I’m looking for movie suggestions where two best friends end up falling for each other. I just watched one and really enjoyed the storyline, but now I can’t think of similar films. Would really appreciate a list of recommendations because I want to binge more movies like this. Thanks in advance!
So, Here’s My Take on the Ultimate Friends-to-Lovers Flicks
Can’t Get Enough of That Friends-First Romance
Okay, so I’m just gonna put this out there: pals who discover they’re in love is a trope as old as, like, microwaved leftovers. Still, you toss me any movie with two buddies locking eyes and suddenly realizing, ‘Wait, am I into them?’ and I’m instantly hooked.
“When Harry Met Sally…” – The Benchmark
Look, I can be skeptical. But let’s not pretend: “When Harry Met Sally…” is basically the gold standard here. New York is practically a third main character, and those awkward/cute debates over whether friendship is ever just friendship? Flawless. If you haven’t seen it, I honestly don’t understand what you’re waiting for.
“13 Going on 30” – Childhood BFFs, but Magical
Alright, here’s a random story: a friend of mine tried on a sparkly dress from her mom’s closet on her 30th birthday, and sadly, all she did was tear a seam. Did she wake up in a time warp with Mark Ruffalo as her soulmate? Sadly, nope. But this movie? Pure wish fulfillment. Best friends, time-jumping, and zero pretension. So goofy it’s good.
“Love, Rosie” – Painful Near Misses
That feeling when your best friend misses the Life Signs You’re Interested memo? Imagine that for, I dunno, half a lifetime. Watching “Love, Rosie” is like getting gently punched in the heart, then given a cookie. Seriously, so many almosts and so many years. Bonus: if you need a cathartic bawl but want hope at the end.
“Just Go With It” – Faking It ‘Til You Don’t
This one makes me laugh every single time. Not technically two besties at the start, more ‘colleagues in shenaniganry,’ but let’s be real, watching people pretend and then catch real feelings is never not hilarious. Think of it as the grown-up equivalent of playing house and suddenly realizing you care who gets the biggest slice of pizza.
“Drive Me Crazy” – Nostalgia Overload
You want late ‘90s angst? Here’s your starter pack. These two are all about that ‘let’s fake-date to score points elsewhere’ nonsense, and—surprise—actual sparks erupt. I swear, if this isn’t the movie equivalent of a floppy hair middle-part and those pocket-sized butterfly clips, what is?
Oh! Try This: “Always Be My Maybe”
This one’s like that friend you lose during college and randomly run into at Costco, only these two actually have chemistry and a way better script. Reconnecting as adults? Major chef-restaurant subplot? Randall Park and Ali Wong? Laughs are plentiful, and the romance feels earned, not forced.
Reality Check: Media on Mac – Don’t Overthink It
Okay, this is probably gonna get lost in the sauce, but real talk—Mac’s default media player isn’t all that great if you’re binging stuff from, um, “creative” sources. If you want something that just plays everything and never throws some “unsupported” wrench in your plans, I’d go with Elmedia Player. It’s the one I installed after VLC randomly crashed on me during a Harry and Sally marathon, and I haven’t looked back since. Zero frills, does the job, and my subtitle issues are history.
So: what friends-to-lovers stories am I tragically missing? There’s always that one under-the-radar pick that makes you scream, “WHY did I wait so long to watch this?” Drop your recs!
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If you’re really chasing that friends-to-lovers high, let me toss some more flicks your way that @mikeappsreviewer didn’t cover. Some picks on that list are undeniable classics (yeah, okay, ‘When Harry Met Sally…’ is iconic, but it’s almost its own genre at this point). Not gonna lie, ‘Just Go With It’ feels like a stretch to me since those two are coworkers first, but whatever floats your nostalgia boat.
Here’s a chunk of actual best friends turning into more, minus the magic sparkly dresses and not-so-subtle product placement:
- 'The Edge of Seventeen” – Super underrated if you’re cool with some teen angst. The sibling’s best friend dynamic gets complicated.
- “Friends with Benefits” – Ignore the cheesy title, Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake legit start as friends (with, well, benefits). A little more modern and pretty raunchy, but the chemistry is solid.
- “What If” (aka “The F Word”) – Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan have genuinely awkward, nerdy banter. The entire premise is: Can you stay friends with someone you’re falling for?
- ‘One Day’ – Sort of like “Love, Rosie,” but with even more emotional torture and probably less hope. Prepare to feel all the feelings, and maybe break your remote.
- “No Strings Attached” – Similar to “Friends with Benefits,” but with Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher and a little more on the emotional side.
Anyone got an indie rec? There’s gotta be a hidden gem out there that isn’t just “friends plus a conveniently timed rainstorm.” And does anyone else feel like half of these movies only work because the characters are, like, super hot and conveniently single forever? Or is that just me?
Honestly, it’s wild how often this trope manages to sucker-punch my cold, cynical heart. @mikeappsreviewer and @sonhadordobosque already dropped a bunch of the bangers (& gotta agree—“When Harry Met Sally…” is THE blueprint, full stop), but, not gonna lie, they totally missed some of my faves.
First off—“Definitely, Maybe.” Ryan Reynolds at peak charm, piecing together his romantic history for his kid. There’s an obvious best-friends-who-might-be-more vibe simmering, and it doesn’t get enough love. Also “Celeste and Jesse Forever” has a slightly off-center spin: best friends-turned-exes who maybe never stopped being each other’s person. Funny, messy, a lil’ bit heartbreaking.
Feel like everyone forgets “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” They’re not classic childhood BFFs but that whole messy, music-fueled adventure is basically the soundtrack of friends tumbling into couplehood. Ditto for “Sleeping with Other People”—yeah, it’s snarky, kinda raunchy, but the slow-burn transition from platonic to way-too-attached is chef’s kiss.
If you like your rom-coms vintage, “Some Kind of Wonderful” from the 80s is straight-up the blueprint for girl-best-friend-who-was-the-one-all-along. No sparkle dresses or time travel, just emo drum solos.
Couldn’t help but notice nobody mentioned “Brown Sugar”—childhood friends bonded by hip hop and mutual obliviousness. A+ soundtrack, Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan with all the chemistry.
Plot twist: totally disagree with the idea that “Just Go With It” fits here. That’s more slapstick than friends-to-lovers, honestly feels like Adam Sandler movies operate in a parallel universe where logic goes to die. Whatever, not my jam.
Bit surprised no one threw in an indie pick: “Drinking Buddies.” Low-key, ambiguous ending, but the whole vibe is “will they, won’t they” between brewery co-workers/besties. And Olivia Wilde has never been more relatable.
Anyone else think that the best/worst part of these flicks is that spike of second-hand embarrassment? Like, if half the folks actually just said their feelings, the runtime would be 24 minutes.
Anyway, keep the obscure recs coming—I need new feels!
Let’s be real: friends-to-lovers stories are a comfort-food genre, and every time I see another “do they know?!” fake-out onscreen, a part of me melts and a part of me shouts at the TV. Not gonna retread all the classics already dropped by others (and wow, “When Harry Met Sally…” slaps, zero debate), but here’s a few less-hyped picks if you’re knee-deep in romcom cravings:
- “One Day”—it’s not textbook friends-to-lovers, but the will-they-won’t-they arc over decades is brutal and brilliant. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess absolutely sell that constant-wrong-timing heartbreak.
- “Lola Versus”—messier, more indie, more real than glossy romcoms; the whole “maybe my friend is my actual person” angst feels relatable, if sometimes awkward.
- “The F Word” (aka “What If”)—Daniel Radcliffe and Zoe Kazan with all the awkward, wry banter and you-know-they-want-to vibes that make the best friends-to-lovers flicks pop.
- “Kissing Jessica Stein”—a great under-the-radar pick for those who want platonic-to-romantic as a journey of self-discovery, not just swoony montage moments.
Disagree with lumping “Just Go With It” fully into the trope—a bit too contrived for what makes real friends-turned-lovers satisfying (but if you want pure comedic chaos, go off). Fully on board with indie recs like “Drinking Buddies”—those subtle, beer-soaked glances? Chef’s kiss.
On tech: everyone keeps hyping Elmedia Player and honestly, fair. VLC’s subtitle-fail rage is real, and Elmedia handles most file headaches, smooth scrubbing, plus AirPlay’s a perk if you binge on bigger screens. Not flawless though: can feel a bit “paywalled” for advanced features, and UI isn’t as minimalist as VLC. Still, it’s a goldilocks for Mac users—but if you’re stubborn and want all open-source, PotPlayer or IINA are out there (just don’t expect the same subtitle finesse).
In the end, what really gets me is how damn suspenseful these films can be about people just catching up to what the audience already knows. Talk, people! Still, that’s half the fun. Curious—are there any international or queer best-friends-to-lovers films I’m missing? The more obscure (and, honestly, less heteronormative), the better. Let’s crowdsource some gems!