Best Movies for Date Night

Date-night film recommendations have a different brief than the canonical romance list. The films here need to work for two people, one of whom may not be the same kind of film viewer as you. They need to be at least watchable to almost everyone, and they need to leave the room in a better mood than they entered it.

Our picks across decades and genres. We've grouped them by emotional risk level.

Low risk — almost universally welcome

• When Harry Met Sally (1989) — The reference text of the modern romantic comedy. Nora Ephron's screenplay. Crystal and Ryan at their most charming.
• The Princess Bride (1987) — Rob Reiner. Inconceivable. As you wish. Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, true love.
• Forrest Gump (1994) — If you want the safe drama. Two hours and twenty minutes that will not be controversial.

Medium risk — most viewers love them, occasional friction

• La La Land (2016) — The musical. The arguments are about its ending, not whether it's good.
• About Time (2013) — Time-travel romance with the most rewatchable Bill Nighy of the century.
• Notting Hill (1999) — Richard Curtis. Hugh Grant. The script he should have a knighthood for.
• The Prestige (2006) — If your date wants a puzzle film — the safest Nolan to suggest first.

Higher risk — assume your date is up for it

• Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) — Beautiful, sad, slightly demanding. Recommended for second date and beyond.
• Past Lives (2023) — Celine Song. Quiet, devastating. If the relationship can handle nuance, this is the test.
• Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) — Multiverse maximalism. Either your date loves it or not at all. There is no middle case.

Films we'd not pick for date night

We've left off films that would be brilliant choices for almost any other reason but the wrong choices for a date. Apocalypse Now, Hereditary, Requiem for a Dream — all extraordinary; none of them date-night films. Same for most of Lars von Trier, Béla Tarr, and the more demanding wings of Bergman.

Also off this list: Marriage Story and any other film whose subject is the dissolution of a relationship. Even great films can become tactical mistakes.