It’s not quite cuffing season yet, but is there ever really a bad time for a romance movie?
Well, sure, if you’re going through a break-up it might be hard. But if you’re here, we suspect that isn’t the case, because you want to know which love stories you can watch on Prime Video right now. Well, there are a lot. So, we’ve narrowed down some selections for you.
You can take them, you can leave them, we support you either way. We just want you to have a good movie night. So, without further ado, here are 7 of the best romance movies on Prime Video right now.
Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
If you’ve never seen “Lars and the Real Girl” before, a quick heads up: it’s a bit odder than you might expect. Still, it’s very good. In it, Ryan Gosling falls for a mannequin, convincing himself she’s real. But, instead of becoming an outcast, his entire community rallies to support him, and help him eventually work through the delusion.
It’s one of those that reminds you how kind people can be, and there is a cute love story (between real people, don’t worry) as a bonus. You’re going to want to watch this one sooner than later though, because it leaves Prime Video at the end of July.
Little Italy (2018)
OK, admittedly, we’re playing a little fast and loose with the word “best” here, and you can be mad at that if you want. “Little Italy” is certainly not one of the all-time great love stories committed to screen and it falls into some rough stereotypes. It even became the subject of an episode of “How Did This Get Made?” — a podcast that specifically picks apart bad movies.
However, it is enjoyably corny, features an enemies-to-lovers storyline inside a family feud story, and stars Hayden Christensen post-Star Wars. Sometimes, you just need an easy watch that you both enjoy and hate at the same time. It might make you want to watch “Mystic Pizza,” a far superior romance movie that just so happens to also be on Prime right now.
A Walk to Remember (2002)
“A Walk to Remember” is a romance movie you revisit if you maybe want to cry; it is a Nicholas Sparks story after all. Starring Mandy Moore and Shane West, the story sees bad boy Landon fall in love with the reverend’s daughter Jamie, and become determined to turn his life around.
When their love story is rocked by the reveal that Jamie is dying, Landon does everything he can to give her the full life she dreams of. To quote one of Moore’s delightfully 2000s songs in the film, “It’s gonna be love, it’s gonna great, it’s gonna be more than [you] can take.” Just lean in.
Brokeback Mountain (2006)
“Brokeback Mountain” turns 20 this year, so what better time than now to revisit one of Heath Ledger’s and Jake Gyllenhaal’s best films? This love story marks a touchstone not just in queer cinema, but in cinema at large. It’s an emotional wringer, but always worth it.
“When I think about the power of narratives, books and films, ‘Brokeback’ has that power,” screenwriter Diana Ossana told TheWrap. “It has the power to move people, to make them rethink their preconceived notions about things. If I were to tell you the single word that I think exemplifies the story — and it’s something that we have very little of right now — it’s compassion.”
But be warned, “Brokeback Mountain” also leaves Prime Video at the end of the month.
Sylvie’s Love (2020)
“Sylvie’s Love” is a period piece, taking viewers back to a pure love story of the 1960s, but not a typical love story of the era. Starring Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha, the story centers on a couple who quickly fall in love, but both have dreams they want to chase. It’s very sweet, and one you might’ve missed, given it was a pandemic release.
“I was really trying to kind of create an instant classic, as much as that’s possible to do,” director Eugene Ashe told TheWrap back in 2021. “I’m hoping that it’ll still resonate with people 20 years from now. That was ultimately the goal. I feel like I snuck one in, you know?”
Imagine Me & You (2006)
Long before Matthew Goode was starring in “Dept. Q,” he was starring in “Imagine Me & You,” fighting for his life to not lose his wife, played by Piper Perabo, to Lena Headey (and spoiler alert, failing). Like “Brokeback Mountain,” it was more novel during its time, as there weren’t many stories in 2006 about two women falling in love.
Sure it still follows a standard romcom formula, even leaning in on the idea of love at first sight. But it’s sweet and has a stacked cast, and sometimes that’s all you need for a nice evening watch.
The Big Sick (2017)
There’s a reason “The Big Sick” was one of the most acclaimed films of the year it came out and earned an Oscar nom. Starring Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan, the story is loosely based on the real-life love story between Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, who wrote the script with him. It faced some criticisms (which Nanjiani later apologized for), but in all, it’s a winner.
