10 Best Romantic Movies Based On Books

An uncountable number of romance stories have been told throughout the ages through books, and it is a medium where the genre continues to be successful even today. Whether it is classical style or modern-day romance, there are plenty of novels out there to satisfy everyone’s tastes.

Books being adapted into other kinds of media, specifically film, in this case, is far from a new phenomenon. and over the years many romantic stories which have proved to be popular in print have been brought to the live screens. Some have been classics that audiences still like watching years later.

10 Gone With The Wind (1939) – Stream On HBO Max

An absolute classic by every definition of the word, Gone With The Wind has a legendary reputation as a romance film. It was the highest-grossing film in the world for 25 years, and when adjusted for inflation, it still is.

The book of the same name that the movie is based on is the only book author Margaret Mitchell ever wrote, and she won a Pulitzer for it. Set during the historical Civil War, Gone With The Wind follows the life of Scarlett O’Hara and her romantic relationship with a man named Rhett Butler.

9 Call Me By Your Name (2017) – Stream On Starz

With his upcoming film Dune and several other projects, actor Timothée Chalamet is well on his way to becoming a household name, and Call Me By Your Name was his breakout role. Taking place in the beautiful setting of 1980s Italy, it is about the budding romance between a teenage boy and an older man, his father’s assistant.

Chalamet and Armie Hammer give performances that have been praised by many critics all around the world in what is one of the best LGBTQ coming-of-age movies. The film was adapted from the romance novel of the same name by author André Aciman.

8 The Fault In Our Stars (2014) – Rent On Vudu

Tragedy is an element often found in romance stories, and nowhere is it more painfully present than in 2014’s The Fault In Our Stars, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by John Green. The book and the film focus on two teenagers Hazel Grace and Augustus Waters, the former a cancer patient and the latter with cancer in remission.

The two meet through a support group and grow closer together, eventually going on a trip to meet with the author of their favorite book.

7 The Notebook (2004) – Available On HBO Max

Nicholas Sparks is one of the most successful and prolific romance authors of the generation, and 11 of his books have been adapted into films, The Notebook being one of them. Starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, it tells the story of an elderly couple reminiscing about the events of their past, about how they overcame social differences and opposition to survive as a couple.

As popular as the film is among fans of the genre, it is actually among one of Ryan Gosling’s worst films according to Rotten Tomatoes. Fans would certainly disagree though.

6 Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – Available On Netflix

Plenty of romance movies revolve around characters with physical ailments, but few of them dare to delve into the realm of mental health in the way Silver Linings Playbook does. It features Bradley Cooper as a man who has bipolar disorder, and how he grows close to a young widow (played by Jennifer Lawrence) through a dance competition.

Besides being a massive box-office success, the film was a hit at the Oscars as well and received 8 nominations and a win.

5 Pride & Prejudice (2005) – Stream On Max Go

First published in 1813, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice is now considered a must-read piece of classic literature in many circles, especially for fans of the romance genre. The novel’s widespread popularity has expectedly resulted in a number of movie and TV adaptations, and the 2005 film with Pirates of the Caribbean star Keira Knightley in the lead is one of many.

Set in 19th century England, the story revolves around the Bennet family, specifically one of the five daughters Elizabeth Bennet and her relationship with a certain Mr. Darcy.

4 To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) – Available On Netflix

Lara Jean is a teenager with a habit of writing letters to express her feelings for boys that she has a crush on, which she writes in secret and keeps hidden. When all the letters she has ever written get exposed, she is forced to deal with the consequences of it on her social and romantic life.

2018’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before was a huge hit on Netflix, and consequently, all three books written by writer Jenny Han were adapted into a trilogy of films. The first entry in the series is one of the best films directed by women available on Netflix.

3 Emma (2020) – Stream On Max Go

Before she made her directorial debut with Emma, director Autumn de Wilde was a professional photographer first, and it really shows here. The cinematography is as stylish as it is elegant, made even more remarkable by the lavish time-accurate props used throughout the movie.

Yet another film based on a Jane Austen film, it stars Anya Taylor-Joy as a noblewoman during the Regency era of England with a headstrong attitude and her various interactions with those around her.

2 Me Before You (2016) – Rent On Apple TV

Emilia Clarke is best known for her role as the ruthless mother of dragons in Game of Thrones, but she has shown time and time again that she is capable of handling drastically different parts as well. Me Before You, adapted from the book of the same name by Jojo Moyes, finds her as Louisa Clark, a charming and cheerful person full of life who starts working as the personal caretaker of William Traynor, a recently turned tetraplegic.

What starts as a professional friendship soon turns into something much more intimate, as Louisa tries to convince William to not take his own life. It can be sad at times, but ultimately is still a great feel-good romance movie to watch.

1 Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – Stream On HBO Max

2018’s Crazy Rich Asians wasn’t just a landmark in terms of representation of diversity in American films, but with a box office gross of over $200 million, it is also the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the decade. It follows a woman who travels to Singapore to meet her boyfriend’s family, who unbeknownst to her are some of the richest people in the country (hence the name of the film).

There were many things that the movie changed from the book by author Kevin Kwan, but that didn’t stop it from becoming a massive hit, and two sequels are currently in development.

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