- Netflix is known for its original romantic films, but some may be more worth your time than others.
- “Naked” and “MILF” are some of Netflix’s lowest-rated original films.
- “Catching Feelings” and “The Half of It” are the highest-rated films, with scores of 100% and 97%, respectively.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Netflix is known for its original content, especially its romantic films.
From “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” to “Always Be My Maybe,” the streaming service has come out with a number of films that are worth watching – and a few others that perhaps aren’t.
Here are some of Netflix’s original romantic films, ranked according to critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Note: All scores were current on the date of publication and are subject to change. Films without critical ratings were not included. Some films had a small limited theatrical release prior to being released on Netflix, but were distributed by Netflix, so we’re including them here.
Shelby Slauer contributed to an earlier version of this article.
"Naked" (2017) — 0%
Critic score: 0%
"Naked" is about a man (Marlon Wayans) who's going to marry his dream girl (Regina Hall), but every time he tries to get to the altar he finds himself waking up naked in his hotel elevator forced to relive the morning of his wedding day over and over again.
"Let's place the blame where it squarely belongs: on the moronic premise. Groundhog Day but he's naked? Why?" wrote Mike D'Angelo for AV Club.
"MILF" (2020) — 14%
Critic score: 14%
In "MILF," best friends Sonia (Marie-Josée Croze), Cécile (Virginie Ledoyen), and Elise (Axelle Laffont) travel to the South of France. As single women approaching their 40s, the friends find younger men to seduce while they're away.
Ronak Kotecha wrote for The Times of India, "'MILF' starts off as a seductively amusing film, but with a mediocre script, it soon ends up being bland and offensive that's neither sexy nor funny."
"Desperados" (2020) — 15%
Critic score: 15%
"Desperados" follows Wesley (Nasim Pedrad) and her two best friends (Anna Camp and Sarah Burns) as they fly to Mexico to delete a strongly worded email she accidentally sent to her new boyfriend. Along the way, they run into Wesley's ex-boyfriend Sean (Lamorne Morris) who gets swept into their dramatic mission.
"Any funny film should also be relatable and have true stakes - this Netflix release failed to do either ... " wrote Janaya Greene for the Chicago Reader.
"The Kissing Booth" (2018) — 17%
Critic score: 17%
"The Kissing Booth" tells the story of Elle Evans (Joey King), a high-school student who hasn't had her first kiss yet. She sets up a kissing booth at her high school's spring carnival to raise money for her dance club and ends up kissing the boy of her dreams (Jacob Elordi).
The only problem is he's her best friend's older brother, and therefore completely off-limits.
Ani Bundel from NBC News THINK wrote, "It feels like it was written by someone who simply digested everything she was told 'romance' was supposed to be by the patriarchy and vomited back at us. Nearly every cliché in the film feels cribbed from another movie."
"The Last Summer" (2019) — 17%
Critic score: 17%
"The Last Summer" follows the interweaving stories of a group of recent high-school grads throughout their last summer before college.
Griffin (KJ Apa) and Phoebe (Maia Mitchell) sit at the center of the story as they navigate a budding romance alongside family problems.
Molly Freeman from ScreenRant wrote, "Netflix's 'The Last Summer' is a hodgepodge of better teen movies, failing to say anything new or poignant about the transitionary period to adulthood."
"The Kissing Booth 2" (2020) — 29%
Critic score: 29%
"The Kissing Booth 2" picks up right where the first movie left off, as Elle (Joey King) continues to navigate her relationships with her long-distance boyfriend, Noah (Jacob Elordi), and her best friend, Lee (Joel Courtney).
However, new people in both Elle and Noah's lives test the strength of their relationship.
"Director Vince Marcello leans heavily on montage to get us through this deluge of invented drama which, mercilessly, unspools over more than two hours," wrote Natalia Winkelman for The New York Times.
"Love Wedding Repeat" (2020) — 32%
Critic score: 32%
"Love Wedding Repeat" proves to every bride-to-be just how important a well-thought-out seating chart is at a wedding.
Jack (Sam Claflin) tries to ensure his little sister's (Eleanor Tomlinson) wedding day is perfect as a non-linear narrative follows several alternate versions of the day's festivities. Despite his attempts, crazy exes, scandals, and lost loves find a way to put a damper on the celebration depending on where the bride's friends sit for dinner.
"At least the Italian scenery and the stranded actors look good. Just don't mistake this charmless, mirthless and shameless ripoff of 'Four Wedding and a Funeral' and 'Groundhog Day' for a comedy with actual laughs," wrote Peter Travers for Rolling Stone.
"Irreplaceable You" (2018) — 32%
Critic score: 32%
"Irreplaceable You" tells the story of childhood sweethearts Abbie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Michiel Huisman), who are now engaged to be married. Their lives take a turn when Abbie receives a shocking diagnosis and is suddenly faced with an uncertain timeline.
"A half-baked tragic love story so desperately engineered to tear-jerk that it ceases to resemble anything human," wrote Emily Yoshida for Vulture.
"The Holiday Calendar" (2018) — 33%
Critic score: 33%
"The Holiday Calendar," follows Abby (Kat Graham) who is stuck in a boring job until a childhood friend (Quincy Brown) returns home and persuades her to seek out a more fulfilling career in photography.
For Christmas, she receives a gift from her grandfather that could fix everything - an antique advent calendar that might be able to predict the future.
Lea Palmieri from Decider wrote, "This movie is like a sugar cookie: you know exactly what you're getting, and it has all the right ingredients (love, magic, presents), but it would've been even better with a little frosting on top, is all."
"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby" (2019) — 33%
Critic score: 33%
"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby," is the third story in the film series.
It's Christmas again in the kingdom, and this year Amber (Rose McIver) is pregnant with the next royal child. Before she and Richard (Ben Lamb) can take their paternity leave, they must restore the harmony of the 600-year-old treaty between Aldovia and Penglia.
Helen T. Verongos from The New York Times wrote, "Although it offers a dungeon, a curse and a shocking theft, this flat, anodyne movie is unlikely to join the pantheon of holiday classics, so keep a rein on your expectations and accept that you'll need something more to salvage the evening."
"The Wrong Missy" (2020) — 34%
Critic score: 34%
In "The Wrong Missy," Tim Morris (David Spade) thinks he is texting the girl of his dreams and invites her to his company's corporate retreat in Hawaii. However, when a particularly terrible past blind date (Lauren Lapkus) shows up to the airport instead, he realizes he was texting the wrong number.
"It's almost a shame that the film overall isn't better and that David Spade doesn't give half the effort of his co-star - Lapkus is just good enough to show how this movie could have worked," Brian Tallerico wrote for RogerEbert.com.
"Holiday in the Wild" (2019) — 38%
Critic score: 38%
"Holiday in the Wild," also known as "Christmas in the Wild," follows recent empty nester Kate Conrad (Kristin Davis) on what was supposed to be her "second honeymoon" before her husband suddenly ends their relationship. She decides to go on the African safari on her own, where she meets Derek Holliston (Rob Lowe).
They nurse an orphaned elephant back to life, and Kate starts to fall in love with both Africa and Derek.
"It's cheesy, it's stupid, but it's also really quite charming," wrote Stuart Heritage for The Guardian.
"#RealityHigh" (2017) — 40%
Critic score: 40%
In "#RealityHigh," stylized as "#REALITYHIGH," hardworking high schooler Dani (Nesta Cooper) has her heart set on attending UC Davis for veterinary school, but her whole life gets turned upside down when her longtime crush (Keith Powers) starts to notice her.
Things get even more complicated when his social-media-celebrity ex (Alicia Sanz) starts getting in their way.
Roger Moore wrote for Movie Nation, "Topically tart but cruel, derivative and depressingly adult for a teen comedy."
"When We First Met" (2018) — 43%
Critic score: 43%
"When We First Met" tells the story of Noah (Adam DeVine), who has the perfect night with his dream girl, Avery (Alexandra Daddario), until he's "friend-zoned" by her. Three years later, he gets the chance to travel back in time and try to make things right, over and over again.
"It'll take you roughly five minutes to realize that Noah is going about things the wrong way; it'll take him more than 90," wrote David Ehrlich for IndieWire.
"Christmas Inheritance" (2017) — 43%
Critic score: 43%
"Christmas Inheritance" is about a woman (Eliza Taylor) who must deliver a card to a family friend in order to receive her inheritance, but she gets caught in an inn during a snowstorm where she learns the true meaning of Christmas.
"Unlike 'A Christmas Prince,' my favorite movie of 2017, it seems to have a self-satisfied earnestness that makes you want to sit it down and go, 'Hey 'Christmas Inheritance.' What exactly do you think you're doing here?'" wrote Dana Schwartz for Entertainment Weekly.
"Ready to Mingle" (2019) — 44%
Critic score: 44%
Netflix Mexico's "Ready to Mingle" (also known as "Bachelorettes" and "Solteras"), follows Ana (Cassandra Ciangherotti) as she joins a class for single women after a nasty breakup with her long-term boyfriend. The goal of the class is to help the women find husbands, but in the end, Ana finds herself.
Brenden Gallagher from The Daily Dot wrote, "Ready to Mingle pulls off the admirable feat of making a marriage rom-com for a generation that isn't so sure about marriage, and it remains just as skeptical as we do."
"Tall Girl" (2019) — 44%
Critic score: 44%
"Tall Girl," tells the story of Jodi (Ava Michelle), the tallest girl in school. After she meets an exchange student (Luke Eisner), who is even taller than her, she's suddenly thrown into the woes of a high-school love triangle.
Through all the drama, Jodi learns how to deal with her insecurities.
Caroline Siede from AV Club wrote, "From a one-note mean girl stereotype to a complete disinterest in how social media shapes the lives of teens, Sam Wolfson's lackluster script fails to bring anything new or timely to the teen rom-com table."
"Feel the Beat" (2020) — 47%
Critic score: 47%
In "Feel the Beat," when Broadway chorus girl April (Sofia Carson) is publically humiliated in a viral video, she leaves New York City and flees to her small hometown in Wisconsin.
While she's home, April is motivated to coach her struggling childhood dance studio through a nationwide competition so she can get another shot at fame. But along the way, the people in the town, especially the dancers and her ex-boyfriend Nick (Wolfgang Novogratz), unfreeze her stone-cold big-city heart.
Lyndon Barber wrote for Limelight, "I laughed at the comedy, warmed to newcomer Sofia Carson in the lead role, and loved the dance sequences. The sentimental ending? Not so much, but then I'm not in the target audience."
"Live Twice, Love Once" (2020) — 50%
Critic score: 50%
Originally released on Netflix Spain in 2019, "Live Twice, Love Once" (also called "Vivir Dos Veces"), tells the story of Emilio (Oscar Martínez), who is trying to reconnect to the love of his younger life. His daughter and granddaughter accompany him on this journey as they race against time for true love.
"It's earnest, well-meaning, entirely watchable and utterly forgettable," wrote John Serba for Decider.
"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding" (2018) — 50%
Critic score: 50%
"A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding," follows Amber (McIver) and Richard (Lamb) as they prepare for their royal wedding.
However, Amber begins to question whether she's ready to become a queen as Richard deals with a political crisis that threatens his kingdom.
Libby Torres wrote for The Daily Beast, "It's cheesy, it's cringey, but most importantly, it's harmless and worth a watch if you're in the mood for some mindless holiday cheer."
"Sierra Burgess Is a Loser" (2018) — 61%
Critic score: 61%
"Sierra Burgess Is a Loser" is about an unpopular high-school student (Shannon Purser) who gets caught up in an unexpected romance when her crush (Noah Centineo) thinks she's someone else. She must then team up with the most popular girl in school to win him over.
Despite audiences' numerous problems with the film, many critics rated it highly.
Kate Walsh from Los Angeles Times wrote, "The smart script and butterfly-inducing romance captures those sweet moments of falling in love - whether it's with your crush, or even better, with a friend."
"I Love You, Stupid" (2020) — 63%
Critic score: 63%
"I Love You, Stupid" (originally "Te Quiero, Imbécil") centers on Marcos (Quim Gutiérrez) who gets dumped by his longtime girlfriend while proposing to her. Soon after, he loses his job and is forced to move back home with his parents.
While he's home, Marcos takes advice from an online guru (Ernesto Alterio) and a childhood friend (Natalia Tena) and tries to reinvent himself.
Rich Cline wrote for Shadows on the Walls, "While the romcom plot feels familiar, the script drops knowing observations into each scene, touching on some deeper themes along that make the characters easy to identify with."
"Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga" (2020) — 64%
Critic score: 64%
In "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga," after a tragic accident kills the other Icelandic contestants, goofy musical duo Fire Saga made up of childhood friends Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest.
The film was filled with ridiculous plot points, but many critics still found it entertaining.
"How do you out-silly, out-camp and out-kitsch the Eurovision Song Contest? Well, obviously you don't, but a good place to start is with Will Ferrell in a succession of terrifying Lycra jumpsuits, some truly preposterous narrative diversions," Kevin Maher wrote for The Times.
"Unicorn Store" (2019) — 64%
Critic score: 64%
In "Unicorn Store," Kit (Brie Larson) is forced to move back in with her parents after getting kicked out of art school. Set in her ways of never wanting to grow up, she meets a mysterious man (Samuel L. Jackson) who grants her greatest wish by letting her adopt a unicorn.
"Unicorn Store is weird and funny, sweet and fearless, and it's another opportunity to see a fine young actress at work," wrote Linda Holmes for NPR.
"Falling Inn Love" (2019) — 65%
Critic score: 65%
"Falling Inn Love" follows Gabriela Diaz (Christina Milian) after her design firm goes under in the midst of her breakup.
While drowning her sorrows, Diaz enters and wins a contest for an inn in New Zealand. Once she gets there though, it's clear that the project is going to take more work than she thought.
With the help of her neighbor, a local contractor, she fixes up the inn and her broken heart.
"'Falling Inn Love' keeps its promise warmly, but without the least pretense of sophistication," wrote Helen T. Verongos for The New York Times.
"The Perfect Date" (2019) — 65%
Critic score: 65%
"The Perfect Date" follows Brooks Rattigan (Noah Centineo) as he runs an app that allows him to be a fill-in partner for any person who needs a date so he can save up money to attend college.
The film also stars Laura Marano and Camila Mendes.
Constance Grady from Variety wrote, "It's a perfectly middle-of-the-road teen flick, and it is notable mostly because it gives [Noah] Centineo plenty of opportunities to do what he does best: gaze longingly at girls."
"The Lovebirds" (2020) — 65%
Critic score: 65%
In "The Lovebirds," struggling couple Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae) get wrapped up in an elaborate murder investigation on their way to a dinner party. While they are trying to clear their names, their lives and their relationship are put to the ultimate test.
"The way 'The Lovebirds' executes this old template is largely unremarkable, so the fact that it works anyway is a testament to its leads' star power," wrote Sam Adams for Slate.
"All the Bright Places" (2020) — 66%
Critic score: 66%
Based on the young-adult novel by Jennifer Niven, "All the Bright Places" centers on Violet (Elle Fanning) and Theodore (Justice Smith) as they meet and try to deal with the trials and scars of mental illness, past struggles, and complicated love.
Beandrea July wrote for The Hollywood Reporter, "A refreshingly sober spin on YA romance."
"Ibiza" (2018) — 67%
Critic score: 67%
"Ibiza" tells the story of Harper (Gillian Jacobs), whose two best friends accompany her on her work trip to Barcelona - but the group tricks her into flying to Ibiza instead so Harper can pursue a DJ (Richard Madden) she's fallen for.
"This hangout flick doesn't just embrace gross-out girl comedy cliches, it sticks Jacobs in the air roof of a limousine screaming, 'Whooo! I am a total cliché right now and I don't f---ing care!'" wrote Amy Nicholson for Variety.
"The Knight Before Christmas" (2019) — 70%
Critic score: 70%
"The Knight Before Christmas" follows small-town science teacher Brooke (Vanessa Hudgens) as she helps a time-traveling, medieval knight (Josh Whitehouse) fulfill his quest are return home. However, as they spend more time together, Sir Cole starts to wonder if he really wants to go back.
"Because of its endearing and hopeful message, 'The Knight Before Christmas' makes a worthy addition to Netflix's catalog of Christmas originals-and it's a strong seasonal watch," Tess Cagle wrote for The Daily Dot.
"Nappily Ever After" (2018) — 71%
Critic score: 71%
"Nappily Ever After," tells the story of Violet (Sanaa Lathan) as her life unravels one string at a time leaving her alone - and bald. Violet must learn to love herself in order to regrow from the ashes of her life.
Robyn Bahr from The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Bildungsroman disguised as rom-com, the refreshing script much more concerned with its heroine's emotional arc and personal growth than her ultimate relationship status."
"A Christmas Prince" (2017) — 73%
Critic score: 73%
"A Christmas Prince" tells the story of a New-York journalist (McIver) who goes to Europe to report on a prince (Lamb) who's about to be crowned king of his country.
"It's everything you want a holiday film to be: cheesy, hopeful, a little bit ridiculous, and overall as warm and toasty as the fireplace you're watching it next to," wrote Lea Palmieri for Decider.
"To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You" (2020) — 75%
Critic score: 75%
"To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You" is the second film in the Netflix series based on the books by Jenny Han.
Lara Jean (Lana Condor) and Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo) are trying to figure out how to be a real couple in the wake of their fake relationship when the final recipient of Lara Jean's letters, John Ambrose McClaren (Jordan Fisher), returns to her life and makes things even more complicated.
"'To All the Boys: PS I Still Love You' doesn't quite match its predecessor for heart fizzing romance... but it's just as entertaining and charming anchored by a supremely likable central performance from Condor," wrote Ann Lee for The Guardian.
"The Princess Switch" (2018) — 75%
Critic score: 75%
"The Princess Switch" stars Vanessa Hudgens, and follows Margaret, Duchess of Montenaro, who switches places with Stacy, a random girl from Chicago who happens to look exactly like her.
The two end up falling in love with people from each other's lives - one, a handsome co-worker, and the other, a prince.
Linda Holmes from NPR wrote, "Everyone in A Princess Switch does just fine: Hudgens has a lot of fun, particularly as Stacy (fake accent aside), Sagar and Palladio are charming in different ways, and they manage to bring the whole thing in for an appropriately silly ending."
"Alex Strangelove" (2018) — 80%
Critic score: 80%
"Alex Strangelove" is about a high-school senior (Daniel Doheny) and his journey of sexual exploration as he gets caught in a love triangle between his girlfriend, Claire (Madeline Weinstein), and a boy he meets from the other side of town named Elliott (Antonio Marziale).
"'Alex Strangelove' is witty, compassionate and enjoyable throughout; a charming movie and in many respects an enlightened one," wrote Glenn Kenny for The New York Times.
"I Am Not an Easy Man" (2018) — 80%
Critic score: 80%
"I Am Not an Easy Man," also known as "Je Ne Suis Pas Un Homme Facile," was originally released on French Netflix in 2018.
The story centers on shameless misogynist Damien (Vincent Elbaz), who wakes up one day to find that men and women have reversed roles in society.
In this new world, he finds himself constantly butting heads with author Alexandra Lamour (Marie-Sophie Ferdane).
"I laughed and laughed at this gender-reversal sex farce. This director knows where to stick her satiric knife," wrote Roger Moore for Movie Nation.
"Let It Snow" (2019) — 81%
Critic score: 81%
Based on the short stories by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson, "Let It Snow" follows the interweaving plots of a group of teenagers living in a small, Midwestern town.
They're forced to deal with friendship problems, stranded pop stars, an odd woman (Joan Cusack) in a tin-foil hat, and new love that all culminated in a Christmas Eve party at the local Waffle Town.
"A film as festive as it is familiar - and also surprisingly hard to resist," wrote Benjamin Lee from The Guardian.
"Someone Great" (2019) — 82%
Critic score: 82%
In "Someone Great," Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) gets an amazing opportunity at a famous magazine in San Francisco. The only problem is that her boyfriend (Lakeith Stanfield), who's staying in New York, breaks up with her because he doesn't want to go long-distance.
In order to cheer Jenny up, her best friends take her out for a wild final night in New York.
Leah Greenblatt from Entertainment Weekly wrote, "[Jennifer Kaytin] Robinson's big-screen debut feels like a newer breed of movie: the scrappy female-POV in which the love story at the center is as much about friendship or the face in the mirror as it is about any one man."
"Happy Anniversary" (2018) — 83%
Critic score: 83%
"Happy Anniversary" is about Sam (Ben Schwartz ) and Mollie (Noel Wells), who have been a couple for three years, and must decide whether they should stay together or not.
"It is a rare rom-com about what happens after the meet-cute and ensuing honeymoon phase, and it sincerely captures the restlessness that comes when external forces are putting pressure on your relationship," wrote Jade Budowski for Decider.
"Lady J" (2019) — 83%
Critic score: 83%
"Lady J," the French Netflix original rom-com originally titled "Mademoiselle de Joncquières," centers on Madame de La Pommeraye (Cécile de France), who seeks revenge on her longtime lover Marquis des Arcis (Édouard Baer) when he breaks up with her.
In order to make him pay for wasting her time, Madame de La Pommeraye enlists the help of two prostitutes, Madame de Joncquières (Natalia Dontcheva) and her daughter (Alice Isaaz).
Helen T. Verongos wrote for The New York Times, "[Emmanuel] Mouret manipulates our sympathies effortlessly as the story zigzags its way... to its ultimately surprising and quite satisfying resolution."
"Dumplin'" (2018) — 85%
Critic score: 85%
"Dumplin'" centers around a plus-sized teenager (Danielle Macdonald) who enters a local beauty pageant, and inspires other girls from the community to follow suit.
The pageant, run by her mother, is a long-standing tradition of the Texas town, and it struggles to cope as Dumplin' and the rest of the new contestants challenge the standards of beauty and womanhood it promotes.
As the pageant unfolds, Dumplin' finds herself struggling with the prospect of a new boyfriend (Luke Benward).
Stephanie Gilbert from The Atlantic wrote, "'Dumplin'' isn't a story that uses a skinny, conventionally pretty protagonist to pick apart a realm that rewards women exactly like her. It's more imaginative than that, open to the idea that beauty itself is more expansive and subjective."
"Work It" (2020) — 85%
Critic score: 85%
In "Work It," after high-school senior Quinn (Sabrina Carpenter) gets caught up in a lie during her college interview at her dream school, she's forced to start her own dance crew with her best friend Jasmine (Liza Koshy) and a ragtag group of classmates.
Along the way, she meets Jake (Fisher), an injured former dance legend, who becomes the team's choreographer and helps Quinn get out of her head.
Richard Roeper wrote for the Chicago Sun-Times, "There's little in the way of originality in 'Work It,' but there's a fresh, upbeat, infectious vibe to the silliness, thanks in large part to the talented and likable cast of young actors."
"The Incredible Jessica James" (2017) — 88%
Critic score: 88%
"The Incredible Jessica James," tells the story of a recently dumped playwright (Jessica Williams) who ends up bonding with a man who was also recently dumped (Chris O'Dowd).
Jade Budowski from Decider wrote, "The fresh, genuinely funny rom-com will make you feel a lot of things, and you'll undoubtedly emerge wishing that Williams was your best friend."
"Our Souls at Night" (2017) — 88%
Critic score: 88%
"Our Souls at Night" is based on the best-selling novel written by Kent Haruf.
It tells the story of Addie Moore (Jane Fonda), a longtime widower, who tries to establish a connection with her widowed neighbor (Robert Redford) to make the most of the rest of the time they have.
"Much of this is too hokey by half, yet the two leading actors, their skills unfaded, command your attention to the end," wrote Anthony Lane for The New Yorker.
"Always Be My Maybe" (2019) — 89%
Critic score: 89%
"Always Be My Maybe" follows Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), who grew up as best friends. They had a riff in their teenage years and lost touch only to be reunited years later when Sasha is on the rise as a celebrity chef and Marcus is trying to figure out his next move.
Peter Travers from Rolling Stone wrote, "An Asian-Asian romance is rare in Hollywood, making this romantic romp both irresistible and quietly revolutionary. No maybes about the dream team of Ali Wong and Randall Park, they're too good to miss."
"Ali's Wedding" (2017) — 92%
Critic score: 92%
"Ali's Wedding" is based on a true story, and paints a portrait of Islamic life in Australia when a Muslim cleric must decide between following his family or his heart.
"Walker's debut mines rapid-fire laughs and bountiful heart from a story of romantic misadventure set in train by a young man desperate to live up to his father's expectations," wrote Harry Windsor for The Hollywood Reporter.
"Set It Up" (2018) — 92%
Critic score: 92%
"Set It Up" follows Harper (Zoey Deutch) and Charlie (Glen Powell), two underpaid, overworked assistants who realize their lives might get better if they tried to set up their two bosses together.
"It's a feel-good throwback to '90s romantic comedies like 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'You've Got Mail' that left me warm and nostalgic for the simple pleasure of falling in love," wrote Monica Castillo for The Village Voice.
"Tramps" (2016) — 95%
Critic score: 95%
"Tramps" follows Danny (Callum Turner) and Ellie (Grace Van Patten) as they are thrust into a shady deal orchestrated by a New York hustler (Mike Birbiglia).
They're forced to run around the city to set the deal right, and the wilder the adventure gets, the closer they are drawn together.
David Rooney from The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "A small-scale work that owes its charm to the freshness, relaxed intimacy and unforced humor of its character interplay, and to the warm feel for the environments through which they move."
"To All The Boys I've Loved Before" (2018) — 96%
Critic score: 96%
"To All The Boys I've Loved Before" is based on a popular, young-adult novel by Jenny Han.
It tells the story of high schooler Lara Jean (Condor), whose life spirals out of control when every boy she's ever loved receives a letter she wrote each one of them that they were never meant to receive.
In order to throw off her most recent crush, she stars fake-dating Peter Kavinsky (Centineo).
"The film is precisely what it should be: pleasing and clever, comforting and fun and romantic," wrote Linda Holmes for NPR.
"The Half of It" (2020) — 97%
Critic score: 97%
"The Half of It" centers on Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), who tries to help a jock (Daniel Diemer) write a love letter to his crush (Alexxis Lemire) for some extra cash. But things get complicated when Ellie develops feelings for the same girl.
Christy Lemire wrote for RogerEbert.com, "By telling a personal tale inspired by elements of her own young life, [Alice] Wu achieves both singularity and universality. And it helps a great deal that the actress functioning as her stand-in has such a smart and compelling screen presence."
"Catching Feelings" (2017) — 100%
Critic score: 100%
"Catching Feelings," centers on Johannesburg-based couple Max (Kagiso Lediga) and Sam (Pearl Thusi) who spice up their monotonous married life by welcoming a renown writer into their home. But the hedonistic guest only drives a wedge between them.
"The sex scenes are daring for local cinema ... and so is the dialogue, which makes you laugh and think, without being preachy," Phumlani S. Langa wrote for City Press.
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