Prime Video Is Saving the Rom-Com
Amazon's original romantic comedies are ushering in a new renaissance for the genre.
The past decade has not been the best for the romantic comedy genre. We can't deny that must-watch rom-coms have been few and far between in recent years, as studios focus on blockbuster tentpoles over mid-budget darlings. With less frothy comedies hitting theaters, streamers have come in to pick up the slack, but it can be hard to tell which releases are worth a true rom-com fan's time. May we, the rom-com connoisseurs at Marie Claire, point you toward one streamer with a supreme collection: Prime Video.
The original films coming out of Amazon MGM Studios have been having a moment. Several of their new releases have become word-of-mouth hits over the past two years, from original comedies like this year's Upgraded to novel adaptations like 2023's Red, White Royal Blue. And that was before they released the most-anticipated rom-com of 2024, the Anne Hathaway-led film The Idea of You. It seems like Amazon has tapped into the secret sauce that makes for fun, fulfilling love stories.
“It is always our mission to create content that connects with our customers, and the rom-com genre has been wildly successful in accomplishing this goal,” Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming, and theatrical at Amazon MGM Studios tells Marie Claire in a statement. “Anchored by the universal theme of the enduring power of love, we hope to create stories that are imbued with humor and joy; equally important, these stories allow audiences to find connection and inspiration.”
Below, we dove into the depths of Prime Video's offerings to bring you a selection of films that rom-com fans should add to their watchlists, from heartwarming holiday romances to hilarious and flirtatious hijinks to pure escapist decadence.
'About Fate' (2022)
Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann in About Fate.
Starring Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann, this 2022 film pulls off one of the cardinal requirements of a good rom-com: The chemistry between the leads has to be charming enough for viewers to buy into the wild meet-cute. (Call it the Sleepless in Seattle rule.) In the first scenes of this remake of a 1978 Soviet film, both Margot (Roberts) and Griffin (Mann) are counting down the hours until they get engaged on a December 30th dinner date. Both of their hopes are eventually dashed, and Margot is also left dateless for her sister's New Years Eve wedding. Through unfortunate circumstances, the strangers meet and Griffin agrees to play Margot's faux-boyfriend for the wedding. Wild? Absolutely, but as they bumble to the wedding in a blizzard(!), it's clear that Margot and Griffin just might be meant to be.
'Anything's Possible' (2022)
Eva Reign and Abubakr Ali in Anything's Possible.
In this heartwarming teen romance, Kelsa (Eva Reign) and Khal (Abubakr Ali) are high school seniors who become each other's first loves. Kelsa is a confident trans woman who keeps her YouTube channel secret from her mother (Renée Elise Goldsberry), while Khal is a cis man who spends his free time giving romantic advice on Reddit. As their relationship blossoms, the pair deal with high-school politics, friendship drama, and social stigmas in this contemporary, groundbreaking rom-com.
'The Big Sick' (2017)
Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan in The Big Sick.
I'm calling it: The Big Sick is the rom-com that started it all. Or at least, the forerunner that ensured Prime Video was a streamer to watch for original love stories. Based on the real-life romance between writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, this film follows a fictional version of the stand-up comic Kumail as he falls in love with a grad student (played by Zoe Kazan) who heckles him at a show one night. Their effortless relationship faces huge challenges, namely Kumail keeping Emily secret from his traditional parents and Emily's sudden illness from a mysterious infection (the titular Big Sick). Fair warning: This one gets a lot heavier than the typical rom-com, but Nanjiani and Gordon's deft handling of sensitive topics gives The Big Sick an elevated authenticity that helped it earn an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
'The Idea of You' (2024)
Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You.
This adaptation of Robinne Lee's 2017 novel is pure escapist fantasy with a boy band twist. While accompanying her teen daughter to Coachella, Soléne Marchand (Anne Hathaway), a recently divorced art gallery owner on the cusp of 40, has a meet-cute with Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the 24-year-old heartthrob in pop quintet August Moon. Despite their age gap, the pair have a whirlwind, globe-trotting romance until the pressures of fame bring their whirlwind affair back down to earth. Come for the loose Harry Styles/1D inspiration, and stay for Hathaway and Galitzine's electric chemistry.
'I Want You Back' (2022)
Charlie Day and Gina Rodriguez in I Want You Back.
In this joke-a-minute flick, Peter and Emma (played Charlie Day and Jenny Slate) have arguably the best reactions to their parallel, unexpected break-ups. The strangers meet by chance while crying in the same stairwell, quickly bond over their sorrow, and then team up to sabotage their respective exes' new relationships. Okay, the last part goes a bit overboard, but the pair's screwball schemes deliver the laughs, and Day and Slate are a casting match made in Heaven.
'Música' (2024)
Rudy Mancuso and Camila Mendes in Música.
This inventive musical comedy mixes a coming-of-age story with romance—leading to a real-life coupling of its leads. Vine-turned-YouTube star Rudy Mancuso wrote, composed, and stars in this film as a version of himself: a student and part-time puppeteer living with synesthesia, a neurological condition that makes his brain hear musical rhythms from everyday sounds. After a fight with his long-time girlfriend Haley (Francesca Reale), he meets Isabella (Camila Mendes), a fellow Brazilian-American who immediately connects with Rudy's unique way of seeing the world. Chaos ensues as Rudy attempts to juggle his relationships with both women.
'Red, White Royal Blue' (2023)
Taylor Zakhar Perez and Nicholas Galitzine in Red, White Royal Blue.
Based on Casey McQuiston's 2019 novel of the same name, this adorable flick follows the unlikely animosity-turned-romance between the First Son of the United States and the handsome Prince of England. After Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zakhar Perez) and Prince Henry (Nicolas Galitzine) cause an international incident at a royal wedding, the hostile acquaintances are forced to pretend to be besties in a series of public appearances. Forced proximity leads to genuine friendship and even love, but will the world accept a romance between two scions of world leaders?
'Something from Tiffany's' (2022)
Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson in Something From Tiffany's.
This is the stuff of classic rom-com magic: During the holiday season in New York City, an epic mix-up brings two kindred spirits together. Single dad Ethan (Kendrick Sampson) buys an engagement ring for his girlfriend Vanessa (Shay Mitchell) at Tiffany's, on the same night Gary (Ray Nicholson) buys chef Rachel (Zoey Deutch) a pair of earrings. When Gary is hit by a car immediately after and Ethan comes to his aid, their gifts get mixed up and the wrong woman gets a Christmas Day proposal. In the aftermath, Ethan and Rachel begin to see their relationships, and the budding friendship between them, in a new light.
'Upgraded' (2024)
Camila Mendes and Archie Renaux in Upgraded.
In this art-world spin on Cinderella, ambitious intern Ana's (Camila Mendes) career gets a boost when she's tapped for a work trip to London. The demanding gig takes a turn as she's upgraded to a first-class flight and meets William (Archie Renaux), the handsome son of a British celebrity. Unfortunately, William mistakes her for her demanding art director boss (Marisa Tomei). As Ana and William grow closer, her little white lie threatens to blow up their modern fairytale romance.
