The perfect date film? That’s easy. Couples have chosen rom-coms as their preferred movie genre for decades.
To determine the best romantic comedies to stream this week (and for the rest of December), 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of December 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We only considered movies streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Criterion Channel, Pluto TV, Tubi, and Freevee. Data on streaming availability, current as of this month, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood. Directorial and acting credits are from IMDb.
Rom-coms are certainly nothing new. The top seven films on the list all date from the early 1950s or before. Some of the comedies featured are of the screwball variety that was popular in the 1930s and 1940s. And the best of the genre actually dates from the silent-movie era. Only one movie in the top 10 was released in this century. (These are the greatest love stories in movie history.)
There are 22 movies on the list that hold a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 90% or above. Three films – “The Strawberry Blonde,” “The Philadelphia Story,” and “The Shop Around the Corner” – have a perfect score of 100%.
Nora Ephron wrote and/or directed three rom-coms on the list: “When Harry Met Sally…,” “Sleepless in Seattle,” and “You’ve Got Mail.” Rob Reiner and Woody Allen directed two apiece.
On this list, Audrey Hepburn is the queen of rom-coms, starring in three classics: “Sabrina,” “Roman Holiday,” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Jennifer Garner is a more contemporary queen of the genre with two movies on the list.
Two films on our list, “The Half of It” and “Love, Simon,” have put a gay-theme spin on the traditional rom-com genre. (Here are the 30 best LGBTQ+ movies of all time.)
Click here for the best rom coms to watch this week
50. Just Like Heaven (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (102,754 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (541,488 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 55% (151 reviews)
> Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ruffalo, Donal Logue
> Directed by: Mark Waters
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
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49. Don Jon (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (234,114 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 58% (76,582 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (205 reviews)
> Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore
> Directed by: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
> Streaming on: Hulu Plus, Pluto TV, Freevee
48. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (90,542 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 65% (189,281 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (186 reviews)
> Starring: Michael Cera, Kat Dennings, Aaron Yoo
> Directed by: Peter Sollett
> Streaming on: Hulu Plus
47. Sliding Doors (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (65,323 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (62,445 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 65% (54 reviews)
> Starring: Gwyneth Paltrow, John Hannah, John Lynch
> Directed by: Peter Howitt
> Streaming on: HBO Max
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46. You’ve Got Mail (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (202,924 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (462,533 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 70% (89 reviews)
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Greg Kinnear
> Directed by: Nora Ephron
> Streaming on: HBO Max
45. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (314,065 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (32,104,911 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 69% (78 reviews)
> Starring: Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
> Directed by: Gil Junger
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
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44. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (124,690 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (765,157 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (128 reviews)
> Starring: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine
> Directed by: Joel Zwick
> Streaming on: HBO Max
43. Wedding Crashers (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (341,846 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 70% (32,961,772 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (188 reviews)
> Starring: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams
> Directed by: David Dobkin
> Streaming on: HBO Max
42. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (300,719 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 61% (33,121,539 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (84 reviews)
> Starring: Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, Ben Stiller
> Directed by: Bobby & Peter Farrelly
> Streaming on: Tubi, Freevee
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41. Big Eden (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (4,354 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (3,949 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 64% (53 reviews)
> Starring: Arye Gross, Eric Schweig, Tim DeKay
> Directed by: Thomas Bezucha
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Tubi
40. Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (166,942 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (297,398 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (60 reviews)
> Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Ross Malinger
> Directed by: Nora Ephron
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
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39. The Map of Tiny Perfect Things (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (17,130 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (365 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (71 reviews)
> Starring: Kathryn Newton, Kyle Allen, Jermaine Harris
> Directed by: Ian Samuels
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (17,130 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (365 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (71 reviews)
> Starring: Kathryn Newton, Kyle Allen, Jermaine Harris
> Directed by: Ian Samuels
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
38. Edge of Seventeen (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (6,197 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (3,839 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (24 reviews)
> Starring: Chris Stafford, Tina Holmes, Andersen Gabrych
> Directed by: David Moreton
> Streaming on: Netflix
37. Warm Bodies (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (224,580 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (131,644 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (209 reviews)
> Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich
> Directed by: Jonathan Levine
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Hulu Plus
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36. Juliet, Naked (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (21,388 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (1,303 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (167 reviews)
> Starring: Chris O’Dowd, Rose Byrne, Kitty O’Beirne
> Directed by: Jesse Peretz
> Streaming on: Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee
35. Romancing the Stone (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (87,970 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (77,657 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (53 reviews)
> Starring: Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
> Streaming on: HBO Max
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34. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (248,537 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (104,086 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (212 reviews)
> Starring: Rebecca Hall, Scarlett Johansson, Javier Bardem
> Directed by: Woody Allen
> Streaming on: Tubi
33. Coming to America (1988)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (198,841 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (268,450 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 72% (54 reviews)
> Starring: Eddie Murphy, Paul Bates, Garcelle Beauvais
> Directed by: John Landis
> Streaming on: HBO Max
32. Something Wild (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (17,157 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 69% (6,508 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (45 reviews)
> Starring: Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, Ray Liotta
> Directed by: Jonathan Demme
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
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31. Obvious Child (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (24,621 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (16,220 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (167 reviews)
> Starring: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann
> Directed by: Gillian Robespierre
> Streaming on: HBO Max
30. Punch-Drunk Love (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (155,172 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (140,200 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (197 reviews)
> Starring: Adam Sandler, Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman
> Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
> Streaming on: Hulu Plus
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29. Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (492,019 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (108,838 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 79% (238 reviews)
> Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore
> Directed by: Glenn Ficarra & John Requa
> Streaming on: Netflix, HBO Max
28. Benny & Joon (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (56,496 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (143,512 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 76% (41 reviews)
> Starring: Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn
> Directed by: Jeremiah S. Chechik
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi
27. Barefoot in the Park (1967)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (18,124 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (11,478 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (26 reviews)
> Starring: Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, Charles Boyer
> Directed by: Gene Saks
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
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26. High Society (1956)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (15,039 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (11,479 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (18 reviews)
> Starring: Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra
> Directed by: Charles Walters
> Streaming on: HBO Max
25. The American President (1995)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (55,166 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (55,116 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (57 reviews)
> Starring: Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, Martin Sheen
> Directed by: Rob Reiner
> Streaming on: HBO Max
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24. Christmas in Connecticut (1945)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (8,586 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (3,744 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (17 reviews)
> Starring: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet
> Directed by: Peter Godfrey
> Streaming on: HBO Max
23. Lars and the Real Girl (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (141,784 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (105,777 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (138 reviews)
> Starring: Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider
> Directed by: Craig Gillespie
> Streaming on: Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee
22. Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (35,951 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (46,691 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (120 reviews)
> Starring: John Hawkes, Miranda July, Miles Thompson
> Directed by: Miranda July
> Streaming on: Criterion Channel
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21. Hairspray (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 6.7/10 (123,893 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (763,557 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (221 reviews)
> Starring: John Travolta, Queen Latifah, Nikki Blonsky
> Directed by: Adam Shankman
> Streaming on: HBO Max, Freevee
20. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (357,084 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (110,127 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (226 reviews)
> Starring: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff
> Directed by: Josh Boone
> Streaming on: HBO Max
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19. Tootsie (1982)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (101,856 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (58,575 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (51 reviews)
> Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr
> Directed by: Sydney Pollack
> Streaming on: Hulu Plus
18. The Strawberry Blonde (1941)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (3,537 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (661 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (9 reviews)
> Starring: James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth
> Directed by: Raoul Walsh
> Streaming on: Criterion Channel
17. The Half of It (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (32,458 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (969 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (101 reviews)
> Starring: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire
> Directed by: Alice Wu
> Streaming on: Netflix
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16. Much Ado About Nothing (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (46,631 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (51,492 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (49 reviews)
> Starring: Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Keanu Reeves
> Directed by: Kenneth Branagh
> Streaming on: HBO Max
15. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (96,804 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (4,835 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (70 reviews)
> Starring: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish
> Directed by: Susan Johnson
> Streaming on: Netflix
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14. Juno (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (503,178 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (549,586 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (217 reviews)
> Starring: Elliot Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner
> Directed by: Jason Reitman
> Streaming on: HBO Max
13. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (205,660 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (396,152 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (74 reviews)
> Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher
> Directed by: Rob Reiner
> Streaming on: Netflix, HBO Max
12. Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (172,751 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (242,815 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (53 reviews)
> Starring: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal
> Directed by: Blake Edwards
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
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11. Love, Simon (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (106,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (7,815 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (239 reviews)
> Starring: Nick Robinson, Jennifer Garner, Josh Duhamel
> Directed by: Greg Berlanti
> Streaming on: Hulu Plus
10. Sabrina (1954)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (62,060 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (55,338 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (44 reviews)
> Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden
> Directed by: Billy Wilder
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
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9. The Big Sick (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (127,850 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (32,924 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (303 reviews)
> Starring: Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter
> Directed by: Michael Showalter
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime
8. Manhattan (1979)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (136,504 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (51,871 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (69 reviews)
> Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway
> Directed by: Woody Allen
> Streaming on: Tubi, Freevee
7. My Man Godfrey (1936)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (22,597 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (7,668 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (37 reviews)
> Starring: William Powell, Carole Lombard, Alice Brady
> Directed by: Gregory La Cava
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee
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6. His Girl Friday (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (56,106 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (24,333 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (67 reviews)
> Starring: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell, Ralph Bellamy
> Directed by: Howard Hawks
> Streaming on: Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi, Freevee
5. Roman Holiday (1953)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (133,359 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (63,537 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (60 reviews)
> Starring: Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Eddie Albert
> Directed by: William Wyler
> Streaming on: Pluto TV
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4. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (66,253 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (47,240 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (101 reviews)
> Starring: Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, James Stewart
> Directed by: George Cukor
> Streaming on: HBO Max
3. The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (30,166 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (11,972 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (37 reviews)
> Starring: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan
> Directed by: Ernst Lubitsch
> Streaming on: HBO Max
2. It Happened One Night (1934)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (98,815 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (33,748 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (97 reviews)
> Starring: Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Walter Connolly
> Directed by: Frank Capra
> Streaming on: Tubi
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1. City Lights (1931)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (176,008 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (27,144 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (54 reviews)
> Starring: Charles Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Florence Lee
> Directed by: Charles Chaplin
> Streaming on: HBO Max, Criterion Channel
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