There are tons of romantic comedy tropes out there, including enemies to lovers, long-lost loves, small towns and more. But none of those are as steamy, fun and mischievous as fake dating—you know? The one where two people pretend to be in a relationship for some ridiculous reason?
This is why, this Valentine’s Day, we have rounded up the six best fake dating movies that you can stream from your home with your significant other, your friends or by yourself. Either way, they are sure to have you laughing and swooning.
‘The Wedding Date’ (2005)
Not having a date to your younger sister’s wedding can be tough, especially for Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) in the hit 2005 rom-com The Wedding Date. To make matters worse, Kat’s ex, Jeffrey (Jeremy Sheffield), just so happens to be the best man. Desperate to prove that she isn’t lonely and depressed, Kat decides to hire an escort named Nick (Dermot Mulroney) to be her date. But what happens when those fake feelings begin to feel real?
Where to watch: Youtube.
‘Anyone But You’ (2023)
Filled with hilarious moments and sizzling chemistry, this film has it all. Despite having a glowing first date, Beatrice (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) soon find themselves at odds with one another. Even so, they end up trapped in Australia at a wedding and have no choice but to pretend to date each other. But it turns out that the chemistry they felt at first might still be there, and soon Beatrice and Ben learn that sometimes love is the only thing stronger than hate.
“The two things that you have to sell a rom-com are fun and chemistry. Sydney [Sweeney] and I have a ton of fun together, and we have a ton of effortless chemistry,” Powell said. “That’s people wanting what’s on the screen off the screen, and sometimes you just have to lean into it a bit — and it worked wonderfully. Sydney is very smart.”
Where to watch: Netflix.
‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ (2018)
Jenny Han’s beloved young adult book series comes to life in this fun and fresh 2018 film. After her love letters written to former crushes get sent out without her knowledge, Lara Jean Covey (Lana Condor) finds herself embarrassed and unsure of what to do. Enter Peter Kavinski (Noah Centineo), who offers her a way out: pretend to date him, and everything will be golden—for both of them.
“What I think is important about this film is that it’s not an Asian rom-com, it’s just a rom-com that happens to have an Asian family,” Condor said. “It shows normalcy. And that’s the whole goal. I just want people to watch the film and go, ‘Oh that girl happens to be Asian, that’s awesome!’”
Where to watch: Netflix.
‘How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days’ (2003)
In the classic film How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, journalist Andy Anderson (Kate Hudson) is given one task: find a guy and get him to break up with her in 10 days or less. On the other side of town, Benjamin Barry (Matthew McConaughey) is given an entirely different task: get a girl to fall in love with you in ten days or less. Soon, the two cross paths, and things start to get steamy, silly and unpredictable really fast.
“Underneath, probably for things that were happening in character and out of character and off-set, we’d [he and Hudson] gotten under each other’s skin a little bit,” McConaughey said. “We were legitimately kind of pissed off at each other in a really cool way. Like, okay, that worked. But can we inject a little more of the charm and the love and the desire and the lust in there?”
Where to watch: Paramount+.
‘The Proposal’ (2009)
Travel to beautiful Alaska in this film starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. After learning that she is about to be deported, Margaret Tate (Bullock) enlists her assistant, Andrew Paxton (Reynolds), to marry her so that doesn’t happen. Andrew agrees, but with one condition: Margaret must come to Alaska to celebrate Andrew’s grandmother’s (Betty White) 90th birthday. Reluctantly, Margaret agrees, and soon, the two find both the plane and their feelings taking off.
“The first time we had a rehearsal day was right before the film, and we [he and Bullock] knew within the first 10 minutes that the chemistry and fireworks were there,” Reynolds said.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video.
‘Just Go With It’ (2011)
Fake dating? Try a fake divorce! In this beloved rom-com, Dr. Danny Maccabee (Adam Sandler) has his assistant Katherine Murphy (Jennifer Aniston) pretend to be his ex-wife so he can date the beautiful Palmer (Brooklyn Decker). But when she suggests a family trip to Hawaii, Danny and Katherine both have to learn how to live with each other, fake co-parent and just go with it.
“We [she and Sandler] trust each other, and we know that we’re going to have a good time,” Aniston said. “We have each other’s back. We take care of each other and have a mutual, deep respect for each other.”
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video.