What are the best romantic comedies to see this year? Here are 10 movies you should watch on Valentine’s Day 2025.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, but there is one question every cinephile is asking themselves: what movie should they be watching on February 14 this year? From new releases to anniversaries, these are 10 movies you should watch on Valentine’s Day in 2025 from least to most recommended.
10. Your Monster
After premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, Your Monster had its wide release at the end of 2024 in the United States and is now available on Apple TV. Written and directed by Caroline Lindy, it is a delightful romantic comedy with elements of both horror and musical theatre in it that fans of either genre will definitely love. Melissa Barrera plays lead Laura Franco, a young struggling actress who gets dumped by her boyfriend Jacob Sullivan (Edmund Donovan) after her cancer diagnosis. When she moves back home, Laura will meet a terrifying but charming Monster (Tommy Dewey) who lives in her childhood bedroom and encourages her to find her voice, in more ways than one.
9. We Live in Time
For the hopeless romantics in the audience, We Live in Time will break your heart, make you laugh out loud, and make you fall in love with the main characters all at the same time. Andrew Garfield stars as Tobias Durand, a recent divorcee, and Florence Pugh as Almut Brühl, a chef and former figure skater. As the movie goes on, we follow their relationship’s high and lows as their story develops through every joyful and painful moment they share in the unpredictability of life. Uniquely British and with two incredible performances at its core, this film guarantees a good cry in the middle of all the romance.
8. Love Lies Bleeding
If you like your romance with some – or, rather, a lot of – action, then Love Lies Bleeding is the perfect film for you. Directed by Rose Glass, who also co-wrote the script with Weronika Tokilska, this romantic thriller features Kristen Stewart as Lou Langston, a gym manager who falls for rising body builder Jacqueline Cleaver (Katy O’Brien). While their romance is developing, Lou’s personal life gets more and more complicated as the FBI is looking for information on her estranged father. The stakes are definitely high, but will there be a happy ending for our protagonists? You will have to watch to find out, but one thing is for sure: I will not forget the end of this movie any time soon.
7. Challengers
Another iteration of the romance genre, Challengers combines the typical format of sports film with an intriguing romantic plotline made up of love triangles, relationship drama, and, of course, a lot of tennis. Luca Guadagnino’s latest directorial endeavour with Zendaya as Tashi, a former tennis legend who has now turned to coaching, Mike Faist as Art Donaldson, Tashi’s husband whom she turned into a world famous grand slam champion, and Josh O’Connor as Patrick Zweig, a man whose talent in tennis has quickly burned out and who is also Art’s former best friend and Tashi’s ex boyfriend. When personal relationships are involved, the tennis match between Art and Patrick becomes a lot more than just a sports game in a minor tournament.
6. Bridget Jones’s Diary
Year: 2017
Director: Sebastián Lelio
Who doesn’t love a classic like Bridget Jones’s Diary? Perhaps the romantic comedy of the early 2000s, this film is everything you could ever want from the genre. The movie follows the titular Bridget Jones (Renèe Zellweger), a 32-year-old British woman who records her hopes and dreams for the future in her diary. Bridget’s luck in love starts to change at the beginning of the film when she has two men fighting for her affection: her charming boss Daniel Cleaver (Hugh Grant) and handsome barrister Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). This might be the best time to revisit the iconic film as there is a new Bridget Jones coming out in 2025 just in time for Valentine’s Day. Naturally, if you are a big fan of the franchise like me, you might want to revisit all the three films before watching Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy.
5. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
A relatively newer addition to the romantic comedy catalogue, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before has become a staple of the genre. Three films and a spinoff show make up the beloved franchise, which is inspired by a series of novels of the same name by Jenny Han. With the second season of the show, Xo, Kitty, having just been released on Netflix in January 2025, fans of the series might feel a sense of nostalgia and need to rewatch the 2018 film that started it all. While the series focuses on her little sister, the movie follows Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor), a shy high school girl who writes letters to all the boys she has had a crush on. When her letters accidentally get out and reach their respective recipients, including Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo), Lara Jean’s life takes a turn she had not expected.
4. Cinderella
For fans of classic love stories, what is better than your classic fairytale? Cinderella is one of the most famous ones, and probably one of the first love stories many of us ever encountered in our childhood. You might be surprised to hear that Cinderella is turning 10 this year, which gives us just the perfect excuse for a rewatch of what is considered by many one of the best live-action adaptations of a Disney classic. The film features Lily James as Ella, a kind young woman who lives with her abusive stepmother and horrible stepsisters who treat her like a servant. Despite all odds – and her family’s wishes, Ella manages to attend the royal ball where she meets Prince Charming (Richard Madden).
3. Clueless
Year: 2017
Director: So Yong Kim
As far as adaptations of classics go, Clueless is definitely a memorable one as a modern retelling of Jane Austen’s “Emma”. Instead of England in the 18th Century, however, modern day Beverly Hills functions as the setting of the film. Here, Cher (Alicia Silverstone), a rich, shallow, and very popular highschooler, decides to embark on a match-making mission with those around her, including newcomer Tai (Brittany Murphy), whom Cher takes under her wing. Will our protagonist manage to find love even for herself despite her constant meddling into other people’s business? Cher herself is going to have to answer this question as the movie goes on. In many ways, this film is a journey of self-discovery and self-improvement for Cher just as much as it is about love.
2. Pride and Prejudice
Year: 2018
Director: Tamara Jenkins
Jane Austen novels have been subject to a great deal of cinematic adaptation. For example, “Pride and Prejudice”, arguably her most famous work today, has been adapted more than 10 times for the screen. The most recent Pride and Prejudice turns 20 this year and may very well be one of the most romantic historical dramas you could choose to watch on Valentine’s Day this year.
The film focuses on the Bennet sisters and their everyday struggles, from society balls to issues of marriage and morality, with a specific focus on the eldest Elizabeth (Keira Knightley) and Mr Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), a wealthy young man who has just arrived in town and everyone assumes must be in search of a wife. Even if the 2005 version is not your favourite adaptation of the beloved Austen book, it is nonetheless a great love story and the predecessor of many romantic comedies of today, Bridget Jones to name one example.
1. Picnic at Hanging Rock
While you might not expect to find Picnic at Hanging Rock in a Valentine’s Day list – after all, it is definitely not a romantic comedy – it might just be the perfect film for the occasion. Turning 50 this year, Peter Weir’s thriller is returning to the big screen at the end of February 2025 at the British Film Institute. As a mysterious coming of age story, this film will have audiences on the edge of their seats until the very last frame desperate to learn more about the events that took place at the titular Hanging Rock on Valentine’s Day 1900 when a group of girls from Appleyard College visited the natural site as part of a school field trip.
Whichever movie you choose to watch this Valentine’s Day, or in the days that follow it, all these films have a unique way of portraying love and relationship that oftentimes goes beyond the simple union of the main couple but ends up being a whole adventure, either literal or metaphorical depending on the movie. These are all excellent choices that might prompt you to revisit – or even watch for the first time – some iconic classics or enjoy the best romantic comedy new releases for your 2025 Valentine’s Day plans.
