内容来源：https://lifehacker.com/best-romantic-comedies-on-netflix?utm_medium=RSS

内容总结：

流媒体时代，爱情喜剧的变奏与坚守：从经典回响到多元新声

现实生活中的爱情往往复杂且令人疲惫，而爱情喜剧的魅力，或许正源于它为我们提供了一种轻盈的逃避：我们既能在光影中确信“有情人终成眷属”，又无需亲身承受那些甜蜜的负担。尽管许多人怀念爱情喜剧的“黄金年代”，且流媒体平台对经典老片的轮换令影迷不时需要翻出旧碟，但以Netflix为代表的平台也催生并汇集了大量新颖多元的作品，为这一类型注入了持续活力。

经典永驻，历久弥新
平台上的经典之作，构成了爱情喜剧的基石。诺拉·埃夫隆执导的《电子情书》（1998）凭借汤姆·汉克斯与梅格·瑞安的化学反应，将网络匿名邂逅与现实竞争的矛盾演绎得妙趣横生，至今仍散发着数字浪漫萌芽时期的独特魅力。同样，《美国总统》（1995）则将浪漫叙事巧妙嵌入政治背景，在迈克尔·道格拉斯与安妮特·贝宁的精彩演绎下，展现了一段在国事与私情间平衡的成熟爱情。

类型融合与多元表达
近年来的作品积极打破传统框架，进行类型融合与文化探索。《爱情线上面谈》（2022）以大胆直白的BDSM元素探讨职场自信与亲密关系构建。《杀手》（2024）则巧妙结合浪漫喜剧与犯罪惊悚，讲述一个假扮杀手的警察与目标人物之间火花四溅的意外情缘。而《致所有我曾爱过的男孩》（2018）以其“情书公开”的高概念设定，成功开启了备受喜爱的青春浪漫系列。

文化视角与身份探索
多元文化背景的故事为类型增添了丰富色彩。韩国电影《爱情线上面谈》触及职场性别议题；沙特电影《巴拉卡遇见巴拉卡》（2016）以轻喜剧方式探讨现代沙特社会中的恋爱挑战；南非影片《认真单身》（2020）则聚焦当代女性的友谊与婚恋观。这些作品超越了单纯浪漫，深入探讨了社会规范、自我认同与文化冲突。

当代困境与情感共鸣
许多新片紧密贴合当代生活情境，引发广泛共鸣。《玩家》（2024）反思了随意约会文化下的真实情感需求；《婚礼季节》（2022）展现了年轻人在家族压力与自我追求间的巧妙周旋；《完美发现》（2023）则探讨了年龄差距、事业重启与意外恋情的交织。这些故事表明，爱情喜剧的核心始终在于对人际连接复杂性的真实刻画。

流媒体平台的推陈出新
平台原创电影成为不可忽视的力量。《设定它》（2018）凭借“助理撮合老板”的经典喜剧设定获得成功；《可能永远爱你》（2019）融合亚裔视角与明星客串（基努·里维斯），带来新鲜感；《异地恋 Tourist's Guide to Love》（2023）更将越南风光融入疗愈之旅。尽管影评口碑不一，但像《除你都可》（2023）这样的影片仍能凭借明星效应与经典“冤家变情侣”套路赢得市场。

从斯派克·李开创性的《她说了算》（1986），到清新动人的《校园情圣》（2020），再到罗伯特·雷德福与简·方达联袂的温情晚年恋曲《夜晚的灵魂》（2017），爱情喜剧这一类型始终在传承与创新中演变。它或许不再占据昔日中心地位，但通过不断融入新的社会议题、文化视角和叙事风格，它仍在持续为观众提供那份不可或缺的情感慰藉与欢乐。

中文翻译：

现实中的爱情复杂且有时令人疲惫，电影角色亦如此，但他们的困境通常比我们的更有趣，毕竟那并非我们的烦恼。一部好的浪漫喜剧总能带来慰藉，因为我们知道结局总会圆满，或者明白自己无需面对人际交往中那些滑稽或心碎的后果。

遗憾的是，浪漫喜剧的黄金时代已然远去——尤其网飞平台大幅缩减了经典老片（指十年以上的作品）的片库，转而主推新片。这意味着若想借九十年代经典之作营造情人节氛围，你或许得翻出积灰的DVD光盘。但另一方面，这也说明平台上有大量你可能未曾看过的新式浪漫喜剧，其中还包括一些独家原创电影。

《旅行邂逅指南》（2026）
改编自艾米丽·亨利2021年的畅销小说，本片沿袭《当哈利遇上莎莉》的叙事脉络，通过非线性闪回讲述一对大学挚友多年间复杂微妙的情感纠葛。艾米丽·巴德尔饰演的旅行作家波比厌倦了看似光鲜的工作，而汤姆·布莱斯饰演的挚友亚历克斯每年与她共度一周假期。影片开场时两人已两年未联系，却因共同前往巴塞罗那的一场婚礼而重逢，这场婚礼将成为他们关系的转折点。

《忘情夜》（2019）
导演詹妮弗·凯廷·罗宾逊的处女作，这部迷人的浪漫喜剧更侧重友谊如何帮助女性应对情感困局。吉娜·罗德里格兹饰演的音乐记者珍妮刚获得梦寐以求的工作，却遭男友抛弃。她的两位闺蜜各自面临情感难题：埃琳难以向女友表白，布莱尔明知该分手却无法下定决心。三人决定在珍妮离赴任前共度最后一个疯狂之夜。

《电子情书》（1998）
诺拉·艾芙隆继《西雅图夜未眠》后的作品，虽不及前作经典，但汤姆·汉克斯与梅格·瑞恩的化学反应依旧动人。改编自1940年《街角商店》，影片讲述两位书店业者在不知对方真实身份的情况下，展开一段日益亲密的网络情缘——而现实中他们却是水火不容的竞争对手。影片甜蜜诙谐，更带观众重温电子邮件与聊天室方兴未艾的纯真年代。

《美国总统》（1995）
罗伯·莱纳被低估的杰作，既是甜蜜浪漫喜剧，亦是洞察美国政治的聪慧之作。迈克尔·道格拉斯饰演的丧偶总统在竞选连任期间，与环保游说家悉尼（安妮特·贝宁饰）互生情愫。剧本巧妙呈现总统在治理国家的同时，试图维系隐秘恋情的种种窘境。马丁·辛与迈克尔·J·福克斯联袂出演，艾伦·索金执笔的剧本堪称《白宫风云》的雏形。

《解禁男女》（2022）
这部韩国电影片名直指主题（可类比《秘书》但更温情）。徐玄饰演的公关精英郑智宥常遭男同事轻视，因名字相似误拆新同事郑智厚（李濬荣饰）的包裹，发现内含皮革项圈与牵绳。对方谎称是宠物用品，却激起她的好奇。二人逐渐建立契约式BDSM关系，主导角色助她在职场重拾自信，商业关系也悄然转化为浪漫情愫。

《恋爱玩家》（2024）
吉娜·罗德里格兹饰演的体育记者麦克常年为朋友设计猎艳攻略，自己却对战地记者（汤姆·艾利斯饰）心动未果。挚友亚当（小达蒙·韦恩斯饰）协助她追求真爱，却发现自己对麦克的感情早已超越友谊。

《杀手》（2024）
理查德·林克莱特执导的网飞原创电影，圣丹斯电影节口碑之作。格伦·鲍威尔饰演的大学教授兼职参与警方诱捕行动，伪装成杀手接触目标。当他与想摆脱家暴丈夫的女子（阿德里娅·阿霍纳饰）产生火花时，局面开始失控。影片构思精妙，主演化学反应十足。

《只想爱你》（2023）
格伦·鲍威尔与西德妮·斯威尼联袂出演，这部松散改编自《无事生非》的作品虽遭影评人批评却票房大卖。二人分别饰演投资银行家与大学生，初遇美好却因误会结怨，两年后在亲人婚礼上重逢，上演经典“冤家变情侣”戏码。

《杰西卡·詹姆斯无限狂》（2017）
杰西卡·威廉姆斯饰演的纽约剧作家在失恋与屡遭退稿后陷入迷茫，通过相亲结识离异男子布恩（克里斯·奥多德饰），二人在倾诉生活失意中逐渐靠近。这部睿智的独立电影坚信：爱情不必是人生终点，亦可与艺术追求共生。

《爱情鸟》（2020）
疫情初期转投网飞的作品，伊萨·雷与库梅尔·南贾尼饰演的关系濒临破裂的情侣，在决定分手的夜晚意外目睹凶案，被迫逃亡的过程中重燃爱火。导演迈克尔·肖沃尔特曾凭《大病》助力南贾尼崭露头角。

《她说了算》（1986）
斯派克·李的导演处女作，这部极具魅力的低成本电影聚焦布鲁克林艺术家诺拉（崔茜·卡米拉·琼斯饰）与三位男性的情感纠葛（李本人饰演其一）。粗糙中见才情，纪录片式拍摄与角色访谈段落，已显露出李独特的作者风格。

《越南爱情之旅》（2023）
疫情后首部在越南取景的电影，瑞切尔·蕾·库克饰演刚分手的旅行公司高管，潜入东南亚考察时邂逅导游阿星（斯科特·利饰），二人在探索现代越南美景中渐生情愫。

《恋恋发丝》（2018）
桑娜·莱瑟饰演的维奥莱特终生恐惧雨水损毁其精心拉直的头发，这头秀发承载着她与严母的情感联结。经历因苛求发型导致的分手后，她尝试染发、自然卷甚至剃光头，最终在沙龙店主（利里克·本特饰）的陪伴下学会接纳自我。

《可能还爱你》（2019）
黄阿丽与兰道尔·朴饰演的旧友在多年失联后重逢，她已是名厨且订婚，他仍随父修理空调。导演难波琦悠（《初来乍到》主创）以轻盈笔触勾勒这段关系，基努·里维斯惊喜客串本人。

《牵线》（2018）
两位过度劳累的助理（佐伊·达奇与格伦·鲍威尔饰）策划让各自老板（刘玉玲与泰雅·迪格斯饰）恋爱以减轻工作压力，计划却在连环意外中荒诞推进，最终催生出人意料的浪漫。

《完美觅偶》（2023）
加布里埃尔·尤尼恩饰演的珍娜在四十岁时重启人生，却与年轻十五岁的上司之子（基思·鲍尔斯饰）发生一夜情。影片改编自蒂亚·威廉姆斯小说，传统框架中迸发鲜活火花。

《校园情圣》（2020）
导演伍思薇继《面子》后时隔十六年的作品，改编自《大鼻子情圣》。高中生艾丽（莉娅·刘易斯饰）替运动员给暗恋对象代写情书，在三角关系中探索自我认同。熟悉套路被赋予清新活力。

《怦然心动》（1998）
沙鲁克·汗与卡卓尔演绎的校园经典，拉胡尔与安贾莉的友情因蒂娜（拉妮·穆赫吉饰）出现产生变数。多年后，病危的蒂娜托女儿以书信促成丈夫与旧友重逢。影片兼具无厘头搞笑与深切悲情。

《夜晚的灵魂》（2017）
印度导演赖舒·彼查携手罗伯特·雷德福与简·方达，演绎晚年相知的温情故事。虽非严格喜剧，但其轻盈触感与浪漫内核同样动人。

《亚历克斯怪诞家庭》（2018）
高中生亚历克斯（丹尼尔·多赫尼饰）在首次性经历前陷入自我怀疑，公开出柜的埃利奥特（安东尼奥·马尔齐亚莱饰）点破其困惑。影片以善意幽默讲述拥抱真我的成长故事。

《莎翁情史》（1998）
约瑟夫·费因斯与格温妮斯·帕特洛演绎伊丽莎白时代的禁忌之恋，薇奥拉为登台女扮男装，与莎士比亚陷入热恋。朱迪·丹奇饰演的伊丽莎白女王为这段恋情增添历史厚重感。

《婚礼季》（2023）
刚解除婚约的艾莎（帕拉维·沙尔达饰）为应付催婚压力，与拉维（苏拉·沙玛饰）假扮情侣出席十余场夏季婚礼，戏假情真的危机悄然降临。

《巴拉卡遇见巴拉卡》（2016）
这部沙特喜剧讲述公务员巴拉卡（希沙姆·法基饰）与网红比比的跨界恋情，以举重若轻的方式探讨现代社会中的情感桎梏。

《致所有我曾爱过的男孩》（2018）
劳拉·简（拉娜·康多饰）写给暗恋对象的秘密情书被妹妹寄出，生活从此天翻地覆。康多的表演清新动人，影片已衍生两部续集及衍生剧《XO，凯蒂》。

《认真单身》（2020）
约翰内斯堡的都市女性迪内奥与诺妮（富卢·穆戈瓦尼与图米·莫拉凯饰）面临不同情感课题：一个执着追寻长期关系，一个享受露水情缘。影片在爆笑与心碎间精准捕捉当代女性情谊。

英文来源：

Real-life romance is complicated and sometimes exhausting. That can be true for characters in movies, too, but their problems are generally funnier than our own and, anyway, they’re not our problems. A good rom-com is comforting either because we know everything will work out fine, or because we know we won’t have to deal with the hilarious and/or poignant consequences of interacting with other humans.
Sadly, the golden ago of the rom-com has passed us by—and Netflix in particular has pulled back on its selection of older (meaning anything much older than a decade) movies in favor of more recent releases, which means you might have to dust off your DVDs if you're looking for a '90s classic to get you in the Valentine's Day mood. On the other hand, that also means there are probably a lot of newer rom-coms on the service that you haven't seen before, including a handful of original films you won't find anywhere else.
People We Meet on Vacation (2026)
Adapted from Emily Henry's popular 2021 novel, People We Meet on Vacation goes the When Harry Met Sally route, following a couple of college besties who nurse confused, complicated feelings about one another over a period of years—recounted in not-entirely-linear flashbacks. Emily Bader is Poppy, a travel writer who's bored and unfulfilled with her job (her job...taking exotic vacations? OK.), while Tom Blyth is her pal Alex, with whom she spends one week a year on vacation. As the movie opens, the two haven't spoken in a couple of years, but are both headed to a Barcelona wedding that will be make-or-break for their relationship.
Someone Great (2019)
Jennifer Kaytin Robinson (Do Revenge, I Know What You Did Last Summer) makes her directorial debut with this charming rom-com that's less about the boys than it is about the power of friendship to help us deal with relationship nonsense. Gina Rodriguez is Jenny, a music journalist who lands her dream job only to have her long-term boyfriend (LaKeith Stanfield) immediately dump her. Her bestie Erin (DeWanda Wise) is struggling to admit her feelings to her girlfriend, while Blair (Brittany Snow) knows that she needs to ditch her man, but can't bring herself to do it. The solution to all their problems? One last wild night out before Jenny leaves town for her new gig.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Nora Ephron's followup to Sleepless in Seattle doesn't have quite the classic cachet of that earlier film, but Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are every bit as delightful as they were in the earlier movie. Inspired by 1940's The Shop Around the Corner, the story finds Hanks' Joe Fox and Ryan's Kathleen Kelly maintaining a sweet, anonymous, and increasingly intimate online relationship without realizing that they know each other IRL, and don't much care for each other (probably because he's trying to put her charming neighborhood bookstore out of business). It's very cute, and also a fun trip back to a time when email and chatrooms were novelties.
The American President (1995)
An underrated triumph from the late Rob Reiner, this one is both a sweet romantic comedy and a genuinely smart movie about American politics. Michael Douglas plays Andrew Shepherd, the widowed president in the middle of a re-election campaign who develops feelings for tough environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening). Their romance simmers in the background while real world issues play out, as the script mines genuine comedy out of the complications of a U.S. president trying to conduct a giddy, but clandestine, relationship with a "normal" woman while also running the country. Martin Sheen and Michael J. Fox co-star; Aaron Sorkin wrote the script, something of a dry run for TV's The West Wing a few years later.
Love and Leashes (2022)
The title of this South Korean import isn't some kind of euphemism. In fact, it's a pretty direct description of the film (think Secretary, but sweeter). Jung Ji-woo (Seohyun) is great at her job at a public relations firm, but doesn't always get the respect she deserves from her male colleagues. Because of their similar names, she accidentally opens a package for new co-worker Jung Ji-hoo (Lee Jun-young) that contains a leather collar and a leash. Horrified, he claims it was intended for his dog, but she ain't buying it. Instead, she's intrigued, and as the two gradually build toward a contractual BDSM relationship, and her dominant role helps her find confidence in the workplace, and what starts off as something like a business relationship develops into something a bit more romantic.
Players (2024)
Gina Rodriguez plays sportswriter Mack, who has spent years writing hook-up plays for her friends—elaborate schemes that have led her and the crew to any number of one-night stands. The tables are turned when she falls for a war correspondent (Tom Ellis) who only sees her as a hookup. Her best friend Adam (Damon Wayans Jr.) jumps in to help her land her man, and unexpected complications arise when he realizes that his own feelings for Mack aren't entirely platonic.
Hit Man (2024)
This "Netflix Original" from director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Boyhood) was actually acquired by the streamer after it made a splash at the Sundance Film Festival, no doubt in anticipation of leading man Glen Powell finally having his moment. And certainly he's got charisma to spare in this shaggy-dog rom-com/thriller in which he plays Gary Johnson, a college professor who moonlights as a participant in sting operations for the New Orleans police department, pretending to be a hit man to rope in would-be criminals. When he feels a spark with his latest mark, a woman (Adria Arjona) desperate to escape an abusive husband, things get complicated. It's a great premise, the leads have chemistry to spare, and it's altogether a great hang.
Anyone But You (2023)
Speaking of Glen Powell, he co-headlines this 2023 throwback (an extremely loose adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing) with Euphoria's Sydney Sweeney that became a box office hit despite a savaging by critics. The pair play an investment banker and a college student, respectively, who meet cute but suffer a classic rom-com misunderstanding that leaves them both bitter—then, two years later, they meet up at the destination wedding of her sister and his roommate's sister, perfectly positioned for a classic enemies-to-lovers turnabout.
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
Jessica Williams plays the title's New York City playwright, who finds herself at loose ends following a bad breakup and a seemingly endless string of rejections for her work. She's introduced to divorced Boone (Chris O'Dowd), with whom she bonds over life's disappointments. The real charm in this smart indie are in its performances, as well as its conviction that romance needn't be an end unto itself, but can go hand in hand with a renewed sense of artistic purpose.
The Lovebirds (2020)
Bumped from theaters and sold to Netflix at the beginning of the pandemic, his two-hander starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani was largely overlooked at the time, but deserves a second chance. They play a couple whose relationship is at a low point after four years together. Through bizarre circumstances, the same night they decide to break up, they are the joint witnesses to a murder and must go on the run—and nothing reignites an old flame like life-or-death stakes. The film was directed by Michael Showalter, who helped put Nanjiani on the map with 2017's The Big Sick.
She's Gotta Have It (1986)
The first Spike Lee joint, this enormously charming low-budget feature follows Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns), a young artist living in Brooklyn in the pre-hipster 1980s, as she muses on her romantic relationships with three different men (one of them played by Lee himself). If a little rough around the edges, it's an extremely accomplished debut, hinting at Lee's future career with creative flourishes, from a documentary shooting style to sequences in which interviews with the characters (and a handful of real people) offer commentary on the difficulties of navigating romantic relationships in the then-modern era.
A Tourist's Guide to Love (2023)
Vietnam is the real star in this, the first movie to be shot in the country following the COVID-19 pandemic. Rachael Leigh Cook (She's All That) stars as a travel executive (dealing with a recent break-up, naturally) who sneaks off to Southeast Asia to go undercover on one of the group tours her company promotes. In the process she meets tour guide Sinh (Scott Ly), who encourages her to step outside of her comfort zone. Together, they explore some of the most beautiful features of modern Vietnam. Probably they fall in love too, IDK.
Nappily Ever After (2018)
Violet Jones (Sanaa Lathan) spends her life in near-terror of rain, for fear that her rigorously straightened hair will be ruined. That hair is a signifier in every aspect of her life, straightening sessions even having been a way to bond with her demanding mother (Lynn Whitfield). Following a breakup with her boyfriend because of her exacting nature (particularly regarding her hair), she experiments with: different colors that her friends object to; a natural style that renders her either invisible or the subject of derision; she even shaves her head at one point, which only gets her invited to a cancer support group. Director Haifaa al-Mansour’s movie makes a great point about the fraught nature of Black hair, particularly when that hair belongs to a woman. Meeting a salon owner in the middle of a freakout, Violet begins a slow journey to learning to love herself, her hair, and maybe even the hot salon owner (Lyriq Bent).
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Romantic comedies are often (not always) comfort food, and so we often find familiar plots: Here, longtime friends who’d lost touch (Ali Wong and Randall Park) reconnect after a falling out years before. She’s a successful celebrity chef and engaged; he’s fixing air conditioners with his dad, which is how the two meet up. Nahnatchka Khan (creator of Fresh Off the Boat) brings a light touch here, and Wong and Park have great chemistry; they’re joined by a fun supporting cast that includes a really funny turn from Keanu Reeves playing himself.
Set It Up (2018)
Some of the best romantic comedies involve a slightly outlandish scheme, and this reliably charming Netflix original has one of those great setups: Two overworked assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) come up with the idea that, if they can get their bosses (Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) laid, they’ll be less interested in stressing out their employees. So the two harried assistants plan to set their bosses up, which, not unexpectedly, goes very comedically awry in pretty much every way. Naturally these things never work out as planned, and the romance in the offing is not the one that anyone had expected.
The Perfect Find (2023)
Though Numa Perrier’s film hits plenty of the traditional rom-com beats, lead Gabrielle Union provides the spark that ignites the whole film (based on the Tia Williams novel). She’s never been better than she is here, playing Jenna, a woman in her 40s making a clean break of a long-term relationship and taking on a high-profile, high-stakes career in beauty journalism—only to wind up in a one-night stand with Eric (Keith Powers), 15 years younger and the son of her boss.
The Half of It (2020)
Writer/director Alice Wu made a splash with her queer classic Saving Face way back in 2004. Her long-awaited follow-up, a comedy-drama inspired by Cyrano de Bergerac, is better. Here, friendless high schooler Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis, from “Nancy Drew”) is tasked with writing love letters to her crush, Aster (Alexxis Lemire), on behalf of a football player named Paul. There’s plenty that’s familiar here, but Wu makes everything feel fresh and fun.
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998)
One of the most iconic and memorable rom-coms of the 1990s might be new to many American viewers, who are missing out on a movie that’s both wonderfully goofy and deeply poignant in the best tradition of the genre. Shah Rukh Khan plays Rahul Khanna, best friends in college with Anjali (Kajol), but smitten with Tina (Rani Mukerji). Rahul and Tina get married and time goes by, but Tina always feels a little bit guilty, like maybe she got in the way of something. With little time left to live following complications in childbirth (did I mention there’s also drama here?), Tina writes her daughter a series of letters—the last one asking that she make sure that dad and Anjali reconnect.
Our Souls at Night (2017)
Indian director Ritesh Batra (The Sense of an Ending and The Lunchbox) brought together screen legends Robert Redford and Jane Fonda for this well-received romantic drama from a top-rate director. Despite the ominous title, it’s a quiet and sweet film that’s worthy of its stars. It’s not really a comedy, so I’m cheating a bit by putting it here, but it’s got such a satisfyingly light touch that it hits most of the same buttons as more straightforward rom-coms.
Alex Strangelove (2018)
High schooler Alex Truelove (Daniel Doheny) is psyching himself up to have sex with his girlfriend, Claire, for the first time—but something’s holding him back. Openly gay Elliott (Antonio Marziale) has an idea why Alex is so reluctant and, frankly, the audience ought to have a clue by that point, as well. It’s a perfectly sweet, good-natured coming-of-age story that has some fun with Alex’s awkward efforts to set expectations aside and just kinda be himself.
Shakespeare in Love (1998)
If you want a rom-com to clean up at the Oscars, you're gonna need to put it in drag. Maybe throw in some Shakespeare. Hell, might as well make it about Shakespeare. A lot less heavy than 2026 Oscar contender Hamnet, this one finds Joseph Fiennes as the rakish title character to Gwyneth Paltrow's Viola de Lesseps, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who loves the theater so much that she's more than willing to dress up like a man to get to appear on stage. Their eventual infatuation will have to overcome the strictures of the era and earn the approval of Judi Dench's Queen Elizabeth.
Wedding Season (2023)
Asha (Pallavi Sharda) just broke off her engagement and left her Wall Street investment firm in favor of a Jersey City startup. Her concerned mother sets her daughter up on a dating app, and Asha acquiesces to a single date with the first match: Ravi (Suraj Sharma). It doesn’t go particularly well, but they’re both under a lot of parental pressure to get married, and Asha has about a dozen weddings to go to over the course of the summer, most of them filled with busybodies who want to see her in a relationship. So, naturally (for a movie), Ahsa and Ravi decide to play at being a couple to get people off their backs—which works out fine, until it doesn’t.
Barakah Meets Barakah (2016)
Class-busting romance is nothing particularly new, but this candid Saudi Arabian comedy-drama sees middle-class civil servant Barakah (Hisham Fageeh) strike up a relationship with Bibi, a boundary-pushing Insta celebrity. Just finding time and space to pursue a frowned-upon relationship in modern Saudi is challenging, but the movie explores the social and political obstacles with a light touch.
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
Imagine that everyone you’d ever had a crush on received a letter expressing your exact feelings. It’s a nightmare scenario, but a reality for shy high school junior Lara Jean (Lana Condor), who’d written the letters as a form of secret diary, only to show up at school one day to find that her little sister had mailed them all. Can you imagine? Condor is fantastic here, and the whole thing is delightful. It’s been followed by two also-very-good sequels, as well as an ongoing spin-off series (XO, Kitty).
Seriously Single (2020)
We start out in familiar territory here: Dineo and Noni (Fulu Mugovhani and Tumi Morake, both very funny) are a couple of successful big-city women—this time in Johannesburg. Dineo is on the hunt for a long-term relationship, even after getting dumped via livestream at work, while Noni is perfectly content with one-night stands. Their romantic (and un-romantic) trials are alternately charming, horrifying, and hilarious. The heart of the movie is its two leads, and the friendship that sustains them.