They hate each other. They despise the very notion of each other. Rivals, enemies, they need to be anywhere but in their presence. And yet…something grows and changes. After all, hate is so close to love. And by the end of the story, they utter those five fateful words: “I thought you hated me.” The enemies-to-lovers trope is perfect for people who love a bit of fire and spice. The next time you need a hit of this classic romance plot, try one of these enemies to lovers rom com movies that you can stream right now.
Sweet Home Alabama (2002)
Melanie just got the proposal of her life, but there’s a problem: She has to officially divorce her estranged husband, Jake. She goes back to Alabama to get him to sign the papers, but it’s like they’re right back where they left off. The hatred between Reese Witherspoon and Josh Lucas feels so real, and so does their well-earned happy ending. Watch Sweet Home Alabama on Hulu.
27 Dresses (2008)
How could you look at cynical James Marsden and not immediately fall in love with him? Katherine Heigl’s Jane manages to pull it off. It doesn’t help that he thinks her life goal of helping women have the best wedding ever is silly and laughable. They don’t well together…until they do. Watch 27 Dresses on Disney+.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Harry and Sally couldn’t be more different. One believes in true romantic love while the other is a cynical bastard. They clash immediately and continue to clash as they float in and out of their lives for years to come. This is one of those classics that remains at the top of so many people’s best-of lists. Watch When Harry Met Sally on Amazon Video.
Red, White & Royal Blue (2023)
A new one for fans of enemies-to-lovers, Alex is the son of the American president and Henry is the Prince of England. They couldn’t be more different and they can’t help but antagonize each other every time they come into contact. When Henry’s sister’s wedding ends in disaster, they must pretend to be best friends for the sake of public relations. I gushed about it after the release if you want to read my review. Watch Red, White & Royal Blue on Prime Video.
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
Mr. Darcy seems to hate Lizzie Bennet, and she’s frankly not even interested in entertaining the reason why. Why bother with a prick who thinks he’s better than everyone? The confessions toward the end of this movie are some of the best around. And while there are plenty of versions of this Jane Austen classic to choose from, I had to go with the one that brought us everyone’s favorite hand-flexing shot. IYKYK. Watch Pride and Prejudice on Starz.
Fire Island (2022)
How about a modern queer retelling of Pride & Prejudice? Rather than some stuffy rich English people, we find ourselves on Fire Island for legendary gay partying. Noah just wants to have one final great summer with his friends, but the stuffy, no-fun Will keeps showing up and sucking the fun out of everything. Watch Fire Island on Hulu.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Bridget is a quirky singleton who’s just trying to fall in love with her boss in peace, but Mark Darcy keeps showing up to get thoroughly on her nerves. This is for all of you who wished I’d put the Colin Firth version of Pride & Prejudice on the list. He’s just as good in this, if not better. Watch Bridget Jones’s Diary on Max.
Leap Year (2010)
Anna needs a ride to Dublin so she can propose to her boyfriend on Leap Day, but the only person available to drive her in the small Irish town she ended up in is the curmudgeonly and jaded Declan. He thinks her romantic notions are stupid and foolish and he isn’t afraid to say it. But a lot can happen on a two-day road trip. Watch Leap Year on Amazon Video.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)
Andie is set on proving you can drive away men with your neediness, and Benjamin wants to prove that he can make any woman fall in love when him. When they end up choosing each other for their experiments, they have to hide their hate by pretending to like each other, only to inadvertently fall for real in the process. Watch How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days on Paramount+.
The Hating Game (2021)
Lucy and Josh are dueling assistants for their companies co-executives, but their approaches are thoroughly different. They spend their days making a game out of despising each other, but when a sudden kiss in the elevator throws them off, they’re not sure what to do next. While it’s not as good as the book, it’s still a must-watch for fans of enemies-to-lovers. Watch The Hating Game on Hulu.
