The Best Rom-Coms to Watch This Summer (2025 Edition)
From sizzling new releases to comfort-food classics, these romantic comedies are the perfect escape for long summer nights.
There’s something about summer that makes romantic comedies hit harder. Maybe it’s the extra daylight, the hum of cicadas in the background, or just the collective craving for stories that go down easy. In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, rom-coms remind us that love is possible, laughter is healing, and a well-timed grand gesture still matters.
Whether you're streaming under the stars or binging with the A/C blasting, here's your go-to guide for the best rom-coms to watch this summer. We’ve included buzzy new releases, underrated indie gems, and timeless hits that deserve another spin.
🌟 Recent Must-Watches
1. Anyone But You (2023)
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Vibe: Sexy, tropical, chaotic fun
Loosely inspired by Much Ado About Nothing, this Sydney Sweeney–Glen Powell two-hander leans into its absurdity and ends up delivering a surprisingly magnetic enemies-to-lovers romp. The leads spend much of the film trying not to fall for each other while pretending to be a couple at a destination wedding in Australia. It’s sun-drenched, fast-paced, and drenched in Gen Z sarcasm. Think Bridgerton meets Wedding Crashers, but with better abs and better memes.
2. Rye Lane (2023)
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Vibe: Fresh, colorful, indie brilliance
Set in South London, this British rom-com introduces us to Yas and Dom, two broken-hearted twenty-somethings who meet by chance and spend one unpredictable day together. The film oozes charm, with stylized cinematography, clever humor, and warm, grounded performances. It’s one of the most original rom-coms in years—and at just 82 minutes, it’s a quick but unforgettable watch.
3. Love Again (2023)
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Vibe: Cheesy and unapologetically earnest
Celine Dion playing Celine Dion and offering relationship advice? Sign us up. Love Again stars Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan in a heartfelt, slightly ridiculous plot about a grieving woman who texts her late fiancé’s number, only to have a stranger on the other end fall for her. It’s sweet, occasionally silly, and might make you cry at 2 a.m.—in a good way.
4. The Lost City (2022)
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Vibe: Adventure meets romance
Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum have unexpectedly great chemistry in this rom-com/action hybrid about a romance novelist who gets kidnapped and her dim-but-lovable cover model who tries to rescue her. It’s a high-concept farce in the tradition of Romancing the Stone, and it's funny, self-aware, and somehow still romantic under all the chaos.
5. Plus One (2019)
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Vibe: Millennial realism meets classic charm
Maya Erskine (PEN15) is the standout in this friends-to-lovers tale set during wedding season. If you’ve ever suffered through too many summer weddings (or had your ex show up with a plus-one), this one hits close to home. It’s smart, funny, and emotionally grounded, with sharp dialogue and zero fluff.
🍷 Classic Favorites Worth Rewatching
6. Notting Hill (1999)
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Vibe: Wholesome British fairy tale
Julia Roberts plays “America’s Sweetheart” (playing a version of herself), and Hugh Grant is the impossibly charming bookseller who wins her over. Their chemistry is timeless, the humor is delightfully awkward, and the line “I’m just a girl…” is iconic for a reason. Few rom-coms have aged this gracefully.
7. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
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Vibe: Teen angst with a Shakespearean twist
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles own this clever reimagining of The Taming of the Shrew. It’s sharp, surprisingly feminist (especially for a '90s teen film), and features one of the best serenades in rom-com history. Plus, it’s a perfect nostalgic throwback for summer movie nights.
8. Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
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Vibe: Lavish, funny, and full of heart
Still one of the most visually stunning rom-coms in recent memory, this adaptation of Kevin Kwan’s bestseller delivers on both humor and emotional weight. Constance Wu’s everywoman charm and Michelle Yeoh’s steely presence anchor a story that’s part love story, part cultural commentary, and part ultra-glam wish fulfillment.
9. Set It Up (2018)
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Vibe: Workplace hijinks with a side of heart
Before Glen Powell blew up in Top Gun: Maverick, he was starring alongside Zoey Deutch in this delightful Netflix rom-com. They play overworked assistants who conspire to set their bosses up—only to (of course) fall for each other in the process. It’s sharp, light, and very watchable.
10. Palm Springs (2020)
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Vibe: Existential, weird, romantic
A time-loop comedy about two wedding guests stuck reliving the same day might sound gimmicky, but Palm Springs is funny, philosophical, and emotionally resonant. Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti have great comedic timing, and the desert setting gives it serious summer-night energy.
🔮 Rom-Coms to Watch for in Summer 2025
Want something brand new? Keep an eye out for these titles arriving later this season:
“Mother of the Bride” (Netflix) – A tropical wedding disaster rom-com starring Brooke Shields and Benjamin Bratt. Think Mamma Mia! meets Father of the Bride.
“The Idea of You” (Prime Video) – Based on the viral book, Anne Hathaway plays a 40-something mom who falls for a pop star.
“Love Lies Bleeding” – It’s more thriller than rom-com, but the Kristen Stewart/A24 queer love story definitely brings intensity and chemistry.
☀️ Final Word
Whether you’re in the mood for laugh-out-loud antics, slow-burn affection, or full-blown fantasy, rom-coms are the ultimate summer comfort food. So grab a friend, a drink, and a streaming login, and dive into a world where love is always just one misunderstanding—or one wedding away.
Because if there’s one genre that reminds us to believe in something warm and beautiful during the long, hot days of summer... it’s this one.
