Romance movies are defined by their central couples, and when the actors’ chemistry is believable, it elevates the project to a new level. While tension and physical chemistry are a huge part of what makes these dynamics work, there must be an underlying sense of friendship and a shared sense of humor that drives their banter and scenes together. In most cases, this kind of palpable attraction can’t be faked and is something that two actors either have or don’t. However, this gravitational pull between characters is helped by well-crafted writing and direction and a magnetic atmosphere in the film.
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Movie couples with the worst chemistry can easily sour the film and make it difficult to watch for audiences. If two actors clearly don’t like each other or simply don’t seem attracted to each other, then the audience will have trouble becoming invested in their love story. This is why it’s not uncommon for actors to be paired together multiple times across different projects when their chemistry works well. The Golden Age of Hollywood saw many great acting duos appear onscreen together many times, and this trend has continued today.
10 Roman Holiday (1953)
Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn
Roman Holiday
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It’s not a stretch of the imagination to see the flirtatious and genuine dynamic unfold between Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. While both actors played opposite plenty of romantic interests during their time in Hollywood, few would come close to matching the easy familiarity and tension that grows between them as Princess Anne and Joe Bradley in Roman Holiday. The film itself is a precursor to many of the great modern rom-coms that use the format of a couple having only one day together, but the memories lasting a lifetime.
Though time and circumstance prevent Anne and Joe from finding out what their lives would be like if they were together, there’s a sense that what happens between them is much more than a passing attraction.
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Peck and Hepburn are featured in some of the best romance movies of the 1950s, including Roman Holiday, which is possibly the greatest of the era. Though time and circumstance prevent Anne and Joe from finding out what their lives would be like if they were together, there’s a sense that what happens between them is much more than a passing attraction. Each inspires the other to be better and live the lives they want because of what they see in each other.
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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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Roman Holiday (1953) |
96% |
93% |
9 How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
Angela Bassett & Taye Diggs
How Stella Got Her Groove Back RRomanceComedyDrama
How Stella Got Her Groove Back follows Stella Payne, a successful stockbroker, as she takes a vacation to Jamaica to unwind from her demanding career. While there, she meets a charismatic young man named Winston and begins to rediscover her passions and zest for life. Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, the film stars Angela Bassett and Taye Diggs, exploring themes of love, rejuvenation, and self-discovery.
Release Date August 14, 1998 Writers Terry McMillan , Ronald Bass Cast Angela Bassett , Taye Diggs , Whoopi Goldberg , Regina King , Suzzanne Douglas , Michael J. Pagan , Sicily Johnson , Richard Lawson
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Long before the influx of age-gap relationship movies that have been flooding the market in the past few years, How Stella Got Her Groove Back was one of the first to touch upon the topic. While older men have often been seen with younger women in film, the opposite was rarely true. However, How Stella Got Her Groove Back sees Stella, played by Angela Bassett, reclaim her identity and sexuality when she embarks on a relationship with the younger Winston, Taye Diggs. Despite his age, Winston instantly connects with Stella in ways that other men in her life haven’t.
Related 10 Best Rom-Coms To Watch If You Like The Idea Of You
Before The Idea of You, a few other movies implemented similar romantic tropes and featured unlikely couples with undeniable chemistry.
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This was Diggs’ first film role, but based on his dynamic with Bassett, there was no one else who could play Winston. One of the most important parts of How Stella Got Her Groove Back is seeing Stella let loose and allow herself fun and happiness, so her enjoyment of spending time with Winston needed to ring true. Thankfully, the spark of their physical chemistry was only the beginning, as their banter and playfulness together bring light to both their lives.
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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) |
50% |
66% |
8 Dirty Dancing (1987)
Patrick Swayze & Jennifer Grey
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8/10 Dirty Dancing PG-13DramaDocumentaryRomance
Starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, Dirty Dancing follows Frances “Baby” Houseman, a young woman on vacation at a summer resort with her family who becomes the unwitting competition partner of one of the resort’s dance instructors, Johnny. As Baby and Johnny’s relationship deepens over the course of the summer, the disapproval of Baby’s family, especially her father, threatens to tear them apart.
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*Availability in US Director Emile Ardolino Release Date August 21, 1987 Studio(s) Vestron Pictures Writers Eleanor Bergstein Cast Jennifer Grey , Patrick swayze , Jerry Orbach , Cynthia Rhodes , Jack Weston , Jane Brucker Runtime 100 minutes Expand
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Chemistry in dialogue and love scenes is one thing, but finding compatibility with dance partners can be even more difficult. Thankfully, Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey hit every mark as Johnny and Baby in the classic late ’80s rom-com Dirty Dancing. Set in the early ’60s, Dirty Dancing sees Baby come of age at the summer resort where her family spends every vacation. It’s there she meets Johnny, the dance instructor, who might be from another world but soon exposes her to parts of life she never knew about.
Not everyone can make an enemies-to-lovers dynamic work, but Grey and Swayze easily track the relationship of Baby and Johnny from grudging partnership to undeniable attraction and love.
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Not everyone can make an enemies-to-lovers dynamic work, but Grey and Swayze easily track the relationship of Baby and Johnny from grudging partnership to undeniable attraction and love. Though the pair grow frustrated with each other as they struggle to understand the other’s background and pressures, this only fuels the realism of their relationship. The climatic lift in the middle of their dance number serves as a metaphor for both their relationship evolving and Baby’s trust and belief in herself.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
|
Dirty Dancing (1987) |
72% |
90% |
7 Carol (2015)
Cate Blanchett & Rooney Mara
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8/10 Carol RDramaDocumentaryRomance
Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, Carol stars Rooney Mara as Therese Belivet, a department store worker and aspiring photographer who, after a chance encounter at work, begins a secret affair with an older wealthy woman named Carol who is going through a bitter divorce. While the two women develop strong feelings for one another, outside forces continually threaten to tear them apart. Cate Blanchett stars alongside Mara as Carol.
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*Availability in US Director Todd Haynes Release Date November 20, 2015 Studio(s) Number 9 Films , Film4 , Killer Films Writers Phyllis Nagy , Patricia Highsmith Cast Kyle Chandler , Jake Lacy , Sarah Paulson , Rooney Mara , Cate Blanchett , Cory Michael Smith Runtime 119 minutes Expand
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It’s fair to say that Cate Blanchett could have chemistry with anyone, as the actress exudes magnetism and an allure that pervades much of her best work. However, the dynamic between her and Rooney Mara in Carol, Todd Haynes’ romantic period drama, is especially compelling. Blanchett plays the titular Carol, an older woman who soon becomes entangled with the younger Therese, played by Mara. Their relationship is complicated by the dated culture of the 1950s and Carol’s difficulty in the midst of her divorce.
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Though there are men in the film who try to get in the way of their relationship, Therese and Carol aren’t defined by their relationships with men but with each other. Not only does Carol open the door for Therese to confront her sexuality, but she also helps her take control of her life and explore what she wants in every facet of it. Since their relationship is taboo, this forces them into a clandestine affair, which elevates the tension and tragedy of their situation.
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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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Carol (2015) |
94% |
75% |
6 La La Land (2016)
Emma Stone & Ryan Gosling
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8.1/10 La La Land PG-13DramaMusicalComedy
Written and directed by Damien Chazzelle, the romantic musical La La Land tells the story of Seb Wilder (Ryan Gosling) and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone), a jazz musician and an aspiring actress pursuing their respective dreams in Los Angeles. The pair meet and fall in love, sharing their passions and hopes with one another as they become closer. J.K. Simmons, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Finn Wittrock appear in supporting roles.
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*Availability in US Director Damien Chazelle Release Date December 9, 2016 Studio(s) Lionsgate Writers Damien Chazelle Cast Hemky Madera , meagen fay , J. K. Simmons , Sonoya Mizuno , Rosemarie DeWitt , John Legend , Ryan Gosling , Finn Wittrock , Ashley Caple , Josh Pence , Emma Stone , Jason Fuchs Runtime 128 Minutes Expand
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Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone have played romantic interests several times throughout their career, in Crazy, Stupid, Love, and Gangster Squad, but their most memorable project is easily La La Land. As Sebastian and Mia, two budding creatives hoping to break into their respective industries in Los Angeles, Gosling and Stone are as in love with each other as they are with their dreams of fame and creating something lasting and special. While watching them fall in love is beautiful, it’s the film’s ending that’s the most realistic.
It’s the sacrifices that they make for each other and the enduring belief that they’ll succeed that drives the strength of their connection.
La La Land is one of the best movie musicals of the 21st century, with original music and dance numbers that the actors take on well despite not being known for their musical talent. While the magic of the city blends into the early romance and fantasy of their lives together, their dreams dull and fade as they face hardship. However, it’s the sacrifices that they make for each other and the enduring belief that they’ll succeed that drives the strength of their connection.
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Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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La La Land (2016) |
91% |
81% |
5 In The Mood For Love (2000)
Tony Leung Chiu-wai & Maggie Cheung
In the Mood For Love PGDramaRomance
In 1960s British Hong Kong, journalist Chow Mo-wan and secretary Su Li-zhen find comfort in their shared loneliness after discovering their spouses’ infidelity. Their evolving relationship takes them on a poignant journey across time and distance, exploring the depths of unspoken desires and missed opportunities.
Director Kar-Wai Wong Release Date March 9, 2001 Writers Kar-Wai Wong Cast Tony Leung Chiu-wai , Maggie Cheung , Siu Ping-Lam , Tung Cho ‘Joe’ Cheung , Rebecca Pan Runtime 98 Minutes
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In the Mood for Love is one of Wong Kar-wai’s best-known films, and while each part of the movie works perfectly in harmony to create the timeless love story, it wouldn’t have worked without Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Maggie Cheung. Leung was a frequent collaborator with Wong, also appearing in Chungking Express and Happy Together, but his most famous performance happened alongside Cheung when they played Chow Mo-wan and Su Li-zhen. Though their relationship is defined by their spouses having an affair with each other, they quickly realize how easy it is to fall in love with someone else.
It’s clear throughout the story that the odds for Chow and Su to overcome the obstacles and propriety in their way and find happiness together are slim. However, it’s just as obvious that they will never have a love affair as meaningful as the one they share, as the chemistry is palpable in the smallest moments between them. Merely walking past each other on the street and seeing each other in the hall is enough to make the tension between them burst off the screen.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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In the Mood for Love (2000) |
92% |
94% |
4 Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Heath Ledger & Jake Gyllenhaal
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8/10 Brokeback Mountain RDramaRomance
From director Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain tells the story of a forbidden love between two cowboys beginning in 1960s Wyoming. The film stars Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist, who after being hired for a summer job herding sheep, begin a romantic relationship that lasts two decades. As the two struggle to cope with their feelings for each other against the pressures of a society that will never accept them, various tragedies and other obligations threaten to pull them apart for good. Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams also star.
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*Availability in US Director Ang Lee Release Date December 9, 2005 Studio(s) Focus Features Writers Larry McMurtry , Diana Ossana Cast Jake Gyllenhaal , Heath Ledger , Michelle Williams Runtime 134 minutes Expand
Over the course of twenty years, the audience comes to know every trial and heartbreak of Ennis and Jack in Brokeback Mountain. The movie is an example of a narrative that treats the love story between two men as a classic romance for the ages while dealing with the prejudices of its time. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal easily embody the slow trust that builds between Ennis and Jack while they grapple with the expectations of their time and struggle to fully open themselves up to a true connection and relationship.
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Ledger and Gyllenhaal make the audience deeply invested in their beautiful and tragic tale.
Brokeback Mountain is one of the best period romance movies ever made. Though it begins in the early 1960s and is in conversation with older issues, it feels just as relevant to the universal difficulties of being known and loved. While the importance of Brokeback Mountain for the representation of LGBTQ+ love stories onscreen can’t be overlooked, the film should be celebrated and remembered equally for its artistry and impact. Ledger and Gyllenhaal make the audience deeply invested in their beautiful and tragic tale.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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Brokeback Mountain (2005) |
88% |
82% |
3 The Before Trilogy (1995–2013)
Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke
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10/10 Before Sunrise RDramaRomance
Two strangers, Jesse and Céline, meet on a train and decide to spend an evening together exploring Vienna. As they wander the city, they share deep conversations, form a profound connection, and experience a fleeting, yet meaningful romance, knowing their time together will end at sunrise.
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*Availability in US Director Richard Linklater Release Date January 27, 1995 Writers Richard Linklater , Kim Krizan Cast Ethan Hawke , Julie Delpy , Andrea Eckert , Hanno Pöschl , Karl Bruckschwaiger , Tex Rubinowitz Runtime 101 minutes
Richard Linklater pushed boundaries with his film series The Before Trilogy, which sees a nine-year gap between each of the three installments. From a dreamlike chance encounter to the realities of growing old together, The Before Trilogy tracks the very real relationship between Jesse and Céline, played by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, as they age. The entire series rests on the believability of Hawk and Delpy, as each of the films is essentially an extended conversation between the two of them as they discuss their differing philosophies about life and love.
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The last movie, Before Midnight, was a risky conclusion to the trilogy. The final film shows a side of Jesse and Céline’s relationship that’s more uncomfortable and less romantic than the previous installments. However, this cements how well Hawke and Delpy understand each other and Linklater’s skill as a filmmaker, as their relationship is no less compelling and realistic. If anything, the fantasy that pervades the first two films has faded, making Before Midnight the most emotionally true of the series and showing that Jesse and Céline operate as a living, breathing couple.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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Before Sunrise (1995) |
100% |
93% |
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Before Sunset (2004) |
94% |
92% |
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Before Midnight (2013) |
98% |
82% |
2 Past Lives (2023)
Teo Yoo & Greta Lee
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8/10 Past Lives PG-13DramaRomance
In Past Lives, childhood sweethearts Na Young and Hae Sung lose contact when Na Young’s family moves abroad. Twelve years later, they reconnect through social media, but their lives have diverged. As they meet again, unresolved feelings surface, leading to poignant reflections on love, choices, and the complexities of relationships.
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*Availability in US Director Celine Song Release Date January 21, 2023 Writers Celine Song Cast Greta Lee , Teo Yoo , John Magaro Runtime 106 minutes
Though Greta Lee and Teo Yoo play the young friends turned almost-lovers, Nora and Hae Sung, in Past Lives, John Magaro deserves an honorable mention for his performance as Nora’s husband, Arthur. The palpable tension between Nora and Hae Sung is both elevated and softened by the presence of Arthur, who has just as clear a connection with Nora, but it’s different. The relationship between Nora and Hae Sung is one of maybes and full of untapped potential, as the pair could have had something special, but will never know if that’s true.
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Related 10 Best Movie Endings Of The 2020s So Far, Ranked
The 2020s have included iconic movies in every genre, and they’ve delivered shocking and powerful endings that stay with audiences for a long time.
Part of the reason this kind of relationship is so irresistible and plays out so well onscreen is because so much of early romance is about the idea of someone. Both Nora and Hae Sung project their ideals and fantasies onto the other about what their lives might have been if they had taken different paths. There’s just as much said in their silences and long looks throughout the film as there is in their private conversations that Arthur can’t join because he doesn’t speak their shared language, both literally and figuratively.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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Past Live (2023) |
95% |
93% |
1 When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Meg Ryan & Billy Crystal
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9/10 When Harry Met Sally RComedyDramaRomance
Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally chronicles the life and relationship of Harry Burns and Sally Allbright, who meet just after college on a road trip to New York City and begin a decade-long relationship that slowly evolves from friendship to true love. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star as Harry and Sally, with a further cast that includes Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby.
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*Availability in US Director Rob Reiner Release Date July 21, 1989 Studio(s) Columbia Pictures Writers Nora Ephron Cast Bruno Kirby , Meg Ryan , Carrie Fisher , Steven Ford , Billy Crystal Runtime 95 minutes Expand
Often considered the best movie from the golden age of rom-coms, When Harry Met Sally features two amazing performances from Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan as Harry and Sally. Both actors had considerable comedic backgrounds and were the perfect choices to bring the opposites-attract couple to life. Though the characters couldn’t be more different, Ryan and Crystal easily make the audience see that there’s a reason these two people keep running into each other and that their opposing ideologies might just be the perfect match.
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Of course, the key to Harry and Sally’s chemistry in the movie is what the plot revolves around the most: their friendship. Much of the dialogue and plot of When Harry Met Sally discusses whether or not a man and woman can be friends without romance getting in the way. This is a dated concept, but When Harry Met Sally remains timeless because it’s the strong foundation of friendship that makes their love story possible. It’s obvious in every moment of the film that Harry and Sally enjoy spending time together and genuinely make each other laugh.
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Title |
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score |
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score |
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When Harry Met Sally (1989) |
89% |
89% |
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