Holiday favorite Love Actually is one of those movies that we hopeless romantics just keep coming back to. No matter how cheesy and over-the-top this movie can be, and no matter how many lines we can recite throughout the film because we’ve practically memorized the entire script by this point, we just can’t seem to get enough of it.
Yet as much as we adore LoveActually, there are countless romance films out there that you absolutely have to see in the spirit of Valentine’s Day. What are some of those incredible romance movies that will most certainly tug at your heartstrings? Keep reading to find out!
ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019)
Although Isn’t It Romantic, starring Rebel Wilson, is designed to make fun of romantic comedies, it is a rom-com in itself. Albeit, it is much wiser than the average commercialized romantic comedy because it criticizes all of the sexist and homophobic stereotypes many films of this genre succumb to, but at its heart, this movie is a perfect romantic comedy. Why? Because it is just as romantic as it is comedic.
Remember in Love Actually when Laura Linney’s character, Sarah, fell madly in love with her co-worker, Karl? Isn’t It Romantic has a similar workplace love story going on with the one and only Adam Devine, but luckily for Wilson’s character, things go a lot more smoothly for her office romance than they do for poor Sarah. If you wished Sarah would’ve gotten the co-worker love story that she most certainly deserved, go check out Isn’t It Romantic.
NO STRINGS ATTACHED (2011)
No Strings Attached, starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher, is the perfect Valentine’s Day flick to watch once February 14 rolls around. Created by the mastermind behind New Girl, Elizabeth Meriwether, the movie centers around Portman and Kutcher’s characters who go from having a one-night stand to a “friends with benefits” relationship.
Yet in the process, as much as they try to deny their feelings, they fall deeply in love. It reminds us of the storyline in Love Actually revolving around John and Judy. In both plots, their relationships don’t truly blossom until after they’ve seen each other naked.
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (2017)
Call Me By Your Name is a movie that is as beautiful as it is gut-wrenching. Starring Timothée Chalamet (Elio) and Armie Hammer (Oliver), the movie revolves around two young men who fall for each other in Northern Italy, 1983. The chemistry between Chalamet and Hammer is hypnotizing and the dialogue will take your breath away.
Similar to the relationship between Mark and Juliet in Love Actually, Elio assumes Oliver hates him at first and vise versa. Yet really, the only reason they act cold towards each other in the beginning stages of their relationship is due to the fact that they have developed deep feelings for one another yet they are unsure how to express them due to the circumstances of their forbidden bond. Sound familiar?
HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU (2009)
He’s Just Not That Into You is quite similar to Love Actually in the sense that it takes on multiple different stories that all tie neatly to one another in the end. This film has a terrific cast, including A-listers such as Jennifer Aniston, Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Ginnifer Goodwin, and a long list of other unforgettable actors that always leave an impression in the romantic comedy genre. It’s a great movie for anyone who is looking for a sense of hope on Valentine’s Day.
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989)
When Harry Met Sally is regarded as one of the most classic romantic comedy films of all time, and for good reason. Starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, this Nora Ephron movie single-handedly changed the game for the rom-com genre by delivering a witty take on the concept of male/female friendships. Is it really possible for men and women to just be friends without the sex part getting in the way?
If you couldn’t get enough of the friendship between Billy Mack and Joe in Love Actually, you’ll see an even better platonic friendship evolve throughout When Harry Met Sally with an added twist of emotions as the film progresses.
VALENTINE’S DAY (2010)
Of course, one of the best movies to curl up to on Valentine’s Day is none other than the movie Valentine’s Day! This flick is filled with fun and excitement, and the enormous ensemble of celebrity cast members is one of the reasons Valentine’s Day is not to be forgotten. Similar to Love Actually, Valentine’s Day has several different romantic plotlines that are interconnected with one another. Sure, it’s a bit cheesy and over-the -top, but isn’t that exactly what Valentine’s Day is all about?
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)
Beauty and the Beast is a Disney film that is perfect for Valentine’s Day. No matter your age, everyone can fall in love with this movie all over again during the holiday of romance. The movie explores the relationship between two opposites who end up caring deeply for one another, and they even discover that they share passionate feelings. The music and the animation are beautiful enough to make this Disney movie an unforgettable classic.
Fans of the Mark and Juliet storyline in Love Actually will appreciate the relationship between Belle and the Beast, because they both deal with the pain of unrequited feelings. Yet luckily for the Beast, Belle’s feelings are eventually returned. And they lived happily ever after!
BEFORE SUNRISE (1995)
Before Sunrise is a breathtaking film about two total strangers, Jesse and Celine, who decide to take a chance on life by spending the day in Vienna together. They do this despite the fact that they don’t know each other at all. It is a risk they are both willing to take, even though they live on other sides of the world. Yet their connection with one another is so strong, they just can’t help themselves. Any true romance fan will fall madly in love with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy in this 1995 Richard Linklater film, and with an 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it is clear that Before Sunrise is a movie that is not to be missed.
If you loved the storyline between Jamie and Aurelia in Love Actually, Before Sunrise has a similar concept of two strangers with cultural differences falling madly in love with each other almost at once.
FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (2008)
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a wildly funny feel-good classic, and the perfect movie to snuggle up with on Valentine’s Day. This film is especially good for anyone who is dealing with heartbreak due to a recent breakup.
This Judd Apatow-produced film starring Jason Segel and Mila Kunis is sure to provide a beacon of light for anyone who might be in the lonely hearts club at the time being. If you love the “rock bottom” storyline with Billy Mack in Love Actually, Forgetting Sarah Marshall has the same comically cynical tone in the first half of the movie that fans of Mack’s storyline will be sure to enjoy.
THE WEDDING SINGER (1998)
And finally, The Wedding Singer is the perfect movie to watch on Valentine’s Day. This classic hit starring Adam Sandler (Robbie) and Drew Barrymore (Julia), centers around a man and a woman who become close friends after he agrees to sing at her wedding. They realize down the line that there is an incredible spark between them, and that maybe Robbie should be more than just the singer at Julia’s wedding.
In Love Actually, as we all know, Emma Thompson’s character gets cheated on by her husband played by Alan Rickman. Julia in The Wedding Singer also deals with an unfaithful partner, yet fans of Love Actually will probably appreciate the fact that Julia refuses to settle for the cheater and instead moves on to a much nicer guy. It’s the storyline that we all secretly wanted for Thompson’s character that she unfortunately never received.
