If You Haven’t Seen These 14 Indie Romantic Comedies, Can You Even Call Yourself A Fan?

We all know the big rom-com hits. Movies like Sleepless in Seattle and Love Actually are staples of the movie buff lexicon. While they’re great, you’re missing out on some real hidden gems if you stick with the big-budget studio hits. Indie rom-coms are often better than their mainstream counterparts, featuring more rugged and heartfelt performances. Have you seen any of these indie romantic comedies? If you haven’t, they’re all available to stream, so you really have no excuse. And, as a little gift to you, I’ll even tell you where you can stream them.

In a Day (2006)

A woman is having a rough day. She has a cup of coffee thrown on her at the bus stop from a man who’s whiny about her blocking his advances. Now, at work at the café, a regular wants to give her a day filled with happiness to make up for how it started. She begrudgingly says yes, but soon finds a burgeoning connection with this mysterious man. A lot can happen in one day. Watch this for some killer character development. In a Day is obscure, but totally worth the watch.

Watch In a Day with an AMC Plus subscription.

My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend (2010)

Ethan is an author having trouble writing his rom-com. His agent suggests he makes it more cliché, which isn’t what he wants out of his career. In the meantime, he meets Jesse, played by Alyssa Milano. They start dating, but there’s a problem: She’s seeing another guy at the same time she’s seeing Ethan. This isn’t going to win any awards or anything, but it’s a good example of a relationship playing out in a realistic and muted kind of way.

Watch My Girlfriend’s Boyfriend on the Roku Channel, Tubi, and IMDb TV.

The Decoy Bride (2011)

A famous American actress chooses a remote Scottish isle for her secret wedding to English author James. Unfortunately, a paparazzo finds out anyway and makes his way to the island to snap pictures. A local woman agrees to be a decoy bride to thwart the paparazzo’s plans, but ends up developing feelings for the author–who is totally off-limits. If you’re a David Tennant fan, his role as the English author makes this a must-watch.

Watch The Decoy Bride with an AMC Plus subscription.

The Giant Mechanical Man (2012)

Chris Messina’s Tim is trying to make it as a street performer, dressed in silver with silver face paint as a “giant mechanical man.” As you might expect, things aren’t going well. He has to get a job at the local zoo where he meets fellow down-on-her-luck coworker, Jenna Fischer’s Janice. This is a super sweet and subtle romance that feels so much like the real world. If you’re needing something that gives you hope for your own love life, this is a good one.

Watch The Giant Mechanical Man on Peacock, the Roku Channel, and IMDb TV.

What If (aka The F Word) (2013)

Daniel Radcliffe’s Wallace becomes friends with Zoe Kazan’s Chantry. He’s got a crush on her, but she has a boyfriend. He struggles to stay friends while pining after her. Can he get out of the friend zone? If you’ve ever wondered where that Adam Driver nachos meme comes from, you’ve found your answer.

Watch What If on Prime Video.

Not Another Happy Ending (2013)

An author, played by Karen Gillan, finally gets a publisher for her novel. Her debut is a success and she even gets a novelist boyfriend. But when her publisher wants another book, she’s found that she’s blocked. The publisher sets out to make her miserable in the hopes that she’ll finally finish one last book. But neither of them expected that finishing and finally being out of each other’s lives might be the last thing they want.

Watch Not Another Happy Ending on Peacock, the Roku Channel, and IMDb TV.

One Small Hitch (2013)

A woman is heading home to visit family when she spots her brother’s high school friend in the airport heading home as well. They agree to a little white lie just to get through the visit. What starts as a simple fake boyfriend plot turns tough when her family decides to plan a wedding neither of these two want. After all, they aren’t really together. While this one has made-for-TV vibes, the couple has a blockbuster’s worth of chemistry.

Watch One Small Hitch on Prime Video, the Roku Channel, and Tubi.

Two Night Stand (2014)

Megan (Lio Tipton) is lonely and wants to try having a one night stand for the first time. She gets on a dating app and finds Alec (Miles Teller), who invites her over. They have an okay night and Megan is itching to leave, but when a freak blizzard rolls through, they have to spend one more day with each other stuck inside. This is the perfect movie for a “stuck together” romance trope.

Watch Two Night Stand on Prime Video, Vudu, and Tubi.

Obvious Child (2014)

Stand-up comedian Donna, played by Jenny Slate, has a one-night stand with the sweet Max. They go their separate ways, planning to keep it just that night. Unfortunately, life has other plans when Donna finds out that she’s pregnant. Will she be able to tell her one night stand? And how will Max take it? This one’s written and directed by women, which is always nice to see.

Watch Obvious Child with a Showtime subscription or on Hoopla.

Before We Go (2015)

Nick (Chris Evans) is at the train station late and night when he notices a woman running for the train, dropping her phone. Brooke (Alice Eve) was mugged moments before and just wants to get home. As Nick gets it to her, she misses the last train. They’re both out of money and out of luck, so they end up spending the night having adventures in Manhattan. They’re strangers, but not for long. This is Chris Evans’ directorial debut.

Watch Before We Go on the Roku Channel, Tubi, and IMDb TV.

Boy Meets Girl (2015)

Best friends Ricky and Robbie are spending their days working, driving around their small town, and swimming in the local watering hole. That is, when Ricky isn’t vlogging for her fashion channel. Luckily, no one in her life seems bothered that she’s trans. But when a new girl in town catches Ricky’s eye, things get a little tense in her and Robbie’s lifelong friendship. This is about as indie and low-budget as you can get, but well-worth the watch.

Watch Boy Meets Girl on Prime Video and Tubi.

The Big Sick (2017)

Stand-up comedian Kumail Nanjiani meets and falls in love with Emily. Everything is great for a while, but they eventually break up. Soon after, Emily ends up in a coma, and Kumail visits her in the hospital. Her parents tell Kumail to leave, but he insists on staying. The three get close as they wait by her hospital bed. When Emily finally wakes up, the breakup is still fresh for her while Kumail has had time to heal and want her back. This is based on the true story of how Kumail Nanjiani met and fell in love with wife Emily V. Gordon, which makes this whole thing even cuter.

Watch The Big Sick on Prime Video.

Plus One (2019)

Ben (Jack Quaid) and Alice (Maya Erskine), have been friends since college. When they both realize how many weddings and events they both have coming up, they agree to be each other’s plus ones. This way, they can have fun with a friend all without being grilled by family about being single. But all this time spent together definitely has its consequences. Amazing chemistry alert!

Watch Plus One on Hulu or Hoopla.

I Want You Back (2022)

Peter (Charlie Day) has just been dumped by his girlfriend. Emma (Jenny Slate) has just been dumped by her boyfriend. The two meet when they’re both sobbing in a stairwell. They become friends and decide the best course of action is to break up their exes with their new partners so they can get back together again. This one is a brand new Amazon Original and is getting rave reviews. With that cast, it’s not surprising at all.

Watch I Want You Back on Prime Video.