interest: ABA student Tommy (Kenny Wormald). You’ll want to watch this movie to see what becomes of Kate’s dancing career and if she and Tommy make it work.

10. Roman Holiday

Audrey Hepburn won an Academy Award for Best Actress thanks to her performance in this 1953 classic. Hepburn plays a sheltered princess named Ann who just wants to roam the streets of Rome as an ordinary person while on a visit. She meets Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), a news reporter who at first doesn’t recognize her. Eventually, Joe learns of Ann’s true royal identity, and after they spend a day full of surprises and sweet moments together in Rome, he has to figure out if an interview is all he wants from her.

11. Snowbound For Christmas

Based on the Harlequin novel of the same name, Snowbound for Christmas is more sweet than spicy. However, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of steamy moments in the movie. It follows marketing executive Rachel (Zarrin Darnell-Martin) and her boss, Adrian (Henderson Wade), on a very important business trip, where a surprise snowstorm ends up trapping them at a resort. With a 350-room hotel all to themselves, the two grow closer — but it could be a boundary that’s too scandalous for the both to cross.

12. She’s Out Of My League

What happens when insecure TSA Agent Kirk Kettner (Jay Baruchel) meets a stunning woman (Alice Eve as Molly McCleish) at work without flirting or trying to get her number? Well, in this 2010 movie, she becomes instantly attracted to him, especially when he finds her missing cellphone. As Kirk and Molly’s connection deepens, it turns out that no one understands her attraction to him, including Kirk. Can a “10” and a “5” live happily ever after? She’s Out of My League attempts to answer that and more.

13. Brick Lane

Named after the famous street situated in the East End of London, 2008’s Brick Lane focuses on Nazneen (Tannishtah Chatterjee), a woman raised in Bangladesh who has to leave her family to live a new life with her husband in the United Kingdom. Struggling to adjust to the new environment and her loveless marriage, she gains more excitement through her younger sister’s escapades, while yearning to move back to Bangladesh. As the years go by, life gets more difficult for Nazneen as she leans into motherhood, tense race relations in her community, and finds romance in an unexpected place.

14. Aaron Loves Angela

Before starring in Sparkle and Fame, Irene Cara’s first movie role was in the 1975 comedy-drama Aaron Loves Angela. Adapted from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Cara plays Angela, a Puerto Rican teenager who lives with her mom. She’s in love with Aaron (Kevin Hooks), a Black teenager and star basketball player. The movie, set in Harlem, New York, highlights their secret relationship as it stands within an impoverished community and prejudice among family and friends.

15. (500) Days Of Summer

Boy meets girl. Boy falls for girl. Girl doesn’t believe in true love. Boy continues to pine away for the girl, hoping that there’s a chance. That’s the predicament of (500) Days of Summer, starring Joseph-Gordon Levitt as the hopeless romantic Tom Hansen and Zooey Deschanel as Summer Finn. Tom and Summer meet at work, and thus begins a whirlwind 500 days of what ultimately becomes a failed relationship. There are plenty of conversations, rumination, and a great dance scene set to Hall and Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True.” Whether you walk away from this movie rooting for Tom or Summer, or perhaps both, it’s hard not to forget about the power of true love.

16. I’m In Love With A Church Girl

Ja Rule is in love with a church girl in this Christian drama that’s more heavy in tone than one may anticipate. The “Always on Time” rapper plays a drug dealer named Miles Montego who falls in love with a proper churchgoing girl played by Adrienne Bailon (as Vanessa Leon). Miles and Vanessa pursue a relationship, even after Miles reveals his line of work. Vanessa believes that he has the ability to live a more God-fearing life. However, the threat of some observant DEA agents hot on Miles’ and his friends’ trail is one of the other obstacles in the way of Miles and Vanessa’s courtship. The movie, written and co-produced by Galley Molina, is actually based on Molina’s life.

17. Two Night Stand

Miles Teller and Analeigh Tipton’s characters are left in an awkward situation after a one-night stand becomes two during a nasty Nor’easter. Megan (Tipton) goes from having the perfect fiancé to being lonely in New York, so after some convincing from her roommate (played by Jessica Szohr), she decides to ease back onto the dating scene via a no-strings-attached arrangement with Alec (Teller). After their night together, Megan’s walk of shame takes her as far as Alec’s apartment building door due to being snowed in. The two have no choice but to wait out the storm together, disrupting the definition of a one-night stand.

18. The First Time

Do you remember your first time… falling in love? In the teen rom-com The First Time, Dave (Dylan O’Brien) is painfully in love with his best friend, Jane (Victoria Justice). Then there’s Aubrey. She is in love with her boyfriend, who barely loves her back. When Dave and Aubrey meet at a party, feelings grow as they get to know one another. It’s a sweet circumstance where the two, perhaps for the first time, are falling in love with another person who can love them in turn. O’Brien and Robertson were a real-life couple from 2012 (the year The First Time was released) to 2018, so their chemistry is especially palpable in this Jonathan Kasdan-directed movie.

19. The Perfect Match

A perpetual bachelor who doesn’t believe in serious relationships finds himself in a sticky situation when his friends challenge him to actually keep a relationship that lasts more than one day. Charles (Terrence J) ends up falling for Eva (Cassie Ventura), and it forces him to want something more than a one-night stand. Aside from its leads, the movie has a host of other recognizable stars, including Paula Patton, Dascha Polanco, Lauren London, and Donald Faison. There are also cameos by Brandy, French Montana, and internet personality Timothy DeLaGhetto. The Perfect Match is filled with more than enough love scenes and laughs for a girl’s night in or a date night with your special someone.

20. Sylvie’s Love

Tessa Thompson stars in this transcendent movie set in 1950s Harlem and inspired by vintage photographs. She’s Sylvie, an engaged young woman who falls in love with an aspiring saxophone player (Nnamdi Asomugha) named Robert. Sylvie and Robert’s love story plays out over the course of different eras, cities, and life circumstances. But the power of their relationship, as the movie’s director and writer Eugene Ashe said, shows “the sacrifices and tribulations of true love.” The film’s soundtrack, which features classic jazz and doo-wop tunes, is just another thing to love about the title.

21. Still Mine

Still Mine is about a deep love formed over some decades. Craig Morrison (James Cromwell) wants to build a house for his sick wife, Irene (Geneviève Bujold), but runs into trouble when the local municipality’s bureaucracy prevents him from doing so. But with Irene’s failing health, the need for the perfect, peaceful homestead is vital, so Craig continues to fight the powers that be for his wife’s sake. The poignant romantic tale is based on the true story of New Brunswick, Canada farmer Craig Morrison.

22. Brittany Runs A Marathon

Brittany Runs a Marathon tells a story about the greatest love of all — self-love. Brittany, portrayed by the hilarious Jillian Bell, is a woman who plays hard, until she finds out that her partying days are wreaking havoc on her body and mind. After being encouraged to get healthier, Brittany starts running within a group and eventually decides to enter the New York City Marathon. This movie not only shows the power of loving oneself, but also what it means to keep pushing in the face of what may appear to be impossible odds.

This post was originally published on July 23, 2018. It was updated on Aug. 29, 2019. Additional reporting by Sage Young.

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