Along with shrug jackets and low rise bell-bottoms, the early aughts also gave us classic rom coms. Netflix doesn't play around when it comes to supplying a romantic blast from the past, so you won't be hard-pressed to find a sweet and romantic 2000s movie to add to your streaming queue. We've got Jennifer Lopez hustling bridal matters in The Wedding Planner long before she danced to "Criminal" in Hustlers. Then, there's Ryan Reynolds melting hearts in Definitely, Maybe before he talked smack in Deadpool. While not all of Netflix's rom coms from the early aughts are Rotten Tomatoes darlings, each one will give you a sweet and hilarious fix of nostalgia. Without further ado, here are the best 2000s romantic comedies to stream on Netflix, so whip out your PalmPilot to schedule these for your cosy nights in.
2000s Romantic Comedies on Netflix
These 2000s Romantic Comedies on Netflix Are the Answer to Your Weekend Plans
Heartbreakers (2001)
It's like Gilmore Girls, but with scams — Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt play Max and Page Conners, a mother-daughter duo of con artists who try to swindle wealthy men. It begins with Max marrying a wealthy man, then Page putting him into a compromising position — et voilà, they cash in buckets of divorce money. They're not so lucky on their next cons, falling madly for their targets.
Watch Heartbreakers on Netflix.
Tortilla Soup (2001)
In Tortilla Soup, Martin (Héctor Elizondo) is a widower chef who has been slowly losing his sense of taste since his wife's death. As his daughters find love, so too does Martin.
Watch Tortilla Soup on Netflix.
The Wedding Planner (2001)
Jennifer Lopez plays a hardworking wedding planner who hasn't had the best of luck when it comes to love. When a charming man (Matthew McConaughey) rescues her from harm's way, she believes him to be the man of her dreams — only to learn that he's her client's fiancé.
Watch The Wedding Planner on Netflix.
A Knight's Tale (2001)
After you've watched your favourite contemporary aughts romantic comedies, take it way back with the witty and fast-paced A Knight's Tale. Heath Ledger stars as William, a young squire who passes off as a knight by entering jousting tournaments. Along the way, Lady Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon), a noblewoman, steals his heart.
Watch A Knight's Tale on Netflix.
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The Brothers (2001)
An ensemble that's equal parts raunch and romance, The Brothers follows four lifelong friends who navigate the trials and tribulations of love and sex. We see separate storylines for each of the men, but the film is ultimately tied together by their friendship.
Watch The Brothers on Netflix.
Mr. Deeds (2002)
After his rich grand-uncle dies, the humble pizzeria owner Longfellow Deeds finds himself the heir of an exorbitant amount of money. Winona Ryder plays tabloid reporter Babe Bennett, who tries to trap Deeds into a story by pretending to be a small town girl and letting him rescue her. And, of course, she actually falls in love with him.
What a Girl Wants (2003)
What a Girl Wants is really about Daphne (Amanda Bynes) developing a relationship with her newly found prestigious English father (Colin Firth). But we'd remiss not to mention the charming romances that unfold — including Daphne's with her dreamy musician beau Ian (Oliver James).
Watch What a Girl Wants on Netflix.
Sleepover (2004)
Before we had Booksmart, there was Sleepover. After eighth grade ends, four BFFs decide to rid themselves of their nerdy reps and go up against the popular girls at school in a scavenger hunt. Sleepover isn't exactly the most critically-acclaimed film, but it's an easy PG tween comedy with pubescent angst and romance to spare.
The Prince & Me (2004)
In this aughts classic, Paige (Julia Stiles) is a hardworking pre-med student who falls for her charming and rich Danish classmate (Luke Mably). She soon finds out that he's not only wealthy but also that his parents are the King and Queen of Denmark.
Watch The Prince & Me on Netflix.
Just Friends (2005)
Need a holiday-themed rom-com pronto? Check out Just Friends. Back in high school, Chris (Ryan Reynolds) awkwardly confessed to his feelings to his best friend Jamie (Amy Smart) — after she turns him down, he decides to never come back to his hometown, only to do so many years later when an accident unfolds.
Watch Just Friends on Netflix.
Fun With Dick and Jane (2005)
In this Bonnie and Clyde-inspired caper, Dick and Jane aren't for kids anymore — get your rom-com heist movie fix now. After Dick (Jim Carrey) loses his job, he and his wife Jane (Téa Leoni) deal with their debt by robbing people. They soon take a detour when they learn the truth about Dick's former company, seeking out revenge on Dick's boss (Alec Baldwin).
Watch Fun With Dick and Jane on Netflix.
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Karen (Emma Thompson) has a reputation for killing off her characters — Harold (Will Ferrell), an IRS agent, and Ana (Maggie Gyllenhaal) are at her mercy. Will they fall in love, or will they die? Watch it and find out!
Watch Stranger Than Fiction on Netflix.
This Christmas (2007)
Featuring Loretta Devine, Regina King, and Idris Elba, This Christmas is an ensemble rom-com that reveals the strained dynamics in a family when everyone reunites for the first time in four years. Some relationships strengthen, while others fall apart — and everything is tied together with the holiday spirit.
Watch This Christmas on Netflix.
The Heartbreak Kid (2007)
In The Heartbreak Kid, Ben Stiller's character thinks that he's married the perfect woman, but the relationship soon crashes when the pair gets hitched after several months of dating. It's only until his honeymoon that he bumps into a woman who he believes is his true soul mate.
Watch The Heartbreak Kid on Netflix.
Baby Mama (2008)
Need your fix of SNL queens? In Baby Mama, Tina Fey stars as Kate, a woman looking for a surrogate mother — lo and behold, she hires Angie (Amy Poehler) to carry her child. Unfortunately, this plan doesn't pan out smoothly as the women navigate various squabbles and romances along the way.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
In this raunchy comedy, Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks portray friends and roommates Zack and Miri. The two are strapped for cash — when their electricity turns off, they decide to get money by creating an adult film. Only, they find themselves catching feelings when they're putting together the production.
Watch Zack and Miri Make a Porno on Netflix.
Definitely, Maybe (2008)
Ryan Reynolds charms as he plays a dad recalling all of his past love stories to his daughter Maya (Abigail Breslin), telling her how he met her mother as his divorce pends. Over the course of the film, Maya deduces which of his great loves is her mother.
Watch Definitely, Maybe on Netflix.
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
Yes, as its title suggests, Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is a modern-day spin on A Christmas Carol, only focussed on a wedding day instead of the holidays. During his brother's wedding, Connor, a philandering photographer (Matthew McConaughey), re-acquaints himself with the only girl he ever truly loved (Jennifer Garner). He then meets with three ghosts who show him his romantic past, present, and future.
Watch Ghosts of Girlfriends Past on Netflix.