The past decade has not been the best for the romantic comedy genre. In the past few years, there have been fewer must-see romantic comedies as studios have focused more on blockbuster tempoles than mid-budget darlings. As fewer rom-coms are shown in theaters, streaming services are making up for the shortfall, but it's hard for true rom-com fans to discern which films are worth their time. Rom-com connoisseur Marie Claire presents the streaming service with the best collection: Prime Video.

Amazon MGM Studios' original productions are gaining momentum. From original comedies like this year's Upgraded to novel adaptations like 2023's Red, White & Royal Blue, several of their new releases have been word-of-mouth hits over the past two years. And that was before the release of 2024's most anticipated romantic comedy, The Idea of You, starring Anne Hathaway. Amazon seems to have the secret sauce for fun and fulfilling love stories. [Courtenay Valenti, head of film, streaming and theater at Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement to Marie Claire:" Supported by the universal theme of the enduring power of love, we hope to create a story filled with humor and joy."

Below, we dive into the depths of Prime Video's offerings to bring you a selection of films that rom-com fans should add to their watch list, from heartwarming holiday romances to hilarious, lovey-dovey hijinks to pure escapist decadence.

Starring Emma Roberts and Thomas Mann, this 2022 film brilliantly fulfills one of the basic requirements of a good rom-com: the chemistry between the leads must be engaging enough to convince the audience of a wild encounter. (In the first scene of this remake of the 1978 Soviet film, Margot (Roberts) and Griffin (Mann) are counting down the minutes until they get engaged on a December 30 dinner date; their hopes are eventually dashed and Margot is unable to attend her sister's New Year's Eve wedding. Under unfortunate circumstances, the strangers meet and Griffin agrees to play Margot's fake boyfriend for the wedding. It's "wild," of course, but as they head off to the wedding in a snowstorm, it's clear that Margot and Griffin are destined for each other.

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In this heartwarming teen romance, Kelsa (Eva Raine) and Cal (Abubakr Ali) are high school seniors and each other's first love. Kelsa is a confident trans woman who keeps her YouTube channel a secret from her mother (Renée Elise Goldsberry), and Cal is a cis man who spends his spare time giving relationship advice on Reddit. As their relationship blossoms, high school politics, friendship drama, and social prejudice are addressed in this modern, groundbreaking romantic comedy.

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I'm calling it: the Big Sick is the rom-com that started it all. At the very least, it's the pioneer that ensured Prime Video would be the streaming site for original love stories. Based on the true story of screenwriters Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the film is a fictionalized account of Kumail, a stand-up comedian who falls in love with a graduate student (played by Zoe Kazan) who yells at him one night at a show. The film is about two things: Kumail keeping Emily a secret from her traditional parents, and Emily suddenly contracting a mysterious infection (the "Big Sick" that gives the film its title). Caveat: But Nunziani and Gordon's deft handling of the sensitive subject matter has earned "The Big Sick" enough credibility to earn it an Oscar nomination for Best Screenplay.

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This adaptation of Robynne Lee's 2017 novel is pure escapist fantasy with a boy band twist. Recently divorced, nearly 40-year-old art gallery owner Solène Marchand (Anne Hathaway) is on her way to take her teenage daughter to Coachella when she meets Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), a handsome 24-year-old from the pop quintet August Moon. Despite the age difference, the two have a frenzied romance that takes them all over the world, but the pressures of fame bring their passionate love affair to the ground. Come taste the loose inspiration of Harry Styles/1D and enjoy the electrifying chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine.

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In this one-minute joke film, Peter and Emma (played by Charlie Day and Jenny Slate) have arguably the best reactions to their parallel, unexpected breakup. The two strangers, who happen to meet while crying in the same stairwell, quickly bond over their grief and then team up to sabotage their respective exes' new relationships. The last is a bit much, but the two's dodgy schemes are hilarious, and Day and Slate are heavenly casting.

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This inventive musical comedy weaves romance into a coming-of-age story, leading to an actual coupling of the leads. Vine-turned-YouTube star Rudy Mancuso wrote, composed, and starred in the film, playing himself. After a falling out with his longtime girlfriend Hayley (Francesca Leale), he meets fellow Brazilian-American Isabella (Camila Mendes), and chaos ensues as Rudy tries to juggle his relationship with both women.

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Based on Casey McQuiston's 2019 novel of the same name, this lovely film tells of an unlikely animosity-turned-romance between the eldest son of the United States and a handsome English prince. After Alex Claremont-Diaz (Taylor Zachar Perez) and Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) cause an international incident at a royal wedding, their hostile acquaintances are forced to pretend to be best friends in a series of public appearances. Their forced proximity develops into true friendship and then love, but will the world ever accept the romance between two sons of world leaders? ......

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This is the magic of the classic romantic comedy: during the New York holiday season, epic chaos brings together two kindred spirits. Single father Ethan (Kendrick Sampson) buys an engagement ring at Tiffany's for his girlfriend Vanessa (Shay Mitchell), the same night Gary (Ray Nicholson) buys earrings for chef Rachel (Zoe Deutch). Shortly after, Gary is hit by a car and Ethan comes to the rescue, but their gifts are mixed up and he proposes Christmas to the wrong woman. In the aftermath, Ethan and Rachel begin to see their relationship, and their budding friendship, in a new light.

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In this film that replaces Cinderella with the art world, ambitious intern Ana's (Camila Mendes) career gets a boost when she is selected for a business trip to London. Upgraded to first class, she meets William (Archie Renaud), the handsome son of a British celebrity. Unfortunately, William mistakes her for his demanding art director boss (Marisa Tomei). As Anna and William grow closer, her little white lie threatens to ruin their modern-day fairy-tale romance.

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