The 30 best teenage romance movies on Netflix

20th Century Girl (2022)

20th Century Girl features many of the teen romance movie tropes you grew up with, but this Korean film energizes even the most tired clichés. The story is familiar: A young girl (Kim Yoo-jung) plays matchmaker for her ill friend (Roh Yoon-seo) by learning everything about her crush (Park Jung-woo). It doesn’t take long, of course, for her to fall in love with the boy she’s investigating.

Between the charms of first love and the nuances of friendship, this teen movie is a winner. —Chris Snellgrove

Where to watch 20th Century Girl: Netflix

Director: Bang Woo-ri

Cast: Kim Yoo-jung, Byeon Woo-seok, Park Jung-woo, Roh Yoon-seo

After (2019)

Many teen romance movies involve a girl trying to answer that eternal (if not archetypal) question: Does she want a safe boyfriend or a sexy bad boy? That’s the basic plot of After, a film where Tessa (Josephine Langford) has a solid relationship with her high school sweetheart Noah (Dylan Arnold), but things quickly get complicated when she goes to college and meets brooding rebel Hardin (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) who transforms her views on life, love, and learning. Solid chemistry between our leads elevates this tale, and it’s hard not to cheer (and swoon) alongside our protagonist. —C.S.

Where to watch After: Netflix

Director: Jenny Gage

Cast: Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Selma Blair, Inanna Sarkis, Dylan Arnold

Along for the Ride (2022)

High schooler Auden (Emma Pasarow) has no intentions of falling in love when she decides to spend the summer before college with her absentee dad (Dermot Mulroney). Soon, though, her insomniac tendencies allow her to bond with a fellow night owl (Belmont Cameli) whose desire to help her grow also stirs up some serious butterflies in her stomach. There’s a lot to love here, and the story will particularly resonate with fans of Sarah Desson, who wrote the book of the same name. —C.S.

Where to watch Along for the Ride: Netflix

Director: Sofia Alvarez

Cast: Emma Pasarow, Belmont Cameli, Kate Bosworth, Dermot Mulroney, Andie MacDowell

Anonymously Yours (2021)

Most modern teen romances fall flat because they simply copy the formula that has existed for decades. Anonymously Yours, however, is more attuned to our present digital dating landscape. The plot centers around two teens (Annie Cabello and Ralf Morales) who develop a deep friendship (maybe a little too deep) through anonymous text messages. The twist? Neither knows they hate each other in real life.

This Spanish-language movie alternates between humor and heartfelt meditations on identity, romance, and technology, making it rise above its teenybopper competition. —C.S.

Where to watch Anonymously Yours: Netflix

Director: Maria Torres

Cast: Annie Cabello, Ralf Morales, Estefi Merelles, Harold Azuara, Alicia Vélez

Call Me by Your Name (2017)

There's no better place for a sexual awakening than northern Italy in the summer. Set in 1983, Call Me by Your Name tells the story of Elio (Timothée Chalamet in his breakout performance), a 17-year-old whose life is upended after his academic father's new grad student Oliver (Armie Hammer) arrives to stay with the family. Sparks fly between the bookish Elio and the worldly Oliver, and, despite their differences, a relationship forms between the two.

A romantic coming-of-age drama, Call Me by Your Name is based on André Aciman's novel from 2007, and meditates on themes of growing up, coming to terms with one's sexuality, and the depths of feeling found in young love. Nominated for four Oscars, with James Ivory taking home the trophy for Best Adapted Screenplay, Call Me by Your Name is a remarkable love story told with tenderness, respect, and nostalgia. —Ilana Gordon

Where to watch Call Me by Your Name: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Luca Guadagnino

Cast: Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Amira Casar, Esther Garrel, Victoire Du Bois

Candy Jar (2018)

What’s the dividing line between ideology and socioeconomic status? That’s the underlying question of Candy Jar, a movie where a shy, working-class girl (Sami Gayle) discovers that the wealthy, preppy debate team co-captain she’s been butting heads with (Jacob Latimore) is actually someone she’d rather be locking lips with. The movie succeeds largely because it transforms subtext into text, and our debate devotees soon discover that the key to any successful relationship is working together.

Candy Jar is likely to please anyone looking for a good teen romance, but its messages will particularly hit the introverts watching at home. —C.S.

Where to watch Candy Jar: Netflix

Director: Ben Shelton

Cast: Sami Gayle, Jacob Latimore, Uzo Aduba, Helen Hunt

Caught by a Wave (2021)

Caught by a Wave is a beautiful romance movie, but be warned: You’re going to need a box of tissues. The plot starts with two American teens (Elvira Camarrone and Roberto Christian) who meet and fall in love at a summer camp in Sicily. But when one of them is diagnosed with muscular dystrophy, the couple must test the strength of their love. This coming-of-age story is a tearjerker, but it also has plenty of things to say about connection. —C.S.

Where to watch Caught by a Wave: Netflix

Director: Massimiliano Camaiti

Cast: Elvira Camarrone, Roberto Christian, Donatella Finocchiaro

Confessions of an Invisible Girl (2021)

Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and this Brazilian film shamelessly borrows from several classic teen comedies, but its story about a young girl (Klara Castanho) who wants to fit in at a high school dominated by a queen bee bully (Julia Gomes) mostly feels like a spin on Mean Girls. This is true right down to our heroine’s friendship with two fellow outcasts who steal every scene. You don’t need to be a mathlete to know that if you love the Plastics, you’ll have a good time with Confessions of an Invisible Girl. —C.S.

Where to watch Confessions of an Invisible Girl: Netflix

Director: Bruno Garotti

Cast: Marcus Bessa, Caio Cabral, Klara Castanho

DJ Cinderella (2019)

DJ Cinderella begins somberly when a teenage girl (Maisa Silva) moves in with her aunt (Elisa Pinheiro) following her parents’ divorce. She begins honing her skills as a DJ, and her burgeoning talents attract the attention of a cute singer (Filipe Bragança), but parental drama threatens to keep these two from making beautiful music together. The movie is a play on Cinderella, and it's refreshing to root for a character who’s motivated by creativity and love. —C.S.

Where to watch DJ Cinderella: Netflix

Director: Bruno Garotti

Cast: Maisa Silva, Filipe Bragança, Fernanda Paes Leme

Endless Love (2014)

This remake of 1981’s Endless Love successfully translates the charming tale for a new generation. Here, we follow a privileged girl (Gabriella Wilde) who falls in love with a working-class rebel (Alex Pettyfer), but their relationship is attacked by their parents (Bruce Greenwood and Robert Patrick, respectively). The film sands off the original movie’s rough edges, leaving something akin to chicken noodle soup for the hopelessly romantic soul.

As EW’s critic said in their review, the movie works “as a swoony love story threatened by a basic, cornball Oedipal drama.” —C.S.

Where to watch Endless Love: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Shana Feste

Cast: Alex Pettyfer, Gabriella Wilde, Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson, Robert Patrick

The Half of It (2020)

The Half of It is about a Chinese American ace student (Leah Lewis) who overcomes her shyness enough to help a tongue-tied jock (Daniel Diemer) win over the girl of his dreams (Alexxis Lemire). There’s just one problem: She’s fallen in love with her, too! The result is both refreshing and bittersweet; as EW’s critic notes in their review, the movie’s “examination of first love, and how our messy, well-intentioned attempts to do right by our own hearts can both wound and help us fumble toward the people we're meant to be, lands nicely.” —C.S.

Where to watch The Half of It: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Alice Wu

Cast: Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, Alexxis Lemire, Enrique Murciano, Wolfgang Novogratz

He’s All That (2021)

He’s All That really shouldn’t work; after all, this is an adaptation of She’s All That (1999), which was an adaptation of My Fair Lady (1964), which was an adaptation of Pygmalion, so you’d think there is little left to say. But this film feels original by casting the makeover maven Addison Rae to help a geeky guy (Tanner Buchanan) shine as a TikTok influencer. Just like that, we have an answer to why a popular kid would devote so much time and energy to a nobody outside of their social circle: It’s all about the online clout and follower counts, baby! —C.S.

Where to watch He’s All That: Netflix

Director: Mark Waters

Cast: Addison Rae, Tanner Buchanan, Madison Pettis, Rachael Leigh Cook, Peyton Meyer

Into the Wind (2022)

Into the Wind is about a sheltered teen (Sonia Mietielica) who can’t help but fall for a surfing instructor whose carefree ways help to open her mind and her heart. As Joe Bob Briggs might say, sure, we’ve seen it before, but have we seen it in Poland? This feature film debut from Polish director Kristoffer Rus updates this tired teen romance plot with beautiful locations and just enough unexpected twists to keep things interesting. It turns out that being hot for one's tutor is a genre that translates into every language. —C.S.

Where to watch Into the Wind: Netflix

Director: Kristoffer Rus

Cast: Sonia Mietielica, Jakub Sasak

JJ+E (2021)

Many teen movies paint high school as its own country, one split into petty fiefdoms and even pettier rulers. The Swedish film JJ+E is no exception, following two teens (Elsa Öhrn and Mustapha Aarab) who’ve never been in the same class (literally or socially). However, when the two end up in a course together, so many sparks fly that they threaten to burn all the obstacles keeping them apart. Thanks to the wholesome themes, there is plenty to enjoy here in addition to the cute couple. —C.S.

Where to watch JJ+E: Netflix

Director: Alexis Almström

Cast: Elsa Öhrn, Mustapha Aarab, Magnus Krepper, Marika Lagercrantz, Simon Mezher

The Kissing Booth (2018)

The later films in this successful franchise feel more phoned in, but this first tale involving a teenage girl (Joey King) whose desire for the local bad boy (Jacob Elordi) threatens her friendship with his younger brother (Joel Courtney) still feels fun and fresh. When she ends up running the titular fundraiser, she must face her feelings far sooner than she was expecting. It’s cheesy and over-the-top, but the characters are quite charismatic, and the idea that love can be very, very messy remains evergreen. —C.S.

Where to watch The Kissing Booth: Netflix

Director: Vince Marcello

Cast: Joey King, Joel Courtney, Jacob Elordi, Meganne Young, Molly Ringwald, Taylor Zakhar Perez

The Last Summer (2019)

Instead of focusing on a single couple, this teen romance movie focuses on three different friend duos during their last summer before everyone heads off to college. This means pursuing crushes, testing limits, and generally engaging in teenage self-discovery. The ensemble cast is good apart and great together, and chances are that you will see much of yourself and your cohorts in this coterie of characters. —C.S.

Where to watch The Last Summer: Netflix

Director: William Bindley

Cast: K.J. Apa, Maia Mitchell, Jacob Latimore, Halston Sage, Sosie Bacon, Wolfgang Novogratz, Tyler Posey

Love & Gelato (2022)

Dating is the last thing on our protagonist’s mind at the beginning of Love & Gelato; this American student (Susanna Skaggs) simply wants to keep her head down and prepare for college. However, her dead mother’s last wish sends her on a trip to Rome, where she meets two hunks (Tobia De Angelis, Saul Nanni) who threaten to steal her heart. The love triangle is certainly compelling, but what fuels this film adaptation is our main character’s quest to learn who her father (and therefore, who she) really is. —C.S.

Where to watch Love & Gelato: Netflix

Director: Brandon Camp

Cast: Susanna Skaggs, Tobia De Angelis, Owen McDonnell, Saul Nanni

Love at First Sight (2023)

People can endlessly debate whether love at first sight exists, but this film asks what would happen if two teens (Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy) fell head over heels on a plane and then lost touch immediately afterward. The answer is simple: They move heaven and earth to find one another again. Everything about the plot is saccharine-sweet, of course, but there is something strangely motivational about watching these love birds refuse to let life get in the way of their inevitably sappy reunion. —C.S.  

Where to watch Love at First Sight: Netflix

Director: Vanessa Caswill

Cast: Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips, Dexter Fletcher

Metal Lords (2022)

First and foremost, this is a film about two social outcasts (Adrian Greensmith and Jaeden Martell) who want nothing more than to earn respect by winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands. But when a girl (Isis Hainsworth) enters the picture, it’s an open question as to whether she’ll complete this rock ensemble or tear it apart. This R-rated comedy is filled with raucous laughs and rocking jams, and it’s a cut above your standard teenybopper romantic films. —C.S.

Where to watch Metal Lords: Netflix

Director: Peter Sollett

Cast: Jaeden Martell, Isis Hainsworth, Adrian Greensmith, Brett Gelman, Noah Urrea, Joe Manganiello

No Hard Feelings (2023)

No Hard Feelings is an R-rated teen romance, but behind the hilarious raunchiness is a touching story about growing pains and pangs of heartache. The plot involves a woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who is hired to help the son (Andrew Barth Feldman) of a rich couple come out of his shell by dating him before he heads off to college. The laughs are rich and the softer bits are smooth, and according to EW’s critic, Lawrence is the movie’s real appeal, calling her a “chaotic temptress” who “attacks the role with gusto.” —C.S.

Where to watch No Hard Feelings: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gene Stupnitsky

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales, Matthew Broderick

The Notebook (2004)

Based on Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling romance novel, The Notebook is a period drama on a personal mission to make you cry. Allie (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling) meet as young people in the 1940s and fall in love. The audience learns the story of how their relationship unfolds from Duke (James Garner), an older man who relays the tale in the present to a nursing home resident (Gena Rowlands).

Set before, during, and after World War II, The Notebook is a story about the life circumstances that pull people in relationships apart — and the choices that push them back together. A period romance led by actors whose chemistry sizzles regardless what decade they’re in, you don’t have to be going through a breakup to enjoy The Notebook, but it certainly doesn’t hurt. —I.G.

Where to watch The Notebook: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Nick Cassavetes

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, Gena Rowlands, James Marsden, Kevin Connolly, Sam Shepard, Joan Allen

The Prom (2020)

Thanks to director Ryan Murphy, The Prom has a very specific audience in mind, and if you sang along to every episode of Glee, you might be a part of it. This film is about a school dance that’s canceled after one girl (Jo Ellen Pellman) wants to take another girl (Ariana DeBose) as her date. Soon enough, washed-out Broadway stars (including Meryl Streep and James Corden) head to this sleepy town to save the prom (and maybe save their careers, too).

Though undeniably cheesy, EW's writer still notes how “the songs have charm” and “the cast is undeniably talented.” —C.S.

Where to watch The Prom: Netflix

Director: Ryan Murphy

Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Nicole Kidman, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells

Royalteen (2022)

Royalteen will particularly resonate with fans who voraciously consume The Crown and royal news cycles. That’s because the plot focuses on the blooming romance between a party boy prince (Mathias Storhøi) and a gossip blogger (Ines Høysæter Asserson) who should know better than falling for the future king. The film has a sort of voyeuristic appeal for those who have dreamed of bumping more than shoulders with a charming monarch, and the R-rating makes it a little raunchy too. —C.S.

Where to watch Royalteen: Netflix

Directors: Per-Olav Sørensen, Emilie Beck

Cast: Ines Høysæter Asserson, Mathias Storhøi, Elli Rhiannon Muller Osborne

See You on Venus (2023)

See You on Venus may seem cookie-cutter at first; if you’ve seen one movie of broken young people (Virginia Gardner and Alex Aiono) falling in love while trying to heal, it may feel like you’ve seen them all. But this film is more substantial than most because it emphasizes the need for the couple to focus on their own trauma rather than relying on someone else to fix them. The beautiful Spanish setting also helps sell the film’s narrative; after all, who wouldn’t fall in love when the views are even more stunning than your traveling partner? —C.S.

Where to watch See You on Venus: Netflix

Director: Joaquín Llamas

Cast: Virginia Gardner, Alex Aiono, Rob Estes

Sierra Burgess Is a Loser (2018)

A high school rom-com based on the 19th-century French play Cyrano de Bergerac, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser is a modern love story in the style of literary adaptations like Clueless or 10 Things I Hate About You. Sierra Burgess (Stranger Things’ Shannon Purser) is an average looking American kid, which in rom-com land, makes her worthy of ridicule. Unlike other high school movie protagonists, however, Sierra isn’t looking for a glow-up or an invitation to the popular crowd. But when she lands herself in the middle of a romantic mix-up, Sierra finds herself pretending to be someone else for the first time in her life.

The film might not break genre conventions, but EW’s reviewer writes that “Purser is refreshingly relatable, and Peter Kavinksy-obsessed fans will love getting [Noah] Centineo as another jock with a heart of gold.” —I.G.

Where to watch Sierra Burgess Is a Loser: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Ian Samuels

Cast: Shannon Purser, Kristine Froseth, RJ Cyler, Noah Centineo

Tall Girl (2019)

Tall Girl predictably focuses on a teen (Ava Michelle) whose insecurities about being more than 6 feet in height are magnified when she falls for a cute foreign exchange student (Luke Eisner). What follows is a portrait of high school as a powder keg full of beaus, bullies, and bohemians that could explode into drama at a moment’s notice. Beneath the by-the-numbers romance plot is a heartwarming message about embracing who you are and not letting the people you tower over look down on you. —C.S.

Where to watch Tall Girl: Netflix

Director: Nzingha Stewart

Cast: Ava Michelle, Griffin Gluck, Sabrina Carpenter, Paris Berelc

Through My Window (2022)

Through My Window concerns a shy girl (Clara Galle) who creepily spies on a wealthy heir next door through, you guessed it, her window. Now, she must shore up the courage to tell him how she feels while also hyping herself up to share her writing talents with the world. Cheesy? Yes. Heartwarming? You bet! —C.S.

Where to watch Through My Window: Netflix

Director: Marçal Forés

Cast: Julio Peña, Clara Galle, Pilar Castro

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before has a nightmare premise: A young teen (Lana Condor) writes intense love letters to five boys she fancies (including Noah Centineo) but never sends them. That changes when her little sister (Anna Cathcart) mails each confession and unleashes chaos as each crush confronts her about their unrequited love. Even with its fluffy plot, the film still has much to say about dating, friendship, and the line between them.

EW’s critic admits this is “strictly Disney Channel stuff, but it’s got more substance than you expect. And Condor as Lara Jean has a winning, be-true-to-yourself sense of independence that’s infectious.” —C.S.

Where to watch To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Susan Johnson

Cast: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Anna Cathcart

You Get Me (2017)

The line between love and obsession is paper-thin. Here, we follow a boy (Taylor John Smith) who has a bad breakup with his significant other (Halston Sage) and ends up hooking up with a new girl (Bella Thorne). When he and his ex patch things up, though, he discovers that his one-time fling will do anything to keep him in her life. You Get Me is a roller coaster with many twists and turns, and you’ll soon understand why the boy desperately wants off this ride. —C.S.

Where to watch You Get Me: Netflix

Director: Brent Bonacorso

Cast: Bella Thorne, Halston Sage, Taylor John Smith, Anna Akana, Nash Grier

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

Producing and starring in this full-blooded Sandler soirée, Adam steps aside for his daughter Sunny to shine in her debut starring role as Stacy Friedman: a seventh grader experiencing a world of firsts — from trading Converses for heels to planning the ultimate bat mitzvah, complete with a private yacht on the Hudson River and Olivia Rodrigo cruising by on a jet-ski. However, when Stacy's parents (Sandler and Idina Menzel) disapprove of her grand plans, and her BFF Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) defects to the middle school's popular clique — dating Stacy's longtime crush (Dylan Hoffman) in the process — the soon-to-be woman won't let anything prevent her from hosting a "kick-ass party."

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah presents a charming yet cringe-worthy peek into pre-teen shenanigans through fierce Gen-Z wit while also providing insights on Jewish culture. Not to mention, the praiseworthy performances of Sandler's daughters prove how, sometimes, nepotism works wonders. —James Mercadante

Where to watch You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah: Netflix

Director: Sammi Cohen

Cast: Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Adam Sandler, Sadie Sandler, Sunny Sandler