Nothing melts our hearts more than a perfect romantic comedy duo filling the screen with their witty banter and longing gaze. A true rom-com’s magic lies in the chemistry between the leads, and once a couple nails that, nothing can stop the movie from becoming timeless.
For over half a century now, the rom-com genre has given us some irresistible on-screen couples. Through countless mixtapes and meet-cutes, will-they-or-won't-they tensions, and surprise kiss confessions, these pairs have gripped our heart and soul and taken us on a journey to find love. More than just moving plots along, the best rom-coms are those that radiate warmth, humor, and an effortless couple that draws us close.
It is in watching two actors tease and challenge one another, be emotional and vulnerable, and genuinely care to find a happy ending, that we actually begin to like the movie. The backdrops and narratives fade away in light of their palpable chemistry. In this list, we will celebrate 20 couples whose undeniable chemistry has left a mark on the rom-com genre.
20 Nyles and Sarah – Palm Springs (2020)
This offbeat romance is the perfect blend of time travel and philosophy and touches the heart right where it needs to. Palm Springs follows Nyles and Sarah, two strangers reluctantly attending the wedding ceremony of Sarah’s stranger in a California desert. But a freak accident in the nearby cave traps Sarah in a time loop with Nyles, who had already been repeatedly living the same wedding day over and over again.
Palm Springs
- Release Date
- July 10, 2020
- Director
- Max Barbakow
- Cast
- Tyler Hoechlin, Andy Samberg, Cristin Milioti, J.K. Simmons, Camila Mendes, Dale Dickey
- Main Genre
- Comedy
We’ve seen Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti share the TV screens with their respective sitcom partners before, but to have them stuck in strange purgatory and form a lighthearted but phenomenal bond wasn’t something we’d expected. Going from physical attraction to annoyance to playful flirting to genuine care, the two spread their sweet charm all over the story, turning it into a beautifully written modern romance.
Stream it on Hulu
19 Hannah and Jacob – Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011)
Crazy Stupid Love
- Release Date
- July 29, 2011
- Director
- Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
- Cast
- Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Crazy, Stupid, Love is a modern romantic comedy in which Ryan Gosling plays JAcob, a smooth-talking ladies man who agrees to help 40-year-old Cal get back into the dating scene after his recent divorce. While Cal ends up meeting a teacher named Emily, Jacob is drawn toward the one woman who rejected his advances but showed up unannounced at the same bar the next night – Hannah.
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone share an irresistible and sizzling chemistry, right from their first screen together. Hannah is a refreshing change that shows Jacob there is more to life. Their witty back-and-forth and undeniable pull eventually leads to them confessing long-buried feelings. The film also paved the way for Gosling and Stone to share the screen again in Damien Chazelle’s La La Land.
Rent it on Apple TV+
18 Rosie and Alex – Love, Rosie (2014)
Love, Rosie
- Release Date
- October 16, 2014
- Director
- Christian Ditter
- Cast
- Lily Collins, Sam Claflin, Tamsin Egerton, Suki Waterhouse, Art Parkinson, Christian Cooke
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Spanning over 20 years, Love, Rosie is a story that portrays the enduring friendship between Rosie and Alex, who met as children in school. From bonding over comic books to growing up and navigating relationships, the two have leaned on each other through life’s greatest joys and biggest struggles, but never saw the other as a potential romantic partner until they went separate ways and realized what they were missing.
Lily Collins and Sam Clafin are truly perfect in showcasing the comfort and closeness that builds between two people when they’ve been friends for decades. The subtle hints at simmering attraction and the existence of external forces only makes their happy ending more cathartic and necessary. Their chemistry literally made the movie so beloved.
Stream it on Paramount+
17 Pat and Tiffany – Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
In Silver Linings Playbook, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrance play two damaged individuals dealing with their personal turmoils in their own way. Pat has just been released from a mental institution after he assaulted his ex-wife’s lover and Tiffany is deep into her own self-destructive habits. When the two meet, they strike a deal to better each other’s moods and prepare for a dance battle Tiffany really wants to compete in.
Silver Linings Playbook
- Release Date
- September 8, 2012
- Director
- David O. Russell
- Cast
- Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper, Julia Stiles, Chris Tucker, Shea Whigham
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
In their most authentic, raw, and intense performances, Cooper and Lawrence generate the kind of chemistry that will be remembered for the ages. They’re both playing two complex characters on a path toward healing, so it is natural that there is courage and humanity in the roles. But to have the audience fall for the good, the bad, and the ugly, especially through their electrifying (albeit awful) dance performances is where they truly win.
Stream it on Starz
16 Amanda and Graham – The Holiday (2006)
The Holiday
- Release Date
- December 8, 2006
- Director
- Nancy Meyers
- Cast
- Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
The Holiday centers around two girls from different countries – American Amanda and British Iris – who just had their most painful heartbreak, and decide to swap their homes and lives for the Christmas holidays. While Iris finds things heating up with Amanda’s elderly neighbor, an unattached publisher, Amanda begins spending time with Iris’ handsome book editor brother, Graham.
Kate Winslet and Jack Black share an undeniable chemistry on screen, that’s for sure. But here we’re appreciating just how well Cameron Diaz and Jude Law work together. They exhibit quintessential rom-com charm right from the start, when Amanda is convinced she’s made a mistake and wants to return home, and Graham arrives with their irresistible looks. Their upbeat performances not only lift the holiday spirit but send you into a dreamy and comfortable journey where love triumphs.
Stream it on AMC+
15 Jake and Lainey – Sleeping With Other People (2015)
sleeping with other people
- Release Date
- June 26, 2015
- Director
- Leslye Headland
- Cast
- Alison Brie, Jason Sudeikis, Jordan Carlos, Margarita Levieva, Charles Cain, Adam Brody
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Their love story begins like any other. They meet and sleep together on the same night at college, but never acknowledge the fact that they’ve established an instant, self-destructive attraction between each other. Twelve years later, in New York City, they reunite by chance and realize that while Jake has turned into a womanizer, Lainey is cheating on his boyfriend, and neither of them have shaken the other from their heads.
Sleeping With Other People sees Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis trying to start a platonic, “just-friends” relationship with each other and failing profoundly. Both the actors imbue their characters with complexity. They cannot commit fully but are willing to explore the emotional nuances that come with spending time together and figuring the other out. Their dynamic is real, resonant, and incredibly fun.
Stream it on AMC+
14 William and Anna – Notting Hill (1999)
Anna Scott is a Hollywood star who one day wanders into the quaint Notting Hill bookshop owned by a very shy and charming man named William Thacker. Their chance meeting transforms into an unlikely romance, but challenges like Anna’s tabloid fame and Willaim’s lack of Hollywood knowledge bring complications to their relationships.
There is something strangely exciting about rooting for a couple forced apart by external forces. Wanting to see them court, share subtle intimacies, and finally take the big leap is all we want. As for the ‘90s, Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant were the generation’s zaniest, most endearing couple, thanks to Notting Hill. From their polarizing personalities – one being an A-list actress, the other an anxious nobody – set the groundwork of a tender and sharp rom-com that still holds up.
Stream it on Prime Video
13 Jessie and Celine – Before Sunrise (1995)
Before Sunrise
- Release Date
- January 27, 1995
- Director
- Richard Linklater
- Cast
- Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Andrea Eckert, Hanno Pöschl, Karl Bruckschwaiger, Tex Rubinowitz
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Drama
Directed by Richard Linklater, Before Sunrise and the two films that followed became cinema’s most realistic portrayal of love and relationships because of its romantic leads, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. Jessie, an American guy, meets Celine, a French woman on a Budapest-Vienna train, and the two agree to spend the entire day together in Vienna until Jesse’s flight to America the next morning.
Watching them wandering the city together is perhaps the most heartwarming feeling in the world. Hawke and Delpy deliver a rich and complex romance with their profound on-screen chemistry. They bond over philosophy, future, heartbreak, and intellect, and the film’s dialogue is so filled with care and humor and connection that it is impossible not to lose yourself into the layers of history and impulse.
Rent it on Apple TV+
12 Lorette and Ronny – Moonstruck (1987)
Moonstruck
- Release Date
- December 16, 1987
- Director
- Norman Jewison
- Cast
- Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Going back to the ‘80s with this adorable classic written by John Patrick Shanley and directed by Norman Jewison, we follow Cher in the role of Loretta, an Italian-American widow who believes she’s not ready for love but decides to remarry a good man named Johnny. However, after meeting Ronny, the oddly passionate brother of her fiancée, she finds her soul stirred and her ties shifting.
Cher won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Moonstruck, and for the right reason. As a leading lady, we see her going through tumult and laughter with a ferocity like no other. But it is the star-crossed romance between her and Nicolas Cage that still crackles with raw energy. As two stubborn yet big-hearted characters, they bring color and life to the story and waltz towards the perfect ending.
Stream it on Fubo
11 Henry and Lucy – 50 First Dates (2004)
Honestly, you could pair Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore in any movie, and they’d come out unscathed, holding hands, and smiling at the world with their message on the perseverance of love. In 50 First Dates, we follow Henry Roth enjoying his life without commitments and any prospect of love in Hawaii. He meets a dynamic artist named Lucy, and is immediately smitten by her. But Henry’s happiness does not last long when he realizes that Lucy has short-term memory loss.
50 First Dates
- Release Date
- February 13, 2004
- Director
- Peter Segal
- Cast
- Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Rob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, Dan Aykroyd
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Sandler and Barrymore did it before with The Wedding Singer, but in this film their harmony is filled with sweet romance. As Henry looks for creative ways to woo his love interest on a daily basis, we see his sincerity, dedication, softness, and vulnerability. The feel-good chemistry between Henry and Lucy clearly steals the spotlight.
Stream it on Hulu
10 Sally and Harry – When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
When Harry Met Sally
- Release Date
- January 12, 1989
- Director
- Rob Reiner
- Cast
- Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Steven Ford, Lisa Jane Persky
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
The year is 1977. Harry Burns gives Sally Albright a ride from Chicago to New York City after they both attend their college friends’ graduation. The sparks that fly between them are undeniable, but their easy-breezy conversation revolves around the universal debate on whether men and women can truly be ‘just friends’ without sex getting in the way. Flash forward 12 years later and they wonder if their relationship could ever evolve into something more.
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal dissect the complex question with a brilliant dance where their characters are friends for years. From trading friendly barbs at a deli to falling apart during that iconic fake-orgasm scene, there’s not one scene in the film that isn’t exquisite and memorable. By subverting expectations of the rom-com genre, When Henry Met Sally… becomes a classic.
Stream it on Fubo
9 Joe and Kelly – You've Got Mail (1998)
You've Got Mail
- Release Date
- February 26, 1998
- Director
- Nora Ephron
- Cast
- Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Katie Sagona, Greg Kinnear, Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton
- Rating
- PG
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Director Nora Ephron weaves a beautiful tale around the internet way before it was a mainstream medium of communication between two people. Joe Fox, the owner of a massive bookstore chain, and Kathleen Kelly, an independent bookshop owner, have crossed paths in NYC but they secretly loathe each other, completely unaware of the fact that they have been falling hard and fast with each other’s witty online alter egos.
You’ve Got Mail focuses on a bond that deepens online, without the two characters knowing about their real-life personalities and realities. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan make this late '90s love story even more warm and memorable with their palpable chemistry and love for books. Despite clashing in public, they develop a connection, and it is so evident in their twinkling eyes and subtle gestures.
Rent it on Apple TV+
8 Edward and Vivian – Pretty Woman (1990)
Pretty Woman
- Release Date
- March 23, 1990
- Director
- Garry Marshall
- Cast
- Richard Gere, Julia Roberts, Ralph Bellamy, Jason Alexander, Laura San Giacomo, alex hyde-white
- Rating
- R
- Main Genre
- Comedy
The '90s started with a bang when Garry Marshall blessed the big screens with Pretty Woman, a film that followed down-on-her-luck Vivian Ward who finds herself hired by a wealthy business named Edward Lewis to accompany him to meetings and business dinners and parties for a week. Regardless of their backgrounds, there is an undeniable attraction between the two. Yet, they fear that this dalliance is only temporary because of their agreement.
Julia Roberts and Richard Gere are perfectly cast as this careless yet predictable pair. Vivian awakens Edward’s ability to love freely and without conditions, infusing her own spontaneity to his ways. Same way, by dancing at the opera and sharing sweet nothings, they light up the way for the audience, and we’re clearly overjoyed to root for this couple’s fairy tale ending.
Rent it on Apple TV+
7 Andie and Benjamin – How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days centers around Andie Anderson, a magazine writer whose job depends on this one article, for which she has to make a man break up with her in 10 days. On the other hand, advertisement executive Benjamin Berry, makes a bet that he can make a woman fall for him in the same time frame. They soon cross paths and start dating, having not the slightest clue about each other’s secret wager.
How to Lose A Guy In 10 Days
- Release Date
- February 7, 2003
- Director
- Donald Petrie
- Cast
- Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Kathryn Hahn, Annie Parisse, Adam Goldberg, Thomas Lennon
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey have incredible comedic timing, which is actually pretty helpful in making their growing attraction seem more believable. As two deceptive sweethearts, their dance around the truths equals pure romance. Both their characters are seen letting their walls down, and with each crazy stunt that Andie pulls, Ben’s softer side surfaces, making this crowd-pleasing couple more amazing.
Stream it on Fubo
6 Abby and Harper – Happiest Season (2020)
As far as holiday rom-coms go, Happiest Season clearly deserves more recognition. The reason for this is not just the fact that it tells a beautiful LGBTQ+ love story, but also because it gave Hollywood and fans a brand new rom-com couple to gush over. Abby is a lesbian who is determined to propose to her short-term girlfriend, Harper, in front of her parents. When the opportunity to spend Christmas as Harper’s presents itself, Abby takes it, unaware of the fact that Harper is still in the closet.
From tackling political stances to keeping up pretenses, this couple has seen it all yet stood by one another. Kristen Stewart and Mackenzie Davis are impressive as two nuanced women yearning to share their love wholly and freely. The narrative allows them to showcase their tenderness and care for one another, cementing their characters as inspirations too.
Stream it on Hulu
5 Patrick and Kat – 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
10 Things I Hate About You
- Release Date
- March 31, 1999
- Director
- Gil Junger
- Cast
- Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Cameron is a new kid at Padua High School who finds himself awestruck by Bianca as soon as he sets foot on campus. But it turns out her overprotective father won’t let her date anyone till older sister Kat can. Seeing this as a sign, Cameron hires the school’s bad boy Patrick to take Kat out, an idea he hates. Patrick manages to win Kat over and falls for her rebellious personality in the process.
10 Things I Hate About You is a modern take on The Taming of the Shrew, and it stars Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in the lead roles. The two actors are phenomenal in their breakout roles, delivering a romance that is witty, beautiful, and priceless. Though Kat is a mean feminist, Patrick’s crooked grin and serenading charm softens her interior and the result is a swoon-worthy pair.
Stream it on Disney+
4 Sasha and Marcus – Always Be My Maybe (2016)
Always Be My Maybe
- Release Date
- February 24, 2016
- Director
- Dan Villegas
- Cast
- Gerald Anderson, Arci Muñoz, Tirso Cruz III, Irma Adlawan, Nikki Valdez, Carlo Aquino
- Main Genre
- Romance
Who says opposites don't attract? After a brief dating disaster as teenagers, Sasha and Marcus drift away into adulthood and live very different lives – she is a celebrity chef in a serious relationship and he, an unsuccessful musician still living with his dad. When Sasha returns home for business and the two reconnect, the chemistry between them is off the charts.
There is something truly beautiful about realizing that your feelings for a certain someone never quite faded, and life’s presented you with a chance to acknowledge that feeling and act on it. Always Be My Maybe stars Ali Wong and Randall Park as the romantic leads. Both the stars bring an infectious spirit and joy to their characters. The banter, the intimacy, and the mature relearning is what turns the movie around from a standard rom-com to a charming and nostalgic tale of fated love.
Stream it on Netflix
3 Margaret and Andrew – The Proposal (2009)
the proposal
- Release Date
- June 1, 2009
- Director
- Anne Fletcher
- Cast
- Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Betty White, Denis O'Hare
- Rating
- PG-13
- Main Genre
- Comedy
Margaret Tate is a successful editor in New York, but she’s facing deportation to Canada due to visa issues. As a solution, she convinces her young assistant Andrew to fake an engagement with her. When her overbearing mother visits them, they must not only keep up appearances but also actually spend time with each other and get to know more about their clashing personalities.
Working best as an office romantic comedy, The Proposal turns a frenemy chemistry into a beloved and timeless duo. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds bring their passion and lip-biting admiration to the screen to hint that there’s more to them than what the arrangement shows. The chemistry between them is fresh, real, and honest, and it made sense for it to blossom into something sweeter and greater.
Rent it on Apple TV+
2 Lara Jean and Peter – To All The Boys I've Loved Before (2018)
To All The Boys I've Loved Before is one of Netflix’s rare triumphs in the genre. It centers around a shy high school teenager named Lara Jean Song Covey, who has a habit of writing love letters when she has an intense crush on someone, but never sending them out. When these letters are mysteriously mailed to their respective recipients, she has no choice but to fake a relationship with the school’s heartthrob, Peter Kavinksky, hoping the gossip will die faster than their short-term arrangement.
Lana Condor and Noah Centineo are among the more recent magical duos that bring both empathy and firecrackers to their roles. As Peter coaxes Lara Jean out of her shell, he begins to fall for her earnest and playful sweet nature. Beyond looks, it is their thoughtful dialogue delivery and compassionate gazes that make their chemistry seem so real and filled with love.
Stream it on Netflix
1 Alex and Henry – Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)
Finally, the rom-com couple that has sent the world into a frenzy. Red, White & Royal Blue centers around shy twenty-something Alex Claremont-Diaz, who is still adjusting to the fact that he is now the first son of the United States. On the other hand, there is young Prince Henry, who lives a very broadcasted life as the spare heir to the throne of England. A feud and a viral cake video force these adversaries to spend time together and diffuse transatlantic tensions.
Little did they know, a smoldering bond was about to form between the two. Nicholas Galatzine and Taylor Zakhar Perez have become touchstones of on-screen chemistry because of their breakout roles in this Prime Video original. As soon as their characters share the screen for the very first time, the sexual tension between them is palpable. What follows is a series of playful jabs, hot makeout sessions, and longing gazes, before they stand tall to empower queer romance and advocate love’s transformative power.
Stream it on Prime Video
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