Binging a series of romance movies on a cold, rainy day is the best way to stay comfortable and entertained. While there is a great sense of comfort that comes with rewatching a well-known romance film, the genre’s hidden gems are just as worthy of attention. These films have their small, pᴀssionate fan base but have otherwise been overlooked in the romance genre for too long.
The best hidden gem romance movies have honest depictions of love, highlighting the mix of complicated emotions felt in relationships, as seen in movies like Love Jones, Return to Me, and newer releases such as Stay The Night. The best hidden gem romance films to watch on a rainy day range in tone, from heartbreaking dramas to charming comedies, meaning there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
8
Stay The Night (2022)
Directed by Renuka Jeyapalan
Witty and heartfelt, Stay the Night depicts the deep emotional connection that forms between two individuals who weren’t expecting it. What starts as an attempt at a one-night stand between Grace (Andrea Bang) and Carter (Joe Scarpellino) transforms into something more meaningful. Released within the past few years, Stay the Night has come and gone without making much noise, as its simple narrative and slower pace cause it to get lost within the romance genre.
Still, while Stay the Night isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, its sweet and patient love story is ideal for a rainy day spent indoors. Avoiding grand romantic gestures and convenient plot points, the film takes its time to build up its central romance. Stay the Night allows Grace and Carter to gradually develop a connection that produces something meaningful and real, which fans of a gripping slow burn are sure to appreciate.
7
Return To Me (2000)
Directed by Bonnie Hunt
Though a devastating loss is at the center of Return to Me, the romantic dramedy never feels heavy. The movie follows Minnie Driver’s Grace Briggs as she is dealing with insecurities and is reluctant to fall in love due to a recent heart transplant. However, everything changes when she begins to fall in love with a patron at her restaurant (David Duchovny).
Return to Me is largely lighthearted and charming, but it also contains a lot of heart and doesn’t have to do much to get a tearful response from audiences.
Grace and Duchovny’s Bob have a strange and bittersweet connection that complicates how they’ll move forward with a relationship. Return to Me is largely lighthearted and charming, but it also contains a lot of heart and doesn’t have to do much to get a tearful response from audiences. While Return to Me is mostly a standard romance film, it is elevated thanks to Driver and Duchovny’s strong chemistry and the entertaining group of supporting characters that help guide Grace and Bob towards a happy ending.
6
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Directed by Nahnatchka Khan
Ali Wong and Randall Park are known for their comedic personalities, and it’s their experience in the comedy genre that transforms the simplicity of Always Be My Maybe into something refreshing and rare. The film relies heavily on many of the romance genre’s most overused tropes, but its script —co-written by Michael Golamco, Wong, and Park— keeps it from ever feeling uninspired. Always Be My Maybe centers around the rekindled connection of childhood friends Marcus (Park) and Sasha (Wong).
After having grown apart from one another over the years, the two reunite as adults and must confront the possibility of a romantic relationship with each other. Of the best romance movies of the 2010s, Always Be My Maybe is among those most overlooked, which is unfortunate considering Wong and Park’s romantic and comedic chemistry is off the charts. Their lively energy is endearing and prevents the movie from being just another friends-to-lovers rom-com.
5
Take This Waltz (2011)
Directed by Sarah Polley
Falling out of love with someone is a strange experience, and Take This Waltz does its best to capture the range of emotions ᴀssociated with such a feeling and put it to the screen. The film revolves around freelance writer Margot (Michelle Williams) and the unexpected romantic connection she shares with another man (Luke Kirby). The undeniable bond between the two forces Margot to reexamine her unexciting marriage with her husband, Lou (Seth Rogen).
Combining humor and heartbreak, Take This Waltz provides a unique examination of a marriage on the decline and the isolation Margot feels following the life changes she makes. The performances in the film effectively get audiences swept up in the unfolding drama, with Williams being a clear standout. Though it may not be among Michelle Williams’ best dramatic work, Take This Waltz is still a hidden gem that should be watched on the next rainy day.
4
Down With Love (2003)
Directed by Peyton Reed
Set in the 1960s, Down with Love pays homage to romantic comedies of the era and pokes fun at the atтιтudes surrounding Sєxual liberation and women’s independence. The film stars Renée Zellweger as a feminist author who writes a book that advises women to move away from a dependence on men. Ewan McGregor co-stars as a journalist who is intent on proving Zellweger’s character to be a fraud.
Zellweger has led a handful of romance films throughout her career, and though Down with Love has gained a cult following in the years since its release, it remains sorely overlooked. It’s a fun and colorful hidden gem that easily brightens up a gloomy day. The stylish and campy aesthetic of the film is not only reminiscent of the ’60s films that inspired it, but it also acts as the perfect backdrop for Zellweger and McGregor’s playful on-screen dynamic.
3
Blue Jay (2016)
Directed by Alex Lehmann
Having had a limited release before being available through video on demand, it’s no wonder Blue Jay has become a hidden gem since its 2016 release. Mark Duplᴀss and Sarah Paulson carry the film on their own as two high school sweethearts reuniting years later. Several romance movies have a shared setup, and at the start of the film, most audiences are expecting Jim (Duplᴀss) and Amanda (Paulson) to confess some lingering romantic feelings.
However, what sets Blue Jay apart from other movies with a similar narrative is its ability to make an intimate and raw love story feel relatable. Jim and Amanda’s realistic connection elicits a strong sense of nostalgia that will have audiences reminiscing on their formative first loves as well. Paulson delivers one of her best performances in the film and has a palpable on-screen chemistry with Duplᴀss that serves their wholesome reunion well.
2
Love Jones (1997)
Directed by Theodore Witcher
Void of overused romance tropes and cliché writing, Love Jones is a moody and mature romantic dramedy that’s essential viewing for a rainy day. The film follows two young artists, poet Darius Lovehall (Larenz Tate) and pH๏τographer Nina Mosley (Nia Long), as they bond over their shared interests and navigate their equally pᴀssionate and complicated relationship. As they’re unsure of whether to pursue a deeper connection with one another, most of their dynamic is full of jealousy and confusion.
Despite being a hidden gem, Love Jones is a ’90s rom-com that never gets old.
This sets Darius and Nina’s relationship apart from the endearing whirlwind romance typically seen in the genre’s more well-known films. Despite being a hidden gem, Love Jones is a ’90s rom-com that never gets old. Released at a time when many films centered around Black characters focused on violence and criminal activity, Love Jones‘ spotlighting of ambition and young love is incredibly refreshing and fails to age.
1
Only You (2018)
Directed by Harry Wootliff
While fluffy and somewhat unrealistic romance movies are certainly comforting watches on a gloomy day, there’s a lot to appreciate about a beautifully painful romantic drama as well. Only You is one of the latter films, as it tells a poignant story about two individuals whose lives are unexpectedly changed after meeting one another by chance. Laia Costa and Josh O’Connor lead the film as the pᴀssionate couple, Elena and Jake.
Only You has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The characters of Elena and Jake feel lived in, largely thanks to O’Connor and Costa’s brilliant performances, which adds to the film’s overall appeal. While Only You‘s intimate love story is personal and specific, Harry Wootliff’s writing and the cast’s performances make the couple’s emotional journey feel universal. Despite the specificity of their hardships, Only You remains inviting and garners an emotional response from audiences as a result.
