If football isn't your thing, then there's no better way to relax after a Thanksgiving feast than watching a cosy movie or TV show. And while you may be ready to watch Christmas content as soon as you finish all the Thanksgiving turkey, there are plenty of heartwarming films [1] and TV series on Netflix that don't involve the holidays. The best kind of feel-good movies [2] and shows usually revolve around love — whether it's romantic love, familial love, or love between friends — and we've rounded up all the comforting content on Netflix that will have you feeling the love this Thanksgiving.
Falling Inn Love
This rom-com stars Christina Milian as a city girl who leaves her home in San Francisco behind after a breakup to relocate to New Zealand, where an inn that she won through a contest awaits. The problem: the inn is a wreck — but luckily, a handsome contractor will help her mend the inn (as well as her heart, of course). Watch Falling Inn Love on Netflix [4].
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Based on the 2008 historical novel by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows by the same name, a London author (played by Lily James) bonds with the residents of Guernsey Island in the aftermath of World War II, and she becomes inspired when she learns about the book club they formed during the German occupation.
Watch The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society on Netflix [5].
Always Be My Maybe
This rom-com, starring stand-up queen Ali Wong and Fresh Off the Boat's Randall Park (as well as a bunch of other familiar faces), follows childhood sweethearts who reconnect as adults in incredibly different socioeconomic situations, 15 years after a dramatic falling out.
Watch Always Be My Maybe on Netflix. [6]
Sleepless in Seattle
Starring Tom Hanks [7] and Meg Ryan [8], this 1993 classic tells the story of a widowed man whose son attempts to find him a new wife by calling into a Seattle radio show — and amazingly, his story ends up winning the heart of an engaged reporter in Baltimore.
Watch Sleepless in Seattle on Netflix [9].
Sweet Magnolias
Based on the novels by Sherryl Woods, this romantic drama series follows the lives of three women who've been besties since high school as they navigate the complexities of marriage and family in their small hometown of Serenity, SC.
Watch Sweet Magnolias on Netflix [10].
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Will Ferrell [11] and Rachel McAdams [12] star in this comedy as two Icelandic singers, Lars Erickssong and Sigrit Ericksdottir, who compete for a chance to represent their country in the real-life Eurovision Song Contest.
Watch Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga on Netflix [13].
Hail, Caesar!
Set in the early 1950s and featuring a star-studded cast, this Coen Brothers comedy revolves around an overworked movie producer attempting to juggle complaints from a director, a synchronized swimmer, a dancing sailor, and a singing cowboy . . . all while trying to hunt down a movie star who's been kidnapped and held for ransom.
Watch Hail, Caesar! on Netflix [14].
Saving Mr. Banks
Starring Tom Hanks [15] and Emma Thompson [16], this charming biopic follows Walt Disney's quest obtain the movie rights to Mary Poppins, which he realises will be a challenge once he meets the curmudgeonly author of the book, P.L. Travers, who has no intention of relinquishing the rights.
Watch Saving Mr. Banks on Netflix [17].
Good Sam
Tiya Sircar from The Good Place stars in this comedy as Kate Bradley, a NYC TV news reporter who attempts to hunt down an anonymous good Samaritan, "Good Sam," who keeps leaving $100k in cash on seemingly random people's doorsteps.
Watch Good Sam on Netflix [18].
Virgin River
Based on the Virgin River novels by Robyn Carr, this romantic drama series tells the story of a nurse practitioner who decides to relocate to the remote town of Virgin River, CA, hoping for a fresh start, though she soon realises small-town life isn't as easy as she thought it might be.
Watch Virgin River on Netflix [19].
Baby Mama
Starring Tina Fey [20] and Amy Poehler [21], this comedy revolves around a single executive's journey to have a baby via surrogacy, though she never expects that the surrogate she hires will end up moving in with her and throwing a wrench in her carefully-constructed life.
Watch Baby Mama on Netflix [22].
Love, Guaranteed
Rachael Leigh Cook stars in this rom-com as a lawyer who takes on a new case from a client (played by Damon Wayans Jr.) hoping to sue a dating website that promised him love and failed to deliver. Of course, as the case progresses, sparks eventually start flying between the two.
Watch Love, Guaranteed on Netflix [23].
Love Wedding Repeat
In this remake of French wedding rom-com Plan de Table, a man (played by Sam Claflin) finds himself struggling to give his little sister the perfect wedding day while he also deals with an angry ex-girlfriend, an uninvited guest, and an unexpected reunion with his dream girl (played by Olivia Munn).
Watch Love Wedding Repeat on Netflix [24].
Gentefied
In this bilingual comedy-drama, three Mexican-American cousins attempt to work together (despite their differences) on their shared dream: keeping their immigrant grandfather's family taco shop open in their rapidly gentrifying LA neighbourhood, Boyle Heights.
Watch Gentefied on Netflix [25].
Straight Up
This unconventional rom-com tells the story of two roommates — one of whom is a struggling actress, the other a man struggling with OCD — who start up a relationship after moving in with each other, despite the fact that the man is gay.
Watch Straight Up on Netflix. [26]
Set It Up
This sweet rom-com revolves around two demanding workaholics (played by Lucy Liu [27] and Taye Diggs [28]) who unwittingly bring together their overworked assistants (Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell) as they attempt to play matchmaker with their bosses.
Watch Set It Up on Netflix [29].
The Week Of
Chris Rock [30] and Adam Sandler [31] star in this comedy as two polar-opposite family patriarchs who must attempt to get along for the sake of their children's upcoming wedding, even if that means spending a very long week together.
Watch The Week Of on Netflix [32].
Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker
Based on the biography On Her Own Ground by A'Lelia Bundles, this series stars Octavia Spencer as the titular Madam C.J. Walker, a black hair care entrepreneur who became the first African American self-made millionaire.
Watch Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker on Netflix [33].
Nappily Ever After
In this empowering romance, a perfectionist executive who's tired of waiting for her longtime boyfriend to propose decides to take back control in her life by getting rid of her favourite asset: her hair.
Watch Nappily Ever After on Netflix [34].
Work It
Sabrina Carpenter, Liza Koshy, and Jordan Fisher [35] star in this comedy about a high school senior who dreams of getting into Duke University, the college her late father attended. The only problem: she lies on her application about being on a competitive dance team . . . and she can't dance.
Watch Work It on Netflix [36].
The Half of It
This LGBTQ+ coming-of-age dramedy revolves around Ellie Chu, a shy, straight-A student who agrees to help a popular jock write a love letter to his crush — with whom Ellie is also secretly in love.
Watch The Half of It on Netflix [37].
Emily in Paris
Lily Collins stars in this romantic comedy series as Emily Cooper, a marketing exec from Chicago who relocates to Paris after landing her dream job and discovers a world of high fashion, work challenges, and love interests.
Watch Emily in Paris on Netflix [38].
Otherhood
Directed by Sex and the City [39] executive producer Cindy Chupack, this comedy is based on the novel Whatever Makes You Happy by William Sutcliffe, telling the story of three suburban moms (played by Patricia Arquette, Angela Bassett, and Felicity Huffman [40]) who show up in the NYC apartments of their adult sons unannounced.
Watch Otherhood on Netflix [41].
Big Miracle
Starring John Krasinski [42] and Drew Barrymore [43], this romance tells the story of two exes who — after a family of grey whales is discovered near the Arctic Circle trapped by ice — agree to work together in order to rally an international coalition and save them.
Watch Big Miracle on Netflix [44].
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Based on the bestselling YA novel of the same name, this rom-com tells the story of quiet high schooler Lara Jean (played by Lana Condor) who discovers that her secret stash of love letters somehow got mailed to each of her five crushes.
Watch To All the Boys I've Loved Before on Netflix [45].
Never Have I Ever
Produced by Mindy Kaling and Lang Fisher, this comedy series tells the story of a first-generation Indian-American teen who enters her sophomore year of high school determined to improve her social status (and hopefully get a boyfriend).
Watch Never Have I Ever on Netflix [46].
Let It Snow
Adapted from the YA novel of the same name by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle, this rom-com follows a group of high schoolers whose midwestern town is hit by a massive snowstorm on Christmas Eve, resulting in lots of unexpected love connections.
Watch Let It Snow on Netflix [47].
Definitely, Maybe
Ryan Reynolds [48] stars in this rom-com as a father in the midst of a divorce who decides to finally tell his daughter (played by Abigail Breslin [49]) the story of how he and her mother met — though he does so by recounting three different romances and having her guess which one became his wife.
Watch Definitely, Maybe on Netflix [50].
The Hundred-Foot Journey
Based on Richard Morais' novel of the same name, this dramedy tells the story of two battling restaurants in a small French village, one of which is a family-owned Indian eatery and the other a Michelin-starred French establishment.
Watch The Hundred-Foot Journey on Netflix [51].
Uncorked
Directed by Insecure executive producer and showrunner Prentice Penny and loosely based on his own life, this father-son tale revolves around a young man who aspires to become a master sommelier, though his father expects that he will someday take over the family barbecue business instead.
Watch Uncorked on Netflix [52].