Romance movies are so popular because they encourage emotional investment in the characters. When audiences watch this genre of film, they feel calm as the storylines release stress hormones and allow us to feel a range of deep emotions. Whether you want to cozy up with your partner at home or gush over love scenes with your friends, these are the 20 best romance movies on Max right now ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes score.
ALSO READ: 10 Best Movies Starring Will Ferrell and Where to Stream Them
20. William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, 73% (1996)
This version of the classic Shakespeare tragedy tells the story of the Capulets and the Montagues, two rival gangs, as seen in a modern world. Juliet attends a costume ball that is thrown by her parents. Her father has arranged her marriage to Paris as part of a strategic investment plan. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Romeo, who attends the masked ball as well, where he and Juliet fall in love.
19. Pretty in Pink, 74% (1986)
In this classic high school romance story, Andie doesn’t feel like she fits in, especially around the rich, popular kids. Her best friend, Duckie, is eccentric and clearly doesn’t mind standing out. Andie ignores him even though he claims to be madly in love with her. Instead, she has her eye on a popular kid from the nice side of town: Blane. Young love truly comes alive in this movie with moments of seriousness, comedy, and social commentary.
18. Ghost, 75% (1990)
Sam Wheat is a banker and Molly Jenson is an artist. The two fall madly in love until Sam ends up murdered by a friend and corrupt business partner, Carl Bruner, over a shady business deal. Sam ends up roaming the earth as a powerless spirit who wants to set things right and protect Molly from Carl and his loser goons. It’s a unique, supernatural take on a true love story.
17. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, 76% (2002)
Toula is a 30-year-old unmarried woman. She works at her parents’ Greek restaurant. She takes a job at her aunt’s travel agency, where she meets and falls in love with Ian Miller, a teacher who is tall and handsome, but not Greek. Toula doesn’t know what will upset her father more: that he isn’t Greek or that he’s a vegetarian.
16. Grease, 77% (1978)
One of the best romance movies on Max happens to be Grease, the famous 70s musical. In a 1950s high school that is run by T-Birds, or a greaser gang, a young and innocent girl comes into the picture. Will Danny and Sandy be able to rekindle their summer romance? Or, will their environment get the best of them, leaving behind their social standing?
15. Mystic Pizza, 78% (1988)
Mystic Pizza is about three girls who work at a pizzeria in Mystic, Connecticut and are famous for their secret ingredients. In their summer after high school, they have endless amounts of love, laughter, and unexpected adventures. They share their hopes, dreams, and plans to escape their small town.
CHECK OUT: Why a Starz Subscription Is Worth It
14. Father of the Bride, 81% (2022)
Father of the Bride was a modern remake of the classic rom-com that invited views on love, food, and music. This is a story about a family that has an unbreakable bond, and it illustrates the funny ways the heart can adapt in the name of love.
13. The Fault in Our Stars, 81% (2014)
Hazel is a 16-year-old cancer patient who meets Gus at their cancer support group meeting, and they fall in love with each other. Hazel feels like Gus really understands her when they share the same wit and love of books. Hazel and Gus receive an invitation to meet their favorite author, and they embark on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.
12. (500) Days of Summer, 85% (2009)
In (500) Days of Summer, you may not find the typical love story you’re used to hearing. As Tom pursues Summer without reservation, her harsh realities stop him in his tracks. Is he just a hopeless romantic who totally misjudged their relationship? This movie answers lots of questions about life, love, and practicality in relationships.
Our 15 Favorite 90s Romantic Comedies
11. Desert Hearts, 90% (1985)
Desert Hearts is a story about a woman named Vivian who seeks a divorce from her husband. She travels to Reno, where she meets Cay, a young girl, and the two end up falling in love. The film is a beautiful tale of love in which the two women have their share of hardships. Whether they end up together or not, it is something to be seen.
10. A Star Is Born, 90% (2018)
A Star Is Born came out in 2018 as the third and most recent remake of the famous romance story. It’s undoubtedly one of the best romance movies on Max because of its honest depiction of relationship struggles and the pressure that comes with fame. You’ll see an incredibly fierce bond between Jackson and Ally, which will draw up tons of raw emotion.
9. Gone With The Wind, 90% (1939)
A 16-year-old girl named Scarlett O’Hara is heartbroken to learn that Ashley Wikes, a man she loves, is soon to be engaged. Gone with the Wind is a three-and-a-half-hour movie that goes through Scarlett’s life as she tries to find love and build a family all while the Civil War is happening around them.
8. Crazy Rich Asians, 91% (2018)
Rachel Chu is excited to accompany her longtime boyfriend, Nick, to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. She learns that Nick’s family is extremely wealthy and her boyfriend is considered one of the country’s most eligible bachelors. She gets thrown into the spotlight. Rachel must deal with jealous socialites, quirky relatives, and what’s far worse, Nick’s disapproving mother.
7. Hairspray, 92% (2007)
Hairspray is set in the 1960s in Baltimore, where dance-loving teen Tracy auditions for a spot on “The Corny Collins Show.” She became an overnight celebrity. She starts trends in dance, fun, and fashion. Uses her new status as a teen sensation to topple Corny’s reigning dance queen and to bring racial integration to the show.
CHECK OUT: Best Movies You Can Stream on Tubi for Free
6. City Lights, 97% (1931)
This is a classic Charlie Chaplin romantic comedy where a person who travels from place to place (known as a beggar) falls in love with a flower girl who is blind. In order to support her financially, the beggar ends up in embarrassing and funny situations.
5. The Red Shoes, 97% (1948)
The Red Shoes is a drama film about an aspiring ballerina torn between her passion for dance and her desire to love. Her overbearing ballet instructor urges her to forget everything but ballet, while Vicky begins to fall for the very charming composer. Vicky undergoes emotional stress to make a great decision between her art and her romance that can have serious consequences.
4. Casablanca, 99% (1942)
The film is set during World War II where an American cafe owner living in Morocco stumbles upon his former lover. Rick struggles to decide whether or not to help Ilsa and her fugitive husband, who is a Czech resistance leader, try to escape back to America. The decision is not only pivotal in the fight against the Nazis, but also for his future and painful memories of love.
3. Singin’ in the Rain, 100% (1952)
The movie is about a silent film star, Don Lockwood, who falls for a chorus girl just as the film star and his jealous screen partner, Lina Lamont, are trying to make the transition from silent film to talking pictures. The two stars are in a musical film, and the chorus girl is brought on to speak and sing for Lina’s parts. Don is on top of the world until Lina finds out.
2. The Philadelphia Story, 100% (1940)
This is a classic romantic comedy about Tracy Lord, a Philadelphia socialite who has split from her husband due to his drinking and her overly demanding nature. As Tracy prepares to wed a wealthy man, she ends up crossing paths with her ex-husband and a prying reporter. She is unclear about her feelings for all three men and must decide who she truly loves.
1. A Room with a View, 100% (1986)
Lucy is a young woman who is touring Italy with her cousin. She ends up meeting a young man named George Emerson, who is free-spirited with a magnetic charm. Even though there are sparks between the two, Lucy ends up returning to London and has conflicting thoughts about settling down with Celil, the safe choice.
ALSO READ: 10 Iconic Old Movies That Dip Your Toes into the 40s and 50s