The 12 greatest teenage romance motion pictures on Netflix

Reminiscences fade, however not all of them. Those that stick round are usually tied to feeling and novelty: a primary kiss, first dance, first heartbreak. For higher or worse, we take these loves and losses to the grave. That's why teen romance motion pictures hit so exhausting — the recollections is likely to be buried, however sure sorts of tales carry them proper again as much as the floor.

In the event you're within the temper for romantic comedies about younger love that transport you again in time, the streamer provides Moonrise Kingdom (2012) and Licorice Pizza (2021), which happen within the Sixties and Nineteen Seventies, respectively. For extra solutions, preserve studying Leisure Weekly's record of the 12 greatest teenage romance motion pictures on Netflix.

01 of 12

twentieth Century Lady (2022)

Whereas twentieth Century Lady options most of the teen romance film tropes you grew up with, this Korean movie energizes even essentially the most drained clichés. The story is acquainted: A lady (Kim Yoo-jung) performs matchmaker for her unwell buddy (Roh Yoon-seo) by studying the whole lot about her crush (Park Jung-woo). It doesn’t take lengthy, in fact, for her to fall in love with the boy she’s investigating. Between the charms of past love and the nuances of friendship, this teen film is a winner. —Chris Snellgrove

The place to look at twentieth Century Lady: Netflix

Director: Bang Woo-ri

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

02 of 12

Crossroads (2002)

What do you get whenever you combine Shonda Rhimes, Britney Spears, and the good American freeway? The reply is Crossroads — the final word coming-of-age street journey film. Spears makes her main woman debut as Lucy Wagner on this movie written by Rhimes about three childhood greatest pals who’ve grown aside all through highschool, and resolve to drive throughout the nation collectively to reconnect.

That includes Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña (2024's Emilia Pérez) and Taryn Manning within the roles of Lucy's pals and street journey buddies, the film is, as EW's critic notes, designed to ship Spears "to the large display screen protected and sound." Even so, Spears is charming, and the movie makes use of the drive from Georgia to Los Angeles to delve into points like teen being pregnant, abandonment, and younger love. —Ilana Gordon

The place to look at Crossroads: Netflix

EW grade: B+

Director: Tamra Davis

Solid: Britney Spears, Zoe Saldaña, Taryn Manning, Anson Mount, Dan Aykroyd

03 of 12

Dumplin' (2018)

A coming-of-age Southern charmer imbued with the soul of Dolly Parton, Dumplin’ is the story of Willowdean Dickson (Danielle Macdonald), a young person who enters an area pageant overseen by her mother as an act of protest. When Willowdean’s riot spurs different misfits to join the pageant, too, Willowdean struggles to handle the relationships in her private life, particularly along with her semi-estranged mom, Rosie (Jennifer Aniston).

Parton wrote 12 new songs for the film, crammed with mantras, melodies, and the motivation to simply be your self. EW’s critic guarantees, “Like a pillow cross-stitched with sassy aphorisms, Dumplin’ is kitschy and squishy and, should you let your self, fairly candy to sink into.” —I.G.

The place to look at Dumplin': Netflix

EW grade: B

Director: Anne Fletcher

Solid: Danielle Macdonald, Jennifer Aniston, Odeya Rush, Maddie Baillio, Bex Taylor-Klaus

04 of 12

The Half of It (2020)

The Half of It is a couple of Chinese language American ace scholar (Leah Lewis) who overcomes her shyness sufficient to assist a tongue-tied jock (Daniel Diemer) win over the woman of his desires (Alexxis Lemire). There’s only one drawback: She’s fallen in love along with her, too! The result’s each refreshing and bittersweet; as EW’s critic notes of their overview, the film’s “examination of past love, and the way our messy, well-intentioned makes an attempt to do proper by our personal hearts can each wound and assist us fumble towards the folks we're meant to be, lands properly.” —C.S.

The place to look at The Half of It: Netflix

EW grade: B

Director: Alice Wu

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

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The Kissing Sales space (2018)

The later movies on this profitable franchise really feel extra phoned in, however this primary story involving a teenage woman (Joey King) whose want for the native dangerous boy (Jacob Elordi) threatens her friendship along with his youthful brother (Joel Courtney) nonetheless feels enjoyable and recent. When she finally ends up working the titular fundraiser, she should face her emotions far before she was anticipating. It’s tacky and over-the-top, however the characters are fairly charismatic, and the concept that love could be very, very messy stays evergreen. —C.S.

The place to look at The Kissing Sales space: Netflix

Director: Vince Marcello

Solid: Joey King, Joel Courtney, Jacob Elordi, Meganne Younger, Molly Ringwald

06 of 12

Licorice Pizza (2021)

Paul Thomas Anderson returns to the San Fernando Valley with Licorice Pizza, a coming-of-age romance set within the Nineteen Seventies. Alana Kane (Alana Haim) is a 25-year-old faculty photograph assistant; Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) is a 15-year-old actor and aspiring entrepreneur. The 2 don’t have anything in frequent, however after assembly throughout faculty image day, they start to construct a friendship. PTA’s script is a playful meditation on the lifetime of a Valley child within the '70s, a time when it felt like something was potential, even when nothing was taking place. EW’s critic writes that the movie “is a love letter to an period, and greater than {that a} feeling: a young, humorous ramble solid in all of the hope and absurdity of adolescence, one wild poly-blend rumpus at a time.” —I.G.

The place to look at Licorice Pizza: Netflix

EW grade: A–

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Solid: Alana Haim, Cooper Hoffman, Sean Penn, Tom Waits, Bradley Cooper

07 of 12

Love at First Sight (2023)

Individuals can endlessly debate whether or not love at first sight exists, however this movie asks what would occur if two younger adults (Haley Lu Richardson and Ben Hardy) fell head over heels on a airplane after which misplaced contact instantly afterward. The reply is easy: They transfer heaven and earth to search out each other once more. Every part in regards to the plot is saccharine-sweet, in fact, however there’s something unusually motivational about watching these lovebirds refuse to let life get in the way in which of their inevitably sappy reunion. —C.S.

The place to look at Love at First Sight: Netflix

Director: Vanessa Caswill

Solid: Haley Lu Richardson, Ben Hardy, Jameela Jamil, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips

08 of 12

Moonrise Kingdom (2012)

Wes Anderson is aware of whimsy, and in Moonrise Kingdom, the director constructs an exquisite elegy to younger love. Set on an island off the coast of New England within the Sixties, this coming-of-age dramedy follows two 12-year-old misfits as they grow to be pen friends and conform to run away collectively.

Visually constructed utilizing Anderson’s pastel palette and solid with a few of his favourite inventory gamers, the movie combines dreamy, youthful fantasy with spiritual allegory, and finally ends up with a narrative that feels each edgy and harmless. Edward Norton is a deal with in his position because the scoutmaster in control of an area summer time camp, nevertheless it’s the performances by the movie’s baby actors — Jared Gilman as Sam and Kara Kayward as Suzy, each trade novices — that make Moonrise Kingdom certainly one of Anderson’s most compelling tasks. —I.G.

The place to look at Moonrise Kingdom: Netflix

Director: Wes Anderson

Solid: Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Invoice Murray, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton

09 of 12

Moxie (2021)

Netflix channels the rebellious spirit of '90s magazines like Sassy with Moxie, their adaptation of Jennifer Mathieu's YA novel. Vivian Carter (Hadley Robinson) is a 16-year-old who befriends Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), a brand new scholar who awakens her to all of the harassment and abuse the women at their faculty face. Impressed to make a change, Vivian begins an nameless feminist zine, which helps her uncover her voice as she contends with a brand new relationship and familial challenges. Amy Poehler seems in a supporting position as Vivian's mom, nevertheless it's her directorial work that lends this challenge its progressive and feisty spine. —I.G.

The place to look at Moxie: Netflix

Director: Amy Poehler

Solid: Hadley Robinson, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Lauren Tsai, Nico Hiraga, Patrick Schwarzenegger

10 of 12

My Lady (1991)

My Lady is the film that traumatized a technology, nevertheless it’s additionally a candy coming-of-age rom-com. Anna Chlumsky and Macaulay Culkin star as Vada Sultenfuss and Thomas J. Sennett, two 11-year-old pals who expertise a memorable summer time collectively in 1972. Although recognized for its devastating climax, the guts of the movie lies in Vada and Thomas’s relationship, a platonic friendship that begins to appear much less in order the summer time wears on.

Chlumsky is charisma personified in her breakout position, and the connection between supporting gamers Dan Aykroyd and Jamie Lee Curtis offers the movie one other layer of romantic vitality. My Lady obtained flak upon its launch for its seemingly saccharine tone, however because the world has gotten scarier, My Lady is a rom-com reminder of less complicated and sweeter occasions. —I.G.

The place to look at My Lady: Netflix

Director: Howard Zieff

Solid: Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin, Anna Chlumsky, Griffin Dunne

11 of 12

To All of the Boys I’ve Cherished Earlier than (2018)

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before has a nightmare premise: A teen (Lana Condor) writes intense love letters to 5 boys she fancies (together with Noah Centineo) however by no means sends them. That modifications when her little sister (Anna Cathcart) mails every confession and unleashes chaos as every crush confronts her about their unrequited love. Even with its fluffy plot, the movie nonetheless has a lot to say about relationship, friendship, and the road between them.

EW’s critic admits that is “strictly Disney Channel stuff, nevertheless it’s obtained extra substance than you count on. And Condor as Lara Jean has a profitable, be-true-to-yourself sense of independence that’s infectious.” —C.S.

The place to look at To All of the Boys I’ve Cherished Earlier than: Netflix

EW grade: B

Director: Susan Johnson

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

12 of 12

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

Producing and starring on this full-blooded Sandler soirée, Adam Sandler steps apart for his youngest daughter, Sunny, to shine in her debut starring position as Stacy Friedman: a seventh grader experiencing a world of firsts — from buying and selling Converses for heels to planning the final word bat mitzvah, full with a personal yacht on the Hudson River and Olivia Rodrigo cruising by on a jet-ski.

Nonetheless, when Stacy's dad and mom (Sandler and Idina Menzel) disapprove of her grand plans, and BFF Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) defects to the center faculty's standard clique — relationship Stacy's longtime crush (Dylan Hoffman) within the course of — the soon-to-be lady gained't let something forestall her from internet hosting a "kick-ass occasion." The movie presents an enthralling but cringe-worthy peek into pre-teen shenanigans via fierce Gen-Z wit.—James Mercadante

The place to look at You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah: Netflix

Director: Sammi Cohen

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

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