There’s something for everyone.
Sometimes snuggling up with your SO at home on a Friday night just sounds so much more appealing than going out for dinner or a concert. After the snacks have been prepped and the wine poured, however, the question inevitably becomes: what to watch? There are a slew of date night movies to see on Netflix, and to make your life easier, here’s a list of the very best flicks for a night in.
The challenge, of course, is finding a film that you’ll both be into. I can’t count how many times my partner and I have scrolled through the countless choices on Netflix, eyes glazing over — until finally, after wasting 25 minutes on our desperate search, we settle on another episode of our ol’ trusty standby: The Office (neither of us, as it turns out, can say no to Dwight Schrute's antics). Fortunately for you, I’ve done some digging through the endless array of rom-coms, Oscar-winning dramas, eye-opening documentaries, action movies, and other genres to find those gems that just might appeal to both of you.
Whether you’re looking for a LOL-worthy dramedy, a steamy romance, or a psychological thriller that you can discuss for hours after it’s over, here are the best date night movies you’ll want to add to your queue ASAP.
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01The Wrong Missy (2020)
Fans of Happy Madison comedy classics like Bench Warmers and 50 First Dates will get a kick out of The Wrong Missy on Netflix. It’s exceptionally silly and abundant in full-on belly laugh moments.
Tim (David Spade) meets the woman of his dreams. Her name is Missy, and naturally, he saves her number in his phone as such. But he happens to know another woman by the same name who is decidedly not the woman of his dreams — in fact, she’s someone from a nightmare first date. In a chance texting mishap, Tim accidentally invites the second Missy on a work trip to Hawaii, thinking he was asking the one he originally fell for.
Missy number two is beyond quirky, and her antics will have you both snorting popcorn out of your nose. Plus, this pivot from the traditional male-dominated comedy structure is a breath of fresh air.
02The Boys In The Band (2020)
Originally, The Boys in the Band was a 1968 off-Broadway play. The show was later revived for Broadway with the same cast also starring in the film adaptation. The film centers on a group of gay friends and explores what it was like to be a queer man in the ‘60s. The men meet up in an NYC apartment to celebrate a friend’s birthday, and as the evening wears on, the cracks in their friendship and even their own identities begin to reveal. Full of sitcom-esque one-liners and witty dialogue, the bones of the original play still live on in the 2020 reboot.
03Resort To Love (2021)
It’s not the most realistic of plots, depending how likely you consider running into your ex-fiancé on a remote island on the week of his wedding to be. But one-in-a-million coincidences aside, Resort to Love is a lighthearted watch with some stunning tropical views, goofy comedy, and an atypical love story.
With her luck as a professional singer in New York City waning, Erica decides to take a chance when her friend hooks her up with the opportunity to work as a performer at a resort in tropical Mauritius. She could use a change after Jason, her ex-fiancé, broke things off with her and moved to Charleston, South Carolina.
Erica is just getting the swing of things in her new life when — enter: adorable meet-cute — she’s rescued by a handsome mystery man in the ocean after failing to save someone else herself (picture said mystery man emerging from the water with them both in his arms). Just as she finds a new love interest, who should come strolling into the resort with a new woman? Jason. He’s there to wed his new fiancée, with the talented resort wedding singer set to serenade their nuptials, of course.
04Fatherhood (2021)
In the mood for a moving, inspiring true story? Adapted from a best-selling memoir by Matthew Logelin, Fatherhood follows Matt (Kevin Hart) as he navigates the heartache of losing his wife after childbirth and raising their daughter alone. It’s a tug on the heartstrings and truly gives you someone to root for, not to mention the adorable father-daughter moments that any viewer can appreciate. If you’re used to seeing Hart in his usual comedic roles, prepare to be thoroughly impressed with this more serious performance, which is sure to evoke a range of emotions throughout.
05I Care A Lot (2021)
Sometimes you can’t help but love the bad guys, and that is certainly the case in I Care a Lot. Marla Grayson is a badass — she’s intelligent, insanely crafty, and good at what she does, albeit rather sinister. But that’s all part of the appeal. Marla is a professional grifter who preys on elderly people, posing as their caretaker so she can swipe them of everything they’re worth. It’s a love-to-hate-her and hate-to-love-her type of film that will make you laugh, but also keep you on your toes until the very end.
06Intrusion (2021)
When you and your honey are searching for something to get the blood pumping and possibly feel the need to put an extra lock on the doors, check out psychological thriller Intrusion. Wealthy young couple Meera and Henry move to a small town into a concrete-and-glass mammoth of a house designed by Henry himself. Their safety bubble is popped, though, when they arrive home to find there’s been a break-in. If that’s not unsettling enough, the couple later experiences a terrifying home invasion, leaving them traumatized and desperate for answers.
07Secret Obsession (2019)
Another spooky one guaranteed to get the hair on the back of your neck standing straight up is Secret Obsession. Remember London Tipton from The Suite Life of Zack & Cody? Then you might find the main character, Jennifer, a bit familiar. Only this time, instead of an heiress, Brenda Song portrays a young woman who wakes up from a car accident with amnesia.
Luckily, her loving husband is right by her side to take care of her, and all is looking up — or so it seems. Jennifer’s brain injury will prove to be only the first in a series of traumatic events as she begins to piece her life back together with a vague collection of memories. It’s eerie. It’s creepy. It’s thrilling. Perfect for a night in, huddled safely under the blankets.
08Five Feet Apart (2019)
If it’s more your scene to host movie nights where heart-wrenching teen dramas like The Fault in Our Stars are the feature film, Five Feet Apart just catapulted itself to the top of your watch list. Speaking of The Sweet Life of Zack & Cody nostalgia, enter Cole Sprouse — as angsty adolescent love interest Will.
The story follows Stella (Haley Lu Richardson), a 17-year-old cystic fibrosis patient who meets Will at the hospital. The only caveat? He’s also a cystic fibrosis patient, meaning they must stay six feet apart at all times or risk endangering each other’s lives. Forbidden love is an understatement in this charming romance.
09After (2019)
A top pick for date night movies with a bit of spice, After is a romance film that’s based on a book. Anna Todd first dreamt up the gist of the After series as One Direction fan-fiction on Wattpad, so you know it’s got a good dose of steaminess — which may be what you’re looking for in a date night movie.
The first installment of the series follows innocent college freshman Tessa Young as she begrudgingly falls for British bad boy Hardin Scott. She discovers a new world of intimacy, love, and betrayal that she never knew with her long-time high school boyfriend, Noah. And low and behold, drama ensues.
10After We Collided (2020)
For an all-out movie marathon, follow up After with movie number two: After We Collided. In the second After movie, the repercussions of Hardin’s mistakes, aka the cliffhanger from film number one, drive a wedge between the couple. Ultimately, Hardin’s past threatens to come back and bite him if he doesn’t get his act together. Meanwhile, Tessa is starting her internship at Vance Publishing and is trying to be happy leaving Hardin in the dust. Bonus: This is the second movie on the list featuring a Sprouse twin. Say hello to Dylan Sprouse as Trevor Matthews.
11Always Be My Maybe (2019)
A diverse cast, a culturally aware script, smart social commentary, and genuinely relatable emotions — those are just a few of the aspects to love about the refreshing Netflix original movie Always Be My Maybe. It's a classic will-they-or-won't-they tale that follows two childhood sweethearts who reconnect as adults after having a falling-out 15 years ago. They live in two very different worlds now, so the question is: Will their existing spark be enough to reignite their old flame?
12Horse Girl (2020)
On the hunt for a captivating mind-bender? Look no further than this psychological drama. Alison Brie plays a quirky, introverted young woman who slowly spirals into a paranoid breakdown. As she begins waking up with mysterious marks and bruises on her body and experiencing inexplicable gaps in time, it becomes increasingly difficult for her to separate her bizarre dreams and hallucinations from reality. Be prepared to pick your jaw up off the floor at the end of Horse Girl.
13Blood Red Sky (2021)
A horror movie for date night means snuggling up extra close to your partner for two-plus hours straight. It all sounds pretty romantic when you put it that way. Blood Red Sky is the Non-Stop and V Wars mashup that adrenaline-seeking cinephiles didn’t ask for, but got nonetheless. Heads up: The main character speaks German, so there is a bit of subtitle-reading involved in this action flick.
Nadja and her 10-year-old son embark on a transatlantic flight bound for New York City. The young woman is harboring a mysterious secret: an illness that she hopes a doctor in America will have answers to. But when the plane is hijacked and terrorists threaten the lives of her son and the passengers, she’s forced to reveal her hidden truth to protect them. The kicker of a horror film with subtitles? You can’t cover your eyes when things get hairy, or you’ll miss important dialogue.
14Set It Up (2018)
If you have yet to see this adorable office rom-com, run — don't walk — to queue up Set It Up. When two young assistants try to solve all their workplace woes by cleverly setting up their demanding bosses, their plot doesn't exactly go as planned. Still, watching them form an unlikely bond while they scheme to play Cupid is oh-so entertaining.
15Happy Anniversary (2018)
Ever wondered what happens after the happily ever after, when the honeymoon phase is over? A unique romantic comedy that dares to go there, Happy Anniversary follows a couple who find themselves at a crossroads on their three-year anniversary. As you travel back in time to catch glimpses of their first date, first vacation, first fight, and other milestone experiences, you'll get to see Sam and Molly attempt to figure out whether they should move forward together or if their love story should come to an end.
16Going In Style (2017)
Going In Style is a refreshing watch if you’re tired of seeing actors over 80 years old restricted to plot lines centered on living and dying and virtually nothing more.
Three retirees have been friends since forever, which makes them the perfect team for a daring heist. When their pension distributions are unexpectedly frozen, Willie (Morgan Freeman), Joe (Michael Caine), and Albert (Alan Arkin) are in urgent need of funds to support their families. It just so happens that Joe was once witness to a $1.6 million bank robbery in which the criminals got off scot-free. With such a monumental burglary going exactly as planned, thieves unscathed, the trio can’t help but be inspired.
17Last Letter From Your Lover (2021)
As a romantic drama, Last Letter From Your Lover is a certified winner when it comes to date night movies on Netflix. While the streaming service has its fair share of cheesy love stories, you can rest assured that this watch has plenty of depth, as it’s based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Jojo Moyes.
There’s Jennifer, a 1960s housewife who wakes up from an accident remembering nothing of her life — not even her own name. And there’s Ellie, a present-day journalist who stumbles upon an archive of lost love letters from the ‘60s. As she reacquaints herself with her life, Jennifer discovers a love letter addressed to her that her inattentive husband has presumably hidden. The letter is signed by a mysterious “B,” and she can’t help but want to know more. The dual timeline flip-flops between the two women as they each piece together what happened between her and “B.”
18 Dangerous Lies (2020)
If you’re the kind of couple who likes a mysterious flick to keep you guessing, all while not taking it too seriously, press play on Dangerous Lies. Katie (Camila Mendes) and her husband Jessie are struggling to make ends meet when she lands a gig as a caretaker to a wealthy older man. Only four months into the job, her patient unexpectedly dies, and she’s now got an all-inclusive will of his fortune in her name. That fact alone is strange, but the couple decides to move into his estate anyway. The eerie vibes only escalates when they discover a suspicious chest of cash among the deceased’s belongings, and a shady realtor comes knocking.
You and your partner can grapple with the question: What would you do if put in Katie and Jessie’s shoes?
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