By Cameron Hendrickson By Cameron Hendrickson | March 12, 2021 | Lifestyle, Feature,
Here are the nine most binge-worthy romantic comedies—all available to stream—for the next time you're in the mood for a lazy weekend.
1. 500 Days of Summer
This non-romantic, romantic comedy opens at the end: Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is heartbroken after being dumped by his girlfriend Summer (Zoey Deschanel). Over the course of the next hour and a half, 500 Days of Summer takes viewers through these coworkers-turned-partners meeting, falling in love, falling out of love, and discovering themselves. Filmed in DTLA and released in 2009, the flic’s indie exploration of love in the early-aughts has laughs, tears, and important lessons galore. Available on Hulu, Amazon Prime, Starz, iTunes, Apple TV, Youtube, Google Play
2. La La Land
La La Land not only showcases an enchanting romance but captures the spirit of Los Angeles. The 2016 film follows a jazz pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an aspiring actress (Emma Stone) who fall in love while trying to make their dreams come true in the city of angels. This quintessential L.A. love story was filmed all around the city from Griffith Park to Angels Flight and The Hermosa Beach Pier to The Smoke House Restaurant. Available on Hulu, Youtube, Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon Prime, iTunes
3. Crazy Stupid Love
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are back with powerhouses Steve Carrell and Julianne Moore in 2011’s Crazy, Stupid, Love. After Cal’s (Carrell) wife Emily (Moore) asks him for a divorce, he finds himself single at 40. With the help of playboy Jacob Palmer (Gosling) and the love of his daughter Hannah (Stone), Cal navigates dating again. In scenes at the Westfield Century City and in the Hollywood Hills, this movie celebrates love at any age. Available on Netflix, Youtube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Apple TV
4. Home Again
The queen of the rom-com, Resse Witherspoon, stars as Alice Kinney, a recently separated single mom, whose life takes an unexpected turn when she lets three young-and-broke filmmakers move in with her. Much of this sweet 2017 film also showcases a gorgeous Spanish-style home—previously occupied by the likes of Jennifer Garner and Cindy Crawford—in beautiful, leafy Brentwood. Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube, Apple TV, Hulu, Google Play, Vudu
5. The Holiday
One of the most iconic transatlantic romances, along with Love Actually, The Holiday gave the anglophiles among us everything we needed in 2006. When Iris (Kate Winslet) and Amanda (Cameron Diaz) switch homes for the Holidays their swaps between L.A. and England bring adventure and love. Featuring Jude Law and Jack Black, The Holiday is the ideal blend of heart-warming and fun. The L.A. filming locations included San Marino, Brentwood and Silver Lake. Available on Amazon Prime, Youtube, Google Play, iTunes, Apple TV, Vudu
6. Pretty Woman
This iconic 1990 film follows the tale of a handsome millionaire (Richard Gere) hiring a feisty sex worker (Julia Roberts) for a weekend visit in L.A., and it's still to this day one of the most compelling rom coms. Famously filmed in Beverly Hills at the Beverly Wilshire and Rodeo Drive, Angelenos might recognize the 1928 Art Deco Oviatt Building, one of the most recognizable highrises in DTLA. Available on Hulu, iTunes, Youtube, Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV, Amazon Prime
7. HER
Set in the not-so-distant future, HER, released in 2013, provides a take on romance that could only exist in the 21st century. Depressed and going through a divorce, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) forms a relationship with a virtual assistant feature of an operating system upgrade named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). DTLA features prominently in the film, Theodore lives at the Watermarke Tower Apartments on 9th Street, and the L.A of the future looks sleek, modern and clean. Available on Youtube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime, iTunes
8. Clueless
In the 1995 film Clueless, no truer words were ever spoken than popular teenager Cher Horowitz’s repudiation of her boyish high school suitors: “As If!” Full of ‘90s fashions and teenage lingo, Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd, Brittany Murphy and more shine in this high-school classic. Filmed at Beverly Hills High School and Rodeo Drive, Cher might be an L.A. princess, but she is also a bright girl learning to do good and finding romance in the process. Available on Youtube, Google Play, Vudu, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, iTunes
9. LA Story
L.A. is another character in this 1991 story of a weatherman’s (Steve Martin) pursuit of a model (Sarah Jessica Parker) and a British journalist (Victoria Tennant). This movie is about the love between people and a man’s love for his city’s eccentricities. LA Story takes place all over its namesake, from The Ambassador Hotel to LACMA to Venice Beach and even LAX. LA Story helps Angelenos remember the whimsy of the crazy city they call home. Available on Youtube, Google Play, Amazon Prime, iTunes, Vudu
Photography by: Photo by Vinicius Maciel/Pexels; photo by Erica Zhao/Pexels; Stephan Müller/Pexels; thumbnail and header image by Roberto Nickon/Pexels