25 Best Movies for Date Night (That Aren't Boring)

25 Best Movies for Date Night (That Aren't Boring) Here's the problem with most "date night movie" lists: they're just romance films. And while we love a good romance, suggesting The Notebook for the fifteenth time isn't exactly groundbreaking advice. Some of the best date night films aren't romances at all - they're thrillers that make you grab each other, comedies that have you both crying with laughter, or dramas so good they spark conversations that last longer than the film. The only rule: both people have to be engaged. No picking a three-hour war epic because you want to watch it and your partner can "just read." This list is genuinely fun for two people. The Romances (That Don't Suck) 1. The Princess Bride (1987) The perfect date movie. It's romantic without being sappy, funny without being crude, and quotable for the rest of your relationship. "As you wish." If your date hasn't seen it, you get to introduce them to it. If they have, you get to quote it together. Either way, you win. 2. When Harry Met Sally (1989) Nora Ephron's script is one of the best ever written about how men and women relate to each other. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan have chemistry that's effortless. The "I'll have what she's having" scene is one of cinema's great comic moments. It'll make you talk about your own relationship, which is either wonderful or dangerous depending on where you're at. 3. Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) A rom-com that's actually funny and actually romantic. Ryan Gosling teaching Steve Carell to be cool is hilarious. The twist in the third act is genuinely surprising. Emma Stone and Gosling's first scene together set up a chemistry they'd perfect in La La Land. It's smart, warm, and the kind of film that makes both people feel good afterward. 4. 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew set in a late-90s high school. Heath Ledger singing "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" on the bleachers is one of cinema's great romantic gestures. Julia Stiles is magnificent as the girl who refuses to be tamed. It's a teen movie that adults enjoy just as much. The poem at the end still hits. 5. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) A romance about erasing your ex from your memory and realizing you don't want to. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet are extraordinary. It's bittersweet, beautiful, and will make you both appreciate what you have. Or question everything. Either way, it's a conversation starter. "Meet me in Montauk." The Thrillers (That Keep You Close) 6. Gone Girl (2014) David Fincher's marriage thriller. It's the least romantic film on this list and somehow the most effective date movie, because it makes you turn to each other afterward and say "we're okay, right?" Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike are both phenomenal. Discuss the ending over drinks. You'll learn a lot about each other. 7. Knives Out (2019) Rian Johnson's murder mystery is the perfect film for two people who like feeling clever. Daniel Craig's accent is ridiculous. The ensemble cast is a delight. And the whodunit is satisfying enough that you'll both be guessing throughout. Zero stress, maximum fun. 8. Get Out (2017) Yes, it's a horror film about racism. It's also one of the most gripping, entertaining films of the decade. Jordan Peele delivers genuine scares and genuine laughs, often in the same scene. Rod the TSA agent is one of cinema's great comic relief characters. It's a date movie for couples who want something with substance and are okay holding hands during the scary bits. 9. Parasite (2019) Bong Joon-ho's genre-shifting masterpiece. It starts as a comedy, becomes a thriller, ends as a horror film, and is brilliant throughout. Subtitles might put some people off, but the filmmaking is so dynamic that you'll forget you're reading within ten minutes. It'll absolutely dominate your post-film conversation. The Comedies (That Actually Make You Laugh) 10. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) Wes Anderson's most purely delightful film. Ralph Fiennes is laugh-out-loud funny as the eccentric concierge. It's visually gorgeous, wildly entertaining, and has just enough emotional depth to make you feel something unexpected at the end. If your date likes Anderson, you're compatible. If they don't, useful information. 11. Bridesmaids (2011) Kristen Wiig's comedy about friendship, jealousy, and the insanity of wedding culture. The bridal shop scene is one of the funniest sequences in 2010s comedy. Melissa McCarthy is a force of nature. It's raunchy enough to be fun and emotional enough to be real. Works for literally any couple. 12. Game Night (2018) One of the most underrated comedies of the decade. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams are a couple whose game night turns into an actual crime caper. The bullet removal scene in the bathroom is comedy gold. Jesse Plemons as the creepy neighbor steals the film. It's fast, clever, and genuinely surprising. 13. The Big Sick (2017) Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon wrote a film about their own relationship, specifically the part where she went into a coma and he bonded with her parents. It's funny, genuine, and Holly Hunter is incredible. The best date movies reflect reality, and this one reflects it without losing its sense of humor. 14. Palm Springs (2020) A time-loop rom-com where Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti are stuck reliving the same day at a Palm Springs wedding. It's cleverer than it has any right to be, genuinely funny, and the chemistry between the leads is electric. At ninety minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. The "Trust Me" Picks 15. Amelie (2001) Jean-Pierre Jeunet's whimsical Parisian fairy tale. Audrey Tautou plays a shy waitress who secretly improves people's lives. It's sweet without being saccharine, visually inventive, and makes Paris look like the most romantic city on Earth (which, to be fair, it often is). Perfect for early-stage dating when you want to seem cultured. 16. In Bruges (2008) Not an obvious date pick, but hear me out: two hitmen hiding in Bruges, one hates it, one loves it, and the dialogue is so sharp it could cut glass. Colin Farrell is hilarious. Brendan Gleeson is wonderful. It's darkly funny, surprisingly emotional, and unlike anything else on Netflix. If your date loves it, you've found a keeper. 17. About Time (2013) Richard Curtis's time-travel romance. Domhnall Gleeson can relive any moment, and he uses this power to... improve his love life and spend more time with his dad. It's manipulative and it works. The father-son scenes are genuinely devastating. Bill Nighy steals every scene he's in. You will both cry, and that's okay. 18. Moonrise Kingdom (2012) Two twelve-year-olds fall in love and run away together on a New England island. Anderson directs their romance with complete sincerity - he takes their feelings as seriously as any adult love story. It's charming, funny, and visually stunning. The soundtrack is perfect. If whimsy is your love language, this is your film. 19. The Apartment (1960) Billy Wilder's comedy-drama about an office worker who lends his apartment to executives for their affairs. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine have chemistry that's timeless. It's funny, then it's heartbreaking, then it ends with one of cinema's greatest final lines: "Shut up and deal." It's over sixty years old and plays like it was made yesterday. 20. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016) Taika Waititi's New Zealand comedy about a foster kid and his grumpy uncle on the run in the bush. It's heartwarming, hilarious, and Sam Neill gives one of his best performances. It's the kind of film that puts both people in a good mood, which is really all you need from a date night. The Guaranteed Closers 21. La La Land (2016) Damien Chazelle's musical romance. Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone dance across LA, fall in love, and face the reality that dreams and relationships don't always coexist. The Griffith Observatory scene is pure magic. The ending is bittersweet in a way that sparks conversation. You'll want to hold hands during the planetarium sequence. 22. Before Sunset (2004) Linklater's sequel to Before Sunrise - Jesse and Celine reunite in Paris for ninety real-time minutes of walking and talking. It's the most intimate, honest depiction of two people reconnecting ever filmed. Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke are extraordinary. The ending is perfect. Watch Before Sunrise first if you haven't. 23. Up (2009) The opening ten minutes are the greatest love story Pixar ever told - a marriage condensed into a montage that covers decades and ends in loss. If you don't cry, you might be a robot. The rest is a fun adventure, but that opening earns its place on any date night list. 24. True Romance (1993) Tony Scott directing a Tarantino script. Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette as a couple on the run after accidentally stealing a suitcase of cocaine. It's violent, romantic, funny, and has one of the best ensemble casts of the 90s (Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt on a couch). It's a love story where the couple would genuinely die for each other, and that sincerity cuts through the Tarantino cool. 25. Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) A middle-aged laundromat owner discovers she can access alternate universe versions of herself. It's about a marriage, a mother-daughter relationship, and the meaning of existence, delivered through the most inventive action sequences of the decade. Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan are both extraordinary. You'll laugh, cry, and leave the film wanting to be kinder to the people you love. The hotdog finger universe is somehow both the stupidest and most profound scene of the year. Whatever you pick, the real point is watching something together and talking about it after. The best date night movies aren't background noise - they're conversation starters. Now stop scrolling and press play. Test Your Film Knowledge Make it a game night too: Emoji Plot - Decode movie plots told in emojis Movie Quotes - Match the quote to the film Movie Tagline - Match the tagline to the film Related Articles Best Movies on Netflix Right Now - More streaming picks Best Movies on Amazon Prime Right Now - More streaming options Comfort Rewatches - Films we return to