44 Date Night Movies for the Perfect Evening at Home
There’s nothing better than getting comfy, snuggling with your partner, and unwinding with a good film. But with all the choices available, finding date night movies that you’re both in the mood for turns into hours of scrolling Netflix, reading reviews, watching trailers, and vetoing each other’s suggestions. By the end of it, you’re too exasperated to watch anything.
You might think that “Netflix and chill” doesn’t constitute a proper date, but watching a movie together can be the perfect way to relax and start a conversation. A study published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships found that couples who watch movies together experience a deeper connection, thanks to a shared interest in the characters and plots.
So, we finally have the answer to “what shall we watch tonight?”. Below are 44 of the best date night movies to suit every mood or preference. We can’t guarantee you’ll like all these suggestions, but there should be something for everyone. And before you ask, yes, we included The Notebook — how could we not?
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44 date night movie ideas
Lars and the Real Girl (2007). Speaking of Ryan Gosling — this is a truly endearing story of Lars, a shy, somewhat socially inept young man from a small town in Wisconsin who starts a romantic relationship with a sex doll. Despite thinking he’s a bit delusional, all the townspeople get behind him and treat Bianca, his girlfriend, as if she were a real person.
Speed (1994). Starring America’s (and Canada’s) sweethearts Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, this is an action thriller about a cop who tries to rescue civilians on a moving city bus rigged to explode. Fun fact: Bullock and Reeves admitted to developing a real-life crush while shooting this movie.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012). If you’re in the mood for something fun and quirky, you can’t go wrong with a Wes Anderson film. Set in 1965 on a whimsical (fictional) New England island, it follows two twelve-year-olds pen pals who fall in love and decide to run away together. All the islanders band together to try and find them before a big storm hits.
The Big Short (2015). Ok, so a comedy about the 2008 financial crisis might not be the most romantic, but it will still make for an entertaining evening. Featuring a star-studded cast (Steve Carrell, Ryan Gosling, Christian Bale), this movie explains how the housing bubble burst, with witty humor and scathingly funny dialogue.
Chef (2014). Jean Favreau plays Carl, an L.A. chef who quits his high-prestige job in a swanky restaurant. Feeling like he’s lost his culinary flair, he moves back to Miami with his estranged family to start a food truck. Caution: don’t watch this movie on an empty stomach because it will make you crave a Cuban sandwich.
Amélie (2001). A story about a young Parisian waitress (Audrey Tatou) who lives in a fanciful world of her own making. Amélie decides to help the people around her by changing their lives for the better while dealing with her own isolation.
The Notebook (2004). You can't go wrong with a story about star-crossed lovers. Noah, a young man from humble origins, falls in love with Allie, a wealthy girl who’s in town for the summer. What started as summer puppy love turns into a lifelong romance.
Forrest Gump (1994). No matter how many times you’ve watched this feel-good classic, it always makes for great viewing. And deep down, Forrest Gump is just the story of a young man trying to reunite with his childhood sweetheart, Jenny. Watch with a box of chocolates.
Life is Beautiful (1997). In 1930s Italy, Guido, a carefree Jewish waiter, falls in love with Dora, winning her over with his charm and humor. Their happiness is derailed when Guido and their son Giosue are taken to a concentration camp, and to shield Giosue from the horrors of the camp, Guido convinces him they’re merely playing a game. Get ready to laugh, cry, and say “buongiorno, principessa!” for a week straight.
Pride & Prejudice (2005). The movie adaptation of this Jane Austen classic is a must-watch for everyone. Witness the feisty and independent Elizabeth Bennet and brooding, proud Mr. Darcy reluctantly fall in love. If for nothing else, watch this movie to see Tom from Succession utter the words “You have bewitched me, body and soul. I love you, I love you, I love you.”
Good Will Hunting (1997). A touching tale of an M.I.T. professor (Robin Williams) who helps a wayward janitor and secret genius (Matt Damon) discover his potential and find his way in life.
About Time (2013). When he turns 21, Tim discovers he can travel back in time and change the events of his own life. He uses this gift to go back in time and find a girlfriend, but things don’t go exactly as planned. From the same writer and director who brought us Love Actually, expect plenty of meet-cutes and witty British humor.
Southside With You (2016). Based on the true story of how Barack Obama met his future wife, Michelle, the movie follows two young lawyers in 1980s Chicago who decide to go on a first date. And, well, the rest is history!
Bend it Like Beckham (2002). This cult classic is the story of two teenage girls from different backgrounds who, despite their parent’s wishes, have a dream of becoming professional soccer players. This film is a great compromise if one of you loves sports movies and the other loved comedies.
The Lovebirds (2020). Issa Rae’s humor, Kumail Nanjiani’s charm, and an unintentional murder mystery. What more could you want?
Two Weeks Notice (2002). Lucy (Sandra Bullock) is a hard-working environmental lawyer who lands a job as chief counsel for a millionaire real estate developer and lothario, George (Hugh Grant). Tired of being treated like his babysitter, she hands in her resignation only to later find out that — you guessed it — they were madly in love with each other.
The Gentlemen (2019). Guy Ritchie made sure this movie had something for everyone: a marijuana empire, bribery, blackmail, and Charlie Hunnam in a shawl collar cardigan.
The Imitation Game (2014). Based on the real story of British cryptanalyst Alan Turing, the film chronicles how he and a team of mathematicians try to decode Nazi codes and end the war. The movie is also a stark reminder of the persecution of the gay community at the time.
The Favourite (2018). This is the movie that won Olivia Colman her first Oscar, and for good reason. A new servant (Emma Stone) wins over Queen Anne’s affection and upsets the status quo. It’s a raunchy and hilarious look at the debauchery of the 18th-century monarch’s court.
Eighth Grade (2018). Written and directed by Bo Burnham, who supplied the internet with endless viral TikTok songs from his Netflix special Inside, this is quite possibly one of the most heart-wrenching coming-of-age stories of all time.
Scream (1996). Do you like scary movies? If you read that question in the right creepy voice, you’ve probably already watched Scream, but it doesn’t mean you can’t snuggle up for a rewatch with your partner. Just don’t forget to unplug that phone!
Whip It (2009). Elliot Page and Drew Barrymore head up the cast of this action-packed romp about escaping from a mundane, miserable life by joining a roller derby team and running —no, rolling — rings around the competition.
Death at a Funeral (2007). This comedy completely makes you forget about mourning with its hilarious twists and turns. If you enjoy this British gem, seek out the American remake starring Chris Rock, Regina Hall, and Luke Wilson.
The Theory of Everything (2014). This is a real-life love story about how world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking met his enchanting wife and lifelong friend, Jane Hawking. Get the tissues ready.
Lady Bird (2017). This movie tells the story of a strong-willed, deeply opinionated high school senior and her strained relationship with her mom, who’s just trying to keep her family afloat after her husband loses his job.
Boomerang (1992). Not only does this slick ‘90s rom-com feature a stellar cast including Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, Eartha Kitt, and Grace Jones — but it also spawned the record-breaking R&B smash “End of the Road” by boy band forefathers Boyz II Men.
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011). A group of British pensioners decides to spend their retirement at what they thought was a luxurious Indian resort, only to find that the Marigold has become a shell of its former self. Nevertheless, they find new life (and love) with the help of the hotel’s host, Sonny. You’ll end the movie with a new life motto: everything will be alright in the end, so if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.
Moonlight (2016). This Oscar-winning coming-of-age movie will tug at your heartstrings like no other with its themes of self-discovery and painful relationships, but we guarantee you’ll love it to the moon and back.
Set It Off (1996). Who doesn’t love a heist movie? This 1996 box office smash stole the show as well as the money with its all-female lead cast consisting of Jada Pinkett-Smith, Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, and Kimberly Elise. This is a date night winner — you can bank on it.
Calendar Girls (2003). A group of small-town, middle-aged women decides to pose for a nude calendar to raise funds for cancer research after their friend’s husband passes away from leukemia. Despite the townspeople's shock and disapproval, they soon become an international sensation.
Obvious Child (2014). Jenny Slate plays Donna, a newly unemployed stand-up comedian whose drunken one-nigh-stand results in an unplanned pregnancy and consequent abortion. It’s a charming story about navigating the murky waters of adulthood, breakups, and love.
Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011). After Cal’s wife Emily asks for a divorce, he tries to pick up the pieces of his life with the help of his new friend Jacob, a suave playboy with a secret heart of gold (and abs that look photoshopped).
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004). After a painful breakup, Clementine (Kate Winslet) and Joel (Jim Carrey) undergo a procedure to erase all memories of each other, and their relationship, from their minds. It’s a story about love, loss, and the intricacies of romantic relationships.
Good Time (2017). Robert Pattinson plays a bank robber who will stop at nothing to free his younger brother from prison. After a failed bank robbery, he embarks on a twisted, nightlong odyssey through New York’s seedy criminal underbelly.
Parasite (2019). This box office hit is part social commentary, part thriller. It’s the story of greed, class discrimination, and the relationship between the working-class Kim clan and the wealthy Park family
Candyman (1992). While writing a thesis on urban folklore and superstitions in the Chicago projects, a graduate student named Helen comes to learn the urban legend of the knife-wielding Candyman is all too real.
A Tea With a Mussolini (1999). After the death of his mother, Luca is sent to live with an elderly, sheltered British ex-pat and her group of eccentric friends. The women (Maggie Smith, Joan Plowright, Lily Tomlin, Judi Dench, and Cher) become his surrogate mothers, raising Luca in 1930s fascist Italy.
When Harry Met Sally… (1989). It’s a classic story of (reluctant) friends-turned-lovers, a tale as old as time. Enjoy Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in their prime, featuring *that* scene in Katz’s Deli. We’ll have what she’s having.
The Lost City (2022). Loretta is a reclusive romance author who gets kidnapped by an obsessed and peculiar billionaire while promoting her latest novel. Her strapping, albeit slightly dumb, cover model Alan is determined to prove he can be a real-life hero and sets off to save her life.
Romancing the Stone (1984). If you liked The Lost City and want to see the original movie it was inspired by, this is it. A mousy romance author flies to Colombia to save her kidnapped sister, finding herself amid a dangerous adventure.
Drive (2011). Yes, another Ryan Gosling movie. Although Drive is about a stuntman who moonlights as a getaway car driver for criminals, we like to think of it more as the tale of a man who will do anything to protect the girl he loves and her son.
Get Out (2017). Meeting the parents is a relationship milestone for everyone, but for Chris, it turned out to be a lot more sinister than having overbearing in-laws. This is definitely one for horror fans. Plus, all the jump scares in the film are an excuse to hold each other tight.
Oldboy (2003). If you thought we weren’t going to include some South Korean neo-noir action thriller, think again. This is a loose adaptation of the Japanese manga of the same name and follows the story of a man who, after being imprisoned for 15 years, still finds himself trapped in a web of conspiracy and violence.
Titanic (1997). This movie needs no introduction, and no date night movie list would be complete without the romance movie to end all romance movies.
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